Grace in the Old Testament (07/15/2001)

Grace in the Old Testament and the New Testament Contrast

Turn with me to 2nd Corinthians chapter 3, please this morning. Didn't you enjoy seeing a little bit younger face for announcements this morning? I did. Thank you, Jesse. Appreciate that. That's what keeps a church alive is the young people and We don't want to ever forget that we've got to Got to be examples for them got to.

We've got to do our part in our generation, so they'll do their part of theirs. Could you give me just a little bit more juice this morning on my voice? Maybe just a little a little flat today. Thank you.

I think that helped a little it did in it. Very good. Thank you very much. It's good to see mrs. Everman with us this morning. Good to have you with us. They are going through some trials in their family and I I have thought much about the faithfulness Mr. Mrs. Everman during these days.

We're glad you're here. Let's let's look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 this morning. We're going to continue Our study on rightly dividing the word of truth. And we've been talking in recent days about a little bit about some of the differences between the Old Testament times and the New Testament times.

The last time I would say what we did was we pointed out that there are some differences. But we pointed out also that you don't want to fall into the category of an ultra Dispensationalist who is a person who says that?

When you go into a new dispensation that the things in the old dispensation don't count anymore and they just you just negate them. Usually that's not the case. In fact, most most all the time. It's not the case.

Last time we ended up with this. We we looked at the New Testament age of grace. Paul called it the dispensation of the gospel of grace and We found three interesting points towards the end of the study.

One was in Romans chapter 3 verse 31 It says that these things are done that we may establish the law and then in Romans chapter 7 and verse 6 It said says that we these things are done that we may serve God in newness of spirit not in the oldness of the letter and.

Then in Romans chapter 8 verse 4 It said that these things came about so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. So we pointed out that the law is not absent in the New Testament today, we're going to point out that grace was not absent in the Old Testament and we do this to fight the Ultra-dispensationalist mindset that would cause one to to get in really more trouble than if he ever even knew about these divisions.

The divisions are very real. They're there. You have to understand that the cross made a difference. There has to be a difference between the New Testament time and the Old Testament time and that's just one great example so the differences are there and different scholars through the years have divided them up into different numbers of Divisions.

To me that's not important. The important thing is just to understand that when we're interpreting the scriptures. We need to understand who God's talking to we need to understand if there are some dispensational differences we need to know that.

But that's not to say that the dispensational differences. Make it where you can just say well, I'm in the age of grace today. So I don't have to worry about what God thinks that sort of thing. Paul answered that very question in his day.

He said some were saying to him should we send in so that grace may abound? They were really mocking Paul because he taught grace and these were legalists who came to him and asked him that question. Trying to trick him and he said he said nay How can we who are dead to sin live any longer in it?

What a great answer. Was that an awesome answer or what? And so he was able to put it all together, but it's difficult sometimes for us and. So today we'll talk a little bit more about grace in the Old Testament.

And last time we talked about law God's laws and how they find their way into the New Testament and how it is that God Has worked in this dispensation. To actually fulfill the laws of Christ. If you remember we closed last Sunday by pointing out that the Lord worded it in such a way in the New Testament.

That it's not what we do. It's what we are. He has changed our very nature. He has written his laws in our hearts if we're born again this morning and that is the function. That's the economy. That's how God works within us to cause us to fulfill his righteousness and it is a different system but it's the same end and we're gonna see that as we go into the Old Testament in a few moments and Take a look around there a little bit this morning now and 2nd Corinthians chapter 3.

Let's start with verse 1. Kind of follow along with me if you would. Do we begin again to commend ourselves or need we as some others epistles of Commendation to you or letters of commendation from you.

You are our epistle written in our hearts. Known and read of all men. Paul's talking about his converts and those who he has discipled. He said you're the only letter of commendation that I need. I don't need another church to send a letter saying Paul's an okay guy and Paul is saved and Paul's for real.

He said you're the proof of it. You're my fruit and He says in verse 3 for as much as you are Manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us. Epistle means a letter by the way Written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in tables of stone.

But in fleshly tables of the heart. And Such trust have we through Christ? To God were. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves. To think anything as of ourselves now that he's kind of saying that to the legalist because they do think they're sufficient in themselves.

Legalists believe that they can do things to please God that they can go out set a list perhaps have a New Year's resolution and If they can Come up with a list of things they can do and if they do all these things God will be more pleased with them than he was before the whole thing started and so they're accomplishing this in the energy of the flesh.

Paul says I don't consider myself to be sufficient enough to do that. He said if I think what he's getting at is if that's the way it worked. I'm in trouble. Paul is saying because I used to go around and kill Christians Before God saved me and I'm worthless and he said I'm the least of all.

