〉 Chapter 32—The Grace of Christ and the New Covenant
Chapter 32—The Grace of Christ and the New Covenant
Adam and Eve at their creation had a knowledge of the law of God; they were acquainted with its claims; its precepts were written upon their hearts. When man fell by transgression, the law was not changed, but the promise of a Saviour was given. Sacrificial offerings pointed to the death of Christ as the great sin offering. (EP 254.1)
The law of God was handed down from father to son through successive generations. But few rendered obedience. The world became so vile that it was necessary to cleanse it by the Flood from its corruption. Noah taught his descendants the Ten Commandments. As men again departed from God, the Lord chose Abraham, of whom He declared, “Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5. To him was given the rite of circumcision, a pledge to remain separate from idolatry and obey the law of God. The failure of Abraham’s descendants to keep their pledge was the cause of their bondage in Egypt. In their intercourse with idolaters and forced submission to the Egyptians, the divine precepts became still further corrupted with the vile teachings of heathenism. Therefore the Lord came down upon Sinai and in awful majesty spoke His law in the hearing of all the people. (EP 254.2)
He did not even then trust His precepts to the memory of a people prone to forget, but wrote them upon tables of stone. And He did not stop with giving them the Decalogue. Moses was commanded to write judgments and laws giving minute instruction as to what (EP 254.3)
was required. These directions were only the principles of the Ten Commandments amplified in a specific manner, designed to guard their sacredness. (EP 255.3)
If the descendants of Abraham had kept the covenant, of which circumcision was a sign, there would have been no necessity for God’s law to be proclaimed from Sinai or engraved upon tables of stone. (EP 255.1)
The sacrificial system was also perverted. Through long intercourse with idolaters, Israel had mingled many heathen customs with their worship; therefore the Lord gave them definite instructions concerning the sacrificial service. The ceremonial law was given to Moses, and by him written in a book. But the law of Ten Commandments had been written by God Himself on tables of stone and preserved in the ark. (EP 255.2)
Many try to blend these two systems, using the texts that speak of the ceremonial law to prove that the moral law has been abolished, but this is a perversion of the Scriptures. The ceremonial system was made up of symbols pointing to Christ, to His sacrifice and priesthood. This ritual law with its sacrifices and ordinances was to be performed by the Hebrews until type met antitype in the death of Christ. Then all the sacrificial offerings were to cease. It is this law that Christ “took ... out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” Colossians 2:14. (EP 255.3)
But concerning the law of Ten Commandments the psalmist declares, “Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89. And Christ Himself says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law... . Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17, 18. Here He teaches that the claims of God’s law should hold as long as the heavens and the earth remain. (EP 255.4)
Concerning the law proclaimed from Sinai, Nehemiah says, “Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments.” Nehemiah 9:13. And Paul, “the apostle to the Gentiles,” declares, “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12. (EP 255.5)
While the Saviour’s death brought to an end the law of types and shadows, it did not detract from the obligation of the moral law. The very fact that it was necessary for Christ to die in order to atone for the transgression of that law, proves it to be immutable. (EP 256.1)
Those who claim that Christ came to do away with the Old Testament represent the religion of the Hebrews as consisting of mere forms and ceremonies. But this is an error. Through all the ages after the Fall, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:19. Christ was the foundation and center of the sacrificial system. Since the sin of our first parents, the Father has given the world into the hands of Christ, that through His mediatorial work He may redeem man and vindicate the authority of the law of God. All communion between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ. It was the Son of God that gave to our first parents the promise of redemption. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses understood the gospel. These holy men of old held communion with the Saviour who was to come to our world in human flesh. (EP 256.2)
Christ was the leader of the Hebrews in the wilderness, the Angel who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the host. It was He who gave the law to Israel. (See Appendix, Note 6.) Amid the glory of Sinai Christ declared the ten precepts of His Father’s law. He gave to Moses the law engraved upon tables of stone. (EP 256.3)
Christ spoke to His people through the prophets. The apostle Peter says that the prophets “prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.” 1 Peter 1:10, 11. It is the voice of Christ that speaks through the Old Testament. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10. (EP 256.4)
While personally among men, Jesus directed the minds of the people to the Old Testament. “Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of Me.” John 5:39. At this time the books of the Old Testament were the only part of the Bible in existence. (EP 257.1)
The ceremonial law was given by Christ. Even after it was no longer to be observed, the great apostle Paul pronounces this law glorious, worthy of its divine Originator. The cloud of incense ascending with the prayers of Israel represents His righteousness that alone can make the sinner’s prayer acceptable to God; the bleeding victim on the altar testified of a Redeemer to come. Thus through darkness and apostasy, faith was kept alive in the hearts of men until the advent of the promised Messiah. (EP 257.2)
Jesus was the Light of the world before He came in the form of humanity. The first gleam of light that pierced the gloom came from Christ. From Him has come every ray of heaven’s brightness that has fallen upon the inhabitants of the earth. (EP 257.3)
Since the Saviour shed His blood and ascended to heaven “to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24), light has been streaming from the cross of Calvary and from the sanctuary above. The gospel of Christ gives significance to the ceremonial law. As truths are revealed, the character and purposes of God are made manifest. Every additional ray of light gives a clearer understanding of the plan of redemption. We see new beauty in the inspired Word and study its pages with more absorbing interest. (EP 257.4)
