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"God changed his mind about people having to follow his perfect (Psa 19:7) and eternal (Psa 119:152,160) laws and replaced them with a new system of faith in a human sacrifice." |
The New revised Covenant Of Christianity
by John Pringle
Fundamentalist Christians are fond of advertising to the world that they believe the Bible is the divine word of God. They claim to believe that everything in the Bible was directly inspired by God himself and that everyone else should believe as they do. In fact, if a person doesn’t accept Christian theology and a character called Jesus as their personal savior, they will be condemned by God and sent to an eternal place of punishment called hell.
One of the most deceptive assertions made by Christians is that they are under the “new covenant” of God. According to Christians, the New Testament represents the New Covenant.
They claim that they are forgiven their sins because they are “washed by the precious blood”of Jesus, who was a human sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.
Christians claim that’s what the “new covenant” is really about. Jesus provided the ultimate vehicle of salvation which replaced the old system and laws that God had previously set up. In other words, God changed his mind about people having to follow his perfect (Psa 19:7) and eternal (Psa 119:152,160) laws and replaced them with a new system of faith in a human sacrifice. In this new improved brand of theology, Jesus was really God, and God sacrificed himself to himself so he could change rules which he set up in the first place. Such is the kinky world of Christian theology.
But what about all this Christian advertising that they are under a “new covenant” from God?
Does the Christian version of the new covenant hold up to what the Bible really says about the new covenant, or is it a concocted doctrine, based on expediency and another agenda entirely?
Here is what the Bible says about the new covenant which is promised by God to his people.
Jer 31:27-36
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.
In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.
But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
Note the key items of the new covenant:
** A covenant is a contract.
Under the new covenant, God will reaffirm his existing laws with the people under a new contract.
** In the days of the new covenant, each person will die for their own sin.
This is confirmed by Ezek 18:20-28, where God declares that each man will die for his own sin and will redeem himself through his own actions and faithful obedience to God’s Law.
** Unlike the old covenant, God will put his existing Law directly inside people and will write it on their hearts so that they follow it without fail. Each person will be in direct contact with God’s will.
** No longer will people need to be taught by others about God, for each person will know God personally and directly without the need for any intermediary.
** God will remember the people’s sin no more, as their sins will be forgiven.
Also note the following:
There is no mention of any type of human sacrifice needed to die for the sins of others.
There is no mention of God’s existing laws being replaced, canceled, or done away with.
The new covenant described by God in Jer 31:27-36 obviously hasn’t arrived yet. If it had already arrived, people would be following God’s Law completely because it would be written in their hearts and minds so that they would not disobey it. If it had already arrived, people would not need to be taught through Bible study or preached to, for every person would know God, just as he promised. If the new covenant had already arrived there would be no need for missionaries to spread the word, for everyone would already have it directly from God.
The new covenant which the New Testament defines, and which Christians claim is the “real”new covenant doesn’t even come close to conforming with what God described in the Old Testament. The Christian version of the new covenant is wrapped around a doctrine which claims God canceled his laws, by sending a Messiah to become a human sacrifice, which voids out all the laws which God established.
This human sacrifice would provide salvation for all people instead of salvation being provided by following God’s holy and righteous laws. People wouldn’t need to comply with God’s Law because they could be saved from their sins by putting their faith in a human sacrifice. A cascade of contradictions is exposed when one compares the Old Testament (OT) word of God with the New Testament (NT) alleged word of God regarding the issue of the new covenant.
NT claim: God’s Law was really a curse.
Gal 3:13
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Contradicted by the OT:
Psa 119:174
I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
The law is not a curse, but the source of salvation.
NT claim: God’s law stood against the people and was canceled by Jesus.
Col 2:14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances (Law) that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Contradicted by the OT:
Psa 119:152,160
Concerning thy testimonies (statutes), I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments (laws)endureth for ever.
God’s Law is eternal, and is not canceled at any time.
Deut 4:8
And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I (God) set before you this day?
