NEW WINESKINS REQUIRE NEW WINE

The Mosaic Covenant is no longer a functional covenant and the Old Testament Law is not applicable to New Testament believers – absolutely none of it. The Law in post-cross time serves three purposes: The Law is a reflection of the character of the lawgiver, the Law is a prefigurement of Christ and His work, and the Law judges the unsaved world of sin. The “new and better covenant” has new and better commandments to regulate the Christian life on the road to eternity with God. All New Testament doctrine must be based on New Testament writings, one wouldn’t use a California Roadmap to travel Missouri... new wineskins require new wine. Any theological principles or precepts drawn from the Old Testament must be filtered through the cross, the new covenant teachings, which will either accept them, modify them, or reject them. The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed, and the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed; clear types and shadows of the new in the old should serve as substantiating information in support of New Testament doctrine.

Endnote One: Note: Nine of the “Ten Commandments” from the O.T. Law were reintroduced – most in modified form -- in the New Testament as part of the 1050 N.T. commandments that embody the Grace Covenant. Matthew 5:27-28 is an example:  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Here Jesus modifies a legal tenet into a matter of the heart. The only one of the Ten Commandments not reintroduced as New Covenant commandments is “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”, since we observe the first day of the week, Sunday, the day our Lord arose from the dead.

Endnote Two: Matthew 5:18 Has often been misunderstood: “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Jesus is speaking here. In the verse immediately preceding, verse 17, Jesus states He came to fulfill the Law.  Every “jot and tittle” of the whole Law  -- the contract or covenant at Sinia– was fulfilled, ended, and abolished in Christ and “done away” by Him when He made the New Covenant. The Law is abolished for all who are in Christ – all New Covenant believers -- but the Law still judges the unsaved world of sin. The laws and commandments of the New Covenant are just as binding as those were in the Old Covenant. There are over 1,050 commands in the New Covenant, plus many other teachings not expressed in the form of commandments.  Following are some supporting scriptures: 2 Cor. 3:6-15; Acts 15:5-29; Gal. 3:19-25, 4::21-31, 5:1-5, 18; Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 7:11-28, 8:6-13, 9:1-22, 10:1-18; Rom. 10:4  

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