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New Covenant

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1… Matthew 5: 17-20

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not

come to destroy but to fulfill.18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and

earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law

till all is fulfilled. 19  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these

commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom

of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called

great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your

righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (NKJV)

2… Luke 24:44

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I

was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the

Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

3… Romans 13:8-10

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has

fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,”

“You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”

“You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed

up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

4… Romans 8:2-4

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law

of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the

flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account

of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law

might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5… Galatians 5:14

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

6… Galatians 6:2

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

7… Titus 3:9

9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings

about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.

8… James 2:8-12

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love

your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you

commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever

shall keep the whole law, and yet  stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 

11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.”

Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become

a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged

by the law of liberty.

9… Romans 10:2-4

2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to

knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking

to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness

of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

10… Romans 14:4-6 & 10

4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.

Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike.

Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes

it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not

observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does

not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11… Colossians 2: 13-23

13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,

He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having

wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary

to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having

disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing

over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival

or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the 

substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false

humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen,

vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom

all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the

increase that is from God. 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles

of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations– 

21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish

with the using–  according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These

things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility,

and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

12… Hebrews 9:11-15

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater

and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 

12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered

the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if 

the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, 

sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ,

who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your

conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is

the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the

transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the

promise of the eternal inheritance.

13… Acts 15:1-29

And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you

are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 

2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with

them, they determined that  Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them

should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and

Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to

all the brethren. 4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by

the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God

had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up,

saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the

law of Moses.”

The Jerusalem Council

6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when

there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren,

you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the

Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, who knows the

heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and

made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now

therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which

neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace

of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring

how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. 

13 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren,

listen to me: 14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take

out of them a people for His name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree,

just as it is written: 16 ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David,

which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; 17 So that the rest

of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,

Says the Lord who does all these things.’

18 “Known to God from eternity are all His works. 19 Therefore I judge that we

should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 

20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols,  from 

sexual immorality,  from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses has

had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being

read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The Jerusalem Decree

22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send

chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely,

Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.

23 They wrote this letter by them:

The apostles, the elders, and the brethren,

To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:

Greetings.

24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled

you with words,  unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised

and keep the law”–to whom we gave no such commandment– 25 it seemed

good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with

our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the

name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who

will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the

Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary

things: 29  that you abstain from things offered to idols,  from blood, from things

strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Farewell.

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If you look deeper into the statement about blood and strangled animals you will

find that it was the practice of pagans to drink the blood of animals and humans

in their religious rituals. Therefore it is clear that this was speaking of blood

eaten or consumed in the worship of false deities.

Please refer to 1 Corinthians 10: 27-33 where all meat was declared proper

for food unless someone told you it was sacrificed to idols. Then you must

refuse to eat not for your conscience but for that of others who you may

stumble. Most meat sold in the market during that time period was sacrificed

to idols.

Also the JW’s refuse to take blood transfusions since they believe to do so

would break this command. However, if we look at this in proper context we

can understand that to take a transfusion would not break this ordinance since

it would not be done for a religious ceremony but to save a life.

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14… 1 Corinthians 10:27-33 & 11:1

27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go,

eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But

if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the

one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its

fullness.” 29 “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my

liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 But if I partake with thanks, why

am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just

as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many,

that they may be saved.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

15… Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come to  Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

16… Matthew 18:20

20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

17… Romans 7-6

6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were

held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

18… Matthew 9:13

13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not

come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

19… Ephesians 2:13-16

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by

the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and

has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh

the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to

create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He

might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting

to death the enmity.

20… Galatians 4:8-11

8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature

are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God,

how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire

again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 

11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

21… Hebrews 4:9-11

9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered

His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the

same example of disobedience.

22… Hebrews 8:1-13

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest,  

who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister

of  the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore  it is

necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He

would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;

5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely

instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you

make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now 

He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a 

better covenant, which was established on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant

had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because

finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when

I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah– 

9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took

them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue

in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that

I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in

their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My

people. 11  None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know

the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will

be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember

no more.”

13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming

obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

23… Philippians 3:7-9

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed

I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,

for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain

Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law,

but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

24… Matthew 22:34-40

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they

gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing

Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all

your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 

9 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these

two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

25… Hebrews 10:1…

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image

of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually

year by year, make those who approach perfect.

26… Galatians 3 :24-25

24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified

by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

27… Romans 3:9-31

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged

both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

10 As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;

11 There is none who understands;

There is none who seeks after God.

12 They have all turned aside;

They have together become unprofitable;

There is none who does good, no, not one.”

13 “Their throat is an open tomb;

With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;

“The poison of asps is under their lips”;

14 “Whose  mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”

15 “Their  feet are swift to shed blood;

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;

17 And the way of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the

law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before

God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for

by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being

witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God,

through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His

grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth  as a 

propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because

in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and

the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law

of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds

of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles?

Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by

faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through

faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

28… Romans 7:1-9

Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law

has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband

is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies,

she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives,

she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies,

she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another

man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the

body of Christ, that you may be married to another–to Him who was raised from the

dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful

passions which were aroused by the law  were at work in our members to bear fruit to

death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were

held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness

of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I

would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known

covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking

opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart

from the law sin was dead.

29… Galatians 2:16 & 21

16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ,

even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not

by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then

Christ died in vain.”

30… Galatians 3:1-5

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before

whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I

want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the

hearing of faith?– 3 Are you so foolish?  Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being

made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain–if indeed it was

in vain? 5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you,

does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

31… Galatians 5:3-4

3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised  that he is a debtor to

keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to

be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

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