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Study #454 Kingdom: The Danger Of Living By The Old Covenant Provision


Can You Be A New Covenant Believer If You Haven’t Experienced The New Covenant?
If You Haven’t Experienced The New Covenant Can You Be a Christian?
Can You Live In New Covenant Times By Old Covenant Methods?


Man was created by God and for God and He was set upon the restored earth to complete God’s eternal purpose. Man was not created so he could be happy, prosperous, and excel in this world.


Psalm 8:2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes Thou hast established strength, Because of Thine adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. 3 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?


One purpose for which God created man was to deal with His adversaries, To make the


enemy and the revengeful cease. These enemies, obviously, were the fallen angels. However, when God created man He specifically made man lower that the angels. Of course man was created for several other reasons also. God purposed to subject the world that will be created after this one to man.


Heb 2:5 For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. 6 But one has testified somewhere, saying, “WHAT IS MAN, THAT THOU REMEMBEREST HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT THOU ART CONCERNED ABOUT HIM?


For 4000 years, from Genesis 1 through Malachi, God did not realize the fulfillment of His purpose through man. But within that period of time God established through Moses a Law and a Covenant but neither of these enabled man to fulfill God’s Eternal Purpose. The purpose of this study is to define why man was not equipped to deal with God’s enemies or be prepared to rule over the world yet to come by any of these former dispensations. None of these things imparted the inner ability to do God’s will.


The religion established by this former Covenant that was established through Moses was built upon outward laws written down for man to read so he could obey. Anyone who could read the laws then was required to do what he read. Each man who came under the law of Moses was required to keep and do every detail of the Law or he would be guilty and condemned by the whole Law.


James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.


Psalm 119:97 O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, For Thy testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Thy precepts. 101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Thy word. 102 I have not turned aside from Thine ordinances, For Thou Thyself hast taught me. 103 How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 From Thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.


David was a man who loved God and loved His word. He meditated on the word day and night and considered the Law to be his most cherished possession. David is a type of the Christian believer who is called to become a Kingdom of Priests or Kings and Priests. David was a very religious man and very zealous for God and loved the Holy Book of the Law. He certainly believed in one true God and did his best to serve God. He truly believed that his knowledge of the Law made him much wiser than his enemies and gave him more insight than his teachers.


David would certainly be held up as a very good believer today and a tremendous asset to any modern church . David could even be ordained and appointed to a five-fold ministry today and travel to preach about what he has learned.


David is just like many Muslims, Christian Scientists, Buddhists, Jehovah Witnesses, Amish or New Age believers and many other religions. They may all believe in one God. Everybody has their own book that is the focus of their life and they read it and meditate upon those precepts day and night. Muslims even pray to the one true God, Allah, five times a day because they are very zealous for Allah. However, none of these can be Christian according to the New Covenant. Why? Because the New Covenant demands that certain inner experiences are within the New Covenant Believer! The New Covenant reality will make that kind of Christian completely different from other created persons on the earth. The New Covenant will create a New and Different Species of Man who is of a New and Different Creation from that in Genesis 1 and 2. All religions, except true Christianity, must deal with and include the old man after the race of Adam. It is this natural man that prays and reads and has much zeal for his “god.”


David had wonderful zeal for God and love and respect for the Book of the Law but he could not be a Christian because he lived in the wrong Covenant. It is very sad today to find believers like David who have a zeal for God but not according to New Covenant knowledge!


Rom 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.


Reading the Bible, loving God and being very zealous to keep his commandments sounds like a


very good believer who could be appointed to the ministry. However, he may do all that and still NOT be a New Covenant Christian and like David still be living under the wrong Covenant. Why? Because David’s religion, even though it was very strong, was after the natural man or after First Adam. David had no new inner man that was born from above. David was born of perishable sperma as a natural man. That does not mean he was not a very good man but it does mean he could not be a Christian. However, he might, like multitudes today, attend church, pay their tithe and assume they are saved and call themselves “Christian.”


