As has been seen, a covenant is an agreement between God and man. Within the Bible, we find two covenants: the Old and the New. We are to follow the New because it is the covenant binding upon all men everywhere. We need not keep the Sabbath day, make animal sacrifices, burn incense, nor any other of the Old Testament's requirements. Even in our municipal legal systems, some newer laws override the older ones. So it is with the Bible.
WHY AN OLD TESTAMENT?
There are many reasons that we have the Old Testament today.
We can learn a great deal about man and God from it. It records God's
creation, His dealing with a certain people and their preparations for
the coming Christ. Paul wrote, "For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through
comfort of the scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4).
These things "aforetime" has reference to the Old Testament. We can
gain insight by reading these things. They offer us hope that God
will do as He has promised in the New Testament.
Another reason we have the Old Testament is found within Paul's letter to the Corinthians. He said, "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted" (1 Corinthians 10:6). "Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). What we read in the Old Testament, we learn not to repeat or copy. We can learn from the Old Testament how not to act before God and how to serve Him with the proper attitude and reverence.
Also, Paul tells us that the Old Law was to bring its readers and followers to faith in the Son of God. Hear him, "So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor" (Galatians 3:24,25). Faith (actually "the faith") has come to replace the Old Law. The faith or doctrine of Christ is the law by which we are to live today. Again, Paul teaches us that the Old Law had a problem: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:3-4). Man could not keep the Law without sin. It therefore condemned him. It made no allowance for his forgiveness. Not until Christ came and gave Himself once for all sin could man be reconciled to God. "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).
NOW, THE NEW TESTAMENT
In Second Corinthians, Paul contrasts the two "glories" of the two
Laws. Note how they are compared, which is the superior, and why:
"But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones,
came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly
upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing
away: how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?
For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the
ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For verily that which
hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by
reason of the glory that surpasseth. For if that which passeth away
was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory" (2 Corinthians
3:7-11).
For a "thus saith the Lord" regarding why the Old Testament was done away in Christ, and why He established the second or New Law, read the first seven chapters of Romans, 2 Corinthians chapter three, Ephesians chapter two, Colossians chapter two, Galatians chapter three and all of Hebrews.
Now, study the questions in the study booklet and answer them. God bless you as you grow in your understanding of God's covenants and which is applicable to you.