Under the Old Covenant God made with Israel, in order to be His people they had to obey the Law which He etched in stone then secured it so that devious men could not take hammer and chisel in hand and change it.  Some 4000 years later He came to earth as a human being to live (fulfill) that same Law as THE EXAMPLE for all who would spend eternity with Him in the Kingdom of God on earth (not heaven).  Read Life After Death.  Key word–After.

The problem was that, because Adam’s sin had cut man off from the Tree of Life located in the Garden of Eden, man did not have access to the Holy Spirit–God’s power–which is needed to obey His Law.  Under the Old Covenant God made with ancient Israel the Spirit was given only to a few people whom He used to make His ways known to man.  These were His “holy men of old who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).  Their words were then recorded and preserved to be used as teaching guides for God’s true saints “upon whom the ends of the world have come”–the end time church (1 Cor. 10:11).  These were “the Scriptures” used by the original apostles to lead people to Messiah, Whom the Old Testament prophets wrote about.  The New Testament apostles used the Old Testament and the words of Jesus Christ exclusively.  The New Testament was not in existence during their time of ministry and would not come on the scene until eleven of them had died.

Elohim (Gods–Gen. 1:1) knew that human beings could not obey Their Law without the power of the Holy Spirit working from within them.  From the beginning They knew that the Word would have to come to earth as a man to 1) show man that he (man) could obey the Law if he willed to do so, 2) to forgive man’s sins, thereby making him eligible to receive the Holy Spirit and 3) to give the Spirit to those who would desire it and obey it.  Only these, He said through the Apostle Paul, were His true sons (Rom. 8:14).  Few, Jesus warned, would do so (Mat. 7:13,14).  Many, He said, would be called to do so, but few would answer His call (Mat. 20:16).  Many, believing that they were answering His call, would be deceived by Satan and His false prophets into accepting a false christ, false god, false gospel, false salvation and would be part of a false church (Mat. 24:4,5).  Today this false religion calls itself “the church” into which Satan has lured billions of unwitting souls.  The current deceived souls are walking in his darkness, all the while believing that they are walking in God’s light.  The devil’s two-headed, multi-bodied religion is called Catholicism/Protestantism.   At present, counterfeit Christianity has approximately one-third of humanity unknowingly held in religious captivity.

That the Word would come to earth to reconcile man to God was prophesied long before He became Jesus of Nazareth and walked the earth in holiness and power–the same holiness and power man must walk in order to join Him in the hereafter (1 Jn. 2:6; 3:3/ Rev. 3:21).  A God humbled Himself and endured unbelievable torture followed by a most horrendous death in order to make salvation available to all of mankind.  This Truth was proclaimed early on by God’s holy prophets.  In Isaiah 53 Israel was told that a God would make such a self-less sacrifice.  But in order to take advantage of His sacrifice the people would have to obey His Law that He would write in their hearts.  In Jeremiah 33:31-34 the prophet told Israel that their God would make a New Covenant with her.  It would differ from the Old Covenant that had been written in stone on Mt. Sinai.  Under the New Covenant God would write His Law (the Ten Commandments) in the hearts of the people by the Holy Spirit which would then empower the believer to obey that Law (Jer. 31:31-34).  Later, the Apostle Paul would report that what God had promised in Jeremiah 31 had indeed come to pass (Heb. 12:8-12).  Modern day Israelites–“the church, the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16).

Much has been made of the glory of the New Covenant that professing Christendom continually puts forward, and rightfully so.  However, as is always the case with false Christians, God’s “headline” is proclaimed far and wide while His “fine print” is deliberately hidden, and if accidentally discovered, is denied.  Before we look at God’s New Covenant, let us go beyond the “headline” that announces its existence and determine how to walk in such a way so as to be part of it.  Let us examine the “fine print” relative to the New Covenant which, according to the church, was nailed to the cross along with the Law itself.

We will examine the Scriptures in question by turning to Deuteronomy 28 which tells the believer what God promised those who obey Him and what He promised those who refuse to do so.  In verses 12 and 13 we find that which is carefully edited out when the promises of God are mentioned.  In these verses God promises to “open His good treasure in heaven” in order to provide all that the people would need to live happy and prosperous lives.  Internationally, He would make them the head of all of the world’s nations.  All other nations would be indebted to His people who would lend to them but would not need to borrow from them.  He promised to bless everything they put their hand to do.  It is at this point (half way through verse 13) that people are suddenly stricken blind.  Why?  Because what has been promised–the “headline”–is the only information blessing seekers want to know.  No one wants to be told what they must do in order to have God’s promises come to fruition.  Why? Because it involves the most hated word in the Bible–WORKS–works of righteousness and holiness which mean OBEYING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS/LAW.   Let us return to the middle of verse 13: “… IF YOU WILL HEAR THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD …, LEARN AND DO THEM.”  Everything God promises man hinges on two words: IF AND WORKS.  His promises are sure IF His Law is obeyed, which equals WORKS.  In the following verse He warns salvation seekers not to deviate from His Law in any way for any reason.  Any deviation is sin.  To sin is “to serve other gods,” which is idolatry (vs 14).  Hear the Word of God:  SIN IS IDOLATRY–THE BREAKING OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.  In verse 9 God had promised Israel that He would: “establish you as a holy people unto Himself … IF YOU WILL KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD AND WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS.  Note the “fine print” telling us that in order for God to fulfill His covenant promises –“the headlines”– to His church, THE CHURCH MUST OBEY HIS LAW.  To be able to obey His Law the Law must reside within one’s heart.  Christ’s death made this possible.  As He promised, the Holy Spirit came upon the New Testament Church on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. and has remained in God’s Very Elect ever since.  Those who comprise God’s church are described by the Apostle Peter as a “holy nation,” a “kingdom of priests,” a “peculiar people” and His “jewels.”  Nowhere are they described as sinners saved by grace.    L.J.