God’s Law was not, as Christianity claims, “against the people” but representedrighteousness which uplifted his people over others.
NT claim: Faith in a human sacrifice replaces obedience to the Law.
Gal 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Contradicted by the OT:
Psa 119:1-5Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies (laws), and that seek him with the whole heart.
They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
Thou (God) hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
Deut 6:17
Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes (laws), which he hath commanded thee.
Anyone who wants to be righteous in God’s eyes will seek and obey God’s Law.
Psa 119:110,115
The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts (laws).
Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
Those who teach that God’s Law doesn’t have to be followed anymore are wicked and evil.
NT claim: People are not justified by following God’s Law, they must have faith in a human sacrifice instead.
Gal 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Contradicted by the OT:
Psa 119:41,44
Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.
So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
Psa 119:144-146
The righteousness of thy testimonies (laws) is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live (have salvation).
I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies (laws).
Eccl 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments (laws): for this is the whole duty of man.
Deut 6:25
And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
Righteousness and salvation are obtained by following God’s Law.
People are justified by doing the works of the Law.
NT claim: Jesus, the Christ or Messiah, is the end of God’s Law.
Rom 10:4
For Christ (or Messiah) is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Contradicted by the OT:
The expected king Messiah will not be an end to the Law at all! In fact, the Law will beobserved fully in the era and reign of the expected Messiah.
Ezek 36:26-28
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes (laws), and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Ezek 37:24
And David my servant (the Messiah) shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes (laws), and do them.
The Christian claim in Rom 10:4 is a blatant lie and laughs in the face of God’s Old Testament proclamations.
NT claim: The New Testament writers also introduced a new ritual for salvation.
Matt 26:26-28 (also Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, John 6:53-54)
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Claiming that a valid king Messiah would tell people to eat his flesh and drink his blood to obtain eternal life and salvation is the essence of heresy and wickedness in the eyes of God.
Contradicted by the OT:
Lev 17:10,12
And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
The consumption of any blood, symbolic or otherwise, is utter abomination to God. People who practiced the abomination of consuming blood were committing sin. The idea that God would send a Messiah to tell people to do such a thing is ludicrous and makes a mockery of God’s law regarding this heathen practice. Recognizing and adding a heathen practice, such as drinking the blood of a sacrifice, is exactly what God told his people not to do in Deut 4:2:
Deut 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Christianity laughs in the face of God, as it both adds heathen practices to his word and at the same time diminishes his word by claiming the existing laws no longer need to be followed.
Furthermore, Jesus not only lacked the basic genealogical qualification to be a valid king Messiah, he didn’t perform even the basic requirements of what a king Messiah was to accomplish (Jer 23:5-6 also Jer 33:15-16).
Jer 23:5-6
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
In his days, Jesus accomplished none of these required things in order to be considered the valid king Messiah that God promised to his people. Nor is the human sacrifice of Jesus even legal according to God’s Law.
Jesus did not comply with any of the regulations and requirements for a valid sin sacrifice according to God. Yet, all these issues are pushed aside by Christians who want an easy way to salvation, instead of doing the hard work of following the Bible God’s Law. Christians invented a new system, their own new covenant, and a new religion which replaced the God of the Old Testament with the God of the New Testament.
NT claim: Christians are ministers of God’s new covenant which is not based on the letter of God’s written Law, but is now based on faith in a human sacrifice called Jesus instead.
2 Cor 3:6
Who (God) also hath made us (Paul and his followers) able ministers of the new testament (covenant); not of the letter (law), but of the spirit: for the letter (law) killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Contradicted by the OT:
Deut 26:16-17
This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes(laws), and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:
Those who wish to represent God do not toss aside the Law as Christians do, claiming it is no longer needed. Those who truly want to serve God observe and obey the laws with all their heart and with all their soul.
