The focus in Chapters 5 – 8 is now on the Lord Jesus as the high priest after the order of Melchizedek. We see how He acted as the ultimate mediator, bringing us into reconciliation with God, with the ultimate sacrifice of Himself, opening access into the presence of God for all believers. His sacrifice is once and for all, complete; the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place is once and for all torn down. Jesus entered into heaven itself. He died, was buried but rose again and ascended unto the right hand of God the father and sat down, waiting for all enemies to be subdued under His feet. His sitting down indicated that He has accomplished His mission; yet He still acts as our intercessor and advocate at God the Father’s right hand. He and the father sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us as our teacher, comforter and guide. What is more, the Spirit effected the writing of the Law on our hearts and minds.
THE NEW COVENANT
The eternal high priest instituted the new covenant. No longer is the Law written on stones; it is written on our hearts and minds. It is not something external; it is wrought internally and through the Spirit. The Spirit enables us to obey God and the Law; He inculcates the love and positive desires in us internally so that we obey, not out of duty or by rote but we obey because we love the Lord God and His ways. The new covenant brings about a knowledge of God for all His children and this knowledge is no longer exclusive to teachers of the Law. We become God’s eternal possession, His family, and He no longer holds our sins against us.
The Law and the Levitical system are but a copy and shadow of the substance, fulfilled in Christ. The Law is good but is not able to help us ultimately to be right with God. It shows us the holiness of God and the ugliness of sin but open access to the holy God is still impossible without the sacrifice of the ultimate Lamb of God. The Law is like a school teacher who leads us to Christ; it is as if we have to go through pre-school, primary school, secondary school before we can finally enrol into university. The moral Law is still relevant and expresses God’s desire for His people.
Now with the new covenant, we are able to fulfil the Law with the enabling of the Holy Spirit. Admittedly, we are still not perfect. Yet the positive direction towards holiness and perfection has begun with the Law written on our hearts and minds. By the Spirit, we can put to death the deeds of the flesh. We are enabled to put off the old self and to put on the new self. This is a continual battle to attain holiness but the power to attain it is now made available. Christ’s death on the cross has paid the penalty of sin, dealt with the power of sin and will dispel the presence of sin when He comes again.
In the meantime, with the new covenant, the believer is able to renew his mind and be transformed through the Spirit and the application of God’s Word which is sharper than any two edged sword. The heart can be nurtured to love God and the things God loves and to hate what God hates. Walking in the Spirit is now possible and the believer is able to avoid walking in the flesh. Dying to self, denying self-life and carrying the cross become a reality. Producing the fruit of the Spirit comes about invariably when we obey God and the promptings and teachings of the Holy Spirit.
The battles are not over; we have a formidable enemy. Furthermore, the world is constantly seeking to turn us away from our Lord and master. Lastly, the self easily gives way to pride, envy, jealousy, fleshly desires and the like.
But thanks be to God! The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. The requirements of the Law might now be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:2,4). The new covenant instituted by God through Christ Jesus and made possible by the Holy Spirit has now set us free from the law of sin and death. We need not sin because we are no longer under its bondage. We will live and not die because the Lord Jesus is alive. This Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, and He sits at the right hand of the Father.