Quick Return Home Page
Quick Return Home Page
Whispers of
the New Covenant (1)
by Ray and Doris
Prinzing
"Then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second." (Hebrews 10:9).
In His great wisdom, for the outworking of His plan r through the ages,
our God has arranged many things in pairs, or r shall we say, by contrasting
twos. We read of the first Adam and of the last Adam, each the beginning
of a race; the first, that which is of the earth; and the second, that
which is of the heavenly. Thus we have a natural birth, born into this
earth realm; and we have a spiritual birth, to be born from above-- to
be a partaker of His spiritual reality. Therefore, "As we have borne the
image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. " (1
Corinthians 15:49).
There is the first death, as man died to the will and knowledge of God,
turned to his own way to serve the flesh and self -will, to partake of
the realm of the carnal mind, and go into corruption; and there is the
second death, which is a dying out to all of self and sin, that we might
be alive unto God, and His righteousness.
Through the offence of the first Adam death reigns over mankind,
and is manifested in two stages, a transition from the spiritual realm
to the carnal, and of the physical flesh into utter corruption and decay.
The
second death undoes all the work of the first death, in the same manner
that the last Adam undid all the work of the first Adam. Not to nullify
the purpose being wrought out by the plan of God in the firsts, but to
bring a release from all the negative aspects of the first, into the MUCH
MORE of the glory and victory of the greater things of God. "For as in
Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man
in his own order." (1 Corinthians 15:22-23).
Creation was made subject to the bondage of vanity for a purpose. Sin was
allowed to exist for wise ends, but when those ends have been secured it
will cease to exist. The purpose is not nullified, but the means whereby
the purpose has been executed shall be done away. Discipline is a means
to an end, but not an end in itself, it leads up to that "nevertheless
afterwards, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness." (Heb. 12:11).
The first Adam died to God and righteousness, and became alive unto
sin and self. The last Adam died unto sin, and liveth unto God, and so
fulfilleth all righteousness. The first made all men sinners, the last
makes all men righteous. The lives and deaths of the two Adams are thus
greatly contrasting the one to the other.
Also in the realm of the firsts we have the law written on tables of stone,
but in the second His laws are to be written in our heart and mind. There
is the Levitical order of priesthood, it contrasted by the Melchizedek
order, etc.
Some of the "firsts" may seem to be very good, and for a time quite acceptable,
but in due time they are to be followed by the "seconds" which are higher,
better, more desirable than the firsts. Perfection is found in God's seconds.
Many of the "firsts" are but a type and a shadow of the reality which is
later to be found in the "seconds." In the former we often find the negative
realm working out its purpose, and in the latter there is the glorious
positive fulfilling its sphere. The more one ponders each fragment of truth
revealed, the more they yearn to leave behind the realm of the natural,
imperfect, fragmentary, that they might enter into the freedom of the Spirit
of Life in His fullness. "For we know in a partial, fragmentary, incomplete
way, and we utter divine revelations in the same way. But whenever that
which is complete comes, that which is incomplete and fragmentary will
be done away." (1 Corinthians 13:9-10, Wuest Expanded).
In specific the writer to the Hebrews is making reference to the COVENANTS
which God has made with His people, and distinguishes them with the designation
of being "bold" and "new." And he proceeds to contrast the ministry of
the priests, in connection with the old covenant, with the ministry of
Jesus Christ who is "the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established
upon better promises. " (Hebrews 8:6).
The division of our Bible into the Old Testament, and the New Testament,
is a silent witness to these two covenants. It has also been well stated
that "The OLD is by the NEW revealed, the NEW is in the OLD concealed."
For all of the types and shadows of the Old Testament are much more clearly
understood as we see them fulfilled in the reality of the New Testament.
And yet, it is in the Old Testament that we find the symbols which help
to give us insight as we seek to understand the reality of the new. No
wonder Paul writes, '"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
When God brought the nation of Israel out of the bondage of the land of
Egypt, He said unto them, "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice, and
keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all
people: for all the earth is Mine: And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom
of priests, and an holy nation. - And all the people answered together,
and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." (Exodus 19:5-6, 8).
