Over the past 2000 years there have been billions of well-meaning, extremely religious people who recognize only the New Covenant (Testament) as having relevance in their religious walk. The Old Covenant plays no significant part in their lives. According to such all-grace-no-Law theologists, the Old Covenant is relevant only in a historical sense. Their thinking is that the Old Covenant relates to the modern church in the same way that the first car ever built relates to a new Lamborghini. The old car is nice to look at, but no one drives it because it is out of date and not fit for today’s traffic. The only value that the Old Covenant and the old car retain is to show us how far we have come, how much better the new is than the old and how much smarter we are than our ancestors were. Most modern church people contend that the Old Covenant’s central feature–the Ten Commandment Law–does not fit into the New Covenant life. For this reason God supposedly “nailed it to the cross” of Jesus Christ.

In this teaching we will take a “sword of the spirit” (the Holy Bible–Eph. 6:17), “fine print” look at what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Hebrew converts approximately 20 years after the founding of the New Covenant Church. We will find that Paul, whom God used to write most of the New Covenant and who received his Gospel directly from Jesus Himself, viewed the Law much differently than does the modern day church. In this teaching we will see what he wrote to converted Israelites about this subject. Read Revelation 3:14-18 for Christ’s view of the modern Laodicean church.

But first, a bit of information is in order. The Apostle Peter said about Paul’s speech and writings that they were “… hard to be understood.” I agree with Peter. After studying Paul’s writings for many years, I will interpret them in Texan with the intention of making them more understandable. It is a tall order, but I will do my best.

In Hebrews chapter seven beginning with verse eleven Paul tells us that SPIRITUAL PERFECTION could NOT be attained under the old priesthood/ Old Covenant system. There were two reasons for this. The holiness and righteousness necessary for salvation can be attained only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Also, such perfection requires a single, perfect high priest from Whom to learn. The Old Covenant provided neither of these necessary factors. Therefore perfection (holiness, righteousness, godliness, etc.) were attained by very few people such as God’s prophets. Because the old system featured a succession of sin-ladened high priests, the use of animal blood, rituals, etc., PERFECTION was not a part of the life of the typical Israelite.

Due to these factors, there needed to be a permanent, sinless High Priest Who would, if obeyed, produce in the salvation seeker the holiness and righteousness needed to receive the promises that would be provided under the New Covenant which the Lord would make with the Israelites. Unlike the Old Covenant which was physical in nature and featured only material promises, the New Covenant would be spiritual in nature and would involve spiritual promises.

The Ten Commandment Law–the central factor around which the Old Covenant and its Levitical priesthood revolved–could not produce the moral character necessary for salvation. Therefore, a new type of priesthood and a new covenant had to be established. Verse 12 notes that because the new priesthood would come from a new tribe, THE LAW WHICH GOVERNED THE PRIESTHOOD had to be changed. This statement has been used by Satan for almost 2000 years to turn salvation seekers away from God’s Law. But bear this in mind: THE LAW THAT WAS CHANGED INVOLVED ONLY THE TRIBE FROM WHICH THE HIGH PRIEST CAME–THE LAW OF THE PRIESTHOOD. IT DID NOT INVOLVE THE TEN COMMANDMENT LAW WHICH WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ISSUE. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, not Levi, and His priesthood, unlike those who came before Him, would last forever. The Levitical (Old Covenant) priesthood was based on tribal considerations while the New Covenant priesthood would be based on spiritual considerations. For these reasons, the old method by which the high priest was assigned had to be replaced (vss 11-18).

It is at this point (vs 19) that a most important Biblical fact is proclaimed. Unfortunately, this Truth has been rejected for almost 2000 years, thereby causing the apostasy (falling away from God) of the vast majority of church people. It is vitally important that we examine the “fine print” provided by this verse (19), along with verse 22, so as to understand exactly what God is saying through Paul relative to the Law and its importance in both the Old and New Covenants. Notice that in verse 19 Paul says that the Law made no one perfect, but that providing a better hope (covenant) would. Such a change in the COVENANT (NOT THE LAW) would enable man to draw closer to God. Law-rejecters stop reading at verse 19, thereby causing them great spiritual harm. Instead of Biblical fact, they embrace a religious assumption–a deadly one at that. Verse 22 must be studied and believed in order to eliminate that deadly error.

Law-rejectors assume that in verse 19 Paul is referring to doing away with the Law. However, by examining verse 22 we find that he was referring to doing away with the Old Covenant and CREATING A BETTER TESTAMENT (COVENANT). HE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE LAW ITSELF WAS NOT INVOLVED. Paul and Jesus have much to say about the Law. For example, in Romans 7:12 Paul calls the Law “holy, just and good.” Jesus tells us that we must obey the Law in John 14:15,23; 15:10 and Matthew 19:17. In John 8:31 He tells His disciples that they could continue to be His true disciples only if they obeyed the Law. Note it: IN VERSE 22 PAUL WAS REFERRING TO A NEW AND IMPROVED COVENANT as well as a better HIGH PRIEST–JESUS CHRIST (7:28-8:1). He said nothing about the Law.

