YAHWEH'S Two Covenants: Believer's Experience Through YAHSHUA

Be you an example of the believers of YAHSHUA,  in YAHWEH'S Word, in conversation,  in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity

Does your walk with YAHWEH prove that, though believers of YAHSHUA, you are of the Old Covenant which brings forth children unto bondage? Which things are an allegory for these are two Covenants, indeed from Mt. Sinai, bringing forward slavery, which is Hagar. Now Hagar is the Mt. Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Yarushalom (Jerusalem), because she serves as a slave with her children. But the Yarushalom above is free, who is our mother because it has been written: "Be glad barren ones, those not bearing, break forth and shout, those having no birth pains, because many are the children of the desolate, rather then those having a husband." But you brothers, are children of the promise according to Yitzhaq (Isaac). Yet even as it was then, those born according to the flesh persecuted those born according to Spirit, so they also do now. But what does the scripture say? "Cast out the maidservant and her son, by no means will the maidservant inherit with the son of the free woman." GalutYah- (Galatians) 4:24-31).

The house of Avraham- (Abraham) was the assembly of YAHWEH of that age. The division in his house, one son after the flesh, the other after the promise, was how YAHWEH would show the division there would be in all ages between the children of slavery, those who would serve YAHWEH in the spirit of bondage and those who were children of the free, who would serve YAHWEH in the Spirit of YAHSHUA. This text teaches us the whole letter confirms, that the Galatians had become entangled with a yoke of bondage and were not standing fast in the freedom with which the MESSIYAH has freed us. Instead of living in the New Covenant, in the Yarushalom which is from above, in the freedom which the SetApart Spirit gives, their whole walk proved that, though believers of YAHSHUA, they were of the Old Covenant which brings forth children unto bondage. This text teaches us a great truth, which it is of utmost consequence for us to understand thoroughly, that a man with a measure of the knowledge and experience of the unmerited favor of YAHWEH, can prove by a legal spirit that he is to a large extent under the Old Covenant. It will show us with clearness what the proofs are, of the absence of the true New Covenant life

The Difference Between YAHWEH'S Two Covenants Is Seen In Three Things

A careful study of this letter from Shaul shows us that the difference between the two Covenants is seen in three things. The Law and its works contrasted with the hearing of belief and trust, the flesh and its religion with the flesh executed, the lack of power to do good with a walk in the freedom and the power of the Spirit. May the Spirit of YAHWEH reveal to us this twofold life.

Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law or by hearing through belief and trust? The Galatians had indeed been born into the New Covenant, they had received the SetApart Spirit, but they had been led away by false teachers and although they had been justified by belief and trust, they were seeking to be purified by works, they were looking for the maintenance and growth of their life in YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH by the observance of the Law. They did not understand that the progress of life in YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH is alone by belief and trust, day by day receiving its strength from the MESSIYAH; that in YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH, nothing profits but belief and trust working by love.

It Is Only By Belief And Trust That We Stand, Walk And Live

Almost every believer makes the same mistake as the Galatians. Very few learn immediately conversion that it is only by belief and trust that we stand and walk and live. They have no conception of the meaning of Shaul's teaching about being dead to the Law, freed from the Law about the freedom with which the MESSIYAH YAHSHUA makes us free. "As many as are led by the Spirit are not under the Law." Regarding the Law as YAHWEH'S ordinance for our direction, they consider themselves prepared and fitted by conversion to take up the fulfillment of the Law as a natural duty. They know not that, in the New Covenant, the Law written on the heart needs an unceasing belief and trust in YAHWEH'S power to enable us by YAHWEH'S power to keep it. They cannot understand that it is not to the Law, but to a living Being that we are now bound and that our obedience and separateness from evil are only possible by the unceasing belief and trust in YAHSHUA'S power always working in us. It is only when this is seen, that we are prepared truly to live in the New Covenant.

The second word that reveals the Old Covenant spirit, is the word 'flesh.' Its contrast is, the flesh executed. Shaul asks: "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect in the flesh?" Flesh means our Law breaking human nature. At conversion, the believer has generally no conception of the terrible evil in his nature and the skill with which it offers to take part in the service of YAHWEH. It may be willing and diligent in YAHWEH'S service for a time, it may devise many observances for making worship pleasing and attractive, yet this might be only what Shaul calls, a good showing in the flesh (GalutYah 6:12), taking honour in the flesh, in man's will and man's efforts. This power of the religious flesh is one of the great marks of the Old Covenant religion, it misses the deep humility and spirituality of true worship before YAHWEH, a heart and life entirely dependent upon YAHWEH.

The proof that our "religion" is very much that of the "religious" flesh, is that the Law breaking flesh will be found flourishing along with it. It was this way with the Galatians. While they were making a good show in the flesh, and honouring in it, their daily life was full of bitterness, envy, hatred and other Law breaking. They were biting and devouring one another. "Religious" flesh and Law breaking flesh are one, its no wonder that among a great deal of "religion" there is anger, selfishness and worldliness so often found side by side. The "religion" of the flesh cannot conquer Law breaking.

