COVENANT COMPARISONS
Using Biblical imagery, we can say that Jews and Christians are enslaved like the Hebrews in Egypt and Babylon. They don’t realize it, but they need to be set free from the law of sin and death (i.e. Old/First Covenant), so they can make the journey to the Promised Land (i.e. New Covenant). Jews easily fall into this trap because, in their literal interpretation of the law, they believe that the New Covenant will come at some future time for all Jews just because they are ethnic Jews. Sadly, this future, literal, global expectation denies individuals here and now from entering the New Covenant. Christians, have fallen into their own trap believing that they are already New Covenant. They put no stock in ethnicity, but they put their stock in the fact that they practice a religion called Christianity.
While Jews are up front about recognizing the Oral Law, Christians do not even consider that their theologies have any roots in the writings and teachings of theologians and preachers. Christians thus set their oral laws (i.e. the collections of teachings and writings of theologians and preachers) above the teachings and writings Jewish oral law. They proudly and ignorantly maintain that their oral laws are valid while the oral laws of Jews are not.
In reviewing the history of Jewish and Christian religious traditions, we must conclude that are both are based more on extra-biblical sources than on the Bible. All writers, both Jewish and Christian, would claim that their writings are valid interpretations of scripture, and we are sure that they are sincere in their efforts to interpret God’s word for everyday use. However, we find two problems with these claims:
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Since all of these laws and regulations are written by religious authorities, and enforced by those religious authorities, it can be said that these authorities function as gods and idols in the lives of people who subscribe to and follow their religion. Furthermore, it can be said that those people who subscribe to their teachings are idolaters.
What we have in religion, therefore, is a man-made system of idolatry. This can be summarized as defiled religion. It is the substance of the Old/First Covenant. What God wants, however, is New Covenant disciples who practice pure religion based on his laws written on the hearts of New Covenant disciples.
The following table is a simplified comparison of the basic differences between the two covenants contrasted in terms of Pure Religion and Defiled Religion.
Considering the information in this table, it is difficult to summarize the differences between the two covenants except to say that the concepts listed in the New Covenant column always overcome the concepts in the Old/First Covenant column. The following summary statements clarify the primary differences between the two covenants:
| Old/First Covenant religion … | New Covenant disciples … |
| … always involves visible religious activity | .. never participate in visible religious activities |
| … always includes human mediators who teach people about God, perform religious services to connect them with God, and shepherd/protect them through life | … never receive instruction from false prophets |
| … always interprets the Bible literally | … always interpret the Bible symbolically by listening to God’s voice |
And here is another short list of comparisons between the two covenants (i.e. two sets of laws):
| Comparison Point |
Old/First Covenant | New Covenant |
| Origin of the law: | Written codes based on literal interpretation of the Bible. | Spiritual law of God written on the hearts of New Covenant disciples. |
| Who teaches people about God and his laws? | False prophets | |
| Differences of the measure of Glory: | No Glory | Greatest Glory |
| How long Glory Lasts: | Fades away | Lasts forever |
| Duration of the covenant: | Becoming obsolete | Eternal/everlasting |
| Type of manna | Common manna | Hidden manna |
| Which is the best covenant? | Only a copy and shadow of heavenly things. | Better covenant based on better promises. |
| Which is most powerful? | The kingdom of the world (i.e. Old/First Covenant) is overcome/superseded/conquered by the Kingdom of God (i.e. New Covenant). | |
For all these reasons and more, Old/First Covenant religion is a lesser covenant compared to the New Covenant. That is why God is calling his people to come out of religion.