[Theme Music] It has
stood the test of time,
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God's book, the
Bible. Still relevant
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in today's complex
world. It Is Written ...
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sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me
today. This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw. If
you read very far at all
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into the Bible you
come across something very
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interesting, something which
today, throughout Christianity,
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generates a fair
amount of conversation.
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You'll read
about the Old Covenant
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and the New
Covenant. What in the world
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were these two covenants
or are these two covenants?
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How can they be understood
best today and what role,
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if any, do they
play in our lives.
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My very special guest is a
man who has spent more than
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four decades in
Christian ministry as a pastor,
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as a teacher, as
a published author.
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We are going to
discuss the covenants today.
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Pastor Skip McCarty,
thanks for joining me today.
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SM Thank you, John.
JB I'm grateful you have
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taken your time and we are
going to use it as well as we
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can. The old and the New
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Covenants. Let's talk about
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the New Covenant first.
I'd like for you to define
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for us what biblically a
covenant is and then what
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the New Covenant is.
SM Great place to start.
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Covenant is something
we don4t talk much about.
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We don4t use that
language very much today.
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Anybody who has a
mortgage is in a covenant.
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They are in a
contractual relationship.
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Even if someone has a credit
card they are in a covenant,
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a contractual relationship.
We are involved in covenants
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even though we don4t
talk about covenants.
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Now when you come to
the Bible, the old and New
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Covenants, those terms start
showing up, particularly in
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the New Testament. The
New Covenant, it defined
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very clearly by God himself.
What4s interesting is that
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in much of the literature
written on the covenants
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and on the New Covenant
specifically, the definitions
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are all over the map as
to what the New Covenant is.
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JB Why is that?
Can't we just go to "the"
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definition that we find in
the Bible or are there good
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reasons for
these very view points?
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SM The Bible is very clear
as to what the New Covenant is.
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It is very clear. In Jeremiah 31
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and in Hebrews 8,
God says "This is the New
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Covenant I will make
with the House of Israel
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and the House of Judah.
The only place where the New
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Covenant is defined,
Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8
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and Hebrew 8 quotes Jeremiah 31.
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JB Well let's read
that together, Hebrews 8.
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SM And the definition
itself begins in verse 10.
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JB For this is the
covenant that I will make
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with the house of Israel
after those days, says the Lord.
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I will put my laws in their
mind and write them on their
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hearts and I will
be their God and they
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shall be my people.
None of them shall teach
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his neighbor and
none his brother, saying
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"Know the Lord".
For all shall know me,
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from the least of them to
the greatest of them, for I will
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be merciful to their
unrighteousness and their
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sins and their lawless
deeds I will remember no more.
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There's the New Covenant
defined in the New Testament.
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SM And in the Old Testament,
because he is just quoting
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the Old Testament here.
JB You said the New Covenant
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is defined in
Hebrews and Jeremiah.
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Now hold on a minute. Jeremiah
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is the Old Testament.
What's the New Covenant being
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explained way back
there in the Book of Jeremiah.
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It wasn't even the book of
Malachi, which is almost over
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in New Testament
times but way on back to one
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of the major
prophets. Please explain.
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SM Because God had made
numerous covenants with his
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people before that, the last
one, the last major one being
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the covenant at Sinai
and then, because they broke
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his covenant, as part of
the covenant stipulations,
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they went into exile.
They continued to break
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his covenants after
all his appeals to them.
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So they go into exile.
So they have been in exile
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now for 70 years and they
are wondering ... well, what
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does that mean
now? Are we still in
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the covenantal
relationship with God?
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Are we not in a covenant
relationship with God anymore?
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And God says, I'm making a
new covenant with you and so
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he says here is the
covenant I am making with you.
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And then he identifies that
as we've just read here that
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could not be clearer, John.
It couldn't be clearer than
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what you have
just read. God says,
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here is the New
Covenant I am making with you
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and then he explicitly
states what that covenant is.
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Four promises. JB
Now we just read it.
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Can you break it down and
put it in laymen's terms for us.
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SMFour promises,
very clearly from God.
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I am going to write
my law in your heart.
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JB One SMI'll be your
God, you'll be my people.
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JBTwo SMThe time is going
to come when you are not going
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to need to teach
anybody about me anymore.
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Everybody is going to know me.
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JB Three SM I'll
forgive your sins.
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That's it.
That's the New Covenant.
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And when you look at it
carefully, that's the gospel,
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the whole gospel
is included there.
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I'll write my law
in your hearts ...
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that's sanctification.
I'll be your God,
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you'll be my people
... that's reconciliation.
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Everyone is going to
know me ... that's revelation.
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And in fact, that's the
mission that was given to
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the church and given to Israel
to teach people about God.
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And finally justification,
I'll forgive your sins.
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The whole go in
the New Covenant.
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JB So the New Covenant
is found here in Hebrews 8.
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It's found back in Jeremiah 31.
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SM Right. JB
What's the big deal about
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the New Covenant?
Why did we need it?
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Why did God have to
come along and say, alright,
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here it is. Here
is the contractual
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agreement that we
are going to have?
