THE NEW COVENANT

THE NEW COVENANT:

In most congregations of Christians today, there is a profound lack of understanding of the New Covenant and indeed a tremendous lack of understanding of even what a covenant (of any kind) actually is.  So to enable you to test your own knowledge there is a self test:

-Discover How Well You Understand New Covenant Ministry.

Then to clarify with scripture exactly what we mean by "The Old Covenant" and "The New Covenant" we take a look at

-Both Covenants in Scripture.

There are radical differences between the two covenants, but unless we recognize these differences we will be unable to distinguish old covenant ministry from ministry under the new. So again we go to scripture to see how God contrasts these two covenants which He himself has made. These differences are displayed in

-Contrasting the Covenants.

Then we take a very practical look at how church practices of New Covenant believers can be patterned after either the Old Covenant or The New and how the two patterns will result in radically different products!  You will almost certainly be surprised and challenged by

-TWO PATTERNS FOR THE CHURCH: Which do you follow?

Please be patient, this page is still under construction and a number of other articles are to follow.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THE NEW COVENANT?

When my wife and I went to the West Indies as missionaries in 1976, we went ostensibly as "church planters" and considered that our main priority was to "plant" New Testament churches. However, at the time we did not even know what the Old Testament or the New Testament was! We thought that these were two parts of the Bible! (We, like many others, thought that the Old Testament was the section of the Bible from Genesis to Malachi and that the New Testament was the part from Matthew to Revelation). But it was not until years later that we discovered that scripture never once uses the terms "Old Testament" or "New Testament" in this way!

Many years after we went to the West Indies as missionaries we discovered in scripture that the word "testament" is synonymous with the word "covenant". Testaments or covenants in scripture are always promises or series of promises. Each covenant which God has made is a promise or series of promises which He has signified with a visible token which lasts as long as the covenant which it signifes.

The very first covenant in scripture is found in Genesis 9 where God promised Noah and all flesh that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. That promise or covenant was to last forever. God signified that covenant with the visible token of the rainbow. Rainbows still appear and so we know that that covenant is still and always will be in force.

Many years after we went as missionaries to the West Indies, we came to realize to our shame that most of the practices we had taught and modelled for the churches we worked with were practices that the nation of Israel followed under the Old Covenant rather than practices followed by first century churches under the new covenant!!!

When missionaries from YOUR church go away to establish new churches....are they teaching old covenant or new covenant practices???

But even closer to home....are the practices of the church with which you gather derived from ministry under the old covenant which was established by the sprinkling of blood on the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai or are they derived from the teachings of the apostles AFTER the Lord Jesus shed His blood and died at Calvary and thus brought in the new covenant???

To test your own understanding of the new covenant print the following on paper and take the test BEFORE you check the answer key.

DISCOVER HOW WELL YOU UNDERSTAND

NEW COVENANT MINISTRY:

Here is a simple test by which you can evaluate how well you understand old covenant ministry practices, new covenant ministry practices and traditions of men which have no scriptural basis at all. In the list below, identify practices derived from ministry under the old covenant by the letter "O", identify practices derived from ministry under the new covenant by the letter "N" and identify practices which are unscriptural traditions of men (not taught anywhere in the Bible) by the letter "X".

1. A preacher speaks to the congregation from a pulpit. (    )

2. When believers assemble together the "order of service" is comprised of exhorting one another, edifying one another, confessing faults one to another, praying one for another, comforting one another, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. (    )

3. The church builds, buys or rents a sanctuary or auditorium for a regular place of worship, fellowship or a center of ministry. (    )

4. All church members are members of the clergy. (    )

5. Believers meet together in homes for instruction, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. (    )

6. Christians contribute to collections to support evangelists, preachers and teachers who come to minister in their community. (    )

7. Tithes and offerings are given for obtaining and maintaining meeting places and supporting full-time ministers.(    )

8. Believers are all ministers. (    )

9. All church leaders are to be laymen. (    )

10. The saints gather to listen to sermons. (    )

11. Full-time workers are to be supported by others who work with their hands.(    )

12.Ministers are to work with their hands to meet their own needs and to support others. (    )

