The Old Covenant Was Not Salvation by Works
Jeremiah 31 speaks of the new covenant God will make with Israel. But what is the old covenant that is being replaced. Most Christians tend to think that the old covenant is salvation by works and the new covenant salvation by faith. But that this erroneous is apparent from Paul’s argument in Romans 2 to 4. The old covenant was also salvation by faith!!
What is the old covenant? The old covenant grows out of God’s covenant with Abraham. So let us look at these covenants with Abraham and Moses.
The first covenant with Abraham is Genesis 12:1-3 where no works are demanded except to get out of his father’s house and to go to the promised land. If he went to the Promised Land God would bless him and make him a blessing.
The second covenant with Abraham is in Genesis 15:1-11 where an unconditional promise is given to Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. In this covenant, the Exodus event is indicated in verses 13-14 as a part of the covenant with Abraham. This passage also contains the well-known verse 15:6, “Abraham believed God, and He accounted it to him for righteousness”. It is important here to note that the word righteousness carries within it the meaning of salvation.
The third covenant with Abraham is in Genesis 17:1-14. Here God begins in verse 4 saying that God’s covenant is with Abraham, to make him the father of many nations. Verse 7 says that this would be an everlasting covenant with his descendants and God would give these descendants the promised land. No conditions are given. The sign of this covenant, that they were chosen by God, was circumcision (vs 10). To remain in this covenant relationship, they needed to carry on them the sign of the covenant, otherwise they were cast off (vs 14).
We now come to the covenant with Moses in Exodus. The Exodus event begins with the Passover celebration. Again, here no conditions are put. God has rescued them and they were to put the blood of the Passover lamb on their houses so the judgment would not come on them. No works were required, only an expression of their faith in Yahweh and the Passover sacrifice.
In Exodus 19:4-6
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Verse 5 “if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me “ is seen as a verse expressing salvation by works. But is that true? Verse 4 says that God has, with no conditions, brought them out of Egypt to HIMSELF. Now if they lived by obedience to Yahweh, God would make them a nation of priests, or they would fulfil God’s purpose for them.
The succeeding verses then spells how they could make themselves into a nation of priests.
