The New Covenant Applies To The Nation Israel And To Church-Age Christians

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

The purpose of this posting

     Some Christians believe the New Covenant applies only to the nation Israel, and, therefore, does not apply to church-age Christians. The purpose of this posting is to give evidence from the Bible and from Bible study helps that the New Covenant does, in fact, apply to church-age Christians. But we first must consider some practical information about the New Covenant.

Who predicted the New Covenant?

     The New Covenant was predicted by the prophet Jeremiah, long before Jesus Christ walked throughout the land of Israel. The Zondervan KJV Study Bible (that is its exact name, and not to be confused with other study Bibles with similar names) says this: "Jeremiah's prophetic ministry began in 626 B. C. and ended sometime after 586." The one-volume MacArthur Bible Commentary has a helpful chart called "The Progress of Revelation," in which are given the approximate dates when the Bible's books and epistles (letters) were written. It It gives this date for the book of Jeremiah: 586 - 570 B. C. Jeremiah wrote about the New Covenant in chapter 31, verses 31 - 34, of his book. Here ( in red) are these verses, quoted from the King James Version:

³¹ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

³² Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:

³³ But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

³⁴ And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

    (All further quotes from the Bible are from the King James Version, unless otherwise indicated. They are taken from this website: www.biblegateway,com)

With whom was the New Covenant made?

      It is clear from verse 31 that God said this: "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:" And verse 33 says God said this: "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel;" So, we cannot debate this point. What is debated is whether or not this covenant applies to Christians, whether they are Jews or Gentiles, in this church age. As stated in my first paragraph, the purpose of this posting is to give evidence from the Bible and Bible study helps that the New Covenant does, in fact, apply to church-age Christians. This evidence will be given later.

When was the New Covenant instituted, and by whom?

     It was instituted in the first century A. D. by Jesus Christ. It was done symbolically shortly before his death when he instituted the Lord's supper. And it was done literally when his blood was shed on the cross.

     The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us the details of the institution of the New Covenant, as does Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Here is a quote from Matthew 26: 26 - 28:

²⁶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

²⁷ And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

²⁸ For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

    Verse 28 makes it very clear that his shed blood was/is the basis for the New Covenant/Testament. When he said those words to those men, they understood that he was referring to Jeremiah 31, quoted above. What Jeremiah had predicted some hundreds of years before was being brought to pass in their lifetime.

Is there Biblcal evidence that the New Covenant applies to anyone but the nation of Israel?

     My answer to this question is short and simple: YES! While its primary application is to Israel, that is not its only application. Consider some Biblical evidence for this claim.

     Evidence from 1 Corinthians 11:23 - 26. In his letters to the Corinthian, the apostle Paul wrote to a church composed of Jews and Gentiles who had become Christians. From the subjects Paul addressed in these letters, it seems that the majority of those converts to Christ were Gentiles. And the historical background, found in Acts 18, concerning the founding of the Corinthian church also indicates the majority were Gentile converts. But even if the majority were Jews, it still was a church made up of Jews and Gentiles. And it was to such a church that Paul wrote the following things in chapter 11, verses 23 - 26:

^"23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

²⁴ And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

²⁵ After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

²⁶ For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."   

       Now, a careful reading of these verses reveals that Paul applied to a church composed of Jews and Gentiles what both Jeremiah and Jesus called the New Covenant/Testament. It was to this mixed church that Paul made this comment: ²⁶ For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."    The cup to which Paul referred was the cup of the New Covenant. If the New Covenant had no application to Gentiles, Paul would have not have made such a statement.

     Evidence from 2 Corinthians 3:4 - 6. One of the subjects Paul brought to the attention of the Corinthians was some differences between the Old and New Covenants. He also defended himself because of criticisms from his opponents who sought to undermine his apostolic ministry. One of his defenses is found in 2 Cor. 3:1 - 6, which says this:  Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

² Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

³ Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

⁴ And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

⁶ Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

     It is very important to note what Paul said in verse 6: "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." If the New Testament/Covenant had no application to anyone but the nation of Israel, Paul would not have said God had made him and others who ministered to Gentiles and Jews who had become Christians, able ministers of it. They had been made able minsiters of the New Covenant in order to build up the church, not the kingdom of Israel.

Do any commentaries or study Bibles say that the New Covenant applies to the church?