13. Full-time workers obtain ordination certificates, credentialling papers, or workers' letters of commendation before or soon after commencing full-time Christian work (    )

14. Only specially qualified ministers may administer baptism and the Lord's supper in regular Sunday services. (    )

15. Women are to wear headcoverings in church meetings. (    )

16. Men are not to wear hats or caps in church meetings. (    )

17. Believers are quiet and reverent when they enter the house of the Lord on Sunday morning. (    )

18. Believers contribute to corporate church collections every Sunday. (    )

19. The building where believers gather to worship the Lord is the Lord's house.(    )

20. One day of the week is to be kept holy unto the Lord. (    )

21. You ought to go to church at least every Sunday morning. (    )

22. Most Christians are to be passive observers in church services. (    )

23.Christian women cover their heads whenever and where ever they are praying or prophesying. (    )

24. Christians are to be active participants when the church gathers.(    )

25. Those who have been gifted as evangelists, pastors and teachers are to be remunerated for their ministry, but those whose gifts are exhortation, giving, ruling, showing mercy etc are to minister freely, voluntarily and without remuneration. (    )

26. God has called every one of His children to a life of holiness unto Him every day of the week, in which common people are made holy, in which common occupations are sanctified, in which common people are the servants of the Lord and in which believers remember their Lord in their common daily meals.(    )

27. Christians personally and privately store up the collection on the first day of the week which is to be distributed by them to poor saints and faithful workers as God directs each believer. (    )

28 God's people keep and observe a specific day of the week and certain days throughout the year in special ways. (    )

29. Believers are all ordained ministers. (    )

30.Every Christian's ministry from the Lord to other people is to be ministered freely without charge. (    )

31.Christians are encouraged to give generously according as God has prospered them to meet the needs of others more needy than themselves.(    )

32.Christians have a responsibility to financially support others who are involved in full-time Christian work. (    )

33. Believers hold themselves accountable (for the direction and evaluation of their ministries) to leaders who are qualified to give such direction and evaluation.(    )

34.When believers give, they should not let their left hand know what their right is doing.(    )

35.Christian men uncover their heads whenever and where ever they are praying or prophesying. (    )

36.Those who profess faith in Christ are baptized immediately upon profession of their faith in Christ.(    )

37.People who desire to be baptized should be interviewed by older Christians and instructed carefully prior to baptism to insure that they understand what they are doing and to insure that no false professors are baptized.(    )

38. Church services ought to be lead by properly qualified elders.(    )

39. Christians are to contribute to regular corporate collections which are distributed at the discretion of the elders.(    )

40.Believers are responsible to tithe (give 10 % of their income) to support the work of the Lord.(    )

41.It is wise stewardship to get tax receipts for one's tithes and offerings.(    )

42.In Christian work and ministry it is wise to clearly distinguish between the clergy and the laity, between sacred and secular work, between "the Lord's work" and work for one's boss, between the Lord's Day and other common days, between the Lord's House and my house, and between the Lord's Supper and ordinary meals.(    )

(The answer key for this test is found at the very bottom of this page. )    How did you do?

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BOTH COVENANTS IN SCRIPTURE

Since many of us do not understand the contrasts between old and new covenant ministry, we need first to understand what the old covenant is, and how the new covenant is radically different from the old.

In order to learn about the Old and New Covenants, one could do no better than to first look at the precise wording of both covenants in scripture. Like contracts, covenants are promises or series of promises. But unlike a contract, a covenant is accompanied by a visible token which lasts as long as the covenant itself. Some contracts and some covenants involve responsibilities accepted by two parties. The Old Covenant which was made between the Lord and the children of Israel at Mount Sinai was such a covenant. But when God made other covenants, He made all the promises and He accepted all the responsibilities to perform them. The New Covenant which was made at Calvary is such a covenant.