The covenant of God with His people is briefly stated, "After the doings
of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the
doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither
shall ye walk in their ordinances. Ye shall do My judgments, and
keep Mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God. Ye shall
therefore keep My statutes, and My judgments: which if a man do, he shall
live in them: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 18:3-5).
Israel was not to live after the manner and doings of Egypt, nor after
the manner of the land of Canaan into which they were going. They were
to WALK GOD'S WAY, do His commandments, and if they did, they would LIVE,
if they disobeyed, they would die. Thus, "Moses describeth the righteousness
which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall
live by them." (Romans 10:5). DO AND LIVE, was the essence of the covenant
which God had with His people. But the problem was that with their carnal
nature, filled with self, they could not DO the WAY OF THE LORD, they constantly
failed, came short of the glory of God. Thus, rather than bringing
them into an abundant life, it witnessed against them continually, that
they were not DOING RIGHT. It became a "ministration of condemnation,"
which brought them into death. It was a very literal demonstration that
in himself, by his own strength and abilities, man could not live
the divine life.
God instituted the law (first covenant) with a special purpose in view,
as He was working out His plan for the ages, but it was not to be a permanent
arrangement, it was for a time, with a view towards when it would be TAKEN
AWAY.
One thing needs to be clearly understood, that this is entirely the outworking
of GOD in His purpose of the ages-- He remains sovereignly in control,
and while we would "GO ON TO PERFECTION," yet "this will we do, if God
permit." (Hebrews 6:1, 3). For, "We are HIS workmanship." (Ephesians 2:10).
HE gave the OLD covenant, HE instituted all of its services. And HE takes
it away, that He might establish the new. Only GOD can impart vision,
a revelation of the NEW, and then work it into us until it consummates
in reality. We cannot live on a borrowed revelation, nor can we take that
which is real to us and cause it to become life in another. HE is the LIFE-SOURCE,
and "It is GOD which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good
pleasure." (Philippians 2:13).
Next, "HE taketh away..." Once we become accustomed to a certain realm,
we act as though it will last forever. We think of the shadows as being
real, the signs and symbols as being the substance, and people will constantly
cry for "the good old days," as they want to repeat over and over that
which they experienced in their yesterday. But we have to relinquish the
"first" if we are to receive the "second." Furthermore, His means and methods
of "taking away" are applied to us as individuals, and we dare not "preach
experience" and expect that everybody will face the exact circumstances
that we have gone through. The principles worked into each of us are the
same, for we are all to be conformed to HIS IMAGE, and become a partaker
of HIS DIVINE NATURE, to EXPRESS HIS LIFE. Also, it appears that some things
almost automatically drop off as we outgrow them, while other things have
to be TAKEN A WAY with a more forceful action. But since it is GOD that
ordains the taking away, we can be assured that He does it in love, tenderly,
wisely, with a view toward our good.
"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the
power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear
Son." (Colossians 1:12-13).
Though the King James Version speaks of it in the past tense of "hath,"
we recognize it as a PROCESS, with old things passing away, all things
becoming new. As Paul speaks in another place, "Who delivered us from so
great a death, and doth deliver: in Whom we trust that He will yet deliver."
(2 Corinthians 1:10). He did-- past; He doth-- present; He will-- future;
for the whole deliverance process is HIS, as HE takes away the first and
establishes the second. "According to the purpose of Him who worketh all
things after the counsel of His own will: that we should be to the praise
of His glory." (Ephesians 1:11).
The first covenant was given for a specific purpose, and was rigid in
its principle: THIS DO, AND LIVE; miss the mark, and die. "Wherefore then
serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed
should come to whom the promise was made." (Galatians 3:19).
