The Old Covenant Compared to the New Covenant

Throughout the Church Age, there have been many religious institutions and groups that have advocated the keeping of certain Old Testament laws.

The two most popular Old Testament laws today are tithing and Sabbath keeping. Some groups take the concept so far as to wear fringes on their underwear!

There is nothing wrong with someone setting aside money or time to the Lord, but there is something wrong with using Old Testament rules and regulations as the basis for doing so.

Christians are to rely on the Holy Spirit, as revealed in the New Testament Scriptures, for our direction and not the Mosaic Law.

The following Scriptures show that the Old Covenant was fulfilled and is no longer in effect, and that Christ, through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, revealed in the New Testament, is the present manifestation of God's direction for our lives.

Old Covenant (Abrahamic by extension & Mosaic)-Black
New Covenant (By Our New High Priest - Christ)-Red
Old covenant - II Corinthians 3:14 
New covenant - II Corinthians 3:6
First covenant - Hebrews 8:7, 9:1 
Second covenant – Hebrews 8:7, 10:1-9
Came by Moses - John 1:17 
Came by Christ - Hebrews 8:6, 9:15
Law of Moses - Acts 13:38-39 
Law of Christ - Galatians 6:2
Law of sin - Romans 7:5-6 
Law of righteousness – Romans 9:30-31
Law of the flesh – Romans 7:5-6 
Law of the Spirit – Romans 8:2
Not of faith – Galatians 3:2 
Law of faith - Romans 3:27
Yoke of bondage - Galatians 5:1 
Law of liberty-  James 1:25
Ended by Christ – Romans 10:4 
Established by Christ – Hebrews 8:6, 10:9
Law of death - II Corinthians 3:7 
Law of life – Galatians. 3:11, 6:8
Entangles – Galatians 5:1 
Makes free - John 8:32, 36
A shadow – Colossians 2:14-17 
The reality – Hebrews 10:1-18
Fulfilled – Matthew 5:17-18 
Now in force – Hebrews 8:6, 10:9
Leaves imperfect – Hebrews 7:19 
Makes perfect – Hebrews 7:19
Glorious - II Corinthians 3:7 
More glorious - II Corinthians 3:8-10
Powerless to save – Hebrews 9:9, 10:4 
Saves to uttermost – Hebrews 7:25
Many sacrifices – Hebrews 9:12-13 
One sacrifice for sin – Hebrews 10:12
Temporary priest – Hebrews 7:23 
Eternal priest – Hebrews 7:17
Remembers sins – Hebrews 10:3
Forgets sins – Hebrews 8:12, 10:17
Yearly atonement – Hebrews 10:3
Eternal atonement – Hebrews 10:14
Priests have sin – Hebrews 5:1-4 
Sinless priest – Hebrews 7:26
Aaronic priesthood  - Hebrews 7:11 
Melchisedec priesthood – Hebrews 5:5-10, 7:21
Out of Levi – Hebrews 7:11 
Out of Judah - Hebrews 7:14
Animal sacrifices – Hebrews 9:12 
Human sacrifice – Hebrews 9:14-28
Earthly tabernacle – Hebrews 9:2 
Heavenly tabernacle – Hebrews 8:2
Imperfect mediator – Galatians 3:19 
Sinless mediator - I Timothy 2:5
No inheritance – Romans 4:13 
Eternal inheritance – Hebrews 9:15
Instituted upon animal blood – Hebrews 9:16-22 
Instituted upon blood of Christ – Matthew 26-28
Law of works – Romans 3:27 
Law of grace and faith - John 1:17
Works wrath - Romans 4:15 
Saves from wrath – Romans 5:9
Non-redeeming – Hebrews 10:4 
Redeems - Gal. 3:13, & Hebrews 9:12-15
Non-pleasing – Psalm 40:6 
Pleasing to God – Hebrews 10:5-18
Abolishment predicted – Isaiah. 51:6 
Establishment predicted – Hebrews 8:7
Circumcision – Exodus. 12:48 
No circumcision – Romans 4:9-12
Made to change - Hebrews 7:12 & Galatians. 3:25 
Made eternal – Hebrews 13:20
Faulty – Hebrews 8:7 
Perfect - James 1:25
Weak  - Hebrews 7:18 
Strong – Hebrews 7:25
Unprofitable – Hebrews 7:18 