The words of Old Covenant made at Sinai are as follows from Exodus 20:3-17: Notice that Israel promised to obey all that the Lord had commanded them (Exodus 24::3,7) so their responsibilities are in red below. The promises which God made to Israel are in blue.

I Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

II Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:

for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

III Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain;

for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

IV Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

V Honour thy father and thy mother:

that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

VI Thou shalt not kill.

VII Thou shalt not commit adultery.

VIII Thou shalt not steal.

IX Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

X Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Many of us as children were required to memorize the Ten Commandments, the terms of the Old Covenant. In  many congregations today, the Ten Commandments are read or recited every week. But do you know of anyone who has memorized the Seven Promises, the terms of the New Covenant or do you know of any congregation which reads or recites these promises regularly??? Have you ever wondered

why we are far more prone to be familiar with and to repeat that which was designed by God to produce bondage (Galatians4:24)

rather

than to be familiar with and live in the good of that which was designed by God to bring liberty (Galatians 5:1)???The words of the New Covenant which God, through the prophet Jeremiah promised to make are found in Jeremiah 31:33,34 and Hebrews 8:10-12. Notice that there are Seven Promises which God made and for which He accepts responsibility. But there are no promises made or responsibilities born by people in the New Covenant!

-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.

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.

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CONTRASTING THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS

There are two chapters in the Paul's epistles (II Corinthians 3 and Galatians 4) and one entire book (Hebrews) which focus our attention on the many contrasts between the Old Covenant and the New and on the contrasts between Old Covenant ministry and that of the New. Therefore, I could do no better than to quote these passages of scripture here so that the Spirit of God can use His own Word to speak to our hearts. Truths concerning the Old Covenant are in red and those concerning the new are in blue.

II Corinthians 3:1-17

(Notice here, the contrasts between ink and the Spirit, between tables of stone and tables of the heart, between the letter and the Spirit, between death and life, between condemnations and righteousness, between vailed face and open face...)

"Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

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

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.

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

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

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.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory,

much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect,

by reason of the glory that excelleth.

For if that which is done away was glorious,

much more that which remaineth is glorious.

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament;

which vail is done away in Christ.

But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

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Galatians 4:21-5:1

(Notice here the contrasts between bondage and freedom,

flesh and promise, flesh and spirit.)

"Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons,

the one by a bondmaid,

the other by a freewoman.

But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh;

but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants;

the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

But as then

he that was born after the flesh

persecuted

him that was born after the Spirit,

even so it is now.

Nevertheless what saith the scripture?

Cast out the bondwoman and her son:

for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir

with the son of the freewoman.

So then, brethren, we are

not children of the bondwoman,

but of the free.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,

and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

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Rather than reprinting the entire Book of Hebrews here, let us just focus on chapters 8,9 and 10:

Hebrews 8:1-13

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum:

We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand

of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

A minister of the sanctuary,

and of the true tabernacle,

which the Lord pitched,

and not man.

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices:

wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest,

seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things,

as Moses was admonished of God

when he was about to make the tabernacle:

for, See, saith he, that thou make all things

according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry,

by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant,

which was established upon better promises.

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.

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.

In that he saith, A new covenant,

he hath made the first old.

Now that which decayeth and waxeth old

is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 9:1-28

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 mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

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:

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.

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.

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?

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.

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. 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.

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.

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 10:1-25

"For the law having a shadow

of good things to come, and not the very image of the things,

can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year

continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered?

because that the worshippers once purged

should have had no more conscience of sins.

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance

again made of sins every year.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats

should take away sins.

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,

Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,

but a body hast thou prepared me:

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Then said I, Lo, I come

(in the volume of the book it is written of me,)

to do thy will, O God.

Above when he said,

Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin

thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein;

which are offered by the law;

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.

He taketh away the first,

that he may establish the second.

By the which will we are sanctified through

the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

And every priest standeth daily ministering

and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices,

which can never take away sins:

But this man,

after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,

sat down on the right hand of God;

From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:

for after that he had said before,

This is the covenant that I will make with them

after those days, saith the Lord,

I will put my laws into their hearts,

and in their minds will I write them;

And their sins and iniquities

will I remember no more.