THE SEED, by whom shall come the fulfillment of the promise, belongs to
the realm of God's seconds, for it speaks of the SEED OF THE NEW CREATION,
that which is born of the Spirit, and not out of the flesh. The Seed is
Christ, singular, that composite body, the entire anointed company
made ONE in union with Him. HE is the Head of that body, and all the anointed
ones are members in particular.
While The Head has been brought forth, the Firstborn of the new creation,
the rest of the body is still in the process of development and to be birthed,
hence, in a sense, the full SEED has not yet come, and therefore God continues
to use the restraining measures of the law to hold in check the transgressions
of the people. Jesus Christ, the Head of the body, is now "set down" (Revelations
3:21), in the Father's throne, from henceforth expecting-- waiting for
the emergence of the OVERCOMERS, the first fruits company of the new creation
species, the fullness of the SEED, and then shall the first covenant be
totally done away, and the second covenant established. It is because this
SEED COMES TO DO HIS WILL, that He can take away the first, and establish
the second.
The law (first covenant) must not be confused with the covenant of promises
given to Abraham. God made that covenant with an individual, and to his
seed, and it is not disannulled by the law which later came by Moses to
the entire congregation of Israel. "And this I say, that the covenant (to
Abraham), that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was
four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make
the promise of none effect." (Galatians 3:17). One must learn to rightly.
divide the Word of Truth, for the law, though coming after the promise,
belongs to the realm of the "firsts"; while the promise, though given before
the law, actually pertains to the realm of the "seconds," and cannot be
fulfilled until after the "firsts" have been taken away.
The PROMISE embodies the fact that through the SEED of Abraham the blessings
shall flow, and all nations shall ultimately, be justified by faith. "Is
the law then against the promise of God? God forbid: for if there had been
a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have
been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the
promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But
before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which
should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our school-master
to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians
3:21-24).
A schoolmaster, (the Greek text gives, a child conductor), was one who
held the child in restraint as they conducted the child from home to the
school, making sure that there was no mischief along the way, and that
the child arrived at the school. Then the child was given over to the care
of the teacher, and the duty of the child conductor was ended. The child
conductor did not stand in the back of the class room and continue to exercise
control and authority over the child, for now the Teacher was in
control, and there was to be no outside interference. So also, once
we have been brought to Christ, and His anointing abides within us, we
are to be led by the Spirit.
On the waywardness of man, and his propensity to do evil, the scripture
is clear. "The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like." (Galatians 5:19-21).
No wonder Paul wrote, "Wherefore then serveth the law? IT WAS ADDED BECAUSE
OF TRANSGRESSIONS." Man was in desperate need of a restraint, a child-conductor
that would hold him on course, until DIVINE HELP would come, which would
enable him to live a righteous life. The whole ministration of the law,
with its rules and regulations, ceremonies and rituals, was designed to
continually remind them of what NOT to do, and what they SHOULD DO, if
they would be found acceptable unto God. It was "imposed on them until
the time of reformation." (Hebrews 9:10).
REFORMATION-- The Greek word is "diorthosis" meaning: a making thoroughly
right. The root word is "orthos" which means: upright, straight. This is
very interesting. Man has long been bowed down with the weight of his sin,
centered on self, turned away from God, he could not stand upright and
tall before God. Then came the law-- imposed upon him to help guide his
step, but rather than enabling him to stand upright, it only weighted him
down the more-- with loads of condemnation because he could not maintain
the righteousness of the law. Hence that which was given for a help, only
increased the burden. No wonder it has to be TAKEN AWAY. And thank God
He has purposed that there shall be a MAKING THOROUGHLY RIGHT.
It is of this new realm of victory of which Paul then writes, of the life
and walk of the Spirit. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temper-ance: AGAINST SUCH THERE
IS NO LAW. --If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
(Galatians 5:22-23, 25).