And he says I'm not. I'm not sufficient. He says but our sufficiency is of God. Now in that small phrase. We see the very difference between the Old Testament Economy and the New Testament gospel of grace that Paul preached and that is that in the Old Testament God expected them and held him responsible to keep the law in the New Testament time period.

He says God is my sufficiency. Christ in me is the hope of glory and he's written the law in my heart. And he's placed the Holy Spirit there and so forth. These thoughts are all in that little phrase.

Verse 6 says who also have made made us able ministers of the New Testament. Now you're gonna start to see some contrasts again between the old and the new and. So that's important to see the contrast first because when we get into the message, we're gonna see the similarities.

But look at the contrast between the Old Testament time and the new right here. He says who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament just the fact that it's new points out. There was an old so it shows a contrast not of the letter, but of the Spirit.

So the Old Testament Economy of the law at least from the point of Moses forward into the time of John the Baptist. Was a time of the letter. God gave the letter of the law and you were supposed to keep it to the letter.

And now he says the word but which means it's changed if this is a contrast. Now the New Testament not of the letter, but of the Spirit for the letter of the law killeth. But the Spirit giveth life. There's a contrast here not in God.

God never changes. He's immutable. He cannot change. You know. The only reason change comes about usually the way we think of things is to make something better because it's not perfect to start with.

So we keep changing things and jockey them around a little bit. Try this over here. Try that over there. See if we can't get better and better, but you know what if you're perfect, you don't have to do that.

So God is there. God doesn't change but the way that he deals with man has changed in different time periods because God did not reveal himself Fully to us all at once. He did a little by little line upon line.

So to speak through history and as he revealed certain things about himself that were previously mysteries. Then that generation was responsible for that information and that's why we have dispensations.

It's not that God changes. It's just that our understanding of him changes when he gives us more information and then we're responsible For that information. Well during the time period of from Moses to John the Baptist.

They were under the law and Paul says right here that we have a New Testament. The truth is the law killeth. It is the Spirit that giveth life. He goes on and says but if the ministration of the death of death written and engraven in stones.

Now, what's he talking about? Literally right there. What was it? That was literally engraven in stones the Ten Commandments. If this ministration of death which Paul calls it, by the way, why does he call it that why does he call the law?

The ministration of death. I Think it's because it is the law that shows us how exceedingly Sinful our sin is. We wouldn't even know that if we didn't have the law the law points out That we have fallen short of the glory of God.

The law points out that all men have there's not one who hasn't and as we look into the law the letter of the law points out that we have fallen short not only of God but of his heaven of His righteousness of his glory everything that is the state of man man is fallen.

It's the duty of the law to show us that and it does a great job of it. And that's why Paul says that the letter killeth. He doesn't mean the Old Testament is bad he means the Old Testament is good because it causes us to see a need.

You know if you didn't understand that you think you're just gonna waltz along in life and just you know. One day you're gonna die and you're gonna meet God face to face and you're gonna say I did pretty good.

Did pretty good on my own. Did I make it? Guess what? He's gonna say I never knew you. I Never knew you depart from me you workers of iniquity. But if we didn't have the law pointing out this great need.

Wouldn't it be a dark world? Because we would just waltz along thinking everything was fine. Satan would deceive us into thinking we were just as good as the next guy and really we think we are you know.

Probably we are just as good as the next guy, but God doesn't compare us to the next guy. God compares us to his son Jesus Christ and As we study his life. He said who would. Who would point out one sin in my life and the very most religious men who lived in that age could not do it that's who we're compared to and So the law killeth because it points out that we have fallen short now.

He says but the Spirit giveth life, but now he says but if the ministration of death Written and engraven in stones. That's the Ten Commandments in the law if it was glorious. So that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses now.

We're gonna go see what that's all about here in a moment. For the glory of his countenance. They could not even look in Moses face. Moses would go up on the mount spend time with God when he would come down the children of Israel couldn't even look at his Face because it scared them to death because his countenance was literally glowing from having been in the presence of God and so he literally took a Veil and covered his face so that they could not see this glory.

Lest they be frightened. And that's what this is talking about. Steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory or because of the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away. How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious.

He's saying if the Old Testament law was glorious How shall not the New Testament be glorious. For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousness. Exceed in glory see the comparison and the contrast Between the two time periods the two dispensations for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excel it if you take the law and You compare it to grace the gospel of grace.

Then the law pales in glory in comparison. That's exactly what Paul says and Paul was a master of the law. For if that which is done away was glorious. That's the Old Testament. Specifically the law of Moses much more that which remaineth is glorious.