Now where remission of these is,

there is no more offering for sin.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness

to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us,

through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

And having an high priest over the house of God;

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,

and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;

(for he is faithful that promised;)

And let us consider one another

to provoke unto love

and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,

as the manner of some is;

but exhorting one another:

and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

Whenever Christians reprimand other Christians for "not going to church", it is usually these last two verses to which they appeal and especially the part that says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is...".

However, most fail to realize that the very reason why many believers are "dropping out" of attending "church services" is because the agenda in the gatherings of the Lord's people has been hijacked so that there is no opportunity for God's agenda to be fulfilled! It is this passage of scripture which details what God says is to be "on the agenda" of the gatherings of His people.  It is NOT ministry of one or a few to the many, it is NOT monologue sermons delivered from a pulpit to silent pew sitters! Rather God's idea of church is ONE-ANOTHERING! 

"Let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto love and to good works...exhorting one another and so much the more (NOT less and less!) as ye see the day approaching."

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TWO PATTERNS FOR THE CHURCH:

Which do you follow?

THE OLD COVENANT PATTERN Is exemplified by the Pharisees who were a sect and were, by definition, "SEPARATISTS"! The Greek word PHARASAIOS "Pharisee" (Strongs' #5330) is derived from the Hebrew word PARASH, "to separate". (Strongs' #6567) This is the word translated "scattered" in Ezek. 34:12 "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so willI seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day."

Churches patterned after the Old Covenant, expressing the example of the Pharisees, are marked by a pervasive DICHOTOMY by which every area of life is separated into two distinct spheres: There are things SACRED or HOLY and there are things SECULAR or COMMON .

THE NEW COVENANT PATTERNIs exemplified by the Lord Jesus who prayed that we might be one. John 17:11,21,22 Caiaphas, a Pharisee, prophesied in John 11:45 ...that Jesus should die for that nation and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.   

New covenant churches, express the Lord's desire for UNITY by living life as a unified whole: Believers know that for them in Christ, the COMMON is made HOLY!

This Old Covenant Dichotomy or distinction between things holy and things common and the contrasting New Covenant unity (common things made holy) is seen in at least the following 8 practices:

(1) Since Old Covenant ministry clearly distinguished a priestly, ministerial class of people from the common people, churches which are patterned after the Old Covenant also recognize a class of people called the "CLERGY" and a class of people called the "LAITY", those who are "THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD" and those who are simply "secular employers and employees", those who are the "MINISTERS"and those who are "MINISTERED TO", those who are "FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN WORKERS" and those who are "PART-TIME CHRISTIAN WORKERS" , those who do not earn a living by "working with their hands" who are distinguished from those who are expected to have employment and earn wages out of which they can "support" the others!

But the New Covenant scriptures teach that KLEROS (Clergy) & LAOS (Laity), heritage & people are one and the same group of people(I Peter 5:3 and 2:10), that all saints are servants of the Lord. (Rom 12:11), that all are gifted for ministry (I Peter 4:10,11), that all are to live "unto Him" all the time (IICor.5:14) and that all new covenant men including church leaders are to labor working with their hands. The apostle Paul consistently did this and taught church elders to follow his own example. (Acts 20:33-35; II Thess 3:6-15)

(2) Since under the Old Covenant the Lord prescribed a class of buildings (tabernacles and temples) for sacred use and worship which were distinct from the peoples' common dwellings or places of work, so too churches patterned after the Old Covenant require specially dedicated buildings which they call "sanctuaries", "houses of God" or "assembly halls" which are distinct from the ordinary homes of the people.

But the New Covenant scriptures teach that God dwells not in temples made with hands (Acts 7:48 and 17:24) but that the saints themselves are the habitation of God. (Ephesians 2:20-22) Believers who recognize their New Covenant liberties in Christ have no church buildings but rather meet in each others' homes.