     The answer is an enthusiastic "Yes!" Consider a few of many that could be cited. Bible scholar, Gleason L. Archer, wrote a book called "Encyclopedia Of Bible Difficulties. What follows is part of Archer's first paragraph of his lengthy answer to a question on Jeremiah 31:31. The question was this: "Does this prophecy refer only to the New Testament church, or does it await fulfillment in the days when Israel will be converted to faith in Christ on a national level?" Archer said this: "This remarkable prediction very clearly found its first fulfillment in the raising up of the New Testament church in the days of the apostles, beginning with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the 120 believers at the Feast of Pentecost, after the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ." Here is the complete concluding paragraph of his answer to the foregoing question: "Here, then, we have a clear case of two-stage fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy: Jeremiah 31:31 - 33 has been fulfilled in the New Testament church; and it will be consummated in the last days when there shall be a major national awakening among the Jewish people, and they turn to the Lord Jesus as their true Messiah and Savior (Zech. 12:10)." 

     Here is some of  what "The Believer's Bible Commentary," by William MacDonald and Art Farstad, says on Jeremiah 31: "God made the new covenant primarily with Israel and Judah (v. 31).......It will not become effective for Israel as a nation until Christ's Second Coming. In the meantime, however, individual believers enjoy some of its benefits........"

     Here is some of what The New Scofield Bible says on the Jeremiah passage: "Although certain features of this covenant have been fulfilled for believers in the present Church Age.....the covenant remains to be realized for Israel according to the explicit statement of v. 31."

     Here is some of what The King James Study Bible, by Thomas Nelson Publishers, says on the Jeremiah passage: "Although the New Covenant is now operative.........and is attended by the ministry of the Holy Spirit who is resident in believers' lives........, the full realization of the new covenant, as the capstone of all the covenants, awaits the second coming of Christ. He will give to Israel the promises distinctive to that nation, and will rule over the earth in an unprecedented period of universal peace......, prosperity......, and the full knowledge (v. 34) of the abiding presence of God....."

An Important And Helpful Website For Bible Study

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

      I want to recommend an important and helpful website for Bible study. It is produced by my good friend,  Dr. Jim Steel. Before giving the link to the website, consider some facts about Dr. Steel:

• He has been a church planter.
• He has been a pastor.
• He has been a member of mission boards.
• He was for many years President of Cornerstone Bible Institute in Hot Springs, SD.
• He is currently busy with an itinerant Bible conference ministry.
• He believes in the importance of the local church.
• He is a  solid Bible-believer in doctrine and practice.
• He is a dispensationalist.
• He has a growing internet ministry.
• He is a friend to and helper of pastors.
• He is actively involved in spreading the Gospel of Christ.

    Here is the link to one of his websites: http://www.mynewcovenantlife.com/

Christians Should Not Be Freemasons

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen and Dr. Donald Prout

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

      Many good and likeable persons are Freemasons. But they have been drawn into an organization and religion that, when it is compared to historic, orthodox Christianity that is based on the Bible, it is seen to oppose some fundamental teachings of the Bible. Therefore, Christians should not be Freemasons.

      In his fine publication called "The Biblical Evangelist," Dr. Robert L. Sumner has printed a good article by Dr. Donald Prout on Freemasonry. What follows is a link to it. Please read it with an open mind.

     Here's the link: http://www.biblicalevangelist.org/index.php?id=1373&view=Articles+of+Interest

      

Practical Lessons From Corrupt Politicians

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     

       My theme is "practical lessons from corrupt politicians." "Which ones?," you might ask. Well, you be the judge. Corruption in politicians is so common that one need not look far to find it. And what is true of many politicians is true of a lot of others, too.

       What lessons might we learn from corrupt persons, whether they be politicians or something else?

