Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 12:14:44 PM
This post is for my Dispensational friends who think the New Covenant is yet to come and not for the Church. A simple word search for ‘new covenant’ in the New Testament will produce the following references.
Jesus teaches at the last supper that the cup symbolizes His blood of the new covenant. He was to confirm the covenant with His own blood…
For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [Matthew 26:28]
And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. [Mark 14:24]
Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. [Luke 22:20]
The apostles brought Christ’s teaching about the supper into the churches as ministers of the new covenant…
In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” [1 Corinthians 11:25]
[God] also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. [2 Corinthians 3:6]
The writer to the Hebrews applies the new covenant promise given to the house of Israel to the church…
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…’ [Hebrews 8:7-8]
In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. [Hebrews 8:13]
And for this reason [Jesus] is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. [Hebrews 9:15]
How much plainer could the New Testament writers make the point that the New Covenant is here now in the New Testament church?
And [God] put all things under [Christ’s] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. [Ephesians 1:22]
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. [Galatians 3:29]
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter…[Romans 2:28-29]