New Covenant Glory

2 Corinthians 3:5-11 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

In this passage Paul calls the old covenant a ministry of death and condemnation. By contrast he calls the new covenant a ministry of righteousness that greatly exceeds the old covenant in glory. In fact the new covenant renders the old covenant to having no glory at all by comparison. The old covenant has ended and is finished. It has served its purpose and is over. Does that mean we can kill, commit adultery, etc? Certainly not, but we should not frame God’s righteousness and Christian conduct in the language of the ten commandments of “thou shall not” that suggests and points people toward legalism and works salvation. When we carry people back to the Mosaic Covenant it seems to have the effect of pointing them to works salvation. The new covenant of grace, regeneration, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the ministry of Jesus points believers toward sanctification and the fruit of the Spirit.

Matthew Henry’s commentary says the following about this passage:v. 6-11…….The law is done away, but the gospel does and shall remain, 2 Corinthians 3:11. Not only did the glory of Moses's face go away, but the glory of Moses's law is done away also; yea, the law of Moses itself is now abolished. That dispensation was only to continue for a time, and then tovanish away; whereas the gospel shall remain to the end of the world, and isalways fresh and flourishing and remains glorious.

The law was a guardian until Christ!

Galatians 3:15-29 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the covenant of promise made with Abraham. The Mosaic covenant, put in 430 years after the covenant of promise, did not add to or annul the covenant of promise (v. 15). The law of the Mosaic Covenant was not contrary to promises of God (v. 21). The law was added to be a guardian until the promised new covenant of faith in Jesus Christ was revealed. The law was given specifically to Israel at Mt. Sinai and ended with the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Now that faith has come a guardian is no longer needed, as all who are in Christ Jesus through faith are sons of God.

Does this mean God’s righteous standards have changed? Absolutely not! It means all the blessings of the New Covenant have been bestowed upon those who are redeemed by the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Praise God that he perfectly fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant for the redeemed and paid their sin debt on the cross of Calvary. By this redemption, Christ freed believers from the curse of the law, which brings death and not salvation. Redeemed blood bought followers of Christ should not go back to Moses and the law for standards of obedience and sanctification. We should look to Jesus Christ.

VERSE BY VERSE………
v.15 …. The Covenant of promise was a covenant fulfilled in the new covenant of Jesus Christ, and the law of the Mosaic Covenant did not add
anything or annul anything.
v. 16…. The promise was the seed of Abraham, Christ
v. 17…. The law did not add to or annul the covenant of promise with Abraham
v. 18…. The promise (Christ) saves, the law doesn’t
v. 19…. Added because of sin until the promised seed should come
v. 20…. God did this
v. 21…. The law does not contradict or nullify the promised seed. If there were any way to salvation through law then, then salvation would be by law.
v. 22…. Scripture showed that sin made salvation impossible except by faith in Jesus. v. 23…. Before faith (new covenant) came, sinners (everyone) were captive and in prison until salvation would be revealed.
v. 24 …. The law was a guardian until Christ came. The role of the law ended when Christ came. (Guardian- a person who guards, protects, or preserves.)
v. 25 …. Since faith has come we are no longer under law.
v. 26…. The redeemed are in Christ by faith and are sons of God. (Rom. 8)
v. 27…. Those baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
v.28 …. There is one people of God and they are in-Christ.
v. 29 …. Those in Christ are Abraham’s
offspring and heirs according to the promise. This verse connects the covenant
of promise with Abraham to the new covenant of the gospel of Christ. The
guardian of v. 25 is no longer needed and is called obsolete in Hebrews.