Jer 31:33
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The new covenant will be based on God’s existing written Law, which will be put directly into the people by God so that they will obey and follow it. The new covenant is not based on faith in a human sacrifice. Jer 31:27-36 never says one word about a Messiah human sacrifice replacing any of God’s eternal Law.
NT claim: Jesus is a priest who brings and establishes the new covenant.
Heb 8:6
But now hath he(Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Contradicted by the OT:
Jesus isn’t qualified to be a high priest of anything. Only Levites could be high priests (Exo 32:9, Jer 33:18).
NT claim: The old covenant had not yet passed away at the death of Jesus, but was “getting ready” to pass away.
Heb 8:13
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
The author of Hebrews expected the old covenant to be completely replaced when Jesus made his quick second return to earth. The New Testament writers were sure Jesus would return within the lifetimes of some of his immediate associates (Matt 16:27-28), and the author of Hebrews was no exception. This author boldly claimed that Jesus would have a glorious second coming.
Heb 9:28
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall heappear the second time without sin unto salvation.
This author also claimed that Jesus was coming back very soon.
Heb 10:37
For yet a little while, and HE that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
It should be noted that the author of Hebrews in Heb 10:37 has used an Old Testament verse to suit his fancy. The author of Hebrews has only partially quoted, has also misquoted, and has deliberately altered the Old Testament verse Hab 2:3 to suit his agenda. The full and actual quote from the Old Testament is:
Hab 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it (the vision) shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it (not he) will surely come, it will not tarry.
The vision relates to a events when God will restore Israel and punish the wicked nations of the earth. Notice that the author of Hebrews chopped off the first part of Hab 2:3 which is speaking about a vision being manifested at some future date. The author of Hebrews then dishonestly changed the text and replaced the word “it” with the word “he”.
The alteration is:
For yet a little while, and HE(instead of IT) that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
The actual verse is speaking about a vision/event and is not about a particular individual.
The reason the author of Hebrews altered the original scripture was to make it appear Jesus was the subject of the original Old Testament verse. In other words, the author of Hebrewsrewrote God’s word to suit his story about a new savior who brings a new covenant. This type of dishonesty by the Christian writers is rife in the New Testament.
There is no doubt that the New Testament writers expected Jesus back very soon. The New Testament trumpets that very message over and over again. So there is no mistake about this issue of a quick return of Jesus in his glorious second coming:
Rev 1:1-3
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 3:11
Behold, I (Jesus) come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Rev 22:7,12,20
Behold, I (Jesus) come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Contradicted by the OT and facts:
Jesus has never returned quickly or at all, as he promised.
Nor does the Old Testament ever declare that a king Messiah would need two tries, separated by thousands of years, to accomplish what he was supposed to do the first time on earth.
NT claim: Jesus was needed to redeem mankind from the sins committed under the old covenant.
Heb 9:15
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Contradicted by the OT:
God doesn’t require a human sacrifice to redeem sins. Such a sacrifice isn’t even legal under God’s perfect and eternal Law.
Ezek 18:20-22
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
Each person will die for their own sin and will redeem themselves by turning from their past sins, and by doing what is lawful and right, which means keeping all of God’s statutes (laws).
Let there be no mistake about this issue:
Ezek 18:27-28
Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, anddoeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
There is no need for a human sacrifice savior called Jesus in the first place. All of the Christian advertising about Jesus being needed to fix God’s faulty system of laws and salvation is man-made, invented dogma.
The author of Hebrews apparently also couldn’t resist the urge to toss a threat in at the end of his writing to scare people into believing his agenda was directly from God himself.
Heb 12:25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
As is standard with much of Christian theology, pious threats are used to intimidate people into accepting the Christian mantra as being the only proper, factual, and valid representation of an all powerful cosmic being called “God”.
In summary, the new covenant as advertised by Christians has nothing to do with the actual new covenant defined by God in the Old Testament. Christians simply took the basic concept, grafted their theology into it, and transformed it into what they wanted it to represent. It’s simply another form of rationalization, all dressed up as the new improved word of God.