So see the contrast. We live in the best day at least the best day that's occurred so far. Now it says seeing then that we have such hope we use great plainness of Speech and he goes on and talks about Moses and this veil.

That was on his face in verse 13 not as Moses which put a veil over his face. He says Paul says I speak with plainness of speech. I'm not like Moses. I'm not trying to cover this truth anymore. In fact, I'm going to bring it out to you is what he's getting at.

With Moses which put a veil over his face that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that Which is abolished and I want you to underline that little phrase because that's where we're headed this morning.

Look to the end of that which is abolished. You know what that tells us. It tells us as we go back and we look at the law. That that was a means to an end and that the veil over Moses face kept them from seeing the end in their lifetime because it was held as a mystery and not Revealed until the time of Paul Jesus and Paul but he said Steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.

We're going to talk about that end in a moment, but their minds were blinded for until this day remaineth the same veil Untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament. So as the Jew even today or the legalist today reads the Old Testament There is still a veil over the face of Moses in the sense.

He cannot see the end of it. He can't see the use of it. He thinks it's the end in itself and he begins to he begins to labor to keep the law. He begins to strive to be righteous and this is the great weakness of the Pharisees.

It's a great weakness of most religious people alive today in our churches all over this country and all over the world. Is the veil is still not taken away, but look what it says about this veil in verse 14.

For until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament. Which veil is done away in Christ? So in Christ the veil is removed so that we can see the end of the law. Doesn't do away with it.

It lets us see the purpose of it in the end of it. But even until this day when Moses is read the veil is upon their heart the legalist the the Pharisee. And there are many Pharisees and Christian churches today that want to put you under their own law.

They'll invent all kinds of law. That is not in the scripture. They'll just say well, you know, this is how we do. We think you should be under it, too. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, what is the it there?

Heart. Nevertheless when the heart shall turn to the Lord the veil Shall be taken away and all of a sudden the person is no longer a legalist. All of a sudden he has a relationship with the God. That all of the laws were pointing towards the relationship is no longer with the law.

But with the one who gave it the lawgiver. Now the Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is There is liberty. But we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord notice some of the difference in Practical application we see this in some of these earlier verses back up in verse 3 Where it talks about not tables of stone, but fleshly tables of the heart.

Difference in the way God Works in the heart. Between the two time periods instead of requiring righteousness under the law God now gives righteousness as a free gift by grace through faith in the finished work and continuing the work of Jesus Christ.

Secondly, but Paul we find that Paul said he was a minister of the New Testament not of the letter. So we see another difference there in verse 6 the letter killeth the spirit giveth life. We see all these differences the Old Testament ministration of death is said to be of less glory than the New Testament.

Another point we saw in the passage one was done away and one remains. We find that in verse 11. Or if that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious. And then verse 13 let's take a look at this before we jump in and see what's happened here and Not as Moses which put a veil over his face.

That the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which was abolished. I put the word Wow in my margin on that one. Do you understand that grace was there? I mean you go back into the Old Testament where the letter of the law was given and grace was there.

To the end of that which was abolished the Old Testament the time of that period is done away it's abolished but what was the end of it and It's there to be seen. Now turn with me to Exodus chapter 19.

Let's go back into this place where these things happened. Well what we're attempting to illustrate this morning is that even though we have many Contrasts that the Apostle Paul gives between the system or what some theologians call the economy of The Old Testament law and the New Testament time of grace.

The or the church age or the age of the gospel of grace as Paul called it, even though we have these many contrasts God always keeps us in balance. That's why my friend Gary Plumlee that discipled me when I first got saved.

He said David Never let your theology make you be unscriptural. The Bible itself staying in the Bible not relying on what you learned ten years ago or five years ago or last week even. But staying in it today is what keeps one in balance.

Because if you stay in it and you keep studying the scripture will teach you the scripture if you just stay in one little place. Too long you'll overemphasize that one little place. You'll create a whole new denomination.

That's how most of it happens. It's it's simply a different emphasis than the last guy had. Now if we overemphasize the glory of the New Testament and think that what that means is we don't need the Old Testament.

I've even seen some people advertise that their church is a New Testament Church. Don't go to one of those because if what they mean by that is that they don't Love the Old Testament and that they don't see the colors of the meanings of the beautiful truths that are given in the Old Testament in the New Testament and in the Old Testament you go back.

And you see the type but in that type you see all the different levels of truth but a lot of people don't do that anymore that New Testament Church and That's a problem. Why. Because they're out of balance.