(3) Since Old Covenant ministry, by God's command, observed specific weekly and annual "holy days" for "spiritual" exercises which were distinct from common days used for for secular enterprises, so too churches today which are patterned after the Old Covenant distinguish a specific day of the week and sapecific annual days for observance of "holy services".But the New Covenant scriptures do not teach in any way that Christians are to regard certain days as holy or separate from others or that they are to take part in any holy rituals or assemblies on such particular days.

Rather, New Covenant believers are instructed to live holy lives every day of the week and all the time. In Romans 14:5,6 , Paul instructs the saints that one believer may regard one day above another and other believers may regard every day alike, but thatb they are not to judge one another in such matters! If God had truly intended all believers to "observe a certain day of the week", or to"assemble on a certain day of the week" Paul could not have written what He did under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit!

(4) Ministry under the Old Covenant included distinctions between holy food and common food, food which could only be eaten by the priests and their families and food which could be eaten by the common people. Thus churches which are patterned after the Old Covenant consider that the Lord's Supper is a "holy ordinance" that can only be dispensed by a recognized clergyman, in a recognized holy "house of God" on a holy day!

However, New Covenant believers remember their Lord as they partake of their ordinary meals on a daily basis in their own homes apart from the "administration" of a clergyman! Distinctions between "holy" and "common" breaking of bread are absolutely foreign to the New Covenant scriptures!

(5) During the time of Old Covenant ministry which lasted approximately 1500 years (from the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai to the death oif Christ at Calvary) there is ONE AND ONLY ONE REFERENCE to the reading and teaching of scripture FROM A PULPIT. (Nehemiah 8:4) And yet, regardless of denomination, monologue preaching called "pulpit ministry" has become the one central and indispensible feature of churches today which are patterned after Old Covenant ministry! For this reason, prospective "ministers" are trained in seminaries and Bible colleges in the "art" of "homiletics". During my Bible school days, I took a number of "homiletics" classes and we were told that "homiletics" was the science of the preparation and delivery of monologue "sermons" or "homilies". But one things we were not trained to do in those courses was to do word studies in scripture using such a tool as a "Strong's Concordance". If we had simpoly done a word study on the Greek word "HOMILEO", we would have discovered that our "homiletics professors" had lied to us!!!! The word HOMILEO is found 4 times in the New Covenant scriptures and in every case a "homily" was a CONVERSATION AMONG A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. It was NEVER monologue sermon!!!(Luke 24:14,15; Acts 20:11; 24:26)

But among New Covenant believers of the first century and among those of this century who have come to recognize their liberty in Christ, homilies, conversations, discussions and dialogues are the ways in which divine truth was and is most effectively communicated! When New Covenant saints gathered together in the first century, there is not a single example of a monolgue sermon being delivered to edify the people of God, but many examples of dialogues, discussions, homilies, conversations! This is in total harmony with New Covenant instructions that when the saints assemble together there is to be a ministry of "one anothering" because every believer has been given a spiritual gift that is to be used for the edification of others. There is no such gifting as "spectator"!!! Rather than communication of divine truth being centered in and almost restricted to "pulpit ministry" from a "sacred desk", God's intention is that His truth be communicated in the normal activities of life and across ordinary desks, work tables, kitchen tables, restaurant tables etc.

(6) Since Old Covenant ministry was primarily centered in holy buildings (the tabernacle and temple) and the ministry was committed to a distinct group of men (priests and Levites) God ordained that tithes (one tenth of people's increase) and offerings be given by the people. The tithes were for the support of the Levites and priests and the offerings were for the building and maintenance of the holy buildings. Thus in churches patterned after the Old Covenant system, great emphasis is placed upon "tithes and offerings" and the vast majority of these financial resources (nearly 90% for many churches) is simply spent on staff salaries, mortgages, building maintenance, utilities, insurance etc on a building which is usually used only for a few hours each week! When thousands of people groups in our world today are still waiting to hear the Gospel in their own language such squandering of the financial resources of the Lord's people is horrible stewardship for which we will soon have to give account! But even so, only a very small percentage of "church going people" even give 10%! Those who do often think, "I've given my 10% to the Lord so now I can do what I like with the 90% that's left. So again there is a dichotomy between what is the Lord's (the tithe) and what is mine (to be used to pay bills, buy groceries, spend on luxuries or save "for a rainy day")

