Dwight Fletcher | How is the Covenant of Grace better than the Mosaic Covenant?

THROUGH THE death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we’ve been invited into a New Covenant. This is not like the Covenant of the Law given by Moses. Instead, it is one of grace and it offers more blessings than I could ever fit in this one article. But here are some of the ones I want to highlight today.

IT IS A COVENANT ENABLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is the guide in this covenant, and He gives us the power to do what is right. In Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIRV), God promised, “I will give you new hearts. I will give you a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove your stubborn hearts from you. I will give you hearts that obey me. I will put my Spirit in you.”

When we become saved, our spirit is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, making us alive to God. That disobedient, carnal nature is put to death, and we become a new creation through the power of the Holy Spirit. He works within us, guiding our hearts toward righteousness. He instils in us the desire to walk in His ways, and as we surrender to Him, obedience becomes our natural inclination. This covenant is far superior to the old because, in the Covenant of Grace, God carries the weight of the work, our role is simply to follow His lead.

WE ENJOY A FIRM RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

In the Mosaic Covenant, the relationship with God was ‘blotchy’. Our inconsistent performance meant an inconsistent relationship. But in this covenant, the relationship is firm. God gets to be an intimate and personal God. He becomes our heavenly Father. In this relationship, God directly plays the role of our Counsellor, our Protector, our Redeemer, our Guide. He provides for our wants, defends us in danger, pardons our sins, comforts us in trials, disciplines us when we need it, and so much more. Through this Covenant of Grace, there is no intermediary between us and God. We get to know Him for ourselves. He is all that we need, and we get to benefit from all that He is.

WE RECEIVE THE TOTAL FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS

The forgiveness of sins is at the heart of this new relationship with our God. Hebrews 8:12 (NLT) says, “I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” This is the grace and mercy of God that comes to us because of Jesus Christ. Although we have sinned and should be judged, we receive God’s mercy. And He doesn’t just forgive our past sins, but He gives us the power to overcome sin and temptation. Look at what Romans 6:6 (NIV) says, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin … .”

We are free, free from the dictates of the law, free of a guilty conscience, free of the punishment and power of sin, free to walk in a way that pleases God, free to serve God, free to live righteously. We are free to receive every blessing God has for us.

These are the “better promises” we receive in Christ. The Old Covenant dealt with outward actions, but the New Covenant transforms the heart and mind. The Old Covenant is like a parole officer with his parolee, while the New Covenant is like a father with his beloved child. The Old Covenant was for those who measured up, while the New Covenant is for anyone who will believe. The Old Covenant leads to bondage, but the New Covenant leads to freedom forever!