In Psalm 51 David recognized that he was born in sin and that something very strong and wrong dwelt in him. Only if God could create in him something new and different could he be free to please God in our “Christian” dispensation.


This is still the disappointment and despair in the church today. Some call it a great hunger for God or an increase in zeal for God. What are people really looking for today? They are searching for some inner reality where they can do the will of God and participate in His eternal Government. Do they know that? Not really! They may call it “seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness.” My understanding is this; Seeking the Kingdom outside of a genuine New Covenant experience is a big waste of time. Unless we are fully participating in the New Covenant we must still be under the Old Covenant or have NO COVENANT because these are the only choices we have.


There are very many religions out there in the world that have been created by the natural man. My wife and I were in Christian Science for over 15 years. However, it was not Christian nor real science because it left us in a wholly natural state that was short of the New Covenant. Most of the religions that have been created by the natural man are about all the same in one way of another. They may pray, have a book, have real zeal and give their life for that religion but it is just natural man doing the best he can. They may not recognize the Old Covenant as valid for their religion but if they do not escape from the world system and the kingdom of darkness and the natural man they are still NOT in the New Covenant and therefore, they cannot be Christian in the New Covenant sense.


Many are deceived because the word “Christian” is included in the name of the church or alluded to in their message but IF they are not experiencing the New Covenant as an inner reality they are NOT really Christian. They may say the word Kingdom but if they are NOT New Covenant Christians they are NOT Kingdom believers. Even if they speak in the name of Jesus they cannot be Christian unless they are participating in the New Covenant. The Jesus of the Bible is the mediator of the New Covenant. The Ministers of the New Covenant are not speaking “letter” but Spirit. If He IS the mediator of the New Covenant will he be satisfied to leave you in the Old Covenant?


2Co 3:6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.


Now by this definition, there may be 200 churches listed in an area but only a very few may actually be Christian. Some that are listed as “churches” may just be a gathering of natural men and minister “letter” or set up their own rules and ordinances like the Amish and many others They may pray, call on the name of Jesus, read the Bible and have great zeal to “win souls” but if they are not New Covenant Christians they are pretty much wasting their time! We are not saying that they have NOT been forgiven of their sins or that they do not have peace with God. We are not even saying that they are not saved from the wrath of God.


Rom 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,


Rom 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.


Rom 5:10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.


David must have been justified by his faith and it is obvious he had peace with God.


Since David offered sacrifices he must have been justified by the blood and was saved from the wrath of God.


However, the Life of God, ZOE, was not available to David so David could not be “saved” into that same dimension of Life as a New Covenant believer. David could not be reconciled by the death of His Son because that was many years in the future! Therefore, David could not be “saved by His Life.”


It was not possible for David to be a Christian but he would be accepted by many churches as a good believer. He could graduate from seminary with the highest honors but David was still be an Old Covenant believer. He was perfect in his generation but there is no way he could be a Christian in the New Covenant sense.


Many “Churches” that are called “Christian” may still not be Christian simply because they haven’t made the transition to the New Covenant. Does that mean they are still Old Covenant? No! They may be NOTHING but a group of natural people meeting together on Sunday. They may reject the Old Covenant but still not be converted to the New Covenant. Could they be forgiven of their sin? Certainly! Like the thief on the cross they may go to paradise. However, by the Bible definition of the New Covenant they could not be Christian in the New Covenant / Kingdom sense.


In these past three studies we have been searching for an answer to a universal question.


Can we identify the reason for this pitiful condition of the visible church?


As I have traveled these last few months it seems more and more people are recognizing that


something is wrong. Of course some are asking why we don’t see more miracles and healings in the church today like is recorded in the New Testament. Some are disappointed in the Pentecostal Church because so few even receive the Holy Spirit with any evidence or experience any of the gifts now. Churches have become so routine and dead that they have become boring. Some churches have decided to add more entertainment and sports or family gathers or programs for singles. Others have turned to only seeker friendly messages with positive overtones that comfort the sinner and make him welcome. Other are scheduling rock concerts and dances in order to attract the youth. Christian stand-up comedy is getting more popular. Some are starting book clubs and discussion groups and some are turning to political themes to promote Christian ideals or anti-abortion emphasis.