God did not design that Israel should build up a wall of partition between themselves and their fellowmen. The heart of Infinite Love was reaching out toward all the inhabitants of the earth, seeking to make them partakers of His love and grace. His blessing was granted to the chosen people that they might bless others. (EP 257.5)
Abraham did not shut himself away from the people around him. He maintained friendly relations with the kings of the surrounding nations, and the God of heaven was revealed through His representative. (EP 258.1)
To the people of Egypt God manifested Himself through Joseph. Why did the Lord choose to exalt Joseph so highly among the Egyptians? He desired to place him in the palace of the king that the heavenly illumination might extend far and near. Joseph was a representative of Christ. In their benefactor the Egyptians were to behold the love of their Creator and Redeemer. In Moses also God placed a light beside the throne of earth’s greatest kingdom that all might learn of the true and living God. (EP 258.2)
In the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, a knowledge of the power of God spread far and wide. Centuries after the exodus, the priests of the Philistines reminded their people of the plagues of Egypt and warned them against resisting the God of Israel. (EP 258.3)
God called Israel in order to reveal Himself through them to all the inhabitants of the earth. For this purpose He commanded them to keep themselves distinct from the idolatrous nations around them. (EP 258.4)
It was just as necessary then as it is now that God’s people be pure, “unspotted from the world.” But God did not intend that His people should shut themselves away from the world so that they could have no influence upon it. It was their evil heart of unbelief that led them to hide their light instead of shedding it upon surrounding peoples, to shut themselves away in proud exclusiveness as if God’s love and care were over them alone. (EP 258.5)
The covenant of grace was first made with man in Eden. After the Fall, there was given a divine promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head. To all men this covenant offered pardon and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Christ. It also promised eternal life on condition of fidelity to God’s law. Thus the patriarchs received the hope of salvation. (EP 258.6)
This same covenant was renewed to Abraham in the promise, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 22:18. Abraham trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It was this faith that was accounted unto him for righteousness. The covenant with Abraham also maintained the authority of God’s law. The testimony of God was, “Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5. Though this covenant was made with Adam and renewed to Abraham, it could not be ratified until the death of Christ. It had existed by the promise of God; it had been accepted by faith; yet when ratified by Christ, it is called a new covenant. The law of God was the basis of this covenant, which was simply an arrangement for bringing men again into harmony with the divine will, placing them where they could obey God’s law. (EP 259.1)
Another compact—called in Scripture the “old” covenant—was formed between God and Israel at Sinai, and was then ratified by the blood of a sacrifice. The Abrahamic covenant, ratified by the blood of Christ, is called the “second,” or “new” covenant, because the blood by which it was sealed was shed after the blood of the first covenant. (EP 259.2)
But if the Abrahamic covenant contained the promise of redemption, why was another covenant formed at Sinai? In their bondage the people had to a great extent lost the knowledge of the principles of the Abrahamic covenant. In delivering them from Egypt, God sought to reveal His power and mercy, that they might be led to love and trust Him. He bound them to Himself as their deliverer from temporal bondage. (EP 259.3)
But they had no true conception of the holiness of God, of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts, their utter inability, in themselves, to render obedience to God’s law, and their need of a Saviour. (EP 260.1)
God gave them His law with the promise of great blessings on condition of obedience: “If ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, ... ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.” Exodus 19:5, 6. The people did not realize the sinfulness of their own hearts and that without Christ it was impossible for them to keep God’s law. Feeling able to establish their own righteousness, they declared, “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.” Exodus 24:7. They readily entered into covenant with God. Yet only a few weeks passed before they broke their covenant and bowed down to worship a graven image. Now, seeing their sinfulness and their need of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings. Now they were prepared to appreciate the blessings of the new covenant. (EP 260.2)
The terms of the “old covenant” were, Obey and live: “If a man do, he shall even live in them.” Ezekiel 20:11. But “cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them.” Deuteronomy 27:26. The “new covenant” was established upon “better promises,” the promise of forgiveness and the grace of God to renew the heart and bring it into harmony with God’s law. “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... . I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:33, 34. (EP 260.3)
The same law that was engraved upon tables of stone is written by the Holy Spirit upon the heart. We accept the righteousness of Christ. His blood atones for our sins. His obedience is accepted for us. Then through the grace of Christ we shall walk even as He walked. Through the prophet He declared of Himself, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Psalm 40:8. (EP 260.4)
Paul clearly presents the relation between faith and the law under the new covenant: “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh”—it could not justify man, because in his sinful nature he could not keep the law—“God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 5:1; 3:31; 8:3, 4. (EP 261.1)
Beginning with the first gospel promise and coming down through the patriarchal and Jewish ages to the present time, there has been a gradual unfolding of the purposes of God in the plan of redemption. The clouds have rolled back, the mists and shades have disappeared, and Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, stands revealed. He who proclaimed the law from Sinai is the same that spoke the Sermon on the Mount. The great principles of love to God are only a reiteration of what He had spoken through Moses. The Teacher is the same in both dispensations. (EP 261.2)