• Always tell the truth, no matter how personally painful or embarrassing it might be. It is human nature to try and make ourselves look better than we are, and we resort to lying to do so. But we should always tell the truth.
• We dig ourselves into a hole by dishonesty, and it gets deeper and deeper the longer the dishonesty continues. It doesn't take long before we are in a hole over our heads.
• The only way out of the hole we have dug by dishonesty is by telling the truth. Sometimes that requires revealing who else, by joining in the dishonesty, has helped us dig the hole we are in. We might not want to get others in trouble, but sometimes honesty compels us to do so. 
• Never forsake moral principles to advance an agenda or get ahead.  We Christians believe the Bible to  be God's Word. And as such, it gives us absolute moral standards by which to guide our lives.  But we have to be careful to not allow ourselves to forsake the Bible's moral absolutes in order to make more money, to get a better job, to advance an agenda. or to be elected to a political office.
• We need to remember that, even if we go to the grave without getting caught in our dishonesty, God will hold us accountable after death, and on a day of final judgment. Just read Revelation chapter 20 to learn about the comng day of reckoning before God.
• The Bible says in Deuteronomy 32:4 that God is "A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." That is why he expects us to be truthful persons.
• The Bible says in Ephesians 4:15 that we are to speak the truth in love.
• If we Christians do something or say something dishonest, we need to straighten it out with those with whom we have been dishonest. But we need also confess it to God, for the Bible says in 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
• If you are not a Christian and want to learn how to bcome one, click on the following link to an excellent, brief article that will tell you what you need to know: http://www.godssimpleplan.org/gsps-english.html

What A Respected Bible Scholar Says About Wine In Bible Times

By Pastor Bruce Oyen and Pastor David Brumbelow
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     Some Bible scholars point out that the Bible's references to wine do not always mean that the wine had alcohol in it. But when we Americans hear of wine, or speak of wine, we usually mean alcoholic wine. The result of our view of wine has caused us to assume that when the Bible refers to wine, it refers to alcoholic wine. But this is a big mistake.

     Southern Baptist pastor, David Brumbelow, has provided a good quote on this subject from a respected Bible scholar. It can be read on Pastor Brumbelow's blog spot. I hope you will read it with an open mind. Here is a link to it
http://gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com/2013/05/john-kitto-on-wine-in-bible-times-and.html

Jesus Christ Turned Water Into Non-alcoholic Wine

By Pastor Bruce  Oyen and Pastor David Brumbelow
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     It might shock some of you to read the title to this posting. After all, does not the Bible say that Jesus Christ turned water into wine? And does not wine always contain alcohol?

     Yes, the Bible does say the Lord turned water into wine. You can read it yourself by reading the second chapter of John's Gospel. But, the little-known fact is that wine does not always contain alcohol. It doesn't always contain it NOW, and it didn't always contain it BACK IN ANCIENT BIBLE TIMES.

     Pastor David Brumbelow has a good posting about this subject on his blog spot. I hope you will read it with an open mind. Here is a link to it:
http://gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com/2013/04/jesus-turned-water-to-wine-not-alcohol.html

What Should We Think About?

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     My theme for this posting is simple: "What should we think about?" We all know the impact that our thoughts have on our conduct. Here is only one example of many that could be given: after the somewhat- recent terrorist bombings during the Boston marathon, it was discovered that the killers had been feeding their minds with radical Islamic anti-American ideas. Eventually they did what they had been thinking about.

     The opposite is also true. That is, if we put good things into our minds it will influence us to do good things. Many of us have seen on TV the touching reports of individuals who have helped others after a disaster such as a tornado, and we have been inspired to help others in their time of need. Perhaps it motivated you to send money to help them, or to volunter to go to where the help was needed.

      Yes, what we put into our minds has great impact on our lives, for good or evil. The apostle Paul understood this principle and brought it to the attention of the Christians in the city of Philippi. In the eighth verse of the fourth chapter of his letter to the Philippians he made this statement: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." This verse is from the King James Version, and is taken from  this website that has many Bible translations on it: www.biblegateway.com.

      In this one verse we find eight characteristics that should be true of the things we think about:

• whatsoever things are true,
• whatsoever things are honest,
• whatsoever things are just,
• whatsoever things are pure,
• whatsoever things are lovely,
• whatsoever things are of good report;
• if there be any virtue,
• and if there be any praise, think on these things.

      This is important Biblical guidance for our thought-life. As has been said, "Garbage in, garbage out. Good in, good out."

      Perhaps you will profit from what Albert Barnes wrote about these statements by Paul. Albert Barnes was a Bible-believing Presbyterian scholar who lived in the 1800's. He wrote very practical commentaries on many books of the Bible, and they are still in print.  Here are his notes on Philippians 4:8, taken from this website: www.studylight.org.