Profitable – Hebrews 7:19,25
Natural program – Hebrews 9:10-14 
Spiritual program - II Corinthians 3:6, 18
Daily program – Hebrews 7:27 
Finished program – Hebrews 10:10-18
Infirm high priests – Hebrews 5:2, 7:28 
Perfect high priest – Hebrews 7:26
Made priests by law – Hebrews 7:12, 28 
Made priests by an oath – Hebrews 7:21, 28
No salvation – Hebrews 10:2-4 
Eternal salvation – Hebrews 5:9, 10:10
Perfected nothing – Hebrews 7:19 
Perfects believers – Hebrews 7:19, 10:14
Earthly priests – Hebrews 5:1-4 
Heavenly priest – Hebrews 9:24, 10:12
Repeated inability – Hebrews 10:11 
Glorious success – Hebrews 10:10-18
Many offerings – Hebrews 9:7 
One offering – Hebrews 10:10-14
Good promises – Deuteronomy. 28:1-14 
Better promises – Hebrews 8:6
A good covenant – Romans 7:12 
A better covenant – Hebrews 7:22, 8:6
Many high priests – Hebrews 7:23
One high priest – Hebrews 7:24-28
Typical tabernacle – Hebrews 9 
True tabernacle – Hebrews 8:2, 9:11
No mercy – Hebrews 10:28 
Complete mercy – Hebrews 8:12
Handmade things – Hebrews 9:1-5, 24 
Not handmade – Hebrews 9:23-24
An old way – Hebrews 8:13 
New and living way – Hebrews 10:19-20
Unavailing ministers – Hebrews 7:18 
Able ministers - II Corinthians 3:6
Carnal ministry – Hebrews 9:9-10 
Spiritual ministry - II Corinthians 3:6
Ministration of condemnation - II Corinthians. 3:9 
Ministration of righteousness - II Corinthians. 3:9
Glory covered - II Corinthians 3:13 
Glory uncovered - II Corinthians 3:18
Brings bondage – Galatians 4:24-25 
Brings liberty - II Corinthians 3:17
Cannot justify – Galatians. 2:16 
Does justify - Acts 13:38-39
Brings a curse - Galatians 3:10 
Redeems from the curse – Galatians 3:13
Live by works – Galatians 3:10 
Live by faith – Galatians 3:11
Cannot give life – Galatians 3:21 
Does give life - John 6:63-68
Exposes sin – Galatians 3:19 
Covers sin - Romans 4:1-8
Under law - Romans 6:14-15 
Under grace – Galatians 3:22-25
Done away - II Corinthians 3:7-14 
Not done away - II Corinthians 3:11
Abolished - II Corinthians 3:13 
Continues glorious - II Corinthians 3:11
Ministry of death - II Corinthians 3:7 
Reconciliation ministry - II Corinthians 5:18
For Israel only - Deuteronomy 4:7-8, 5:3 
For all men - Luke 22:20 & Mark 14:24

One of the saddest characteristics of Christian leadership today is its propensity to “keep one foot in the Old Covenant and the other foot in the New Covenant.”

The two will not mix. We must either live under the Old Covenant or we must live under the New Covenant. We cannot do both.

This is not about “Law vs Grace,” although that certainly is a part of the equation. Neither is it about “Old Testament vs New Testament.” It is about what or who is to be followed.

Many Christians call themselves “Bible Believing,” but are selective in what parts of the Bible they believe. They are also prone to using Old Testament scripture to guide or even control present day behavior.

Under the Old Covenant, God dealt with His people’s sin through the anticipation of Messiah. Under the New Covenant, sin is completely dealt with by the accomplishment of the blood of Christ at the cross of Calvary.

Under the Old Covenant, God’s Law governed behavior. Under the New Covenant, the leadership of the Holy Spirit, as revealed in the New Testament, governs behavior.

 All of the issues a church faces, doctrinal, behavioral, giving, relating to one another, and more will be resolved when the church realizes and submits to life under the New Covenant alone.