The Unknown Bible - Pastor Bevans Welder

Rightly Dividing
Comparisons between the Old Covenant with Moses and the New Covenant
From the New Testament Scriptures
12-17-06

SALVATION – in Matt 19:16-17 we find that eternal life under the Old Covenant was by keeping the commandments (because this took place before the cross). Compare New Testament salvation in Gal 2:16, “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Under the Old Covenant in Rom 10:5, “the man which doeth these things shall live by them,” [compare Gal 3:10-13].

Under the New Covenant in Rom 10:6-13 you “confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead.”

LAW - Rom 6:14 – under the New Covenant, “ye are not under the law, but under grace” [compare Rom 7:4]

In Jn 1:17, the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ

In Rom 10:4, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness

FORGIVENESS – In Matt 6:14-15, forgiveness under the Old Covenant was conditional - if you forgive you will be forgiven, if you don’t forgive you won’t be forgiven

Under the New Covenant in Eph 4:32, forgiveness is based upon what Jesus Christ has already done for us – forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you

BAPTISM – Under the Old Covenant in Matt 3:11 baptism was with water unto repentance [for the remission of sins Mk 1:4] (accompanied by works Lk 3:10-14)

Under the New Covenant in Matt 3:11baptism is with the Holy Ghost – see Acts 11:14-17 where remission of sins is based on believing in Jesus [Acts 10:43-44] - here water baptism follows spirit baptism Acts 10:47-48 and is not essential for salvation

NOTE – Acts 2:38 is a transition between the two covenants and specifically for the Jews

FAITH – In Rom 9:30-33, under the New Covenant, Gentiles follow the righteousness which is of faith [they sought righteousness by faith] but Israel followed after the law of righteousness [they sought righteousness by the works of the law, therefore they didn’t get it]

In Rom 4:3-5, under the New Covenant, faith is counted for righteousness without works [Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5]

ETERNAL SECURITY – In Matt 8:11-12, under the Old Covenant, some of the children of the kingdom are cast out into outer darkness – no eternal security

In Jn 6:37, under the New Covenant, him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [these are children, the sons of God Jn 1:12] – they are eternally secure

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The following verses from James actually deal with the tribulation period where elements of the Old Covenant are in effect again waiting on the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ –

In Rom 4:3-5, under the New Covenant, faith is counted for righteousness without works [Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5]

In Jas 2:21-24, during the tribulation, when saints are back under the law, man is justified by faith and works [exactly opposite of Rom 4:3-5; these verses contradict unless they are rightly divided]

NOTICE The faith and works of James are illustrated by Abraham in exact contrast to the faith illustrated by Abraham in Romans.

The reason is that following the rapture of the church, a saint cannot be baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ because the body is not here – carefully consider Col 2:14-17 – the law is a shadow of things to come (tribulation) BUT the body is of Christ

Since the Old Covenant is conditional, tribulation salvation is conditional [no eternal security] – tribulation saints must have the faith of Jesus because he has already died and is coming again but they must also keep the law of Moses [Rev 12:17, 14:12]

FAITH AND WORKS FOR JUSTIFICATION in the tribulation - Jas 2:20-26 – Abraham’s righteousness was declared in Gen 15 with his faith, but his justification did not come until Gen 22 – compare Rom 5:8-9 where our justification under the New Covenant is NOW – 1 Cor 6:11 we ARE justified

Thus we find verses that show a man can lose his salvation in the New Testament during the tribulation – REMEMBER these verses are tribulation references

UNTO THE END - Matt 24:13 [Heb 3:6, 14; 6:11-12] – the end here is not the end of a man’s life it is the end of the world (i.e. with the devil as the god of THIS world, once he is chained in the bottomless pit, the world as we know it ends as Jesus takes over - even the lamb dwells with the wolf)

And if a saint LOSES IT he can NEVER GET IT BACK - Heb 6:4-6

CONSEQUENCE OF LOSING IT – Rev 14:9-11 - compare this with the eternal security of the New Covenant before the rapture Jn 5:24; Rom 8:38-39; Jn 10:28