Part 2 of 4
Christ gives a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6)
Hebrews 8:6 says that Christ is “the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”
The old covenant under Moses was not evil. God gave it and it exposed sin. It set Israel apart, but it had a built-in weakness. It rested on man’s obedience.
Deuteronomy 28 is clear. If they obeyed, they were blessed. If they disobeyed, they were cursed. The problem was not with the law. The problem was with the people. Nobody could keep it.
The new covenant is different. It is still holy and it still deals with sin. But it rests on Christ’s obedience and God’s grace, not yours.
Hebrews 8 quotes Jeremiah 31, where God says, “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts… I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people… their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
That is a better promise!
Not just rules on stone, but truth written inside.
It doesn’t focus on outward ceremony, but inward change. It exposes the weakness in repeated offerings, and focuses on permanent and real forgiveness.
I have heard some say things like, “I hope I have done enough,” or, “I am trying to be a good person so I can make it.” That is old covenant thinking that corrupted the church in Paul’s day. They are still treating God like He runs a performance company. There is nothing you could do to earn salvation, because it’s already been done. Grace is the only remedy to our broken state.
If you meet a believer who knows Christ as Mediator, he is not trusting his record. He is trusting Christ’s record. He still wants to live holy, but he knows his standing is in Jesus, not in himself. That is new covenant thinking that’s better!
