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Please use Google translate if you have difficulties understanding the English languag.e 2. Corinthians 3 (entire chapter): The new covenant: the law written on our hearts and minds, by the holy spirit. From letter, literal, external to spiritual, deeper. inner. "You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
"But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."
Romans 7:6
"but in my sinful nature a *slave to the law of sin*."
Romans 7:25
Paul says in Philippians 3:
"3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. "
Notice verse 8 and 9 in particular. Paul consider these outer, literal, factors that represent the old covenant law, mentioned in Galatians 3:28, for garbage.
Make alse sure to read first Galatians chapter 3 and notice again particularly verse 26-29. Then continue reading on through the entire chapter of Galatians 4.
Here we have two laws being contrasted and set up against each other. This is clearly the law of the old covenant contrasted with the law of the new covenant.
Notice verse 21 -26
" Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as theresult of a divine promise.
These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. "
Then verse 28- 31:
"Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman."
Notice also in Romans 3:27-31: “Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith .For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcisedthrough that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” Romans 3: 27-31
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." ... Revelation 14:12
This is describing the remnant people of God. This refer also to the new covenant law: The law of Christ, by faith. See Revelation 14:12. The law by grace (undeserved power from the holy spirit) through faith. The law that is FREE, not bound by the walls of seperation, of judging by the letter, by race, nationality, ancestry, gender, status etc. But by faith. Meaning; what law and teachings and doctrines you truly believe in and live by. What you treasure in your heart and mind. The law of God and Christ, who walk by faith which are free from these outer barriers? Or the law of His arch enemy: the prince of this world, who keeps you in slavery by being bound to the temporal and earthly, and walk by sight, not by faith? Again speaking of the old versus new pact law.
Compare with the above verses from Galatians 4.
"Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."
The Old LAw and covenant (immature version) by works and to walk by sight. That is to be bound by these outer factors, again. Contrasted with the Law by faith. We are to crucify this old law, which is to walk by the flesh, and by sight. The law of God are still to be kept, but through power by the holy spirit through faith. This happens gradually in the path toward righteusness. Freed from these outer barriers that seperates. We are only to be seperated based on our faith and whom we truly serve. If we walk according to the old, fallen law and covenant, then we are more or less under the banner of the fallen angel and not under the banner of Christ, and His new covenant, law and order. Here again we see the importance of recieving available light of today. And not to stick with the old, outdated and fallen.
Note the term own works. Stemming from the law and spirit of the flesh/self. That is exactly what we are talking about. While God wants us to be filled to a greater degree with His law by His spirit through faith.
These are not works (works of the law of the flesh). (See Romans 8 and Galatians 3 and 4). However they are works of righteousness, only achieved by grace through faith.
This is also the significance of the law of the new covenant. Walking by the Spirit, by faith. Not just in the letter (the literal, on tables of stone, but written on the mind/heart). Hebrews 8:10.
But this is a gradual process, the way of the cross. The narrow path to salvation (sanctification). On this path towards righteousness and holiness, there will be more works stemming from the holy spirit, which will be part of the new character. The baptism of fire (purification in the sanctification). If we love Jesus, we will want to keep His law/ commandments.
Entire series: "The Old vs. New Law, Covenant and Order"