The Bible consists of two
parts: The Old Testament, and the New Testament.
Why?
This is best explained in the book of Hebrews:
"In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the
death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has
died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. This is why
even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. When Moses had
proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of
calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled
the scroll and all the people. He said, "This is the blood of the covenant,
which God has commanded you to keep." In the same way, he sprinkled with the
blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the
law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Heb 9:16-22 NIV)
While I was still quite young, my dad once
matter-of-factly told me: "One day, all this will be yours." I looked with
fascination as he showed me all of his belongings, everything he owned. Had he
worked so hard just for me? The thought nearly blew me away.
I didn't receive the fulfillment of this promise,
however, until he passed away. It wasn't much, really, especially after
splitting the estate between the siblings, and of course after giving the
government their share, but it was enough to make me realize that I mattered to
my father. I guess that up until the day his will came into effect, I had never
fully grasped what all of this meant.
I have had to experience the deaths of many family
members over the years. Grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts . . . And I
was very close to some of them. But none of them ever gave me the same promise
my dad gave. I was special to him!
The same is true with our Heavenly Father. On the same
day we wandered away from Him, He, too, gave us a promise. He said: "I will put
enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will
crush your head, and you will strike his heel." (Gen 3:15 NIV) That promise gave
birth to hope. Hope that one day the enemy who deceives us, the enemy we accept
as authority in our lives, will be crushed. Deliverance would be forthcoming!
This is where the first testament or will comes into
place, the one we call the Old Testament. Just like any will, it can't come into
effect unless someone dies. The first will was put into effect with the blood of
calves.
It's a testament based on rules and regulations. The
only problem is, as humans, we either take everything too literally, or we take
it too liberally. We have to learn from experience that we cannot save
ourselves! The purpose of the law was never to make us legalistic, in the way
the Pharisees enforced it. No, instead, all through the Old Testament there is a
clear indication that the law had everything to do with love:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your strength." (Deut 6:5 NIV)
"Love your neighbor as yourself." (Lev 19:18 NIV. See
also Matt 22:37-40)
Even in the Old Testament God's desire was love:
"I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will
not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my
people." (Lev 26:11-13 NIV)
He wanted the return of the relationship that was lost
with mankind in the Garden of Eden! (See Gen 3)
Did the sacrifices of calves and lambs take away the
sins of humanity?
"Those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."
(Heb 10:3-4 NIV)
Not at all! Why were these sacrifices necessary, then?
"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are
coming - not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same
sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near
to worship." (Heb 10:1-2 NIV)
The law was a shadow of what was yet to come. It was
not the fulfillment of the promise, it was an encouragement that the promise
would one day be fulfilled! (See 1 Cor 13:12 NIV)
"So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ
that we might be justified by faith." (Gal 3:24 NIV)
The law was never meant to be a way for us to show
off! The law was never written so that we could be justified by our own actions!
This is completely impossible! The Old Testament was pointing directly to the
New Testament and its realization in Jesus Himself!
"The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this.
First he says: 'This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says
the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their
minds.' Then he adds: 'Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.' And
where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin." (Heb
10:15-18 NIV. See also Jer 31:33-34)
Notice that in this text, all the actions are done by
God Himself. It is "I will". Not "you will" or "If you obey"!
Now here comes the crucial part: "Day after day every
priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the
same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus the
Christ) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the
right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his
footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are
being made holy." (Heb 10:11-14 NIV)
The New Testament is clearly the fulfillment of the
Old Testament. Jesus Himself died for us and put the New Testament into full
effect. We are now "perfect forever", not because of our efforts, but because
Jesus paid the price of our redemption once and for all! We may not feel like we
are "perfect", but in God's eyes we truly are! Jesus is a constant reminder of
that very fact, and He is right now, "at the right hand of God."
The New Testament message is clear: We are forgiven
because Jesus willingly died for us, so that we could taste eternity with Him
(See John 3:16). He paid for our freedom with his very own blood!
We always have the right to accept or reject any
testament. If we so choose, we can forfeit the promises written in a will. Or we
can fully accept them and taste the love that comes from Jesus Himself.
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down
his life for his friends." (John 15:13 NIV)
How will you respond to the testament God has given to
you?
Rob Chaffart
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