Although empty religion has made it sound as though the Ten Commandments and some other selections from the expired law are meant to be applied to the Christian life, we find quite the opposite in New Covenant writings. The Apostle Paul reveals this was a ministry that came to an end and no longer has any glory at all. Why? Because of the ministry of the Spirit, which has a glory that surpassed it.
His fruit now abides in us because He abides in us … and we bear what He produces. This is a more powerful and liberating way to live than to pursue the flesh by trying to keep stone-tablet commandments that leave people in lifeless condemnation. For those who think the top 10 were somehow separate from the rest of the law and are meant to still apply, we address the hypocrisy of this.
Frequently we’ll find church doctrines and teachings encouraging believers to cling to a law of works, found within the commandments of the Old Covenant. The problem with this? New Covenant writings reveal why the law was given to Israel (and not to us who are Gentiles). Those commands within the law caused sin to increase (not decrease). It was a ministry that killed and condemned. The law demanded perfection but was powerless to provide the ability to attain it. It once had glory, but came to an end, where the glory faded, and now has no glory at all. Why? Because of the surpassing glory ministry of the Spirit of God, which replaced the requirements written on ink and on stone. We are now in the life of Christ, we’re empowered by the Spirit of Grace where new life flows and the fruit of the Spirit is produced, apart from the works of the law.
Continuing this week in part two of our short series in the 3rd chapter of 2 Corinthians. The ministry of the Mosaic law (including the ten commandments written on stones), is defined by the Apostle Paul as the ministry of death and condemnation. It’s a ministry that once had glory, but now has come to have no glory at all. Why? It’s a glory that was fading from the beginning with Moses, and was replaced with something more permanent and more glorious… the ministry of the Spirit of the living God, now written upon our hearts within a New Covenant established by Jesus Christ. Although Christian “religion” has been built upon combining the Old with the New, the covenant of death and the covenant of life should never be mixed together.
A while back I had Lucas Miles as a guest on the podcast. Lucas is the President of the Oasis Network for Churches (OasNet), and he has written a soon-to-be-released book called Good God - The One We Want to Believe In but Are Afraid to Embrace. Lucas is back as a guest on the podcast to talk about the book, and why many people struggle to embrace this God that we claim to be good, but yet He is blamed for so many bad things - even by those in the church.
A common question that people ask is, "Why does God allow bad things to happen?" Lucas shares some radical thoughts on this, including tackling the premise that God "allows" bad things to happen. Also, does God put sickness on people, or put them through problems and "trials," so that He can teach them a lesson or so He can then swoop in and "get the glory" for healing and helping?
It's amazing how many people think that God is like this, and Lucas does a great job at showing how the nature of God is always good, and that He never harms us.
The book has received praise from many people, including Kevin Sorbo (actor, God's Not Dead), James B. Richards (author, The Gospel of Peace), Joanna Beasley (American Idol semifinalist and Christian recording artist), Paul Ellis (author, The Hyper-Grace Gospel) and many more. I sure hope you enjoy this conversation about our good God, and that you're left with a much better understanding of and appreciation for the love and goodness of God.
To find out more about Lucas Miles, check out LucasMiles.org.
Let's describe the Old Covenant God made with Israel: It caused sin to increase, it brought death, condemnation, it once had glory but came to an end and no longer has glory. Why? In order for a new and better covenant to be established through Jesus Christ, the old arrangement had to be completely put aside. It was replaced with the New Covenant of Jesus Christ which took the place of that former law. These are not covenants that are compatible with each other.
Traditional Bible teaching has led Christians to believe the Ten Commandments were separate from the rest of the Mosaic Law given to Israel. Some will even declare they were not part of the Old Covenant, and since they were letters engraved on stones, they were meant to be applied forever. Yet scripture clearly states they were considered part of the law and were called tablets of the covenant.
It’s a man-made doctrine that says that the Law is broken up into sections (moral, civil, ceremonial, etc.), and that part of it was done away with but yet in the New Covenant we’re supposed to keep a certain part of it. The scriptures do not declare such a separation or distinction in the law of God. The Law of God is a package deal. The Apostle Paul called the law the ministry of death that brought condemnation. Paul also explained why they no longer have glory and came to an end, to be replaced with a more glorious and permanent ministry of the Spirit.
When the Old Covenant ended and the New Covenant started, it was the beginning of something entirely different. Whereas the old way centered around commandments that brought fault, condemnation and a guilty conscience to the people under it's burden, the new way brought liberty, life and complete forgiveness. The ministry of the Spirit is in total contrast to the previous ministry of condemnation. We don't have to keep requesting His presence in our lives, we were invited into His presence and His life. Unlike the enemy, He is not our accuser and He never leaves us.