But the New Covenant scriptures never once teach believers that just "the tithe is the Lord's"! Rather the whole emphasis of the New Covenant scriptures is that the believer has been bought by another, we are not our own! When we belong to the Lord, all of our possessions do too and thus THE TOTAL IS THE LORD'S! We do not have the right to spend money or use possessions as if we "owned " them. Rather we are simply stewards into whose trust Another has committed His property. Therefore, we will give account to Him for how we have invested His goods! From this perspective, New Covenant believers are never commanded to contribute to a corporate "church collection"! The scriptural instruction regarding collections is found in I Corinthians 16:1,2. There we do not find a corporate collection but rather a personal and proportionate collection, "Let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him." This giving is also to be purposeful...it is for "poor saints". It is also an action that is to take priority...t is to be done "on the first day of the week". Thus in gatherings of saints which follow the New Covenant pattern of ministry and giving, there is no need of corporate collections, "passing the offering plate" or pleading for contributions to keep the corporate ship "afloat"!

Instead, believers who have been constrained by the love of Christ (II Corinthians 5:14,15) make it a regular priority to personally and privately and proportionately lay by (in a special place in their purse or wallet, in a special drawer or bank account) resources with which God has propsered them. And then, as God brings needs to thewir mind, and speaks to their hearts they experience the joy of giving to other people in need and to faithful workers who are taking the Gospel to others or investing their lives in teaching the Word of God freely to others. As there are no buildings to be built, bought or maintained and no staff salaries to be paid, 100% of their resources can be invested for eternity, i.e getting the Word of God into people and people into the Word of God!

(7)Since distinct "holy garments" were prescribed to be worn by the priests while they served in the tabernacle or temple, churches which are patterned after the Old Covenant place great emphasis on "dressing up for church"! Ministers are expected to dress in a distinctive manner while they are "doing public ministry". And believers are taught to "dress up" when they "go to church". But in their homes and on their jobs throughout the week they dress in ordinary or casual clothes. So this holy versus common dichotomy affects every area of one's life when they seek to live by the Old Covenant!The New Covenant scriptures clearly teach saints to dress modestly and unpretentiously as good stewards and that their adornment is to be an inner adornment for the eye of God and not men. But when New Covenant believers recognize that they ARE the church and cannot GO TO CHURCH, that they are called to live lives of holiness to the Lord 24/7, they begin to shed the idea of a dichotomy bewteen holy and common dress! They seek to dress modestly at all times, in ways which are appropriate to meet the needs of those whom they serve. You don't wear a three piece suit in a cow barn nor do you wear rubber boots and coveralls in a corporate business office! Clothing was never designed or intended to show reverence for God! He sees us all the time where ever we are and in whatever we are clothed! Rather reverence for Him is demonstrated by our obedience to His instructions and commands revealed in His Word..

(8) Under the Old Covenant, genealogical records were of utmost importance to "the ministry". Since only sons of Levi could be priests or ministers, if a man could not show his genealogy proving that he was a Levite, he was disqualified from the priesthood. In similar fashion today, churches which are patterned after the Old Covenant way of ministry put great stock in "credentials". Whether they are called "licenses to preach", "ordination papers", "workers' letters of commendation" etc some sort of "official document" is required as a "passport" into what is called "full-time Christian ministry"! But another kind of documents are used and required of "ordinary Christians" or "laity" as they are known. If someone is travelling or moving to become associated with a church in another place a "layperson" may take "membership papers", a "transfer of membership", or a "letter of commendation" depending on the denomination with which he is associated. But there are always two distinct kinds of credentialling documents provided to "clergy" and "laity"!

