The New Covenant: ¿what's new about it?

What was wrong with the Old Covenant and what really changed with the New Covenant? What does the Bible say is new in the New Covenant? 

Throughout history, God made various covenants, or agreements, with human beings. These covenants established the terms of the relationship that God wants to have with humanity. Two key covenants recorded in the Bible are:  

 The covenant that God made with ancient Israel at Mount Sinai, also called as "the Old Covenant."

The "New Covenant", which was inaugurated by Jesus Christ, and is the covenant that is currently in force with spiritual Israel, the Church. 

Scripture affirms that the New Covenant has made the Old Covenant obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). What does this mean? Did God create a different set of terms in this new covenant? What exactly is "new" about the New Covenant?

This article highlights four key changes from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. Although these four issues do not encompass all differences, they illustrate the fundamental distinction between the two covenants.

A change in the sacrificial law

The Bible affirms that sinners deserve the death penalty (Romans 6:23). Forgiveness of these sins requires that blood be shed to satisfy this punishment (Hebrews 9:22). Under the Old Covenant, the Israelites sacrificed animals as sin offerings, shedding the blood of those creatures as God commanded.  

However, animal sacrifices were insufficient as substitutes for humans. Sacrifices did not truly cleanse the Israelites from their wrongdoing, "for the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins" (Hebrews 10: 4).

Since animals could not erase sins, why did God require them in the Old Covenant? Because these sacrifices reminded Israel of her sins and represented a time when it would be possible to remove the death penalty. God never intended these sacrifices to be permanently in effect. He had a plan ready "from the beginning of the world," in which Jesus Christ would make the ultimate sacrifice (Revelation 13: 8).

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ made it possible to "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Because He is God, and human beings were created by Him (Colossians 1:16), His life is of immeasurable value, more than all the other lives of human beings who have lived throughout history. Thus, his sacrifice was enough to fully pay the death penalty that we had incurred for sin.

When Christ instituted the New Covenant with his shed blood (Luke 22:20), He made it possible for us to be cleansed completely from sin (Hebrews 9: 13-14; 1 John 1: 7). The result was that animal sacrifices were no longer required as symbols, since Christ was the ultimate fulfillment of that symbolism. In baptism, we accept the sacrifice of Christ. Although we must still repent every time we sin, Christ's sacrifice is applied according to our repentance — no further sacrifices are needed for our sins (Hebrews 9: 24-28; 10:12).   

A change in the priesthood

In the Old Covenant, the priests came from the family of Aaron, from the tribe of Levi. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest was required to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the Israelites (Leviticus 16: 29-34). Only He was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies (the place that was furthest to the bottom), in the tabernacle and to approach the throne of grace - which represented the throne of God. 

All Israelites deserved the death penalty for their sins and the High Priest had a responsibility to make intercession for them. Since he, too, was "surrounded by weakness," he understood how easy it was to sin and could show compassion for people (Hebrew 5: 1-4).

However, as we saw, the blood spilled came from animal sacrifices in the physical system. Thus, the priests in the Old Covenant could not get people to be right before God and a change was necessary (Hebrews 7: 11-12).

This change occurred with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all mankind, which fulfilled the symbolism of the annual sin offering on the Day of Atonement. But Christ also fulfilled the role of High Priest by offering himself. Continue to serve as our High Priest, interceding on our behalf (Hebrews 7: 23-28).

In the New Covenant, Christ does not serve in a physical tabernacle (Hebrews 9:11). Instead, He does his duties as High Priest in "the true tabernacle" (Hebrews 8: 1-2). Currently, the Church is the "house of God" and the "Holy Temple" (Ephesians 2: 19-22).

Due to the change in the Levitical priesthood and the physical tabernacle, the rituals associated with the tabernacle and temple in the Old Covenant are no longer required — including various kinds of food and drink offerings, as well as ceremonial washing.

These physical rituals were only "imposed until the time of reforming things" (Hebrews 9: 8-10).

In the New Covenant, God's people now have a High Priest in Jesus Christ who continually intercedes for him. Since Christ lived as a human being, He understands our weaknesses, can help us when we are tempted, and can show us compassion when we sin. We can go in a confident way, seeking forgiveness when we repent (Hebrews 2: 17-18; 4: 14-16).

A change of heart

God gave Israel His eternal laws that define sin — with the 10 commandments as the basis for Israel's responsibility in the Old Covenant (Exodus 34: 27-28; Deuteronomy 4:13). However, there is a fundamental problem in this arrangement: although God's law was and is perfect (Psalm 19: 7), the people were not.    

