The Old and New Covenants

Bible Text: Romans 7:1-6 | Preacher: Alan Conner | Series: 2003, Romans

August 17, 2003                                                                                                                             Northwest Bible Church

Worship Service                                                                                                                             Alan Conner

 

Rom. 7:1-6  #2

THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS

 

INTRO

Christians in general have difficulty in understanding how they relate to the law of God.  The bottom line is that the relationship of the believer to the law of God is a difficult subject.

 

Jonathan Edwards, “There is perhaps no part of [theology] attended with so much              [difficulty in understanding], and wherein orthodox [theologians] do so much differ as stating the          precise agreement and difference between the two dispensations of Moses and Christ.”

 

Paul is correcting several misunderstandings about the law in Romans 7. In Rom. 7:1-6 he corrects the Jewish legalist who wanted to keep the Christian in the Old Covenant and under its law.  In the next passage, he will correct the antinomian who is anti-law of any sort.

 

 

The biblical picture in Rom. 7:1-6 is that there had to be a changing of the guard. The Old Covenant had to be phased out and be replaced by the New Covenant.  To fully appreciate Paul’s analogy of the two husbands in 7:1-6 you have to understand that there are two covenants.   For behind our marriage to the law is the old covenant, and behind our marriage to Christ is the new covenant.  Every marriage is based on a covenant relationship (Mal. 2:14).  Thus, an understanding of the old and new covenants will help us understand what Paul is teaching about our new marriage to Christ.

 

 

A.  CONTRASTS BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS

 

 

OLD COVENANT                                       NEW COVENANT

 

1)             “Old” = Obsolete – Heb. 8:13           vs             “New” =  in time and quality

 

2)             First and faulty – Heb. 8:7-8            vs             Second and superior – Heb. 8:6

 

3)         Fading away – Heb. 8:13; 2 Cor. 3:11         vs               Eternal – Heb. 13:20

 

4)            Weak acc. to the flesh – Rom. 8:3              vs       Powerful in the Spirit – Rom. 8:3-4

 

5)              Oldness of the letter – Rom. 7:6               vs        Newness of the Spirit – Rom. 7:6

 

6)                Ministry of death – 2 Cor. 3:6                vs            Ministry of life – 2 Cor.3:6

 

7)          Ministry of condemnation – 2 Cor. 3:9          vs     Ministry of righteousness – 2 Cor. 3:9

 

 

B.  NEW WINE IN OLD WINESKINS?

 

 

 

 

C.  THE LAW OF CHRIST.