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SM Okay. This covenant here
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is not a contractual
agreement in the same sense
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of like a
mortgage or a credit card.
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And like when you buy a
car, you're negotiating.
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You want to get the
least investment that you have
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to make for the most
benefit you get back in return.
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This is more like a
will and in fact, the Greeks
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had two different words
for these kind of covenants.
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Suntheke was a negotiated
covenant, like a mortgage
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and a car loan.
But Diathéké was a will
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and that's the
term that's used here.
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That's a term that is
used consistently throught
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for God's covenants with
us. So the big deal is God
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is saying in order for
you to be saved you need
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what I can do for you. JB
So this is a non negotiable.
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This is an essential part
of our salvation experience.
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SM Absolutely. For
any human being who has
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ever lived, God must
write his law in their hearts.
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God must forgive them.
They must be reconciled
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to God again and they
must participate in his mission
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here on this earth.
JB I am going to ask you
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a question then I think we
are going to have to back off
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and get some explanation
here because you have mentioned
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this two or three times and
God mentioned it right here.
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This is the covenant that
I will make with the House
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of Israel after
those days, says the Lord.
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I will put my laws in
their mind and write them
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on their hearts. Now
I am going to ask you
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for a one word answer. SM Okay
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JB God writing his
laws in people's hearts.
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That's essential. Yes, or no?
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SM Absolutely. Absolutely.
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JB Okay. What laws?
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SM The law that is
given the most prominence
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in the Old Testament
is the Ten Commandments.
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The only place in the
Bible where God actually writes
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himself and he spoke
audibly to the people.
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It's very clear
from the Old Testament.
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So they stand out and in
fact, most theologians would
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acknowledge that the Ten
Commandments were written on
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the heart of Adam and
Eve at their creation.
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The principles of the
Ten Commandments, the moral
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principles there are
timeless, they are eternal.
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They are cross-generational
and that is the law that God
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is writing here in
their hearts because in fact,
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just the very next chapter
of Hebrews in Chapter 9:4,
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God talks about the temple
furniture of the Old Testament
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and he refers to the
Ark of the Covenant that had
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the tables of the covenant
which was the Ten Commandments
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inside of it. He is
linking here his law
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to the Ten Commandments.
JB Now we have got some
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people pretty excited
because you have said in the New
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Covenant God wants to
put his 10 Commandment law
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in people's heart but many
people believe and are being
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taught very
genuinely that Ten Commandments
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is Old Covenant. New Covenant
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is something
else. Let's pick that up
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in a moment.
We'll be back with more,
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straight ahead.
00:08:02.24\00:08:04.21
[music] World
history has taught us
00:08:05.41\00:08:10.32
to associate the word surrender
with thoughts of defeat,
00:08:10.32\00:08:13.99
shame and loss, But
what if it were the road
00:08:13.99\00:08:16.79
to ultimate victory?
What if surrender meant
00:08:16.79\00:08:19.63
letting go of your sin or
your dysfunction in exchange
00:08:19.63\00:08:22.10
for freedom and
integrity? If you would like
00:08:22.10\00:08:25.63
to understand more,
request our FREE booklet,
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"The War is Over"
Simply call (800) 253-3000
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and ask for your free
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If the line's
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or write to: It Is
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We'll mail a free copy to your
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ItIsWritten.com.
This is It Is Written.
00:08:53.40\00:08:59.20
I'm John Bradshaw.
My guest today is Skip
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McCarty and today our
discussion is centering
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on the question
of the covenants,
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the Old Covenant and the New
Covenant and just a few moments
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ago we discovered
that the Bible plainly says
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that in the New Covenant
God would write his laws
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in peoples' hearts and minds.
Now Skip, that alarms some
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people because some
people equate Ten Commandments
00:09:20.92\00:09:24.99
with the Old
Covenant and the New Covenant
00:09:24.99\00:09:28.20
as being without
the Ten Commandments.
00:09:28.20\00:09:31.53
Now let's explain, if we
can, why the Ten Commandments
00:09:31.53\00:09:36.71
are a valid part of the New
Covenant when so many people
00:09:36.71\00:09:41.44
thought they went out of
style when the Old Covenant
00:09:41.44\00:09:43.78
went out of style. SM
God himself said the first
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promise of the New
Covenant is I will write my law
00:09:47.42\00:09:49.95
in your heart. Now
Jeremiah was the first
00:09:49.95\00:09:52.12
one to give us that. In
Jeremiah's time everyone
00:09:52.12\00:09:54.86
thought of the law as primarily
00:09:54.86\00:09:57.23
the Ten Commandments.
What God had written with his
00:09:57.23\00:09:59.96
own finger and spoke and
what was inside of the Ark
00:09:59.96\00:10:02.73
of the Covenant.
The only part of the law
00:10:02.73\00:10:04.73
that was actually inside
the Ark of the Covenant was so
00:10:04.73\00:10:07.74
treasured it was inside
the Ark of the Covenant.