There Is NO Entrance Into The True New Covenant Life Other Than Partaking In The Believer's Experience Through YAHSHUA'S Death!

 What a contrast to the religion of the New Covenant! What place does the flesh have there? They that are YAHSHUA'S have executed the flesh, with its desires and affections." Scripture speaks of the will of the flesh, the mind of the flesh, the lusts of the flesh, all these the true believer sees as being condemned and executed in YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH. They have given it over to death, the true believer not only accepts the execution stake, with its bearing of the curse, and its redeeming them from the evil nature, as their entrance into life, but also honour in the blood of YAHSHUA as their only power day by day to overcome the flesh and the world. I am executed with YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH. YAHWEH forbid that I should honour except in the execution stake of My Master YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH, by which I am executed to the world." Nothing less than the death of YAHSHUA was needed to bring in the New Covenant and the resurrection life that comes with it. There is NO entrance into the true New Covenant life other than partaking in YAHSHUA'S death!

Fallen from unmerited favor (grace) is the third word that describes the condition of these Galatians, in the bondage in which they were lacking in power for true goodness. Sha'ul is not speaking of a final falling away here, because he still addresses them as believers, but of their having wandered from the walk in the way of enabling them to separate themselves from evil by unmerited favor, in which a true believer can get the victory over Law breaking. As long as unmerited favor is only connected with pardon of Law breaking, the flesh is the only power in which to serve or work. But when we know what exceeding abundance of unmerited favor has been provided, and how YAHWEH makes it abound, so that we may abound in all good works, we will also know that, as it is by belief and trust that we are delivered, so to it is by YAHWEH'S unmerited favor alone, that we stand a single moment or take a single step.

 The contrast to this life of lack of power and failure is found in one word, "The Spirit." "If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law," with its demand on your own strength. "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not (a definite, certain promise) fulfill the desires of the flesh." The Spirit gives freedom from the Law, from the flesh, and from Law breaking. The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, and joy. Of the New Covenant promise, I will put MY Spirit within you, and I will cause you to walk in MY statutes, and you will keep MY judgments," the Spirit is the center and total power of the supernatural life of true obedience and separation from evil.

 What would have been the course the Galatians would have taken if they had accepted this teaching of Sha'ul? As they hear his question, "Now that you have come to know YAHWEH, how can you turn back again to the weak and poor rudiments, to which you wish to serve and be in bondage to again?" They would have felt that there was but one course nothing else could help them but to turn back again to the path that they had left. At the point where they had left it, they could enter again. Anyone of them who wished to do so, could turn away from the Old Covenant legal spirit and renew their surrender to the Mediator of the New Covenant, this could be the act of a moment, one single step. As the light of the New Covenant promise came upon them and they saw how YAHSHUA was to be all, and belief and trust (trust) all, with the SetApart Spirit in their hearts, and the faithfulness of a Covenant keeping Mighty One, who is all in all; they would feel they had one thing to do; in utter lack of power; to yield themselves to YAHWEH; and in simple belief and trust to count upon YAHWEH to perform what YAHWEH had spoken. In the believer's experience there may be still the Old Covenant life of bondage and failure, In the believer's experience there may be a life that gives way entirely to the New Covenant favor and Spirit. In the believer's experience, when the true vision has been received of what the New Covenant means, a belief and trust that rests fully on the Mediator of the New Covenant can enter at once into the life which the Covenant secures.

In YAHWEH'S New Covenant There Is An Actual Provision For Every Need In The Believer's Experience Through YAHSHUA

I cannot too earnestly beg all believers who long to know to the utmost what unmerited favor from YAHWEH can work in them, to study carefully the question as to whether the acknowledgment that our being in the bondage of the Old Covenant is the reason of our failure and whether a clear insight into the possibility of an entire change in our relationship with YAHWEH is not what is needed to give us the help we seek. We may be seeking for growth in a more diligent use of the means of unmerited favor and a more earnest striving to live in accordance with YAHWEH'S will and yet entirely fail. The reason is that there is a secret root of evil which must be removed. That root is the spirit of bondage, the legal spirit of self-effort, which hinders the humble belief and trust that knows that YAHWEH will work all in all, and yields to YAHWEH to do it. This spirit may be found among very great zeal for YAHWEH'S service, and very earnest prayer for YAHWEH'S favor; it does not enjoy the rest of belief and trust, and cannot overcome Law breaking, because it does not stand in the freedom with which YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH has made us free, nor does it know that where the Spirit of YAHWEH is, there is freedom. There the inner being can say: "The Law of the Spirit of life in MESSIYAH YAHSHUA has made me free from the Law of Law breaking (sin) and death." When we admit with our whole heart not only that there are failings in our life, but that there is something radically wrong that can be changed, we will turn with a new interest, with a deeper confession of ignorance and lack of power, with a hope that looks to YAHWEH alone for teaching and strength to find that in the New Covenant there is an actual provision for every need in the believer's experience through YAHSHUA.

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