Most of these efforts have been the result of frustration by the “ministries” to find a solution to the declining interest in “going to church.” They think only something new can attract new people once again to replenish the empty pews on Sunday. However, maybe it is something original that we need like restoring the church to the basic experiences that identify what the church really is supposed to be. This is not to suggest that we need to go back to what Martin Luther taught or what John Wesley taught or what the Latter Rain movement demonstrated.


What I am suggesting is that the basic Christian experiences must be restored to create a life giving and life changing power and a testimony that demonstrates reality. Even some of the living churches have gone as far as they are able to go in the natural light of the Outer Court. Now they feel like they are “stuck” and things are growing routine. Of course most Evangelical Churches have fallen far short of even the basic experiences or foundations. Many no longer practice Baptism and those that do see no real benefit to Baptism. They say it is just a public testimony but the Bible reveals about 20 things that are supposed to take place in real Baptism. If these things DO NOT happen will God even permit us to “go on?” The Bible indicates that He will NOT!


Our emphasis even goes back beyond Baptism to what it means to “repent and be saved.” After that we can begin to focus upon each of the SEVEN Outer Court experiences to determine if each one has a valid, life giving reality in our life. Of course this requires a personal responsibility to get before God and inquire about what is preventing you from “going on.” Personal responsibility has become a very negative message among casual believers! If you lack ANY of these SEVEN real foundational experiences that must become your first priority. No ministry should be attempted until each of these Outer Court foundations are experientially yours or you may find God resisting you.


Even if you were “successful” in the past and had an anointing over the last several years that will NOT carry you into the next restoration which is the Spiritual light of the Holy Place. This illumination is from the Seven Spirits of God on the Lampstand Church ( the one He is building) which indicates the Spirit without measure.


When God begins to teach you things and suddenly you know things that you don’t know how you know, that will indicate the change has begun. When God begins to deal with wrong attitudes and the thoughts and intentions of the heart you will know you have begun the transition. When you are confronted with that Isaiah 6 reality you are being restored to the New Covenant Ministry. If you are content with your present ministry and the status quo this message of this document is not for you.


In many of the current church systems NO genuine Christian experience is necessary to participate in the activities. Just “joining the church” will be sufficient or just giving money will be enough to allow you to participate. These are just counterfeit systems that are very dangerous to the eternal destiny of multitudes. Many of the people who attend these counterfeit systems have no idea that they are just religious in their content and offer no real Christian Inner Life. Many Pentecostal Church have joined the rank of the counterfeit simply because they no longer are able to take the church into maturity. They have stagnated in their revelation and many of these “ministries” are just getting their messages from the Evangelicals that post them on the inter net. Years ago there was a Christian News Paper called “The Sword of The Lord” where you could purchase 52 sermons for $52 that kept track of all the holidays and special occasions. They even came will all the notes so all the Pastor had to do was read and repeat the words.


Some still measure their spiritual life by what they DON”T DO! I don’t smoke, I don’t chew, I don’t cuss, I don’t steal, I don’t lie and I don’t drink! I never stay home if the church door is open. I never withhold my money from the collection plate. These are all good but many unsaved people can go to church and say the same thing!


My thesis is this; none of these things are fulfilling God’s Eternal Purpose to have a Kingdom of Priests or Sons who have grown to the measure of the stature of the fulness of His only begotten Son. None of these religious practices are producing the “many Sons that He will bring to Glory” who will be able to rule over the works of His hands in the world yet to come.


There are all kinds of religions out there and some are called Christian and use the name of Jesus. They pray, preach, look good, they have a book and are very zealous but they are of the wrong Covenant or are of NO COVENANT. For that reason they CANNOT be considered as Christian. They may have “accepted Jesus as personal Savior” and they may have forgiveness of sins and be saved from the wrath of God but they may still NOT be New Covenant Christians.


