Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: August 3, 2008
JEREMIAH’S PROPHECY OF THE NEW COVENANT -- # 2
Ben Justice
[CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK]
The features of this new covenant are truly fascinating and marvelous. These features are given in v. 33-
34 of Jeremiah 31.
First, God said, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts” (v. 33). Note first,
contrary to the assertion of some, that the new covenant would be a “law.” The New Testament is
referred to as “the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).
What Jeremiah prophesied about the law of this covenant being “in their hearts” is not to suggest that
the Law of Moses was not a law of the heart, for it very much was (cf. Deut. 6:5). However, the old law
had been engraved on tablets of stone (i.e. the ten commandments). The new law would be aimed more at
motives, and hence, written upon hearts, as opposed to stone.
It should also be noted that Jeremiah employed Hebrew parallelism where the second expression (“write
it in their hearts” means the same as the first expression (“put my law in their inward parts”). This is
saying the same thing just from a different angle.
Second, Jeremiah further prophesied, “will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Here we have a
reciprocal relationship. This feature of the new covenant, when connected back to the previous feature,
indicates that under the new law this relationship is dependent upon the law of God being in one’s
heart. God certainly does not sustain a relationship with those who do not obey his word (I John 1:7; 2
John 9).
Third, Jeremiah said, “and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord” (v.
34). Under the old covenant, the Israelites were born into it by a physical birth to Israelite parents, and
later, when old enough, were taught to know God and to honor his covenant. What Jeremiah points out
here is that there would be knowledge of God before entrance into the covenant. It is, therefore, not the
case that one will be physically born into a relationship with God, and then taught to know him; rather, at
the beginning, through the process of conversion (a new birth — John 3:3-5), believers will “know him,”
from the least to the greatest. Wayne Jackson has well pointed out,
The principle here enunciated is a death-blow to the practice of infant church membership (via baby baptism). Moreover, the
expression “know him” also implies submission to his will (cf. I John 2:3) — a fact that negates the absurd denominational claim
that the provisions of the new covenant are “unconditional.”
Fourth, Jeremiah declared, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more” (v. 34).
This is unlike the circumstance of the old covenant where animal blood could not accomplish that effect
(Heb. 10:4), and so remembrance of sins was made “year-by-year” (Heb. 10:3). In vivid contrast to that,
the sacrifice of Christ dealt with sin once for all (Heb. 9:26).
The fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy is given in Heb. 8:1-13, specifically v. 8-12. In Heb. 8, the inspired
writer spoke of the priesthood and new covenant of Jesus Christ (v. 1-6). Jesus “is the mediator of a
better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (v. 6). The first covenant (the Law of
Moses) was not “faultless” (v. 7). If it had been faultless, “then should no place have been sought for the
second” (v. 7). This is when, beginning in v. 8, the writer referenced Jeremiah’s prophecy. This new
covenant is the law of Christ.
There is no clearer truth taught in the NT that the old covenant (the Law of Moses) has been abrogated
and taken out of the way having been nailed to the cross of Christ (Heb. 10:9; Col. 2:14; 2 Cor. 3; Rom. 7:
4-7). All accountable men today are amenable to the Law of Christ (Mark 16:15-16; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Acts 17:
30-31).
MORALITY & SALVATION
Morality is not only essential for the preservation of any society, it is also essential for the salvation of
any individual. The Bible repeatedly speaks of the consequences of living an immoral life — i.e. contrary
to God’s moral code as set forth in his word (Rom. 1:21-32; I Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-5; Rev. 21:
8). If we are not living according to God’s moral code in all areas — even areas that are deemed
controversial such as immodesty and dancing — then woe is us. Immoral people can’t go to heaven.
With that said, here is a crucial point that must be made that perhaps the majority of people do not
understand: Just being a good, moral person is not sufficient to land one in glory. In other words, ethical
activity is not the totality of a person’s obligations before God. Cornelius was a good, moral person —
even religious — but still unsaved (Acts 10:1-2, 47-48; 11:14). There are spiritual responsibilities of all
accountable people. These include faith in God and Jesus Christ as God’s Son (John 8:24; Heb. 11:6),
repenting of sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus to be God’s Son (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10;
Matt. 10:32-33), being immersed in water for the remission of one’s past sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) and other
things. If morality was sufficient in and of itself, then why did God send Jesus to die on the cross?
There would have been no need. Thus, we must not only live according to God’s moral laws as set forth
in his word, but we must meet the spiritual and theological requirements as also set forth in his word (2
Thess. 1:7-9). — Ben Justice