"Whatsoever things are true - In this exhortation the apostle assumes that there were certain things admitted to be true, and pure, and good, in the world, which had not been directly revealed, or which were commonly regarded as such by the people of the world, and his object is to show them that such things ought to be exhibited by the Christian. Everything that was honest and just toward God and toward people was to be practiced by them, and they were in all things to be examples of the highest kind of morality. They were not to exhibit partial virtues; not to perform one set of duties to the neglect or exclusion of others; not to be faithful in their duties to God, and to neglect their duty to people, not to be punctual in their religious rites, and neglectful of the comment laws of morality; but they were to do everything that could be regarded as the fair subject of commendation, and that was implied in the highest moral character. The word true refers here to everything that was the reverse of falsehood. They were to be true to their engagements; true to their promises; true in their statements; and true in their friendships. They were to maintain the truth about God; about eternity; about the judgment; and about every man‘s character. Truth is a representation of things as they are; and they were constantly to live under the correct impression of objects. A man who is false to his engagements, or false in his statements and promises, is one who will always disgrace religion.

Whatsoever things are honest - σεμνὰ semna Properly, venerable, reverend; then honorable, reputable. The word was originally used in relation to the gods, and to the things that pertained to them, as being worthy of honor or veneration - Passow. As applied to people, it commonly means grave, dignified, worthy of veneration or regard. In the New Testament it is rendered “grave” in 1 Timothy 3:8, 1 Timothy 3:11, and Titus 2:2, the only places where the word occurs except this; and the noun ( σεμνότης semnotēs) is rendered “honesty” in 1 Timothy 2:2, and “gravity” in 1 Timothy 3:4, and Titus 2:7. It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The word, therefore, does not express precisely what the word “honest” does with us, as confined to dealings or business transactions, but rather has reference to what was regarded as worthy of reputation or honor; what there was in the customs of society, in the respect due to age and rank, and in the contact of the world, that deserved respect or esteem. It includes indeed what is right in the transaction of business, but it embraces also much more, and means that the Christian is to show respect to all the venerable and proper customs of society, when they did not violate conscience or interfere with the law of God; compare 1 Timothy 3:7.

Whatsoever things are just - The things which are right between man and man. A Christian should be just in all his dealings. His religion does not exempt him from the strict laws which bind people to the exercise of this virtue, and there is no way by which a professor of religion can do more injury perhaps than by injustice and dishonesty in his dealings. It is to be remembered that the people of the world, in estimating a person‘s character, affix much more importance to the virtues of justice and honesty than they do to regularity in observing the ordinances of religion; and therefore if a Christian would make an impression on his fellow-men favorable to religion, it is indispensable that he manifest uncorrupted integrity in his dealings.

Whatsoever things are pure - Chaste - in thought, in feeling, and in the conversation between the sexes; compare the notes at 1 Timothy 5:2.

Whatsoever things are lovely - The word used here means properly what is dear to anyone; then what is pleasing. Here it means what is amiable - such a temper of mind that one can love it; or such as to be agreeable to others. A Christian should not be sour, crabby, or irritable in his temper - for nothing almost tends so much to injure the cause of religion as a temper always chafed; a brow morose and stern; an eye that is severe and unkind, and a disposition to find fault with everything. And yet it is to be regretted that there are many persons who make no pretensions to piety, who far surpass many professors of religion in the virtue here commended. A sour and crabby temper in a professor of religion will undo all the good that he attempts to do.

Whatsoever things are of good report - That is, whatsoever is truly reputable in the world at large. There are actions which all people agree in commending, and which in all ages and countries are regarded as virtues. courtesy, urbanity, kindness, respect for parents, purity between brothers and sisters, are among those virtues, and the Christian should be a pattern and an example in them all. His usefulness depends much more on the cultivation of these virtues than is commonly supposed.

If there be any virtue - If there is anything truly virtuous. Paul did not suppose that he had given a full catalogue of the virtues which he would have cultivated. He, therefore, adds, that if there was anything else that had the nature of true virtue in it, they should be careful to cultivate that also. The Christian should be a pattern and an example of every virtue.

And if there be any praise - Anything worthy of praise, or that ought to be praised.

Think on these things - Let them be the object of your careful attention and study, so as to practice them. Think what they are; think on the obligation to observe them; think on the influence which they would have on the world around you."