Now look at 8:6 where Paul states that Jesus, as High Priest, was the mediator of a better COVENANT based on better (spiritual) promises. Verse seven and eight are used by Law-rejecters as “proof” that the New Covenant did away with the Law. Let us read those verses very carefully: “For if the first “COVENANT” (NOT LAW) had been without “FAULT,” then there would have been no need for the second (COVENANT). For, finding “FAULT” with “THEM,” (NOT “IT”–THE LAW), He (God) said, ‘Behold, the days will come when I will make a NEW COVENANT with the House of Israel and the House of Judah.” Then in verse ten He says: “For this is the (NEW) covenant that I will make with the House of Israel (“THEM”) after those days. I will put “MY LAWS” into their minds and write them (HIS TEN COMMANDMENTS) in their hearts, and I will be to them a God and they will be to Me a people.” Verse nine identifies “THEM” as the Israelites whom He had brought out of Egyptian captivity. “THEY (“THEM”) did not continue in My COVENANT (BY OBEYING HIS LAW), and I regarded them not” (He rejected them).

The Lord’s ultimate Truths lie in His “fine print” which this ministry brings out for those who want to know His ultimate truths. He makes it clear throughout His Holy Scriptures that without obedience to His “fine print,” He will not fulfill the promises He made in His “headlines.” The terms “headlines” and “fine print” are my terms, not His.

Notice that the “FAULT” relative to the Old Covenant was not with the Law, but rather with “THEM”–the Israelites WHO WOULD NOT OBEY HIS LAW (8:7,8). In 8:11 we find the Lord saying that having THE LAW WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS/MINDS WOULD ENABLE SALVATION SEEKERS TO “KNOW THE LORD.” Then in verse 13 He says that the NEW COVENANT would cause the Old COVENANT (NOT THE LAW) to be put away. In the New Covenant GOD HAS WRITTEN HIS LAW IN OUR HEARTS/MINDS SO THAT WE CAN KNOW HIM PERSONALLY–NOT MERELY KNOW ABOUT HIM, WHICH WAS WHAT THE OLD COVENANT OFFERED. The Law would no longer be words written on stone and hidden from view, but would be a part of, and would direct, our lives. Read First John 2:3-5 and 3:1-10 (note verse four specifically).

THE NEW COVENANT DID NOT DO AWAY WITH GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENT LAW. INSTEAD, IT DID AWAY WITH THE COVENANT HE MADE WITH ISRAEL AT MOUNT SINAI. THE LAW THAT WAS WRITTEBN BY MOSES, CALLED “THE LAW THAT WAS ADDED BECAUSE OF SINS” (GAL. 3:19), WAS INSTITUTED BECAUSE THE ISRAELITES WOULD NOT OBEY GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENT LAW. THE ADDED (SACRIFICIAL) LAW WAS THE “HANDWRITING OF ORDANINCES” THAT WAS “NAILED TO THE CROSS.” THE ADDED (SACRIFICIAL) LAW WOULD KEEP THE PEOPLE FOCUSED ON GOD’S LAW UNTIL “SHILOH WOULD COME” TO PROVIDE AN ETERNAL BLOOD SACRIFICE. HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION WOULD PROVIDE TRUE SAINTS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH WOULD ENABLE THEM TO OBEY THE TEN COMMANDMENT LAW AND THEREBY QUALIFY TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE UPON HIS SECOND ADVENT. Read Born Again and The Three Resurrections. Key words–Born and Three respectively.

Billions of unwitting church people have answered Satan’s seductive call to join him in his counterfeit religion globally known by such titles as “Christianity,” “the church,” “Catholicism,” “Protestantism,” etc. Read the series titled Bait and Switch. Key word–Bait.

I know how seductive the devil can be because I was once part of his spiritually blind and deaf group where I served as an evangelist. I had a powerful preaching, healing and deliverance ministry that was based entirely on faith. But when the Truth of God finally got through to my heart (mind), I had to renounce the Law-rejecting heresy at the center of the false church and call it what it is –A DEADLY COUNTERFEIT OF GOD’S TRUE CHURCH. TODAY I TEACH ONLY GOD’S TRUTH. WEREAS IN THE PAST I WAS THE “GO TO” MAN WHEN SATAN RAISED HIS UGLY HEAD. TODAY I PERSONALLY KNOW OF ONLY TWO PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE MY BIBLE-BASED MESSAGE IN WHICH OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW IS THE ONLY ROUTE TO HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM. Few, Jesus lamented, would choose that route (Mat. 7:13,14; 22:14). L.J.