This is tremendous-- that as we live and walk in the realm of the Spirit,
there is a life lived-- a fruitage expressed, AGAINST WHICH THERE IS NO
LAW. There is no need for a law to govern the fruit of the Spirit,
it is all good fruit. And Paul also includes the reason why, verse 24,
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lusts." That's why there is no need for the "restraining influence
of the law," because once the CROSS has done its work within us, and only
the Christ life is expressed, it is a life that is ALL RIGHTEOUS. Therefore
"If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." For as long as
we "Walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh."
The law, therefore, serves as a conductor to point out that which is sinful,
and to warn us not to miss the mark, while we are brought to Christ, and
the inworking of His anointing. "When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come,
He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13). With the advent of the
holy Spirit into the world, sent by the promise of the Father, "Ye need
not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all
things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye
shall abide in Him." (1 John 2:27). Now that we have the Teacher, THE
ANOINTING WITHIN, the role of the child conductor is ending.
The holy Spirit will guide you, and empower you to fulfill the righteousness
of the law. Herein is another transition-- as the indwelling Spirit of
Christ governs our life, we are beginning to taste of the realm of the
"seconds." It is but a first fruits company that are now learning to live
and walk by the Spirit, but in that day when He fully takes away the first,
to establish the second, HE WILL POUR OUT OF HIS SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH.
Then "they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother,
saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest."
(Hebrews 8:11). Praise His wonderful name!
"For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed (or, brought
into account) when there is no law." (Romans 5:13). Death was reigning
as the fruition of iniquity, yet from Adam until Moses there was no law
to establish or give the knowledge of sin. "Moreover the law entered,
that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more
abound." (Romans 5:20). The law served to bring sin to the full, that
it might be dealt with-- dealt with by God Who is rich in mercy, and Whose
grace much more abounds beyond the scope of all sin.
How then served the law? Being holy, just and good, the law causes sin
to appear exceedingly sinful, thus giving knowledge of sin. It takes truth
to expose error! Yet herein is the difference between the two ministrations,
(more of which we shall touch on in a later chapter). To speak the truth
in negatives is to produce death, but to speak the truth in positives is
to kindle sparks of life. One might expose sin by stating the truth on
what is wrong, or, one might expose it by declaring that which is right,
making it self -evident, as the light witnesses against the darkness simply
by swallowing it up into the light. To expose sin by naming it as such,
and yet offering nothing to replace it, leaves one in a state of emptiness.
Thus the law served as a ministration of condemnation and death, though
in itself the law was holy, just, and good.
True light always illumines the dark corners, and when the Gospel, THE
GOOD NEWS is preached, it shall produce the desired results. Man has not
yet heard much of the good news. He has received law, plus the many additives
of tradition which carnal minds have burdened upon him, but very little
Gospel is preached. How we thank God for the promise that the day shall
come when , "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory
of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (Habakkuk 2:14).
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:3-4).
How marvelous is the new ministration of the INDWELLING SPIRIT OF GOD!
The Spirit reveals to us the divine will of God, and then enables us to
do it. All the Divine commands include the enablement whereby we can accomplish
His will and purpose as we yield to the inflow of His grace. The first
law said, "DO, and thou shalt live." But this greater, new covenant says,
"LIVE, and thou shalt do all My will." By our union with Him we have the
out-living of His life, fulfilling His will.
The mountain shook 'neath a cloud of smoke,
And the thunder proclaimed His name,
As God descended on Sinai,
And the law unto Israel came.
With the law came consciousness of sin,
And the means whereby to atone,
But all it could do was cover it o'er,
The guilt and the shame that was known.
Impute the sin, and cover it o'er,
And then wait for the judgment day.
For the law was weakened by the flesh,
And it could not put sin away.
On another day, another mount
Did quake 'neath the presence of God,
As on Calvary God's blessed Son
Gave His life for each human clod.
And His sacrifice was once for all,
Not a Iamb, but Himself, He gave,
Compassion flowed from His loving heart,
All the wayward and lost to save.
For Thou hast put all my sin away,
And Thy nature has filled its place.
What the law was weak and could not do,
Thou hast wrought by Thy boundless grace.
