Old Covenant/New Covenant

The Old Covenant – "the letter" – "the law" - was never meant to provide everlasting life to anyone.

That may be the reason why the apostle Paul wrote, "the letter [...] the letter kills [...] the ministration of death, written and engraved on stones" (2 Corinthians 3:6-7, AKJV).

Indeed, the Old Covenant was never meant to provide everlasting life to anyone.

Some have misinterpreted the following passage:

Ezekiel 20:10 So I made them go out of the land of Egypt and took them into the waste land. 11 And I gave them my rules and made clear to them my orders, which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him. (BBE)

"Will be life to him" (verse 11) – does that mean that the Old Covenant promised everlasting life, after all? No. But, if the whole nation of Israel had really followed the Old Covenant's rules, that might have given them all a better life, in some ways. That is, on the physical level. But not everlasting life; the Old Covenant simply did not provide for that.

Another way to view that passage is as the Darby version renders it:

Ezekiel 20:10 And I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them my statutes, and made known unto them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them. (DBY)

That does not mean that the Israelites would receive everlasting life under the Old Covenant. That merely means that they were to live by that covenant's rules (as long as they lived – and, as long as that covenant lasted).

The law was given as a tutor or school master.

New American Standard Bible Gal.3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

King James Bible: Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Mirror Translation:3:24  The law was acting just like a slave appointed to be the guardian of his master's children, until they would be of age to go to the proper school of Christ to find in faith their righteousness revealed and endorsed.

The law did not teach a living, saving knowledge, nor did it provide eternal life. But, by its rites and ceremonies, especially by its sacrifices, it pointed to Christ, that  one might be justified by faith. And thus it was, as the word properly signifies, a servant, to lead to Christ, as children are led to school by servants who have the care of them, that they might be more fully taught by Him the true way of justification and salvation, which is only by faith in Christ. And the vastly greater advantage of the gospel state is shown, under which we enjoy a clearer discovery of Divine grace and mercy than the Jews of old. The terrors of the law then are a convincing by the Spirit, to show one his/her need of Christ, who they really are in Him.

Old Covenant/New Covenant

There has been some discussion about Old Covenant/New Covenant. Are we supposed to keep all the commands of the Old Covenant etc?

We must understand that in the Old Testament God allowed it to be written from 2 perspectives:

1. He allowed His Will to be  written down.

2. He also allowed some to record their own heart’s desires.

Let me give you some examples.

Here are some requests to the Lord by the writer of Psalms.

1. (Psa 119:133)  Order my steps in your word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

2.(Psa 119:134)  Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep your precepts.

3.(Psa 119:135)  Make your face to shine upon your servant; and teach me your statutes.

New Covenant/Finished Work says:

1. (Psa 37:23)  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delightes in his way.

2.(Col 1:13)  Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

3. (2Ti 2:15)  Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and summed all its commands into the law of love.

(Luke 10:27)  And answering, he said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.