I have been thinking a lot about the New Covenant vs. the Old Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:7-18). If you don't have a Bible handy, go to http://www.biblegateway.com and look it up.
It amazes me that over 2000 years after Christ died, a heartbreakingly large portion of the church still believes in a ministry where the Old Covenant of "death and condemnation" is still used as a viable option in today's society. Sure the "fire and brimstone" ministry might have worked on some scale but the fact remains that this type of ministry ends up hurting the cause more than helping it. We can no longer continue to reach out the the marginalized and outcasts among us with tracts and billboards telling them that they are going to hell in a hand basket. This type of ministry leaves people feeling hollow and resentful.
The ministry of the New Covenant brings life instead of death, meaning instead of insignificance, hope instead of despair. And that makes this covenant far outweigh it's predecessor.I think Paul said it best when he told the Corinthians to "Do everything in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14) I don't profess to have all of the solutions, but I think that's a good start.
There IS another way.
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Amazingly enough, people still feel the need to utilize this type of "ministry" (ministry?). At the same time, look even deeper. Was that really what the Old Covenant was about, or what men made it.
I believe the Old Covenant to be about Christ. Siani was what I like to call, "The business of the cross." I.E., what it took for Jesus to come and reveal life to the full.
This is a very good illustration, of what happens when God creates something for our benefit, and then we (in this case our Jewish forefathers) impose our falleness on it.
I.E., The Old Covenant is about life. Is about God' belief that humanity was worth saving, and how he would enable them to reach that point. The rest is the commentary of how humanity distorted God's method.
Indeed, another way is possible, and is all around us in the form of the Kingdom.
The LORD bless and keep you.
Check at John 5:39.
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