Thank God, we are being "delivered from the law, that being dead wherein
we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the
oldness of the letter. (Romans 7 :6).
Oldness-- from the Greek word "palaiotes" which means: worn out, or anti-quatedness.
There are some people who have a lot of interest in antiques, while others
consider those things as old, to be forgotten. But there is one ANTIQUE
that we all need to leave behind, the antiquatedness, the old, the worn
out realm of the letter, that we might go on into the NEWNESS and FRESHNESS
of the Spirit. Speaking of "THE LETTER" is in direct reference to the law,
that first covenant and order which was written in stone. One might quote
the literal letter of the law for hours on end, and still minister only
condemnation and death, for the power to live out the righteousness of
the law is not present in the stone. But in the newness of His Spirit,
this vitality of His LIFE, we have the power to live out that which is
well-pleasing to God.
"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have
been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold,
The days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and with the house of Judah. -In that He saith, A new covenant,
He hath made the rust old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready
to vanish away." (Hebrews 8:7-8, 13).
The very moment you say there is a new model of a car on the showroom floor,
you have relegated the previous model to being old. You may sell it to
a man who has never seen the NEW model, and he will think he has a new
car, until the new model comes on the scene, and then he will know that
his is not of that new order. So likewise, we have a lot of preachers that
keep selling what they call new-- but it is actually of the old order of
the first covenant, with just another twist to its works and programs.
But when GOD said there was A NEW covenant, He immediately relegated the
first one to the realm of being old. The very moment He said, "A NEW,"
the other one became OLD. So no matter how many try to sell the old covenant
as being new, it is still old, because God has already decreed the NEW
one which takes its place.
The writer to the Hebrews realized that the old covenant was still
around in his day, though the book of Hebrews was supposedly written at
least thirty-five years after Jesus came forth declaring A NEW TESTAMENT.
But, he said, the old is decaying, ready to vanish away, because it "waxeth
old."
Interesting word, "waxeth old, " from the Greek "gerasko" which comes from
"geras" which literally means: senility.
There is a
realm which has gone into senility! God says, "Leave it, and rise to walk
in the newness of the life of the Spirit." HE is truly taking away the
first, that He might establish the second. There are those who "turn again
to the weak and beggarly elements (rudiments, first steps)-- to observe
days, and months, and times, and years." (Galatians 4:9-10). But the challenge
is to rise " and walk and live out of the realm of THE SPIRIT, in all of
His newness, freshness, and not to return to that which is antiquated and
gone into senility.
The first law was unable to make anyone perfect, it just gave a knowledge
of sin, which the flesh could not conquer. The NEW COVENANT, which is so
much higher, gives a forgiveness of sin, and then a knowledge of that which
is right, plus the inflow of HIS LIFE to live pleasing unto God. Once the
fullness of the new birth process is complete in US, so that HIS SEED LIFE
remains in us and we cannot sin, then this new, all righteous life shall
fulfill all the will of God. The first law, which was without, could not
change the nature of that which is within. The new covenant begins inwardly,
and then is able to manifest outwardly that which is right.
First the old, and then the new, but never more the same,
The Second far excels the First, to glorify His name.
As He takes away the First, the Second shall become,
To swallow up the ‘in part,' in true perfection's sum.
Types and shadows served their place, a sign of what would be,
Now we long for that rare hour of His reality.
Yet these words 'to take away' bespeak a process too,
As we're stripped of all the old, the things flesh did accrue.
Removal of outward form that once did gender pride,
In its place the higher realm of 'spirit' doth abide.
Not as the first, shall be the last, the greater shall abound,
Glory that shall cover all, wherever man is found.
__________________________________________________________________________
(1) Prinzing,
Ray and Doris. WHISPERS OF THE NEW COVENANT. P.O. Box 5822, Boise,
Idaho 83705
Back
to Top of Page 
Exit
to Introduction
Return to Whispers of the New Covenant
Back to Prinzing Book List