00:10:07.74\00:10:09.74
And the Ten Commandments,
in fact, are identified
00:10:09.74\00:10:11.74
as the Covenant of
Sinai. Now there was more to it
00:10:11.74\00:10:14.44
than that. In Deuteronomy 4:13,
00:10:14.44\00:10:16.88
it identifies the Ten
Commandments as the covenant.
00:10:16.88\00:10:20.08
JB So, therefore, because
people understand that the Sinai
00:10:20.08\00:10:23.39
Covenant perhaps isn't in
effect anymore, maybe the Ten
00:10:23.39\00:10:26.39
Commandments are
gone. You can see this could
00:10:26.39\00:10:28.39
be confusing in
some minds. SM I can.
00:10:28.39\00:10:30.66
Here's one fascinating thing
about the study of the covenants
00:10:30.66\00:10:34.13
in the Bible. Once you identify
00:10:34.13\00:10:36.13
what the New Covenant
is, those four premises:
00:10:36.13\00:10:38.63
I write my law in your hearts;
be your God you be my people;
00:10:38.63\00:10:42.30
everyone is going
to eventually know me
00:10:42.30\00:10:44.54
(that's when Jesus comes again).
00:10:44.54\00:10:46.54
The New Covenant
eschatological is looking
00:10:46.54\00:10:48.54
forward to the
future, ultimately,
00:10:48.54\00:10:50.55
for its final fulfillment;
I'll forgive your sins.
00:10:50.55\00:10:52.55
These promises show up big
time in the Sinai covenant.
00:10:52.55\00:10:56.32
In fact, one of the major
results of this study is that
00:10:56.32\00:10:59.75
these four New
Covenant promises are saturated.
00:10:59.75\00:11:03.19
The Old Testament
is saturated with them.
00:11:03.19\00:11:05.63
They show up individually
but they show up in clusters
00:11:05.63\00:11:08.10
in major places every covenant
God made with his people
00:11:08.10\00:11:11.97
in the Old Testament, it
has these promises imbedded
00:11:11.97\00:11:14.20
in them. It has the gospel.
00:11:14.20\00:11:16.20
It has the four promises in it.
00:11:16.20\00:11:18.21
It is a gospel-bearing
covenant just like
00:11:18.21\00:11:20.21
the other
covenants. JB Very interesting.
00:11:20.21\00:11:22.21
The New Covenant talks
about what God is going
00:11:22.21\00:11:25.28
to do in a person's
life so it seems here that
00:11:25.28\00:11:30.22
the New Covenant emphasizes
surrender to God and allowing
00:11:30.22\00:11:34.92
God to go ahead and
be God in our lives.
00:11:34.92\00:11:37.59
SM Yes. JB The
New Covenant doesn't
00:11:37.59\00:11:39.59
emphasize "OK, here's
what you have got to do
00:11:39.59\00:11:42.20
in order to be
saved." SM That's right.
00:11:42.20\00:11:44.20
JB Did the Old
Covenant emphasize that?
00:11:44.20\00:11:46.74
Because I have heard it
explained that under the Old
00:11:46.74\00:11:48.87
Covenant, "do this and you
live, don't do this and you
00:11:48.87\00:11:53.14
die," in other words,
and a lot of people right now
00:11:53.14\00:11:56.18
are going to agree with me,
they've heard it said the Old
00:11:56.18\00:12:00.28
Covenant obey the commandments
of God and be saved,
00:12:00.28\00:12:04.22
New Covenant, trust
in Jesus and be saved.
00:12:04.22\00:12:07.39
Perhaps we should talk
about what the Old Covenant was.
00:12:07.39\00:12:09.39
SM Just as the New Testament
is trust in Jesus to be saved,
00:12:09.39\00:12:13.09
the Old Testament was
trust in Yaweh to be saved.
00:12:13.09\00:12:15.20
Trust in God to be
saved. JB Was there ever a time
00:12:15.20\00:12:18.07
when people were
saved by their works?
00:12:18.07\00:12:20.34
SM Never. Impossible to be saved
00:12:20.34\00:12:22.44
by works. From Adam's children
00:12:22.44\00:12:24.77
until this very day
and the Bible never teaches
00:12:24.77\00:12:28.14
that anyone was saved by works.
00:12:28.14\00:12:30.15
JB So under the Old Covenant
it wasn't, well if you obey
00:12:30.15\00:12:32.31
these things,
then you can be saved.
00:12:32.31\00:12:34.75
SM It was salvation
by grace through faith.
00:12:34.75\00:12:36.95
JB How did that work
in Old Covenant times?
00:12:36.95\00:12:38.95
By grace through faith?
Because many people today
00:12:38.95\00:12:40.96
don't associate grace
with the Old Covenant.
00:12:40.96\00:12:43.02
It's like that was the covenant
of works and the New Covenant
00:12:43.02\00:12:46.03
is a covenant of
grace. That is not true?
00:12:46.03\00:12:48.00
SM Where grace first shows
up actually in the Old Testament
00:12:48.00\00:12:52.10
is where Noah finds grace in
the eyes of the Lord and just
00:12:52.10\00:12:55.80
after the giving of the
Ten Commandments, Moses says
00:12:55.80\00:12:58.34
"Lord, show me your
glory" and God says "I am a God
00:12:58.34\00:13:02.14
whose is gracious and
compassionate." He actually
00:13:02.14\00:13:05.15
reveals himself as
a God of grace there.
