Covenants 12, The Last Covenant

The Covenants, 12
The New Covenant
Texts: Jer 31:31-34
Mat 26:20-29
Mat 27:50-51
Introductory Thoughts

· In a way, this is the culmination of our study of God’s Covenants with man.

· In another sense, this is just the beginning of the end, for every part of Christian ministry and teaching is about the New Covenant.

§ Every doctrine that applies to the belief and life of a Christian is New Covenant doctrine.

§ Every life rule and guideline for living that applies to the life of a Christian is a New Covenant rule or guideline.

§ One of the keys to living the Christian life successfully and to following Christ, glorifying God, and carrying out the great commission is for believers to understand that they are New Covenant believers.

§ I must state again what I have said before, that if you or I apply an Old Covenant Law or rule of practice directly to a Christian, we are committing heresy.

§ If we teach that any part of the Law, as Law is still binding on a Christian, we teach heresy.

¨ Now, many of the same moral laws are taught in both Covenants, so much of the old covenant is a commentary on New Covenant truth.

¨ Nine of the Ten commandments are expanded and added to the New Covenant (the Sabbath is not carried forward to the New Covenant).

¨ The ceremonies of the Old Covenant were types of Christ, that foreshadowed His ministry, and we can learn from those.

¨ But the vast majority of the judgments and all of the ordinances of the Old Covenant are dead as a stone, and they have neither place nor part in the New Covenant.

¨ And to put a New Covenant believer under the Law is to commit heresy. Paul calls it “another gospel.”


Gal 1:8-9 "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

¨ If you would apply the Law, you must apply the whole Law.

Gal 3:10 "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

¨ Christ has fulfilled the Law—Mat 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

¨ In the lesson today, we will introduce the New Covenant, and the rest of what you learn as a Christian, will be filling out the frame of Truth I leave with you today. Today you will begin to learn what it is like to be a New Covenant believer, and the rest of your discipleship on this earth will be spent in learning to grow and walk in New Covenant Truth.

Rom 10:4 "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."




1. God Promised He Would Bring in the New Covenant—Jer 31:31

a. God is the Actor, God Will Fulfill His Promises—"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will…” God is Sovereign, God is in Control—Dan 2:20 "…wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings…”

b. God Had Set The Time— Behold, the days come [are coming], saith the LORD, that [when]…”

(1) God sent forth His Son at His time—Gal 4:4 “… when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

(2) Christ Himself announced this in His ministry—Mark 1:15 "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."

c. God Will Cut the New Covenant— “…that I will make [cut] a new covenant…”

2. The New Covenant is With Israel and Judah—Jer 31:31 "…I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:"

a. God has chosen to work through Abraham and his children—Gen 12:1-3

b. Just as with the other covenants, the New Covenant is with Abraham’s Seed, that is Christ, and all who are His—Gal 3:16 "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

c. Those who are truly saved are part of the spiritual seed of Abraham—Gal 3:29 "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

d. Implications and conclusions

(1) Salvation is of the Jews—John 4:22 "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews."

(2) The Gentiles, as a people, are cut off from the covenants of promise—Eph 2:11-12

(3) It is only by being grafted in to Israel (Romans 11) that Gentiles are saved, and we are grafted in through the Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ—Eph 2:13-14

3. The New Covenant is not like the Old Covenant of Law—Jer 31:32

a. Review—the meaning and purpose of the Law.

(1) The Law was added because of the sinfulness of Israel, to govern Israel until the Messiah came—Gal 3:19 "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; …”

(2) The Law was a schoolmaster—Gal 3:24 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

(3) The Law convicts and convinces men of their sin—Rom 3:19-20

b. Israel and the Law— “…which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD…”

(1) Israel never kept the Law.

(2) There were periods of revival, but the Law was never totally kept.

(3) Even the Pharisees abused the Law by ignoring portions that they did not like and by adding to it things which were not right—Mat 15:7-9, Mat 23:23

c. The New Covenant is Not Like the Law— Jer 31:32 "…Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers …”

(1) The New Covenant is not a covenant of works. The Law was a covenant of works— Luke 10:28 "… this do, and thou shalt live."

(2) The New Covenant is not conditional

(a) The Mosaic Law was conditional.
(b) If the provisions were not followed, the nation could be cut off.