But when we search the New Covenant scriptures, we find a total absence of any such dichotomy regarding "credentials"! New Covenant believers often wrote for others and carried when they travelled, "letters of commendation" which simply introduced them to saints in the places to which they were travelling. These told something of their faithfulness and what kind of ministries they were given to. Such were not some sort of document that one carried around for years or framed and hung on their office wall! They were rather a simple and practical letter of introduction that was used once and left in the hand of those to whom it was written! While there are about a dozen diifferent believers for which such letters in the new covenant scriptures, there are not TWO DIFFERENT KINDS FOR TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES OF PEOPLE! Some examples of letters of commendation are found in Acts 15:22-29; 18:27; Romans 16:1,2; II Cor.3:1,2; II Cor.8:16-24; Philippians 2:19-22; Philippians 2:25-30; and Philemon 1:10-21.




 

 






 

 

New Covenant Ministry Answer Key (with scriptures):

1. O (Nehemiah 8:4)

2. N (Hebrews 10:24,25; I Thess.5:11; James 5:16)

3. O (Ex.25:8,22; 30:6,36) The apostles and other new covenant believers of the first century never did acquire "church buildings" or ministry centers and yet they were extremely effective in bringing the Gospel to their culture which, like ours, expected "religious groups" to have "temples", "sanctuaries" etc like all the other religions did!

4. N (I Peter 5:3, "heritage" is the Greek word KLEROS from which we get our word "clergy".)

5. N (Acts 8:3; 20:20; Rom.16:5; I Cor.16:19; Col.4:15; Philemon 1:2)

6. X (Rather we are to help those who GO FROM US "taking nothing of the gentiles" or charging, requiring or demanding nothing of the nations for their ministry. III John 1:5-8)

7. O (Ex.25:1-8; Num.18:24,26,28) Tithes to support a distinct priesthood and offerings to maintain "Christian temples" are totally foreign to the new covenant scriptures!

8. N (I Peter 4:10,11)

9. N (I Peter 2:9,10 All believers are the LAOS (laity) or "people of God".)

10.X (We have been deceived to believe that homilies are monologue sermons and that "homiletics" is the art of sermon preparation and delivery! The Greek word HOMILEO is used four times in the scriptures and every time it is a conversation among a number of people! See Luke 24:14,15; Acts 20:11 and 24:26. HOMILEO is translated "talked" and "communed". Monologue sermonizing which requires the audience to listen in silence and refrain from interacting with the speaker is NOT derived from the Lord Jesus or the apostles! It is patterned after GREEK RHETORIC! A "rhetorical question" is one to which the hearer is not to respond!)

11. O (Numbers 18:24; Neh.10:37; 12:44; 13:5) There is no such thing in the new covenant scriptures as a "full-time Christian worker"!! Even the apostle Paul consistently worked with his own hands at the craft of tent making to meet his own needs and the needs of those that were with him. He also consistently taught church leaders and other Christians to follow his example in this. Acts 18:3; 20:33-35; I Cor.4:12; II Cor.12:12-19; I Thess.4:11; II Thess.3:8-12;)

12.N (Acts 18:3; 20:33-35; I Cor.4:12; II Cor.12:12-19; I Thess.4:11; II Thess.3:8-12;)

13.X (Neither "ordination certificates", "worker's letters of commendation" or "credentialling papers" are ever found in scripture! Letters of commendation were often written for travelling saints to commend them to others at their destination. Acts 18:27; Rom.16:1,2; II Cor.3:1; 8:16-24; Philippians 2:19-24 and 25-30 etc. But each such letter had only one journey and one destination in view. There was not one kind of letter of commendation for "ordinary Christians" and another for "Christian workers"!)

14.X (If making disciples and teaching them to observe what the Lord Jesus commanded is the responsibility of every believer, then so is the responsibility to baptize such disciples. (Matt.28:18-20) NOBODY is given authority to "administer" the Lord's Supper! Every believer is commanded, "This do in remembrance of me."! (Luke 22:19)

15. X (Rather, when they pray or prophesy. I Cor.11:5)

16.X (Rather, when they pray or prophesy. I Cor.11:4)

17. X (Believers ARE the house of the Lord 24/7! You cannot get "in and out" of yourself! I Cor.3:16; Eph.2:22)

18. X (I Cor.16:1,2 has personal ("every one of you") and private ("lay by him in store") collections in view, NOT corporate collections in a gathering!

