In my previous episode, 189 The Better Covenant, I made the point that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God, literally ‘God-breathed’ (2 Timothy 3:16). From beginning to end, it reveals God’s redemptive plan and His covenant relationship with humanity. The two Testaments represent two distinct covenants: the Old Covenant given to Israel through Moses, and the New Covenant given through Jesus Christ to all who believe. Understanding how these covenants connect, and how the New is better than the Old is basic to living in the freedom and grace God offers.
So, what is the meaning of covenant? A covenant is a sacred agreement or divine contract. In theology, it represents a binding relationship between God and people. The Old Covenant, often called the Law of Moses or the Mosaic Covenant, was mediated by Moses and centered on obedience to God’s commands. The New Covenant, however, was established by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who willingly gave His life as the perfect sacrifice for sin. Because of His death and resurrection, believers enter into a covenant of grace, not law, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
The common thread found in the two covenants is faith! Although the covenants differ in form, they share a common foundation: faith. From Abraham’s belief in God’s promise found in Genesis 15:6 to the believer’s trust in Christ today, faith has always been the means by which people are reconciled to God. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, ‘Without faith it is impossible to please Him’ (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is what binds humanity to the heart of God, both under the Law and under Grace.
Jesus did not come to abolish or destroy the Law but to fulfill it.
An important principle to understand in regards to both the Old and New Covenant is the statement that Jesus made when He said in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
What does it mean that Jesus did not abolish the law but fulfilled it?
Jesus did not cancel or discard God’s law. “Abolish” means to tear down, invalidate, or do away with. Jesus is saying: He did not come to remove Moses’ Law or the Prophets. He did not come to reduce God’s commandments or make holiness less important. He did not set aside the Old Testament. His ministry was not a rejection of the Law but the continuation and completion of what God had already revealed.
The Greek word plēroō (“fulfill”) means: to complete, to bring to its intended goal, to fill up its meaning. Jesus fulfills the Law in four major ways:
- Jesus fulfilled the law through perfect obedience. Jesus kept the Law without sin, something no one else has ever done. He obeyed God’s moral law perfectly. He observed the ceremonial laws required of a Jew under Moses. He fulfilled every requirement that God demanded. Where humanity failed, Christ succeeded. Because of this, His righteousness can be credited to believers 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
- Jesus fulfilled the Law’s prophecies and types. The Law and the Prophets pointed to Him, Jesus was the Passover Lamb, the sacrificial system, the priesthood, the feasts, the tabernacle, and messianic prophecies. Jesus is the substance of all these shadows:
- Hebrews 10:1, “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.”
- Colossians 2:16-17, So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
- Jesus fulfilled the law’s moral intent. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains the true meaning of God’s commandments: Anger is the root of murder, Lust is the root of adultery, Love of enemies is the heart of God’s character. He did not loosen the moral law; He deepened it to the heart level.
- Jesus fulfilled the law by establishing the New Covenant. Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfill what the Law anticipated: a once-for-all sacrifice, a better covenant (Hebrews 8–10). Forgiveness through His blood, the law written on hearts (Jeremiah 31:33)
- The ceremonial laws, sacrifices, dietary laws, and temple rituals find their completion in Christ and are no longer binding, because their purpose has been accomplished.
- But the moral law, God’s character, love, holiness, and righteousness continue in force and are reaffirmed in the New Testament.
In summary, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. This means that the Law is obsolete and has been replaced by grace. Jesus fulfilled the Law because He lived in perfect obedience, demonstrating the righteousness no one else could achieve (Hebrews 4:15). Through His death, He became the atoning sacrifice for sin once and for all 2 Corinthians 5:21,” For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Where the Law exposed guilt, Jesus brought grace and truth, John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
The Old sacrifices were continual; Christ’s sacrifice was complete. He satisfied the Law’s demands and opened the way for a New Covenant written on human hearts, Hebrews 8:10, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
The Law as a Tutor
The Apostle Paul used the word “Tutor” to describe the propose of the Law of Moses. Galatians 3:24-26 “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” When we think of the word tutor we often think of a teacher, however, that is not how the word is used in this verse. The Apostle Paul uses the Greek word “paidagōgos,” meaning a strict guardian or supervisor responsible for disciplining and watching over a child. This guardian was not the teacher but the one who escorted the child to the teacher.
The Mosaic Law served as this kind of guardian. It exposed sin, restrained wrongdoing, showed God’s perfect standard, revealed humanity’s need for a Savior, and pointed forward to Christ. The law could discipline, but could not save or transform. Its purpose was temporary, its job was to prepare the way for Christ.
New Wine in Old Wineskins – What did Jesus Mean
In Jesus’ day, wine was stored in animal-skin bags. New wineskins were soft, flexible, and able to expand. Old wineskins became stiff and brittle. New wine fermenting would stretch and burst an old wineskin. Jesus said in Matthew 9:17, “Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” The Spiritual Meaning is as follows the new wine represents the new covenant, the gospel of Christ, and the life of the Holy Spirit. The old wineskins represent the old covenant system and rigid religious traditions.
The background for the Gospel of Luke account came from the Pharisees questioning why Jesus’ disciples did not fast. Jesus explained that His coming ushered in a new era that could not fit into old religious frameworks. Then Jesus speaks a parable found in Luke 5:36–38, “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
The gospel requires new hearts, Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
You cannot mix Law and Grace. Paul later affirms that the works of the law and grace cannot be combined as a basis for salvation.
- Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.”
- Galatians 5:4, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”
People often resist God’s new work because the old feels familiar. Luke 5:39, “And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.”
To live under grace is to walk in freedom from guilt and fear. The Spirit empowers us to live out the heart of the Law, love, rather than the letter of it. God promised, ‘I will give you a new heart and put My Spirit within you’ (Ezekiel 36:26–27). Through this transformation, believers grow into Christ’s image ‘from glory to glory’ 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord”
As Paul wrote, ‘Love is the fulfillment of the law’, Romans 13:8-10, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Summary: Jesus brought a new covenant; the old covenant system could not contain His message, the Holy Spirit requires new hearts, law and grace cannot mix, and people resist God’s new work because the old feels “better.” In short, Jesus’ message and Spirit-filled life cannot be confined to old religious systems or unchanged hearts.
The words of Jesus to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 still ring true today, “You must be born-again” and by faith know that you are forgiven, cleansed, and made new. All of this is because God offers this gift of grace to anyone who will believe. If you have not made this decision to put your trust in Jesus, don’t wait or hesitate, do it now! Say this simple prayer, “Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. Please come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Amen”.