FROM: TWO COVENANTS ~ The Covenant of God’s Favor

“In Genesis 1, we are told about the institution of the Kingdom of God. In Genesis 2, we read about the establishment of a covenant. The objection that there is no literal or explicit mention of a covenant in this chapter carries no weight, for all the elements of a covenant are to be found here.”


Dear Brethren,

I am not a theologian but “elements of a covenant are to be found” is like saying Lydia’s baptized household must of had infants so we should baptize infants. The Baptist would say in reply, there must have been also children ages 4 through 16 so we must baptize them also. The article begins with an assumption, but Galatians definitively speaks of “THE 2 Covenant”, which the “elements of” doe not literate.

There are literally 2 Covenants. There are other covenants of all sorts through out the Scriptures but the scriptures narrow it down to two in speak about Law and Grace. We need to let the scriptures speak definitively for itself. Below is what I wrote to someone studying the Decalogue. I know the Author is no longer with us and the article is perhaps believed by many or it would not be published for discussion so my hope is as brethren we will not let honor and love for brethren interfere with our understanding while looking at the word. May the Holy Spirit teach us.


What Think Ye of the Decalogue – Ten Commandments

When we say or think of the Ten Commandments, we should include them with the rest of the laws or Covenant given at Mt Sinai. The New Testament teaches that there are 2 Covenants. Understanding of the 2 Covenants will determine Biblically and if not, confuse our worldview towards the saved and unsaved. The 2 Covenants are as follows:
Old Covenant at Mt. Sinai – Law/Works, Bondage & Death
New Covenant of Promise – Faith/Grace, Liberty & Life.

Galatians 4:21 ~ 31).
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid (Law/Works), the other by a freewoman (Grace/Faith).

23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the [color:"FF0000"]bondwoman was born after the flesh;[/color]

24 [color:"FF0000"]Which things are an allegory[/color]: for these are [color:"FF0000"]the two covenants;[/color] the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

28 Now we, brethren, [color:"0000FF"]as Isaac was, are the children of promise[/color] (Grace/Faith).

29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? [color:"FF0000"]Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.[/color]

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

There are various other covenants in the Old Testament but the New Testament describes two and they are the Covent of Law given at Mt. Sinai as oppose to the New Covenant of Grace in Christ Blood. The Decalogue was part of the Laws given at Mt. Sinai. The [color:"FF0000"]Scripture[/color] do not separate Laws given at Mt. Sinai into the Ten (Moral), Judicial and Ceremonial/Sacrificial. When men study God’s Word and build Theological Systems, labels, names and definitions are introduced, which are fine but when compared to scripture with scripture the labels, names and definitions many times cannot be established by the word or God or substantiated by it. Back to the 2 Covenants one of which contains the Decalogue. Christ speaks of the New Covenant, which is in himself.

Mark 14:23-24
23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them: and they all drank of it.

24 And he said unto them, [color:"FF0000"]This is my blood of the covenant[/color], which is poured out for many.

I Corinthians 11:24-25
24 and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the [color:"FF0000"]new covenant in my blood[/color]: this do, as often as ye drink 'it', in remembrance of me.

Jesus told us not to put the new wine (grace-covenant) into the old wine skin (law-covenant) or new patch on old clothing. Both shall be ruined. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump says in another part of Scripture. The Christian is no longer under law (old Covenant) because when saved he has graduated from the schoolmaster of the Law of Moses. The professor no longer has any authority over his grades once he has his diploma. We however do not dishonor the Professor (Law/Moses) but in fact establishes it because it is high and holy and is still the Standard for those who are being tutor (to be used to preach to the lost). We are not under it ourselves and in fact must cast it out as the bondwoman (Read this in Galatians 4:4-7). What the Christian experiences is just like Abraham’s family. Although Hagar was cast out, she is brought back and the household is in a struggle. Hagar the bondservant is always trying to dominate Sara although she and her son will never be the Heir. Does this not sound like Paul’s struggle with the law in his members when he cries out OH wretched man.

Mark 2:21-22
21 No man seweth a piece of undressed cloth on an old garment: else that which should fill it up taketh from it, the new from the old, and a worse rent is made. (As mentioned earlier confusion of Law and Grace will tear a Christian up Spiritually.)