(3) The New Covenant is not of the letter, but of the Spirit

4. The Nature of the New Covenant—Jer 31:33-34

a. The New Covenant is internal, not external— “…I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people…”

(1) The Old Covenant was an external covenant

(a) Ceremonies, rituals, festivals—these dominated the life and calendar
(b) Laws and regulations controlled life, from cradle to grave.
(c) Every Hebrew citizen belonged to the Old Covenant by birth

(2) The New Covenant is internal, not external— “…I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…”

(a) “The New Covenant is internal, not external.” What this does not mean

(i) It does not mean that there are no rules of life for the New Covenant believer—the New Covenant has a higher standard of ethical behavior than the old.
(ii) It does not mean that there is no authoritative teaching or discipline in the body of believers. In fact, one of the things that is distinct about the ministry of Christ and His preachers is that they have more authority in the Word than the Old Covenant had.
(iii) It does not mean that doctrine, beliefs and practices in the New Covenant are up to each believer. The Word of God makes plain what our doctrine, beliefs, and practices are to be.

(b) “The New Covenant is internal, not external.” What it does mean—

(i) The New Covenant is about changing internal condition, not forcing external compliance.
(ii) In the Law, it was cut and dried, obey or perish.
(iii) In the New Covenant, we are not standing around keeping records and looking at performance in a critical way.
(iv) In the New Covenant, we are seeking to teach and lead and help people understand and be discipled so they can grow in Grace. 2 Pet 3:18

(c) The Old Covenant was external—

(i) The Law had no grace, no mercy, no compassion
(ii) There was no freedom, no peace, no release—Heb 9:9 "…in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;"

Heb 10:1 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."

(3) The New Covenant Way of Forgiveness—1 John 1:9 "… If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

(a) This is a promise written to believers, not unbelievers.
(b) This is the promise of instant forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration with the Lord Jesus.
(c) This is about grace, restoration, and peace with God after sin.

(4) The New Covenant way of growth in Grace is not about doing the external things, but about internal changes that are seen in external fruit. “…I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;…”

(a) In the Law, in the Old Covenant, life is all about what you do, and one negative thing can overthrow a thousand positive things.

James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

(b) In the New Covenant—Your growth in Grace is about what God does IN you, and about your submitting to His working in your life.

Rom 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

(i) New Covenant Life is about a relationship with Christ that grows through discipleship, prayer, Bible Reading, Fellowship, and worship. As we do these things with a pure heart, from pure motives, Christ manifests Himself to our hearts, and in our lives, more every day.

“…I will …be their God, and they shall be my people…”

(ii) And as we participate in discipleship through prayer, Bible Reading, Fellowship, and worship, we are changed.

2 Cor 3:18 “…But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord…”

(iii) Christ’s prayer for us is: John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

(iv) As the Holy Spirit works in our life, we are transformed.

Gal 5:22-24 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

b. The New Covenant is unconditional

(1) God Will do What God will Do!— I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

(a) God will perform what He has promised for His people.

(b) Who are His people? The Bible says His people are those He has chosen and called, and the Bible also says His people are those who come to Him in faith, as in:

John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

(c) Gallons of ink have been spilled by theologians over the years trying to make heads of tails of those truths, usually by choosing one truth over the other. I find both taught in the Bible, so I teach both!

(d) You are not saved unless God calls you and saves you—That’s God’s business.

(e) You are also not saved unless you, of your own volition, come to Christ in repentance and faith. That is your business.

(f) God never tells us to sweat the stuff that belongs to Him, but He makes a great deal of fuss about our being responsible to repent and believe.

Acts 17:30 "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:"

(2) We will be His people!— I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

(a) We don’t belong to someone else, we are God’s Property.
(b) We are His People, the Sheep of His pastures.

c. The New Covenant’s Final Form—“…34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

(1) This is still future
(2) The Future Shape of the Covenant

(a) Teaching will not be required, at least by us—God will be our teacher then.

(b) Evangelism will not be required, for all of the Covenant people will be gathered in.

(c) All will know as they are known.


1 John 3:2 “… Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

1 Cor 13:12 "… then shall I know even as also I am known."

(3) All of His people will be fully discipled! “…for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD…”

(4) The Blessedness of being forgiven— I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

5. The New Covenant Inaugurated—Mat 26:28 "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

Mat 27:50-51 "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"

a. The Covenant Meal—Mat 26:20-29

(1) The disciples eat the Covenant Meal with the Maker of the Covenant.

(2) After the false disciple leaves, there is detailed teaching (John 13-17)

b. The Covenant Presented— Mat 26:28 "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

(1) Testament = diatheke, which is “covenant.”
(2) Christ Himself is the Covenant Sacrifice to be made.

c. The Covenant Cut— Mat 27:50-51

(1) In this moment the Law is fulfilled—

Gal 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

Rom 10:4 "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

Luke 24:44-49
(1) In this moment, the veil in the temple is torn asunder, showing that the way to God is open, and that the Law and its ordinances are done forever.

(2) This began the New Covenant. We are in the New Covenant, we are seeing its ourworking continue, and Our Covenant God guides us in working it out in our lives.