00:13:05.15\00:13:07.15
He reveals himself for
the first time in the Bible
00:13:07.15\00:13:09.15
as a forgiving
God, it was at Sinai.
00:13:09.15\00:13:11.35
Sinai is a powerful grace
covenant all the way through.
00:13:11.35\00:13:15.19
It emphasizes love
because the formula in the Sinai
00:13:15.19\00:13:19.19
covenant was "love God
and keep his commandments".
00:13:19.19\00:13:22.36
We can't love him unless
he circumcises our hearts
00:13:22.36\00:13:24.73
and God acknowledges
that and says "I will do this
00:13:24.73\00:13:26.84
for you." He
says in Deuteronomy 30
00:13:26.84\00:13:28.94
"I put my commandments,
my word in your heart"
00:13:28.94\00:13:33.01
and the Psalmist said
"Your word is in my heart."
00:13:33.01\00:13:36.08
It was always God's
initiative all the way through
00:13:36.08\00:13:39.21
by grace through
faith. JB Salvation has always
00:13:39.21\00:13:41.52
been a matter of
grace. SM Always.
00:13:41.52\00:13:43.52
JB I would believe that
and I teach that but I am
00:13:43.52\00:13:45.52
fascinated to hear you
emphasize this that all the way
00:13:45.52\00:13:47.52
back, Old
Covenant was not works;
00:13:47.52\00:13:49.46
New Covenant grace.
That's a misunderstanding.
00:13:49.46\00:13:51.46
SM Oh, terribly so. JB Okay.
00:13:51.46\00:13:53.46
Explain to me.
Let's drill down on this
00:13:53.46\00:13:55.43
just a little bit.
Explain how the Old Covenant
00:13:55.43\00:13:57.43
was a covenant of
grace. This is a revelation
00:13:57.43\00:13:59.43
for lots of people.
How was the Old Covenant
00:13:59.43\00:14:01.50
a Covenant of Grace. I
know you've touched on it,
00:14:01.50\00:14:03.51
but let's zero-in.
SM Let's start back
00:14:03.51\00:14:05.51
with Adam. When
Adam fell, the first
00:14:05.51\00:14:08.34
promise given was what?
JB I will put enmity between
00:14:08.34\00:14:12.71
you and so forth. SM Exactly.
00:14:12.71\00:14:15.25
Spoken to the serpent but
was meant for Adam and Eve.
00:14:15.25\00:14:17.32
I'll put enmity between you
and the woman and between her
00:14:17.32\00:14:20.19
seed and your seed.
He, the seed of the woman,
00:14:20.19\00:14:22.86
will crush the
head of the serpent.
00:14:22.86\00:14:24.89
The serpent will
bruise the heal of the seed.
00:14:24.89\00:14:27.13
Theologians refer to
that as the Protoevangelion,
00:14:27.13\00:14:30.77
which simply means the first
pronouncement of the gospel.
00:14:30.77\00:14:33.27
So the gospel shows up
there in a little kernel,
00:14:33.27\00:14:35.70
right there. IT
has to be that way,
00:14:35.70\00:14:38.11
because once Adam fell,
he was giving to his children
00:14:38.11\00:14:41.41
sinful natures and we
could not pull ourselves out
00:14:41.41\00:14:44.55
of the pit. God has to take
00:14:44.55\00:14:46.92
the initiative and he
announces that right to Adam.
00:14:46.92\00:14:49.18
He actually announces it
to the serpent but it was
00:14:49.18\00:14:51.12
for Adams's sake
and for humanity's sake.
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.15
Every covenant God gave
his people from then on just
00:14:53.15\00:14:55.96
amplified it. It
showed a little bit more
00:14:55.96\00:14:58.16
of the gracious
character of God and the terms
00:14:58.16\00:15:00.63
of the covenant and so
forth, all the way through.
00:15:00.63\00:15:02.93
So when you come to the New
Testament and you have these
00:15:02.93\00:15:05.10
statements like we've saved
by grace through faith and so
00:15:05.10\00:15:08.94
forth, in Paul's writings,
he simply is continuing
00:15:08.94\00:15:11.47
to progressively reveal what
has always been true all the way
00:15:11.47\00:15:14.48
along. Every covenant God made
00:15:14.48\00:15:16.48
with his people, John,
incorporated the truths
00:15:16.48\00:15:18.48
revealed in the previous
covenants and added a little
00:15:18.48\00:15:21.45
bit more information,
added a little bit more of our
00:15:21.45\00:15:23.72
understanding to
it all the way through
00:15:23.72\00:15:25.85
to the New
Testament. When Jesus said you
00:15:25.85\00:15:27.86
must be born again to enter
the Kingdom of God, that didn't
00:15:27.86\00:15:30.86
start when Jesus
made those words.
00:15:30.86\00:15:32.93
That was true for Abel.
That was true for every single
00:15:32.93\00:15:34.93
believer in the
Old Testament period.
00:15:34.93\00:15:36.90
They had to be born again.
Otherwise, they were lost.
00:15:36.90\00:15:38.90
JB How were you born
again back then before Jesus
00:15:38.90\00:15:40.90
had come along? SM
Well, how could you
00:15:40.90\00:15:42.90
be saved if you
weren't born again?
00:15:42.90\00:15:44.91
We are born with sinful natures.
00:15:44.91\00:15:46.91
When Paul writes about the war
between the flesh and the spirit
00:15:46.91\00:15:49.84
in Romans 8, that was going on
inside of Abel, it was going on
00:15:49.84\00:15:51.85
inside of Cain.
Every single human being
00:15:51.85\00:15:53.88
has had that spiritual war
going on inside their hearts.
00:15:53.88\00:15:56.89
JB How was that
reconciled back then?
00:15:56.89\00:15:58.89
Toda we recognize
the spiritual war.
00:15:58.89\00:16:00.96
We go to the cross,
we go to God in heaven.
00:16:00.96\00:16:03.26
We accept Jesus as
our Lord and Savior.
00:16:03.26\00:16:05.59
We ask him to change our hearts.
00:16:05.59\00:16:07.60
Jesus hadn't come back
there when Cain and Abel
00:16:07.60\00:16:09.60
and Methusalen,
whoever it might have been.
00:16:09.60\00:16:12.60
So how did that
work practically?
00:16:12.60\00:16:14.60
SM Well right from the
very start they had sacrifices.
00:16:14.60\00:16:16.60
Abel had a lamb sacrificed
that was indicating that some
00:16:16.60\00:16:19.84
innocent sufferer would die
for his sins, that salvation
00:16:19.84\00:16:24.25
would come through that
one. That becomes clearer then
00:16:24.25\00:16:26.82
as you go throughout in the
Old Testament and into the New
00:16:26.82\00:16:28.95
Testament and it just becomes
clearer and clearer until
00:16:28.95\00:16:30.55
finally they
find out it is Jesus.
00:16:30.55\00:16:31.69
He's the one.
He's the Lamb of God
00:16:31.69\00:16:33.22
that takes away
the sin of the world.
00:16:33.22\00:16:34.36
So it is by putting their
faith in the provision God had
00:16:34.36\00:16:36.56
made symbolically through
the sacrifices of the Old
00:16:36.56\00:16:39.26
Testament that they were
saved by faith through grace.
00:16:39.26\00:16:43.00
JB Magnificent. We've
got a lot to talk about
00:16:43.00\00:16:44.50
and I think this is going
to take us a little while.
00:16:44.50\00:16:46.47
Wait right there.
We'll be back with more,
00:16:46.47\00:16:49.80
in just a moment.
00:16:49.80\00:16:51.41
Every Word is a one-minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:16:52.14\00:16:55.51
presented by Pastor John
Bradshaw and designed especially
00:16:55.51\00:16:58.45
for busy people like you.
Look for Every Word on selected
00:16:58.45\00:17:02.58
networks or watch it
on-line everyday on our website,
00:17:02.58\00:17:05.55
itiswritten.com. [music]
00:17:05.55\00:17:16.30
Some people struggle along
as Christians until they come
00:17:16.30\00:17:19.10
to the point of
saying, Why bother?
00:17:19.10\00:17:21.60
But the Bible tells us where
the power for Christian living
00:17:21.60\00:17:24.74
comes from.
Philippians 1:6 says,
00:17:24.74\00:17:27.21
"He who has begun a good work
in you is faithful to perform it
00:17:27.21\00:17:30.81
until the day of Jesus Christ."
This verse doesn't say that
00:17:30.81\00:17:34.18
God will do everything for
you while you sit there doing
00:17:34.18\00:17:36.55
nothing. Ours is to surrender,
to make our will available
00:17:36.55\00:17:40.19
to Jesus. Then
look at what Jesus does!
00:17:40.19\00:17:43.16
He who has begun a
good work in you - Jesus
00:17:43.16\00:17:45.46
- is faithful to perform it.
He'll do what needs to be done!
00:17:45.46\00:17:49.66
And He'll do it until the day of
Jesus Christ. He has promised.
00:17:49.66\00:17:53.00
Today, ask Him to do the
work that only He can do -
00:17:53.00\00:17:56.50
that you can't do. Tell
Jesus you're expecting Him
00:17:56.50\00:17:59.57
to live His life
in you. And He will.
00:17:59.57\00:18:03.58
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:18:03.58\00:18:05.65
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:18:05.65\00:18:08.62
This is It Is Written.
Thanks for joining me today.
00:18:09.85\00:18:11.85
My good fortune is to
have with me Dr. Skip McCarty.
00:18:11.85\00:18:15.76
We're discussing the
covenants, the Old Covenant
00:18:15.76\00:18:19.36
and the New Covenant
and Skip, a few moments ago,
00:18:19.36\00:18:22.33
you mentioned a
term very interesting.
00:18:22.33\00:18:25.50
You talked about
progressive revelation.
00:18:25.50\00:18:28.47
You said the covenant was
really revealed in a kernel
00:18:28.47\00:18:30.94
form back in Genesis 3:15.