22 And no man putteth new wine into old wineskins; else the wine will burst the skins, and the wine perisheth, and the skins: but 'they put' new wine into fresh wine-skins.

Matthew 16:11-12
11 How is it that you don't perceive that I didn't speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

12 Then they understood that he didn't tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching (law) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Galations 3:24-29
24 [color:"FF0000"]Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ[/color] that we might be justified by faith.

25 But [color:"FF0000"]after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster [/color] (We need to cast out the bondwoman, (H)agar, the Law of bondage from Mt Sinai, when the seed of promise has come – faith)

26 For [color:"FF0000"]ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.[/color]

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And [color:"FF0000"]if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.[/color]

When a building is leased, a new lease is signed by the new tenant. No one can hold us to the old Lease just because there are many similarities or EXACT wording. Many people want to blend the 2 leases just like the 2 Covenants because they contain the same Scriptures or references and you cannot legally and should not do that. Remember Jesus being the new Testator. The purposes of the 2 Covenant are entirely opposed to each other in terms of usage although they contain many of the same Scriptures. The Christian lives under the New Covenant by faith in the power of the Spirit to exhibit the Fruits of the Spirit and [color:"FF0000"]against such there is no law.[/color] Living in and under the Spirit is by faith and by asking God for power instead of trying to keep some kind of rule or regulations whether by laws of Sinai or man made Christian religion.

I am not suggesting that we do not work out our Salvation but fighting the good fight is by Faith and for Faith. Let him who steal, steal no more, flee youthful lust, depart from evil etc… If you love Me keep my commandants. Do what the Scripture asked (obey by Faith) about casting out the bondwoman and the Holy Spirit will teach you from the word how to live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit.

Galations 5:1-9
1 [color:"FF0000"]Stand firm [/color] therefore [color:"FF0000"]in the liberty[/color] by which Christ has made us free (Grace-Covenant)), and don't be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (Mt Sinai Law – Hagar Bondage).

2 Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

3 Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law [color:"FF0000"](and perfectly)[/color]. (Circumcision is used to equate Law, [color:"FF0000"]if Christians are under law he is debtor to do the whole law including the Decalogue.[/color] Scripture does not set the 10 aside from the Mt. Sinai Covenant of Works – Law)

4 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

5 For we, through the Spirit, [color:"FF0000"]by faith wait for the hope of righteousness[/color] (sanctification ~ faithing the good faith).

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, [color:"FF0000"]but faith working through love[/color] (The just shall live by faith ~ trusting in Christ’s Love).

7 You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (As the wine skin and clothing both are ruined, Law and Grace cannot co-exist or else spiritually we will be shipwrecked)

Paul told Timothy to use the law lawfully. The law is for use in preaching to the sinners. When someone is born-again, the School Master of Law is no longer authoritative nor have authority. We Christian’s establish the law, just as all scripture is useful because Jesus did not do away with it because it is still used by the Holy Spirit when we preach to the unconverted for conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment to come.

May God give everyone a ready mind and humility of heart to seek the Spirit in this area. Again, as mentioned our worldview of the unsaved and saved hinges on this and if mixed both the unsaved and save will be ripped apart (spiritually) by our theology.

I Timothy 1:1-10
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope;

2 to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,

4 neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God's stewardship, which is in faith-

5 but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith;

6 from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned aside to vain talking;

7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.

8 But we know that [color:"0000FF"]the law is good[/color], [color:"FF0000"]if a man uses it lawfully,[/color]

9 as knowing this, that [color:"FF0000"]law is not made for a righteous man (Christians), [/color] but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers (Unsaved).

10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, [color:"0000FF"]and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;[/color] [color:"FF0000"](Using the Law on or for the Christian is contrary to sound doctrine)[/color]

Galatians 4:4-7
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

5 that he might [color:"FF0000"]redeem those who were under the law[/color], that we might receive the adoption of children.

6 And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, " Abba, Father!"

7 [color:"FF0000"]redeem those who were under the law[/color], but a son; and if a son, then [color:"0000FF"]an heir (of Promise)[/color] of God [color:"0000FF"]through Christ[/color].

Blessings in Christ,

Brother Ben