better covenant

753. Hebrews 10: No More Offerings = No More Forgiveness Required

May 3, 2020 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

Under the old law of commandments which Israel had been under for many years, we discover that ministry could make nothing perfect or take away sins. It was considered by God to be faulty and that law (or laws) is not what is written on our hearts within a new and better covenant. The Old way brought a reminder of sins, but in the New Covenant Jesus established after His death, God declared He would no longer remember sins.

The removal of sins and the end of sacrifices brought a complete forgiveness, once for all. No more forgiveness is being offered because the offerings stopped and no further blood is being shed. Blood no longer needs to be poured out when sins have been thrown as far as the east is from the west.

On this podcast we referred to a blog post written by Joel a few years ago called Instant and Permanent Sanctification, as well as a previous podcast in our current Hebrews series, Hebrews 8: One Bible - Two Different Covenants (Not to Be Mixed).

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747. Hebrews 8: One Bible – Two Different Covenants (Not to Be Mixed)

March 22, 2020 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

People often think of the Bible as one book, defined as God’s Word — and that all of it is meant to be applied to our lives. But the writer of Hebrews makes it very clear the first covenant contained within much of what is called The Old Testament, is very different than the new and better covenant established by Jesus Christ. These covenants are unalike and are not meant to be blended together.

If the first one that came through Moses had been faultless, there would have been no need to seek a second one which would be “more excellent.” This new way would take sin away, to be remembered no more by God. He would write new laws upon our hearts — not the old law or former commandments which only caused sin to increase. This New Covenant isn’t a revised version of the Old, but it replaced what Jesus brought to an end. The old way has become obsolete because it wasn’t based upon grace through faith.

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746. Hebrews 7: Jesus Became the Guarantee of a Better Covenant

March 15, 2020 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

In order for Jesus to become a permanent High Priest and for the New Covenant to be established, first the entire law of commandments which came through Moses had to be annulled and brought to an end. This promise or word of the oath occurred “after the law,” where the Son was made perfect forever.

The old priesthood and commandments from the law were defined as weak and useless by the writer of Hebrews—and couldn’t bring the required perfection for the people. This resulted in a better hope and a better covenant than what the Israelites had been under since they had escaped from Egypt. Jesus is that New Covenant of grace and we have been brought into Him.

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720. God Doesn’t Change – But the Covenant Did

September 15, 2019 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

When Christians proclaim we as believers in Christ should try to live by the law as it was given to Moses, they advertise their ignorance on what the law says. It required perfection and everyone has fallen short of that. The requirement is still perfection, but it’s not found in what we do—it’s by what Jesus did. We are perfect, having been placed in Him.

Those who tout modern-day law keeping from the Old Covenant must also execute the punishments when one fails. For example, one who did not honor their father and mother and spoke evil of them was worthy of death. The good news is that God doesn’t change … but the covenant did … and the new one is better.

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673. “Do I Still Need God to Forgive Me Each Day?”

October 14, 2018 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

The subject of forgiveness has been a common guest on our program over the years. Even believers in Jesus Christ will often struggle with whether they are truly forgiven or wonder where they stand with God. In their minds they may ponder whether they are they forgiven only up until this moment - until another sinful thought or action occurs. Have they confessed everything? Of course they haven’t confessed all of their sins - and we should ask if that activity even brings a renewed forgiveness from God.

When contrasting the Old Covenant to the New, we find quite a contrast as the book of Hebrews explains the true power of the blood of Jesus that was shed just one time. The Jewish people were unable to rest in God’s forgiveness. Why? Because they had to keep seeking a renewed forgiveness on a daily basis. It’s likely we haven’t fully understood what occurred on that cross when Jesus died and uttered the words, “It is finished.” The good news is far better than we think, and it’s why we live in something called a better covenant, established upon better promises.

621. The Mosaic Law: Given to Israel Only, Not Gentiles

October 15, 2017 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

When God gave Israel the law through Moses, and the Jews agreed to keep those many commands established in the Old Covenant, it was meant only for that race and nation who would be called God’s people at that time. The law had never been given to us Gentiles, who were considered unclean, far off and separated from God without a covenant. After the New Covenant was established by Jesus Christ, Gentiles were coming to God by faith in Jesus, and the leadership from the church in Jerusalem agreed that Gentiles would not need to be troubled or burdened with what their fathers had been unable to bear under that heavy and impossible law. Plus, the Jews who had been under the law were made free from it, and became dead to it as they married another and became the bride of Christ. You can’t live by something that doesn’t give life. That’s why the old way had to be removed completely and replaced with a better covenant.

Clash of the Covenants – new book from Mike

May 11, 2017 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

The brand new book, Clash of the Covenants - Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee, from Growing in Grace co-host Mike Kapler is now available for Kindle on Amazon! Remember, you don't need a Kindle in order to read. Download the Kindle app on your computer, tablet or smartphone.

GOD IS NOT YOUR PAROLE OFFICER, HE BROKE YOU OUT OF PRISON!

Have you been robbed by religion? Have you ever wondered where you really stood with God? For everyone trapped in a mindset of wondering whether God is angry or disappointed with them due to a lack of performance or dedication, help is on the way. In fact, it already arrived more than a couple thousand years ago.

Christian churches are filled with people who have been hearing Bible teaching built upon a foundation of mixing together two very different covenants that are not alike. Frequently embraced in most Christian circles, the practice of combining the old and new covenants has resulted in a diluted version of the gospel. This religious formula has caused many to avoid the institutional church altogether, often puts them in a state of confusion, and leaves them hungering and thirsting for a new identity of righteousness, unaware it has already been provided.

The current reality of unconditional love, peace, freedom, forgiveness, and everything else that is good, has been gifted to us by God's grace through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This is the message most people have been longing to experience, but it may require a complete change of mind from a lifetime of traditional church doctrines that have left many drowning in guilt and feeling as though they are in a state of bondage. God has provided a way of escape from the burdensome religious business—it is through a New Covenant where it is impossible for us to fail, because Jesus is the mediator and guarantee of this better covenant, and it has been established on better promises.

571. The Old Commands Were Weak, Useless and Now Obsolete

October 30, 2016 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

When it comes to Christianity, religious institutions seem to be unable to resist the temptation to mix Jewish law with the good news message of the gospel. The combination of law and grace embedded in church doctrine has caused many believers to wallow around in sin and guilt. Jesus came to deliver us from the ministry of the letter with its commandments that brought death and condemnation, and He transferred us into the New Covenant ministry of the Spirit.

564. New Covenant 101: It’s Better Than the Old

September 11, 2016 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

After the death of Jesus, we find that the first covenant made with Israel came to an end and was replaced with a New Covenant that would be unlike the old one. It's not an amendment or continuation of the Old Covenant. The writer of Hebrews stated the law from the first covenant was weak and useless and could make nothing perfect. The New would be a better covenant established upon better promises. Why? Because this time God wasn't going to make the covenant with us (the people), but rather with Himself so that it could not fail. Our participation in this new way is to simply believe.