How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ? - Part 816

In the written Word, there are two covenants -- the old covenant under law and a new covenant under grace. We live in the dispensation of grace. Those who do not recognize that there is a significant difference between the two often fall between the cracks, with one foot trying to obey old testament commandments and Leviticus law, while the other noddingly agrees that Jesus shed His precious blood for our sins and as a consequence, there is nothing we could do to earn salvation. But as good as this might sound in theory, it does not work in practice. 

Why? Because each covenant represents a different period in God's plan of salvation. Reading from the latter part of Hebrews chapter eight, we can understand that the first covenant was not without fault.  Had it been faultless, there would not have been any need for a second.

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, He saith, behold, the days come," saith the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not," saith the Lord. (Hebrews 8:7-9)

But there will be a new covenant, saith the Lord.

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days," saith the Lord, "I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, "Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)

"A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8:13)

The message about these two covenants did not stop there. The same Lord God who later became our Saviour wants us to understand why there were two covenants. He wanted us to know why it was necessary for He that knew no sin to become sin for us. Most of all, He would not have us ignorant. Paul wrote:

"If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God ... which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit ..." (Ephesians 3:1-11)

Hebrews nine elaborates on this point, beginning with the old covenant (the old testament):

"Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly." (Hebrews 9:1-5)

"Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people." (Hebrews 9:6-7)

"The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience, which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation." (Hebrews 9:8-10)

The old covenant because the holiest of all was not yet made manifest. He who knew no sin becoming sin for us.

"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Hebrews 9:11-12)

"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:13-14)

"And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:15) 

Who is the He that is the mediator? The foretold Christ. The Word that was God who later became flesh. Our Lord God who is One |God, who willingly shed His precious holy blood on a cross for you and I. (John 1:1-18)

"For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, "This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you." (Hebrews 9:19-20)

"Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." (Hebrews 9:21-23)

But herein is the good news, the introduction of this dispensation of grace.

"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us ... nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Hebrews 9:24-26)

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:27-28)

There is much more on the covenants that believers need to know but for now know that the law was given as a schoolmaster -- so that we would recognize our transgressions -- and as Paul points out in Hebrews a shadow of all those good things that were still to come. (Hebrews 10:1)

"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 3:9)

Let him who hath ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.