So can we find grace in the Old Testament last week? We found law in the new look at Exodus chapter 19. Look at verse 1 and get a little feel for the context of what the story is that we're looking at here in The third month when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt they had been taken out of bondage.

God Miraculously delivered them beautiful picture of salvation and they're headed towards the promised land. Which is a beautiful picture of victorious the victorious Christian life. But they're not there yet.

They're in the wilderness, which is another picture of the beautiful part of the life. Sometimes the Lord puts us through to let us see a need and desire to want to be in the promised land. Which means to live the spirit filled life walking in union with God rather than with this world so if we get too much in touch with the world all of a sudden we find ourselves in our own wilderness and It's not a great place to be but they were in the wilderness when this took place and we see God here.

He did not desert them and it says they were gone forth out of the land of Egypt the same day came They into the wilderness of Sinai for they were departed from Rephidim and were come to the desert of Sinai and had pitched their tents in the wilderness and There Israel camped before the Mount.

This Mount has so much significance for all of us and Moses went up unto God now don't just read over that Moses went up unto God picture it be Moses when you read this imagine what this would be like.

Imagine the one who created the entire universe. The one who has the power that holds it together every second of our time in time and space. The one who knows all things. The one who is all-powerful.

The one who can speak things into existence. Moses went up to be with that one and The Lord called unto him out of the mountains saying thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel.

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians. He killed them all didn't he? The sea closed upon them and killed them as the enemy was pursuing God's people. Do you know that there's a way to live? The delivered salvation life where God will destroy the enemy before you and behind you.

You don't have to keep on with the same little sin habits that you've had last year in a year before in the year before that. Whether I won't start naming them because if I did I always pick on smoking because that's what I don't do.

So I pick on smoking. You know, maybe you've been had a problem with that. You want to quit but you can't quit you can. Look what God does to the enemies here. Closes the water on them and drowns them all he says remember what I did to the Egyptians and how I bear you on Eagles wings.

Don't tell me you can't have victory over sin when God is bearing you up on his own strong arms. I Bear you on eagles wings and I brought you unto myself. That's where sin goes away, by the way. Whenever you find yourself in oneness with God, you will not sin during that time period.

Whether it be a moment whether it be ten minutes an hour a day a week. You won't sin during the time you're connected with the Holy Spirit. You cannot in fact now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my commandments.

Then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. For all the earth is mine and you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests now. Look at what God is offering the Old Testament Saints. You shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if you read that anywhere else if you've been studying around over in the New Testament.

It's exactly what we are today. If we're born again, we are a kingdom of priests unto God. He offered this to these people. You shall be a kingdom of priests. The Holy Nation these are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him and all the people answered together and said all that the Lord hath spoken we Will do now that word do is kind of important.

We'll see that and we'll see why in a minute and Moses returned the words of the people Unto the Lord. So we see in these first eight verses that they were offered a priesthood of the believer. Which is exactly what we have now in the age of the gospel of grace.

That's why you don't need to go sit before a Roman Catholic priest and confess your sins to him because you are a priest. If you're born again, you're a priest. God has made you to be a priest. You can come boldly before the throne of grace.

Yourself you can come. Why can you do that? Because you have a great high priest the Lord Jesus Christ and when you got saved you were placed into him and as he goes Before the father you may also because of him and what he's done for us.

But in these verses we see they were offered this priesthood of the believer. We know in the New Testament cases such as Revelation 1 6. It says. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

That's exactly what we are. This was offered to the Old Testament saint. Now as you go into chapter 20 of Exodus, you'll find the giving of the Ten Commandments. But don't forget what their answer was at in the middle of verse 8 he said all that the Lord Might better find brother Russell.

I hear water running. Oh. There's brother Russell. Okay, I couldn't see him back there. I think that the auditorium is getting baptized this morning. Because he pays too much attention to the sermon. I appreciate that in brother Russell, okay.

In the middle of verse 8 he says all that the Lord has spoken we will do. Would you do me a favor and keep Your hand there in Exodus. Turn over to Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10 the Apostle Paul laments The mindset of his brothers the Jews and he called them brothers from time to time.

He didn't mean Christian brothers. He meant He meant the same family. But they said all that you say we will do and you know that from that moment in history the focus of the Jew was to do. He got his focus off the end of it and he focused on the means of Doing and keeping the law and trying to be righteous before God.

Now look at Romans chapter 10 verse 1 brethren. My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God. But not according to knowledge.

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to everyone that believeth now.

You remember a while ago. It said that they They did not see to the end. Remember that phrase he had the veil on his face lest they see to the end. Who is the end? Christ. Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to every one Who believeth but they couldn't see this?

