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◄ New Covenant►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "New Covenant" refers to the promise of a renewed relationship between God and humanity, as foretold in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This covenant is central to Christian theology and signifies a transformative shift from the Old Covenant, which was based on the Mosaic Law, to a new era of grace and truth.

Old Testament Prophecies

The concept of the New Covenant is rooted in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. The prophet Jeremiah first introduces the term explicitly inJeremiah 31:31-34 : "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more."

This passage highlights several key aspects of the New Covenant: it is internal rather than external, written on the hearts of believers; it establishes a direct and personal relationship with God; and it offers complete forgiveness of sins.

Fulfillment in the New Testament

The New Covenant is inaugurated by Jesus Christ, who is seen as the mediator of this covenant. During the Last Supper, Jesus explicitly refers to the New Covenant inLuke 22:20 : "In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.'" Here, Jesus identifies His sacrificial death as the means by which the New Covenant is established, emphasizing the shedding of His blood as the atoning sacrifice for sin.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on the New Covenant in his epistles. In2 Corinthians 3:6 , Paul writes, "He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." This underscores the transition from the letter of the law to the life-giving Spirit, highlighting the transformative power of the New Covenant.

Theological Implications

The New Covenant is characterized by several theological implications that distinguish it from the Old Covenant. First, it is based on grace rather than law. While the Old Covenant required adherence to the Mosaic Law, the New Covenant offers salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, as articulated inEphesians 2:8-9 : "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."

Second, the New Covenant is inclusive, extending beyond the ethnic boundaries of Israel to encompass all who believe in Christ, as seen inGalatians 3:28 : "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Finally, the New Covenant promises the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to live according to God's will. This is a fulfillment of the prophecy inEzekiel 36:26-27 : "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances."

Conclusion

The New Covenant represents the culmination of God's redemptive plan, offering a new way of relating to Him through Jesus Christ. It is a covenant of grace, inclusivity, and spiritual empowerment, fulfilling the promises of the Old Testament and establishing a new era of divine-human relationship.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

New Covenant

NEW COVENANT

SeeCOVENANT, THE NEW.

Greek

1100. glossa -- the tongue, a language
... figuratively) speaking, inspired by God, like of #NAME? to demonstrate
the arrival of thenew age of thecovenant (ie NT times)....

Library

Man and theNew Covenant.
... 2. Man and theNew Covenant.... We are now come to a confluence of the streams
we have been tracing"the prophecy of theNew Covenant....

TheNew Covenant
... Chapter IV. TheNew Covenant. "But this is thecovenant... with God. In theNew
Covenant the evil is to be remedied. Its central promise...

TheNew Covenant: a Ministration of the Spirit
... Chapter VII. TheNew Covenant: A Ministration of the Spirit.... This passage brings
into view that which is the distinctive blessing of theNew Covenant....

New Covenant Obedience
...New Covenant Obedience.... "If ye obey, I will be your God." We have learnt how the
New Covenant remedied the defect: God Himself provided for the obedience....

The Ministry of theNew Covenant
... Chapter XVI. The Ministry of theNew Covenant. "Ye are... WE have seen that
theNew Covenant is a ministration of the Spirit. The Holy...

Who Teach: that theNew Covenant of Grace, which God the Father...
... Second Head of Doctrine Paragraph 4 Who teach: That thenew covenant of grace,
which God the Father? Who teach: That thenew covenant...

TheNew Covenant.
... CHAPTER VIII. THENEW COVENANT.... 1. That the Lord intends to establish anew covenant
is first of all shown by a citation from the prophet Jeremiah (viii.7-13)....

TheNew Covenant: aCovenant of Grace
... Chapter XIV. TheNew Covenant: aCovenant of Grace. "Sin shall not... grace would
effect. TheNew Covenant was entirely aCovenant of grace....

TheNew Covenant, Founded on the Sufferings of Christ, Tends to...
... Chapter V."Thenew covenant, founded on the sufferings of Christ, tends
to our salvation, but to the Jews' destruction. For to...

God, Man and theNew Covenant
... Lecture VIII. GOD, MAN AND THENEW COVENANT. GOD, MAN AND THENEW COVENANT.
We have followed the career of Jeremiah from his call...