I will put enmity between you
00:18:30.94\00:18:34.88
and the woman, her
seed and your seed.
00:18:34.88\00:18:37.21
And you said
that as the Bible went
00:18:37.21\00:18:39.55
on, the covenant was
revealed progressively.
00:18:39.55\00:18:42.28
Would explain please
this progressive revelation.
00:18:42.28\00:18:45.42
SM Let me give
you an illustration.
00:18:45.42\00:18:47.42
When did God
begin to forgive people?
00:18:47.42\00:18:49.42
JB Now there's a good question.
It seems to me that God began
00:18:49.42\00:18:52.43
to forgive people as
soon as they were sinners.
00:18:52.43\00:18:54.40
As soon as there was
something to forgive.
00:18:54.40\00:18:56.40
SM It would
have to, wouldn't it?
00:18:56.40\00:18:58.40
As soon as his Spirit
was able to draw repentance
00:18:58.40\00:19:00.47
out of their hearts, he
would be a forgiving God.
00:19:00.47\00:19:02.47
But it doesn't mention
that he is a forgiving God
00:19:02.47\00:19:04.47
until the second of
the Ten Commandments.
00:19:04.47\00:19:06.47
Before the second commandment,
the Bible never says God
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.48
loves anybody. It
first shows up there.
00:19:08.48\00:19:10.48
But then you read back
and say, Oh, well, that's been
00:19:10.48\00:19:13.48
true from the
beginning. Of course it was true
00:19:13.48\00:19:15.48
from the beginning.
And so when some of the New
00:19:15.48\00:19:17.49
Testament language shows up,
such as new birth and so forth,
00:19:17.49\00:19:19.49
that we talked about before,
it's talking about things
00:19:19.49\00:19:21.49
that have always been
true but God just revealing
00:19:21.49\00:19:23.49
a little bit more, give us more
language, give us more depth
00:19:23.49\00:19:25.49
of understanding, of what
has always been happening.
00:19:25.49\00:19:27.50
The New Covenant
did not start over.
00:19:27.50\00:19:29.46
It incorporated the
truths that had been revealed
00:19:29.46\00:19:31.90
previously and incorporated
God's law, his moral law,
00:19:31.90\00:19:35.94
that was eternal. He
reiterates what had been
00:19:35.94\00:19:38.81
true in the Old Testament
too. He wants to put that
00:19:38.81\00:19:41.38
on our hearts. JB
Let's talk about the New
00:19:41.38\00:19:43.68
Covenant here in
the time we have left.
00:19:43.68\00:19:45.71
I want to ask you two questions.
00:19:45.71\00:19:47.72
I think they are both
fundamental and important.
00:19:47.72\00:19:49.65
One is how does participating
in the New Covenant actually
00:19:49.65\00:19:54.26
look in my life.
What is that going to do?
00:19:54.26\00:19:56.26
That's one question.
And the other question
00:19:56.26\00:19:59.43
I really believe we need
to address is are we promoting
00:19:59.43\00:20:04.30
legalism when we say part
of the New Covenant is keeping
00:20:04.30\00:20:09.94
the commandments of God?
Have we just put people under
00:20:09.94\00:20:12.74
a burden that they
should not be put under.
00:20:12.74\00:20:14.94
So you can take those
in any order you like.
00:20:14.94\00:20:17.58
SM Okay, the New Covenant
lifts whatever burden may
00:20:17.58\00:20:21.92
be there, completely
lifts it off, because in the New
00:20:21.92\00:20:25.52
Covenant, God is not
saying "you must do this."
00:20:25.52\00:20:28.62
God is saying "I
will do this for you."
00:20:28.62\00:20:30.66
JB Do you think that is
a problem that some people
00:20:30.66\00:20:32.73
have, who are
afraid of legalism?
00:20:32.73\00:20:34.73
They say well, if once you
start talking about the Ten
00:20:34.73\00:20:36.83
Commandments, if I've got to
do this, then you are putting
00:20:36.83\00:20:40.14
me under a burden.
When perhaps what we really
00:20:40.14\00:20:42.60
need to do a better
job of is teaching people
00:20:42.60\00:20:44.97
that when it comes to obedience,
this is really the work
00:20:44.97\00:20:48.14
of God in our lives.
SM It is the work of God
00:20:48.14\00:20:50.15
in our lives. We
can't make God be our God.
00:20:50.15\00:20:52.28
God says "I will be your
God. You'll be my people."
00:20:52.28\00:20:54.92
We can't make any
of these things happen.
00:20:54.92\00:20:56.95
God says "I will put
my law in your hearts.
00:20:56.95\00:20:59.19
I will do this for
you." The New Covenant, John,
00:20:59.19\00:21:01.26
is God's embrace of a sinner
who cannot dig himself out
00:21:01.26\00:21:05.96
of the hole he is born
into. Where sin abounds,
00:21:05.96\00:21:09.40
grace much more
abounds. The deeper the hole,
00:21:09.40\00:21:11.67
the longer the rope.
And Jesus himself is on
00:21:11.67\00:21:14.54
the end of that rope to grab
a hold of you and bring you up
00:21:14.54\00:21:17.41
out of that.
This is New Covenant.
00:21:17.41\00:21:20.18
New Covenant is
the grace of God.
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.18
New Covenant is saying
everything you cannot do
00:21:22.18\00:21:24.71
for yourself, which
is everything in terms
00:21:24.71\00:21:26.72
of salvation, I will do for you.
And what is interesting about
00:21:26.72\00:21:29.75
the Ten Commandments --
the actual Hebrew is not
00:21:29.75\00:21:32.79
commandments, it's
words. That's why scholars talk
00:21:32.79\00:21:36.32
about the ten words
because the Hebrew term davar
00:21:36.32\00:21:40.06
is word.
Translators come to that.
00:21:40.06\00:21:42.03
They have to decide,
should we translate that word?
00:21:42.03\00:21:44.43
Do we translate it command?
Do we translate it promise?
00:21:44.43\00:21:47.37
JB So instead of talking
about the Ten Commandments,
00:21:47.37\00:21:50.17
we could be talking
about the ten promises.
00:21:50.17\00:21:52.17
SM Exactly. Once
conversion comes,
00:21:52.17\00:21:54.18
it's ten promises.
That's the whole point
00:21:54.18\00:21:57.01
of the New Covenant.
It's God saying I'm going
00:21:57.01\00:21:59.01
to write this on your ...
I promise you'll be this kind
00:21:59.01\00:22:01.32
of person. It
lifts the burden off
00:22:01.32\00:22:04.39
of a believer. The way we become
00:22:04.39\00:22:06.39
New Covenant is to throw
ourselves wholly upon God
00:22:06.39\00:22:09.26
and his grace because
there are going to be many times
00:22:09.26\00:22:12.36
in the best, in the most devout
spiritual life on this earth,
00:22:12.36\00:22:15.30
there is going to be times
of discouragement, spiritual
00:22:15.30\00:22:17.30
discouragement. Where we wonder,
00:22:17.30\00:22:19.93
"Am I doing right?
Am I on the right track?
00:22:19.93\00:22:22.10
Am I really sincere in
what I am doing?" God says,
00:22:22.10\00:22:24.14
forget all that. Trust me.
00:22:24.14\00:22:26.57
Just keep coming back to
me. Spend time with my Word.
00:22:26.57\00:22:29.91
Open your heart to me
in prayer and I will do
00:22:29.91\00:22:32.65
everything for
you. I'll write my law
00:22:32.65\00:22:34.65
in your hearts.
You'll be my people.
00:22:34.65\00:22:36.65
I'll be your God. I
will forgive you and I am
00:22:36.65\00:22:38.65
going to invite you into
sharing who I am until the day
00:22:38.65\00:22:42.46
when we are not going
to need to do this anymore.
00:22:42.46\00:22:44.46
That is what
the New Covenant is.
00:22:44.46\00:22:46.46
JB Interesting, isn't it,
how over time the covenants
00:22:46.46\00:22:50.00
have been
explained as works and grace,
00:22:50.00\00:22:53.00
or do vs. believe. SM
Total misunderstanding.
00:22:53.00\00:22:57.37
Total misunderstanding.
Total misunderstanding.
00:22:57.37\00:23:00.34
The Bible teaches that no where.
00:23:00.34\00:23:03.65
JB How hopeful, then,
isn't it, that when someone
00:23:03.65\00:23:05.65
says what's the New Covenant,
and we go to Hebrews and read
00:23:05.65\00:23:07.65
that passage, this is
the covenant that I will make
00:23:07.65\00:23:10.35
with the House of Israel
after those days, says the Lord,
00:23:10.35\00:23:13.19
I will put my laws in their
mind and I add these words ..
00:23:13.19\00:23:17.99
I will write them on their
hearts and I will be their God
00:23:17.99\00:23:22.46
and they shall be my people.
Isn't this a matter of infinite
00:23:22.46\00:23:27.44
possibilities opening
up? What God wants to do
00:23:27.44\00:23:33.84
in the heart and mind of someone
who comes to him by faith.
00:23:33.84\00:23:37.11
SM Precisely. God
is saying everything
00:23:37.11\00:23:39.11
that is necessary for your
salvation and for you to have
00:23:39.11\00:23:41.22
a fulfilled life on this
planet, I'm going to do for you.
00:23:41.22\00:23:44.22
JB I will even turn you into
the type of person who loves
00:23:44.22\00:23:47.32
to do the sorts of
things I want you to do.
00:23:47.32\00:23:49.46
SM Precisely. JB
The Ten Commandments
00:23:49.46\00:23:51.46
become ten promises and we
walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
00:23:51.46\00:23:55.16
SM That is New
Covenant. JB Skip McCarty.
00:23:55.16\00:23:57.67
Thank you. Thank you
00:23:57.67\00:23:59.67
for taking the time
today. I have been blessed,
00:23:59.67\00:24:01.74
as have others. I
appreciate you being here.
00:24:01.74\00:24:03.74
SM Thank you
for the opportunity.
