This topic is actually broad enough to warrant a doctoral dissertation. However, one aspect of it can involve merely the way a person is justified before a holy God. Many confuse the first binding agreement with the law of Moses. It is not really a case of the Old Covenant vs New Covenant, but a continuous provision by God for man's salvation. God gave His law but also provided a way to fulfill it, which man could never do.
The 'old' agreement was initiated by God. He called Abram to leave Haran and go to an unknown land. The Lord promised to make Abram into 'a great nation' and to make him a 'blessing' to all people. Abram took his wife and all he owned and headed out on the basis of these promises.
Genesis chapter 15 relates the actual making of the covenant, in which the Lord prophesies about Abram's descendants. The ceremony is performed as a sign to Abram that he would really get possession of the 'promised land'. A blazing torch passes between pieces of sacrificed animals while Abram is in a deep sleep; presumably he sees and hears the Lord promise to give him the land from Egypt to the Euphrates River in a dream.
Many think the first agreement involves the law of Moses. However, the law came centuries after the Lord bound Himself with promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. The law was made up of regulations that set forth the way Abraham's descendants should live, much like regulations structure society today. People need to obey the rules of the road when driving their own cars, for instance.
The law of Moses was complex, but the actual intent of the Lord in choosing a people was to establish relationships with children who would faithfully follow Him. He instituted animal sacrifice as atonement for breaking the rules; this made it possible for men to show repentance for mistakes that would otherwise separate them from their holy God.
Even in the days when the first agreement was still in force, the scriptures foretold the second one which would do away with ritual animal sacrifice and substitute the body and blood of our savior, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament contains many prophetic passages that tell of the coming Messiah. Belief in Jesus and sincere repentance of sin would be the new way to salvation.
There is a difference between the first and second covenants, but it's not such a dramatic shift as some think. God has always wanted man's obedience and recognition of His sovereignty. He always extended unconditional love but demanded justice as well. The blood of animals paid for sin at first, and then the blood of Jesus was shed as payment.
The heart of a man or a woman has always been key to having a father-child relationship with the Lord. No sacrifice, whether of an animal or the willing one made by Jesus Christ, is acceptable unless true repentance and surrender exists on the side of man.
The 'old' agreement was initiated by God. He called Abram to leave Haran and go to an unknown land. The Lord promised to make Abram into 'a great nation' and to make him a 'blessing' to all people. Abram took his wife and all he owned and headed out on the basis of these promises.
Genesis chapter 15 relates the actual making of the covenant, in which the Lord prophesies about Abram's descendants. The ceremony is performed as a sign to Abram that he would really get possession of the 'promised land'. A blazing torch passes between pieces of sacrificed animals while Abram is in a deep sleep; presumably he sees and hears the Lord promise to give him the land from Egypt to the Euphrates River in a dream.
Many think the first agreement involves the law of Moses. However, the law came centuries after the Lord bound Himself with promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. The law was made up of regulations that set forth the way Abraham's descendants should live, much like regulations structure society today. People need to obey the rules of the road when driving their own cars, for instance.
The law of Moses was complex, but the actual intent of the Lord in choosing a people was to establish relationships with children who would faithfully follow Him. He instituted animal sacrifice as atonement for breaking the rules; this made it possible for men to show repentance for mistakes that would otherwise separate them from their holy God.
Even in the days when the first agreement was still in force, the scriptures foretold the second one which would do away with ritual animal sacrifice and substitute the body and blood of our savior, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament contains many prophetic passages that tell of the coming Messiah. Belief in Jesus and sincere repentance of sin would be the new way to salvation.
There is a difference between the first and second covenants, but it's not such a dramatic shift as some think. God has always wanted man's obedience and recognition of His sovereignty. He always extended unconditional love but demanded justice as well. The blood of animals paid for sin at first, and then the blood of Jesus was shed as payment.
The heart of a man or a woman has always been key to having a father-child relationship with the Lord. No sacrifice, whether of an animal or the willing one made by Jesus Christ, is acceptable unless true repentance and surrender exists on the side of man.
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