If all churches were New Covenant Churches and New Covenant Christians and Kingdom Demonstrators it might be that we would see the reality that many are seeking for now in corporate fellowship. We can be certain that if God is withholding anything it is simply because we are not ready to receive it or we will misuse it or use it for our own glory. However, it is clear that the Lampstand Church will not be as lukewarm as we see in the visible church today. He simply will not put up with that kind of Christianity in the Holy Place. In this dimension of the FULNESS of the Spirit (the seven Spirits of God) we can expect severe discipline and that confrontation by the Lord who demands change or be eliminated from His body.


`Even things we got away with in the past have come to an end now and are no longer


acceptable. God may have winked at certain abuses in the past but that time is over because it is time for the visible church to become the Pure Gold Lampstand Church that He Is Building.


If the present leadership cannot get believers into the Holy Place dimension of restoration and light, God must raise up other kinds of leadership that have first made the transition themselves BEFORE they try to lead others into what they know very little about. If God has to catch someone up to the Third Heaven and reveal eternal things He will certainly do that. God will NOT Give up His eternal purpose just to accommodate a back slidden bunch of casual believers. God will NOT accept wood, hay and straw believers just because that IS the most popular building material today. He is very clear that He will ONLY accept Silver, Gold and Precious Stone Believers.


Therefore, we can positively declare that all wood, hay, and straw churches will not survive so why waste your time in one of those. Many think that if they fill the pews with wood, hay and straw believers and if they are called “Christian” that God will have to accept them. That ignorance will buy you NOTHING in the Kingdom of God where His consuming fire will test your work to see what sort it is. In these next dimensions NOTHING will escape the Fire of His Presence. It that dimension even a little Strange Fire will be met with violence and this carnal incense is immediately rejected but the ones who burnt it are destroyed by the fire! That was NORMAL under just the Old Covenant so how much hotter do you think the fire is under the New Covenant. Some say there is NO FIRE now because God’s grace has postponed the fire of His Presence until judgement day. Of course we know that Hebrews 12 sends that doctrine out the dung gate! Maybe someone told Aaron’s sons that before they burnt strange fire on the Incense. [Leviticus 10]


The great problem with the Old Covenant is that someone could be seen doing all the correct outward things but we have no idea what is going on in the inside of that person. No one could perceive the thoughts and intentions of the heart or his motive in doing the right things.


The New Covenant corrects these defects in the Old Covenant. However, in the New Covenant it is God who judges the inner reality of what is Christian and what is not Christian. Now the thoughts and intentions of the heart and our motives for doing things is brought out into the Spiritual Light of the Holy Place.


Because religious men today are ignorant of the New Covenant they set up groups that are of their own design. They establish doctrines and customs and traditions and requirements that have NOTHING to do with real Christianity! They use the Bible as a Book of the Law and read it like David. Does that mean we don’t need the Bible? Not at all! However, the first priority is becoming a New Covenant Christian so God can teach you Himself. Then the Bible becomes a New Book that is not just interpreted and preached by natural methods by the natural man. Since the Laws of God are put into the New Inner Man we must use the Bible lawfully.


Outward “Christianity” uses the Bible to create “Laws” that do not exist in the Bible and has nothing to do with Christianity. The Amish, along with other legalistic societies, are current examples of this practice. The Amish insist that we MUST create fences to guide our people and to keep them on the highway. The New Covenant is designed to do that same thing but as an inner reality rather than as an outward system of religion.


“I will cause you to walk in my ways so you will be careful to keep my statutes and ordinances and do them” is all the fences we need if we are living by the New Covenant reality. Those who are ignorant of the New Covenant and its experiential necessity to live the Christian Life will substitute rules and counterfeit laws and try to make the imitation to look Christian. However, even if man does not know the difference, God knows and He will no longer “wink” at this perversion of TRUTH.


Therefore, it is my guess that the reason God is NOT answering prayers about revival is that God has no intension of “reviving” a system that is working against His plan and purpose. Maybe if we began to pray for God to restore the New Covenant to reality in the church He might do THAT!