They wanted to keep focusing on the tool on the teacher the schoolmaster the Old Testament Law, and they didn't want to focus on God himself. What a tragedy. And he offered them a priesthood of believer and they said no.

We will just do we'll do what you say now. Could they Know can we Know. But they said we will rather prideful. I think in their heart they wanted to. Don't we usually want to when we promise God something?

Yes. But you know what Jesus said the Spirit is willing but the flesh is what? That's right. So we don't want to dwell in that realm. So we see in chapter 20 the giving of the commandments to Israel in verse 18.

You'll see that as. Well, you see you'll see the actual Ten Commandments there in the first chapters first verses in chapter 20. But if you come all the way down to verse 18 while God is giving this look what the people were doing and all of the People saw the thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoking now.

You remember why a minute ago? I said don't just read the verse where it says Moses went up to be with God. You can't you can't just read over that verse as He walks up on this mountain there are thunderings and lightnings and the noise of a trumpet and the mountain is on fire with the glory of God and When the people saw it look what they did they removed and stood afar off now God offered them to have a relationship as the priest of the believer a Close relationship, but they stood afar off.

They chose to do the law rather than to be a priest. Well, look what else they did look at verse 19 and They said unto Moses speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die in that sad.

They wanted they wanted to have Moses to be their priest in a sense. They said we don't want to talk to him. We'll die. You go talk to him. You come back. Tell us what to do. And so that was the relationship that the people chose.

Moses came back in verse 20 and said don't be afraid. God has just come to prove you. He proved you look at verse 20 and Moses said unto the people fear not for God has come to prove you and that his fear May be before your faces that you sin not.

Do you ever want to know where the power against sin is? Stay before the face of God. Did you hear me the power against sin is not making a list of them in reading them. The power against sin is not making a list of things bad not to do and things good to do.

It's good to know that list. God put it in the Old Testament and in the new but that's not where the power is. He says that his fear may be before your faces that you sin not. The person who has a healthy fear of God and by the way, the only way you have that is to be in the presence of God.

But the one who has a healthy fear of God is the one who sinneth not. The one who is in the face of God standing before his face at that moment is the one who sinneth. Not we see these Interesting aspects as these people did not want to come before God and be in his face.

They just wanted to keep the law. That's a very difficult proposition. It's interesting the phrase that his fear may be before your face that you sin. Not you are seated at the throne of God right now.

Remember last week's message. The very thing that we need to remember in this side. Is that because of what Jesus did on the cross? If you were born again, and you are in Christ, where is Christ right now?

He's seated at the right hand of God and if you're in Christ you're there as well spiritually. Spiritually you are right there. Now since you are seated at the throne of God in Christ. You are gazing into the face of God by faith.

And as you gaze into that face you develop a fear of the awesomeness of God because you're gazing at it and you sinneth not. This was what was offered to these people believe it or not. But they rejected it.

They were fearful of it. Ephesians 1 3 says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Well, you go down to verse 21 and.

The people stood afar off and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. Moses drew near into the thick darkness. That's because of the clouds. Where God was but the people stood afar off.

Do you know that's what a legalist is doing? He has found it much easier in his life to keep a set of rules. He can also judge others by that same set of rules. But he's found it much easier to keep a set of rules than to go up into the thick darkness where God is.

Because that will change your life and you won't be yours anymore. Your body will become a living sacrifice. Offered to the one in whom whose face you're gazing at. This is what was offered. Moses took advantage of it and it's a wonderful wonderful that he did.

But this place where it says in verse 21 that they stood afar off is a beautiful picture of Old Testament application as Opposed to New Testament in the way it should be now. That's why after all it's called the gospel.

The good news is that you don't have to live this way. You don't have to stand afar off and try to keep rules to please a God that you won't even go near. The good news is that by coming into his presence and living there.

Then the laws are written in your hearts. Instead Of striving to keep a law which Paul calls The law of which the letter killeth all it will do is show you your failures over and over again. You can be vitally connected to God by the Holy Spirit in your heart connected to your spirit.

And in that mode first John says you will not sin. What a better way. I mean, this is the end of what the law was all about. This is the end of it. These people didn't want to gaze into it. Moses would come down from this mountain and his face would be glowing because he'd been in The very presence of the face of God.

He had to cover that up because people didn't even want to see that because if they looked at that They'd be there. And they didn't want that. They wanted a system where they could just keep some rules keep arms linked from God.

Many Christians today would prefer that because really and truly It's not life-changing at all. Now go to chapter 33 of Exodus chapter 33 in verse 7 and Moses took the tabernacle and pitched it without the camp and afar off from the camp and called it the tabernacle of the Congregation and it came to pass that everyone which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation.