Written in Red – Rightly Dividing the Old and New Covenants

Many People assume that everything Jesus said, (all of the red letters) are for today, but we have to realize that Jesus spoke to people before the new covenant even began. Jesus was born under the Law, so let’s ask ourselves a question, “When did the new covenant start?”

Our (manmade) Bibles divider says that the new covenant started after Malachi, but does the new covenant begin with Jesus in a manger? I hope not. Andrew Farley once shared this with a crowd of people, and when he shared that the new covenant did not start where our bible divider tells us, he heard the following:

I heard a loud ripping noise at the back of the room. The senior pastor of the Baptist church hosting the retreat was holding up a page he’d torn from his Bible. It was the New Testament divider page. “Guess I won’t be needing this anymore!” he announced. (God Without Religion, 82)

Imagine that you go to the eye doctor and he prescribes you some glasses. You receive the glasses and notice one small thing, you can’t see clearly. This eye doctor has given you the wrong glasses, and like physical glasses that we need to see and drive cars, we need Biblical glasses. Have you ever read the Bible and been like, “what in the world does this have to do with anything?” or, “I don’t understand this verse in the Bible.” Well, my friend, you have not used your new glasses. You have received the wrong glasses. When we rightly divide the old and new covenants we can realize why stories are in the bible, and we can understand what this verse is about.

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15

 

This was written to young (pastor) Timothy. Paul was telling Timothy to rightly DIVIDE the Bible (the word of truth). Notice the word, “divide” has to do with separating something (the old and new covenant). These covenants need to be separated to have a clear view of the Bible.

Also, many times Christians see themselves as, “workers,” but the truth is that Paul was writing this to Pastor Timothy. People are workers at their jobs, and as Pastors our job is to rightly divide the scriptures. Paul is saying, “Timothy, this is your job; don’t be ashamed when you rightly divide the old and new covenants.”

 

Jesus Spoke To People Under The Law

Can you see how people misinterpret some of the things that Jesus has said? Some people even get angry when they preach about Jesus. Remember anyone who preaches angry, thinks their God is angry. Jesus spoke to people under the law.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, – Galatians 4:4

 

Jesus told a man once to keep the Ten Commandment in order to get to heaven, but is that the truth for today? Absolutely not! Jesus wanted people to see that they couldn’t earn any blessings or favor from God. He wanted them to realize they needed a savior, so He brought in the law, to bring them to the end of themselves. Let’s not bring back the law after Jesus has fulfilled it.

People quote the following verse without realizing it is an old testament verse.

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. – Mathew 6:14

 

This was written, before the cross even took place. Notice that from Acts to Revelation, you can find NO verse that said we are forgiven, if we forgive! But, you find plenty of verses that say we have been forgiven!

Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:32

 

Notice the difference? Before the cross we find that we must forgive to be forgiven, but after the cross we forgive because God has forgiven us (past tense). Live your life and read your Bible knowing when the new and old covenants started!

And the Word (Jesus) became flesh, and (Jesus) dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14

 

The entire Bible is God-breathed, so technically the whole Bible should be written in red! Jesus spoke to people under the old covenant, and we cannot read the words written in red and automatically assume it is for us. Whether the Bible is written in red or black, we need to rightly divide the old and new covenant.

 

Related Posts:

Who Was The Chief Of Sinners (Saul Or Paul)?

Is Faith Dead Without Works (In God’s Eyes)?

Does God Give Us More Than We Can Bear?