The two contracts

At any given time, God’s will exists within a particular scope or season. His will for man is defined by the contractual agreement (covenant) that He has with mankind at that particular point in time. If the contract changes, the will of God will be defined by the new contract. In the Bible we have the Old Testament (contract) and the New Testament (contract).

We are living in the era of the new contract today. If you have accepted Jesus as lord of your life, then you are a member of that contract and that makes you a member of God’s church. God’s will for today is therefore defined by the new contract. So be careful to not try and define God’s will today by the old contract. Part of the old contract is an eye for an eye – but the new contract states, turn the other cheek. God’s will and actions are definitely different between the two contracts.

Typically the old contract (Old Testament) has been characterized as the Covenant of Judgment. Whereas the new contract (New Testament) is characterized as the Covenant of Grace. Grace is everything that Jesus’ blood and body paid the price for. Through the blood and body of Jesus, we gracefully have received promises for the forgiveness of sin, healing, spiritual authority over the enemy, peace and abundance.

Professional athletes renegotiate their contracts when they expire and create new ones. After the renegotiation process when the athlete and the team owner are satisfied, the new contract is written up and the old contract has no value. Neither the athlete or team owner can make a demand based on the old contract. All dealings are now under the new contract.

Because we are living under the New Contract of God can we just ignore the books written during the era of the Old Contract. Well as far as its rules and regulations, better known as ‘The Law’, the actual contract, yes. But not all books written while mankind was under the Old Contract deal directly with that contract. They contain accounts of creation, bloodlines, the fall of mankind, the making of a nation, prophecies and blessings. But wait a minute, blessings of the Old Contract aren’t part of the New Contract, so why would we be interested in them? We're interested because we have a clause in the New Contract that says it’s a better contract.

Heb 7:22 - Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Well if it’s better, then it must contain all the good of the Old Contract. So any good thing, such as a blessing, that existed in the Old Contract is still valid even though we are under the New Contract today.

One error that a lot of people make is they take a passage of scripture in the Old Contract and they try to apply it to modern day life. This is not valid unless the passage deals with a blessing of God, something good. The judgement God dealt under the Old Contract was based on the rules and restrictions of that contract and cannot be applied under the New Contract. Let’s take a look at something in the Old Contract. Here in the 53rd and 54th chapters of Isaiah God is speaking about the new contract that he will make with mankind in the future. This is the New Contract that we are living under right now. Let’s concentrate on just a few verses from these chapters that indicate how God will deal with people under the New Contract.

Isaiah 53:11- He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Here God says he is satisfied with the sacrifice of Jesus and that we are now justified because Jesus bore our iniquities (sins). So now under the New Contract we can have our sins forgiven if we choose so.

Isaiah 54:10 - For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

Isaiah 54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

Isaiah 54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, [but] not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

Notice what’s being said here: God’s kindness will not depart from us, we are established in righteousness, enemies will gather together against us, but it won’t be by God’s doing! It seems to me that God has established a New Contract of love, peace and kindness.  And love, peace and kindness is exactly what we should expect from Him, not sickness, disease and tragedy.