Condemnation And Death -- Righteousness And Life
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
Contrasting the New Covenant with the Old, the Apostle points out that
“the letter,” with its requirements and penalties, “killeth.” Therefore
the dispensation of the Law is called “the ministration of condemnation”
and “the ministration of death” (II Cor. 3:7,9).
The ministration of the Law began in a blaze of glory. Mount Sinai was
“altogether on a smoke… as the smoke of a furnace.” There were
thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake. There was the sound of a
trumpet, “exceeding loud.” There was the glorious Shekinah cloud in
which God Himself appeared and “spake all these words” (Ex. 19:9- 20:1).
But ere Moses had even come down from the mount with the tables of
stone, the people were breaking the very first commandment, dancing like
heathen about a golden calf. From here on the administration of the Law
took on another aspect. Judgment had to be pronounced and penalties
inflicted. Nor could any escape its just sentence of condemnation and
death. What had begun in glory led but to gloom, “because the law
worketh wrath…” (Rom. 4:15). “…for it is written: cursed is every one
that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the
law to do them” (Gal. 3:10).
But there can be no gloom associated with the ministration of the New
Covenant, says the Apostle, for under it righteousness and life are
administered to all who will receive them by faith. And this because the
claims of the Old Covenant were fully met by Christ at Calvary. Thus
the ministration of the New Covenant outshines the ministration of the
Old in every respect.
But was not the New Covenant made “with the house of Israel and with
the house of Judah,” rather than with the Church of our day? Yes, but
with Israel’s rejection of Christ and her temporary blindness the
blessings of the New Covenant are now bestowed by grace upon those who
do receive Christ. Hence, it was not Peter or the twelve, but Paul who,
with his associates, was made an “able minister of the New Testament”
(II Cor. 3:6).
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Les Feldick Ministries
30706 W. Lona Valley Rd.
Kinta, OK 74552
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