God knew in advance that the Israelites were missing something very important. They did not have the heart they needed to be truly obedient to Him (Deuteronomy 5: 23-29). The Israelites agreed to obey God for external motivation . They were afraid of God's punishment (Exodus 20: 18-21), but this kind of motivation does not guarantee correct conduct. Unless a person is internally convinced to do what is right, they can easily choose to do what is wrong.     

Ancient Israel unfortunately fell into this trap and repeatedly disobeyed God throughout its history, despite receiving severe punishment as a result. Time after time, the Israelites broke the covenant they made with God, revealing a flaw in the covenant. The failure has nothing to do with the laws they agreed to obey, but with the people themselves (Hebrews 8: 7-8).

The Israelites did not have a heart that truly knew God, because the time was not yet for God to give them that kind of heart (Deuteronomy 29: 4). But even without a correct heart, it was still possible for the Israelites to respond to God's correction when they made bad decisions. Unfortunately, they failed and did not change their behavior. However, his example gives us a powerful lesson for us about how easy it is to sin (1 Corinthians 10: 11-12).

In the New Covenant, God's people have the opportunity to receive a heart to obey Him. In the Old Testament, God announced that a time would come when His people would internalize His laws and they would be written on their hearts — when they truly they might know Him (Jeremiah 31: 31-34).

When the Spirit of God was widely available on the day of Pentecost, that goal was possible. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians can learn to think like God (1 Corinthians 2:11, 16). The mind of God — reflected in his law of love — can now be internalized in his people.   

A change of promise

In the Old Covenant, Israel agreed to obey God; and in return, God agreed to treat Israel as "a special treasure" (Exodus 19: 5-6). He made specific promises to Israel, including the rain in due time; victory in battles; disease free; a fear of Israel among other nations; and a prosperity so great that Israel would lend to other nations and would not have to borrow from them (Leviticus 26: 3-13; Deuteronomy 7: 12-15; 28: 1-14).

These promises were incredible. But they were also limited to physical existence. There was no opportunity in the Old Covenant for the nation of Israel to receive access to the gift of eternal life. In this way, the Israelites could only enjoy the blessings of the Old Covenant as long as they had physical life here on earth.

Why was eternal life not offered in the Old Covenant? For Jesus Christ had not yet come to this earth as the Savior of mankind, and "there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Christ's sacrifice provided human beings with the way to resolve the fact that they had not lived perfectly (all of us) and avoid the death penalty. Forgiveness was a key requirement for human beings to "receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:15) —eternal life (Titus 3: 7).

Another essential component that was missing is the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ called him the "Comforter" (John 16: 7), a "promise" from God, which He poured out on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1: 4-5; 2: 1-4).

As we discussed earlier, the Holy Spirit allows the laws of God to be written on our hearts. But beyond this, the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to be "heirs of God" so that "together with him [Christ] we may be glorified " ( Romans 8: 16-17). The Holy Spirit serves as a guarantee, as a mortgage, of our promised inheritance of eternal life in the family of God (Ephesians 1: 13-14).

The Holy Spirit was made available to a select few as servants of God who lived before the inauguration of the New Covenant made by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1: 10-11). However, the vast majority of the Israelites did not have access to that Spirit, and therefore did not have access to eternal life. But God, from the beginning, intended that all human beings have that opportunity (Titus 1: 2) —His purpose is “to bring many children to glory” (Hebrews 2:10) and thus expand his family.

Access to "salvation" with the New Covenant makes this "a better covenant" than the Mount Sinai covenant, because the New Covenant was "established on better promises" (Hebrews 8: 6). Finally, all human beings who have lived in human history will have the opportunity for eternal life as part of the New Covenant. Those who become part of the family of God will dwell with Him forever, and there will be no more death (Revelation 21: 1-4).

The New Covenant amplifies the terms of the Old Covenant

This article has not covered all the differences between the Old and New Covenants. However, the changes we have examined illustrate a consistent trend: contrary to what many people think, the New Covenant does not nullify all the terms of the Old Covenant! 

Both covenants include sacrifices for sin, a priesthood serving in the tabernacle, obedience to God's laws, blessings promised by God. However, in each case, changes in the New Covenant amplify the terms of the Old Covenant. 

In the Old Covenant, God offered the Israelites two options and told them to "choose life" (Deuteronomy 30: 19-20). God offers the same today, for those he calls the New Covenant. What makes the New Covenant "new" is that it is a far better deal than that offered at Mount Sinai.

Finally, all of humanity will have the opportunity to be part of the New Covenant. But God is calling you to be part of that Covenant now, by helping you understand its "truth," you have a choice to make. Will you choose life — eternal life? The decision is in his hands.