19. O (Ex.25:8, but is no longer true today. Acts 7:48; 17:24)

20. X (If just Sunday is "the Lord's Day", whose are all the rest??? See Romans 14:5,6 and Col.2:16,17)

21.X/ (Christians don't GO to church, they ARE the church! Just as I don't "go to Woodford", I AM a Woodford! )

22. X Body members all have their own functions to fulfill as directed by the Head. I Cor.12

23.N (Christian women are instructed to cover their heads when they pray or prophesy and that their long hair is their glory. I Cor.11:1-16)

24. N (Heb.10:24,25)

25.X (Such a distinction is never taught in scripture! Rather, we are members in a body and as each member ministers as directed by the Head, the needs of all the members in the body are met. I Cor.12:14-27)

26. N (I Peter 1:14-16; Acts 2:42,46; I Cor.11:25,26; I Peter 4:10,11 etc)

27. N (I Cor.16:1,2)

28. O (Ex.20:8-11; Lev.23:3-37; Romans 14:5,6; Col.2:16,17)

29. N (John 15:16 -ordained to bear fruit that remains; I Pet.4:10,11 all are gifted and all are to minister as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.)

30. N (Matt.10:8; Acts 20:33-35; I Cor.9:18)

31. N ( I Cor.16:1,2 and II Cor. 8 and 9)

32. O (The levites were not given any substantial inheritance of land but Israelites of the other 11 tribes were given an inheritance of land from which to derive a regular income. They were commanded to give tithes to support the Levites in their service to God in the tabernacle and temple. No such system is ever found in the new covenant scriptures.)

33. O (Old covenant ministers or Levites did not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them and so they did not hear God's voice. Thus they were dependent on prophets such as Moses and Aaron to direct and instruct them in their service. But new covenant believers are all indwelt by the Spirit of God, they hear God's words and so get their direction from God and they are members in the Body of Christ and each and every member is directed by the Head, not by other body members! If one does not have the Spirit of God, they do not belong to Christ. Romans 8:9. If one does not hear God's words, they are not of God. John 8:47

34. N (Matt.6:3)

35.N (Christian men are instructed to uncover their heads when they pray or prophesy and not to let their hair grow long. I Cor.11:1-16)

36.N (The longest interval between salvation and baptism in scripture is 3 days! (Acts 9) Baptism was usually immediate upon one's profession of faith in Christ. Acts 2, 8, 10, 16,19 etc)

37. X (This practice is absolutely foreign to scripture!)

38. X (Not only are elder lead services foreign to scripture, but "church services" were unknown to first century saints!

Ministry/service was rather a way of life!)

39. X (Regular weekly corporate church collections are never mentioned in scripture nor are saints ever instructed to contribute to such nor are elders ever instructed to make decisions as to how the Lord's people distribute their giving! I Cor.16:1,2 deals with PERSONAL LAYING BY IN STORE. "LET EACH lay by HIM in store as God has prospered HIM...") In this way each believer listens to the Lord, gives as the Lord guides and each believer has the joy of meeting the needs of others and seeing how God uses them personally to meet others' needs in a very timely fashion!)

40. O (The tithe was instituted to provide for the needs of the Levites and priests. There is no distinct priesthood today but all new covenant believers are priests, and all are ordained ministers! Offerings were for the construction and maintenance of temple buildings. But new covenant saints ARE the temple of God. They do not use temple buildings but rather meet in each others' homes. Thus 100% of their giving can be invested in meeting the needs of poor saints and spreading the Gospel as the Lord guides each believer in how to give what they have personally "laid by in store".)

41. X (Matt.6:3)

42. O (All such distinctions between "the holy " and the "common" were characteristic of old covenant ministry but are foreign to new covenant ministry! Now, in the lives of new covenant believers the common is made holy and we are to live lives of holiness unto the Lord 24/7! See 26 above.

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