In Jeremiah 31:31-34 the Almighty prophesied that the day would come when He would make a NEW COVENANT with Israel.  This covenant would not be like the covenant (Law) He had made with their ancestors who refused to live by it.  However, the difference in the two covenants would not involve content–the Ten Commandments.  The difference would involve the location of the Law and the power to obey it.  The original covenant/Law was written in stone and placed in an isolated location.  His new covenant would have the Ten Commandments written in the hearts (minds) of His true saints so that they would always know His Truth (Word–Jn. 17:17).  Also, the Holy Spirit would be supplied to empower His people obey it (Acts 1:8).  He promised that the day would come when all who hungered and thirsted for righteousness (true saints) would be filled with righteousness by obeying the Law they would have written in their hearts.  The Apostle Paul stated that righteousness and holiness were essential to receiving eternal life (Rom. 5:20/6:21).

The Almighty said through the Apostle James (2:10) that to break one of the commandments was to break all ten of them, making one a worker of iniquity–Lawlessness–whom He would reject on the Day of Judgment.  Those who break commandment #4–His Sabbath commandment–are those to whom He will say on that day, “… I NEVER KNEW YOU, DEPART FROM ME YOU WHO WORK INIQUITY ….” (Mat. 7:23).  Billions have rejected James 2:10 concerning obedience to God’s Law, specifically commandment #4.  This in spite of His making TWO SABBATH COVENANTS which designate the 7th day (Saturday) Sabbath the “SIGN” that would identify His true people.  Sin-craving men have used many different explanations to justify their rebellion against God Who will declare that He has never known them (spiritually).  They are they who spread Satan’s darkness which they claim to be God’s light.  Jesus warned us about these false Christians in Matthew 24:4,5.  As He predicted, only a few have rejected their false light, have entered God’s strait gate and walked His narrow way that leads to salvation. As Jesus predicted, many have followed Satan through his wide gate and walked his broad way that leads to death (Mat. 7:13,24).  Contrary to universal church opinion, Jesus was right.  Today, Satan’s church numbers in the billions while God’s true saints number only a few thousand.  God’s Very Elect are those who have allowed Him to write His Ten Commandment Law in their hearts and who obey it by the power of His Holy Spirit that resides within them.

As promised in Jeremiah 31, the Lord created a new covenant with Israel as recorded in Hebrews 8:6-12 where Paul quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34 in its entirety, thereby proving that the new covenant was exactly like the old covenant relative to content.  The difference between the two covenants is that the Law is now written in the hearts of His true saints, placed there by the Holy Spirit that resides within them and empowers them to obey the terms of the covenant.  The change in location and the power of execution are the “better promises” that come with the new covenant.

One of the justifications religious people use for rejecting the Law is based on Hebrews 8:7,8 where it is written that the old covenant had a “fault” which prompted the need for a new covenant.  But notice that the “fault” was not with the Law, but with “THEM”–the Israelites.  So perfect is the Law that Lord writes it verbatim in the hearts of His new covenant people so that they will not have the “fault” exhibited by their ancestors.  Note that “THEM” (VS 8) referred to the “house of Israel and the house of Judah.”  Which brings up the ultimate question: WHERE DOES THAT PLACE THE WORLD’S GENTILES RELATIVE TO SALVATION?  Answer: IN THE SAME PLACE AS THE ISRAELITES.  Both must be converted to the Lord, believe the Law and obey it by having it written in their hearts in its entirety, including commandment #4, which those in the false church refuse to accept, thereby disqualifying themselves for salvation.

Note that God did not say that He would change the Law in any way when He wrote it in the hearts of His obedient saints.  In fact, He had commanded that not so much as a jot or tittle could be changed–nothing could be added to or removed from the Law as long as the earth and the heavens exist.  Note that God did not exclude commandment #4.  NEITHER THE LAW NOR THE GOD WHO WROTE IT HAS CHANGED.  Man, however, has changed it and will die for doing so unless he repents, is converted, receives the Holy Spirit and walks in holiness until the end (Rom. 5:21; 6:22/ Mat. 10:22).  Note in the Romans passages that salvation is the END RESULT of having lived a righteous/holy life in obedience to God’s Law.  It is not the instant reward for saying the prescribed words, performing a prescribed ritual and taking Jesus as one’s Savior.  Those who have been pronounced “saved” by the church cannot be forgiven of their sins because they reject God’s definition of sin–the “transgression of the Law’ (1 Jn. 3:4)–  the same Law they have rejected and “nailed to the cross.”  Law haters will not allow God to write it in their hearts.  When religious people reject God’s reality they create their own version of reality and call it God’s Truth.  Ironically, the God they reject has supposedly saved them because they reject the Law He commands them to obey.  Only Satan could concoct such a “truth” then convince billions of people to embrace it in the name of the Lord who condemns it in the Book they claim to believe.  “Irony” doesn’t come close to describing that fiasco.

But not all God seekers reject His Words.  Due to His incredible grace, He welcomes into His family (church) both Israelites and Gentiles who believe His Word/Law/gospel/Truth/will and obey it in letter and spirit.  There are a minute few who are “led by (obey) His Spirit” and are therefore true “sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).  Those not so led worship Christ “in vain” by teaching their own commandments instead of His doctrines (Mat. 15:9).  These are they who “deceive themselves” (Jam. 1:22), who hear the Law but refuse to obey it (Rom. 2:13) and thereby commit iniquity–Lawlessness.  Jesus vowed to reject those who call Him their Lord but who refuse to obey Him on the Day of Judgment (Mat. 7:23).  These are they who follow in the footsteps of their ancient ancestors who “did what was right in their own eyes” (Jud. 17:6; 21:25).  Next: How Gentiles become God’s children.  L.J.