Lesson 11: Relationship to Three Covenants

The end has come! We made it through our study of covenant! This last lesson was an important one in bringing the whole study together. Rebecca did a fantastic job connecting all the dots and wrapping everything up. A special thanks goes out to the teachers, small group leaders, and goodie bringers for this past semester. I hope it was a heart-changing study and something you'll continue to look back upon as you continue in your study of Scripture. If you don't know, we'll be doing Esther starting next year (2013?? already?) so be looking for more information!

This was the diagram that we made contrasting all 3 covenants. NOTE THAT ALL OF THE COVENANTS pointed to the fact that we ARE SAVED BY FAITH! 

2 Corinthians 3:1-18

-Spirit and Law (Old and New Covenants) contrasted

- Old Covenant called Ministry of Death and Ministry of Condemnation

-New Covenant called Ministry of Spirit and Ministry of Righteousness

-Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone and New Covenant written on hearts of flesh.

Exodus 34:29-35

-Moses went to get the law and his face shone when he returned from being in the glory of God

-He spoke to the people while he was still "shining" and then put on a veil. 

-He takes it off in the presence of God

-Why did he put the veil on? To hide the fading glory; the glory of the Old Covenant faded because it wasn't everlasting. With the New Covenant, we can always be "shining" because we are always in the presence of God.

Galatians 3:1-29

-Galatians was written in response to Judaizers' teaching that it was salvation by faith plus perfection by law.

-Paul calls Galatians foolish because for believing false teaching after receiving the Spirit. He tells them, essentially, to use their testimony and we can do the same thing when faced with false teachings (3:1-5)

-Paul brings up the Abrahamic Covenant and reminds them that Abraham was saved by faith (alone!) in Genesis 15:6. (Remember that faith is defined by a firm conviction that brings about surrender). (3:6-9)

-He reminds them that the Old Covenant brought conditions that NO ONE could keep. Christ freed us from the Old Covenant by becoming the curse and redeemed us (bought us back) by His blood.

-Then Paul uses an example in every day life. You don't just change covenantal agreements! (3:15-18)

-Paul then explains why the law was given in verses 19-25. The law was given to give us a knowledge of sin and tell us that we are under its bondage. (Note there is a difference between knowing there is sin and realizing you are a slave to it.) The law also gave protection (the Jews received the law before entering into the Promised Land and God wanted them set apart as a people). Finally, the law teaches and guides.

-Finally, we see that the New covenant is written on our hearts, that we have the Holy Spirit, that our sin is forgiven and forgotten, that we can be in God's presence, that we are united as a body, and that we are heirs to the eternal inheritance.

The last thing we did was look at Galatians 4 and the follow chart:

And that's all folks! Hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas! We'll see you in January!