THE LAW NOT THE OLD COVENANT.
By G.
MEN who contend that the law of God is the “old covenant” always do so with a purpose to set aside the law and make it of no effect. It is a last-resort argument that the law is done away, a position essential to the evasion of the Sabbath enjoined in the law. But like all other arguments to that end, it over-reaches itself. If the law of God is the old covenant, it is also the new covenant; for under the new covenant (Jer. 31:31-33) the law is written in the hearts of His people. But the old covenant was not the law itself; it was, on Israel’s part, an agreement to obey the law, and on God’s part, to make them a peculiar treasure. Ex. 19:5-8. But Israel broke their part of the agreement, or covenant, by breaking the law, and the literal seed eventually lost the blessing as a result of their failure. This old covenant was based on their promise, as the strength of a chain is tested by its weakest link. But the new covenant is based on the promises of God, there being no human promise in it. Therefore it is established on “better promises,” and is a “better covenant.” Heb. 8:6. But the new covenant pertains to the same unchangeable law. The only feature of the old covenant not incorporated in215the new is the fallible promise of the people. That made it a national promise—a kind of “Christian nation” attempt at keeping the law of God. It was a national covenant, and the nation utterly failed. But the new, or spiritual, covenant is an individual matter. The believer does not depend upon his own strength; his obedience is the obedience of faith in the power of Christ, who kept the law Himself, and imparts His Spirit to all who accept His help by faith. But there is no change in the law: the law of ten commandments is called God’s covenant; but it is a covenant which He has commanded in all ages, and man has no alternative; else Christ would not have needed to satisfy it by His own death in order that transgressors might be pardoned and saved.