00:24:03.74\00:24:06.14
[soft piano music] What
if surrender meant letting
00:24:06.14\00:24:11.75
go of your sin or your
dysfunction in exchange
00:24:11.75\00:24:14.12
for freedom and integrity?
If you would like to understand
00:24:14.12\00:24:17.85
more, request our FREE
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00:24:17.85\00:24:21.46
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00:24:21.46\00:24:26.39
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00:24:55.16\00:24:58.26
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00:25:02.73\00:25:07.44
I've got just a couple
of minutes with our guest
00:25:09.00\00:25:10.51
for today, Skip McCarty.
Skip, as we look over what we
00:25:10.51\00:25:13.48
have talked about, the
New Covenant experience,
00:25:13.48\00:25:16.31
what's the impact of that
in the life of someone who is,
00:25:16.31\00:25:19.88
you know, your average
administrator or gardener
00:25:19.88\00:25:22.72
or bus driver, how
does this help that person?
00:25:22.72\00:25:25.42
SM First of all, John, I
think it has to say to them
00:25:25.42\00:25:29.36
"you're not just the
gardener, you're not just
00:25:29.36\00:25:32.43
the business executive,
you're not just, whatever,
00:25:32.43\00:25:34.36
a waitress, or whatever.
You are a child of God."
00:25:34.36\00:25:37.30
Before I was a minister, I
did other odd jobs working my
00:25:37.30\00:25:40.44
way through school,
different kinds of work.
00:25:40.44\00:25:42.44
But when I went to the factory,
I did not just think of myself
00:25:42.44\00:25:44.44
as a just a factory
worker. I thought of myself
00:25:44.44\00:25:46.84
as a child of God.
There was somebody that day
00:25:46.84\00:25:49.04
in the factory that just by
me doing good work, or maybe
00:25:49.04\00:25:51.91
my countenance, or something
I could say to them, could
00:25:51.91\00:25:54.42
make a difference in their
life for the Kingdom of God.
00:25:54.42\00:25:56.42
That transforms
life. That is all part
00:25:56.42\00:25:58.89
of New Covenant.
And so God wants to take
00:25:58.89\00:26:01.12
the everyday
life and transform it.
00:26:01.12\00:26:03.79
That's all part of New Covenant.
00:26:03.79\00:26:05.79
That's God's commitment.
I will do this for you
00:26:05.79\00:26:07.76
hear and now, as well provide
for you in the eternal future.
00:26:07.76\00:26:09.96
JB So the New Covenant
vs. the Old Covenant is not
00:26:09.96\00:26:11.97
a series of or
rules of engagement.
00:26:11.97\00:26:14.64
SM No. JB It's an experience we
00:26:14.64\00:26:16.94
enter into with God. SM It is.
00:26:16.94\00:26:18.94
JB And thank God
for that experience.
00:26:18.94\00:26:20.94
SM Precisely. JB I
want everybody to have
00:26:20.94\00:26:22.94
that experience.
Let's pray together.
00:26:22.94\00:26:24.95
SM Amen. JB Let's pray together
00:26:24.95\00:26:26.95
and ask that we can
have that experience that God
00:26:26.95\00:26:28.95
wants us to have.
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:28.95\00:26:31.35
how thankful we are
that you have made provision
00:26:31.35\00:26:33.79
for us to be true
Christians, connected to you,
00:26:33.79\00:26:37.49
rejoicing, healthy,
happy and holy, because you
00:26:37.49\00:26:41.26
have said you would be our God.
00:26:41.26\00:26:44.23
You have said
you will accept us.
00:26:44.23\00:26:46.53
You have said you will
write your law in our minds
00:26:46.53\00:26:50.21
and in our hearts. You
will do everything needed
00:26:50.21\00:26:53.88
for us to be saved and to
be your children eternally.
00:26:53.88\00:26:57.55
Lord, I thank you for
that and I pray that that
00:26:57.55\00:26:59.55
experience would be
ours. My friend, as we pray
00:26:59.55\00:27:01.98
together and you are wanting
that experience, will you
00:27:01.98\00:27:04.65
lift up your heart to God
now and say in your mind or say
00:27:04.65\00:27:08.02
out loud, Lord, I want
that experience where you are my
00:27:08.02\00:27:11.83
God and I am your person,
and as Skip has said, I can just
00:27:11.83\00:27:17.27
trust in you and focus on
you and let you be my God.
00:27:17.27\00:27:21.27
Let whatever be have be all
yours so that you can be all
00:27:21.27\00:27:25.31
ours. We pray
this in Jesus' name,
00:27:25.31\00:27:28.08
Amen. SM Amen.
00:27:28.08\00:27:31.58
[Music]
00:27:34.55\00:27:38.22
Thanks for joining me today.
I think, Skip, we are going to
00:27:46.53\00:27:49.23
get together again and do
this some more because we've
00:27:49.23\00:27:51.40
got much more to talk
about. Until then, remember,
00:27:51.40\00:27:54.60
It is written, man shall not
live by bread alone but by every
00:27:54.60\00:28:00.51
word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:28:00.51\00:28:04.25