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Letters of Truth - Spirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff THE OLD PASSES, THE NEW BECOMES
by Ray Prinzing"Assuming that anyone is in Christ, he is a creature new in quality. The antiquated, out-of-date things (which do not belong to the new life in Christ Jesus) have passed away. Behold, all things have become new in quality. But the aforementioned ALL THINGS are from God as a Source." (2 Cor. 5:17-18, Wuest Expanded).
A NEW CREATION SPECIES IS NOW IN FORMATION! The new life is HIS, for He is the Source of all the new! Phillips translation reads, "All this is God's doing, for He has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ." Nothing of self will add anything to the new-- the purpose and inworking are HIS. We find this truth of the sovereignty of God's handiwork to be in direct opposition to Christendom's emphasis on what man is TO DO-- with useless carnal efforts of trying to work into a state of spirituality. But God is not producing a religious people, He is bringing forth a new creation.
"It is, remember, by GRACE and not by achievement that you are saved-- HE has lifted us right out of the old life to take our place with Him in Christ Jesus in the Heavens. Thus He shows for all time the tremendous generosity of the grace and kindness He has expressed toward us in Christ Jesus. It was nothing you could or did achieve-- it was GOD'S GIFT OF GRACE which saved you. No one can pride himself upon earning the love of God. THE FACT IS THAT WHAT WE ARE WE OWE TO THE HAND OF GOD UPON US. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do those good deeds which God planned for us to do." (Eph. 2:5-10, Phillips).
How precious! "He lifts us right out of the old life," that He might place us into the new, thus old things pass away. This is not a recycling, or a redesigning of the old. In the natural world there is a strong emphasis being placed upon recycling-- it's the environmental thing to do. And it does seem that a lot of people in their religious activities have taken up with the concept of trying to recycle mankind-- keeping the same form, the same expression, but giving it a religious flavor. But God IS NOT revealed in the Word as One who just "patches up" something gone bad. Nor is He just trying to dress up the world with a "Jesus garment cover" to give a better appearance. Before He is finished with His creation He will have totally transformed it-- to bring forth "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13). Thus we are challenged to yield to His handiwork as He dissolves, strips away the old, "burns up the chaff with unquenchable fire," (Matt. 3:12), that He might make all things new. "Draw me, we will run after You," (Song of Solomon 1:4), is a far better response, than having to be pressured into relinquishing the old realm.
Jesus told it well, in His parable illustrations-- "No man also sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up takes away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine bursts the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles." (Mark 2:21-22).
A piece of new cloth-- the word "piece" is the Greek "epiblema," from the word "epiballo" meaning: to throw upon, thus, a patch, imposed upon a cloth to mend it. But the piece that is applied is new, "agnaphos," literally, unfinished, unshrunken, just raw material. So if it be securely fastened to the garment, as it gets wet and then shrinks while drying, it will pull away from the cloth whereon it was sewn, and the rent is made even worse. The OLD does not blend with the new. A worn out garment with a new piece sewn on, makes for quite a contrast. Likewise, Jesus says, you cannot put new wine which is still in its fermentation stage, into an old wineskin (bottle) that has become stiff and unbending-- the build up of the inner pressure will burst the wineskin-- resulting in the wine being lost, and the bottle ruined.
There are occasions in the Scripture when something is of MAJOR IMPORTANCE God would give it a double application, like Pharaoh's dream of the corn, and the cows. A strong message is being declared, and such is true here.
We might also insert a word of caution given by Wuest in his notes-- quote, "Be careful not to drive every detail of a parable to the wall. No parable walks on all fours, but will LIMP SOMEWHERE if the expositor seeks to explain every detail." unquote.
Example-- we have a little blue book of 200 pages before us-- there are two blank pages before a printed page appears. Now we must have a special meaning as to why it is a blue cover, and we note the numerical value for 200, and we attach special significance to the two blank pages, until by the time we get to the contents of the book we have already been limping off in several directions and forming opinions and ideas, so that we could easily be predisposed to think in ways that detract from the real message of the book itself. There are times when GOD IS MOST SPECIFIC IN DETAIL as He speaks into our heart-- and every dot and comma are there for a purpose, but in the matter of examining the "parables," we do well to be careful in spiritualizing every minute detail. A parable is a pictorial word thrown alongside the invisible spirit realm to give you a specific message, while at the same time almost concealing it. The earthly cannot fully explain the heavenly, they are TWO DIFFERENT REALMS, but one draws a point, the parable serves as a window to give a glimpse, not a total revelation.
The specific point that Jesus was making, emphasized by double application, is that you cannot co-mingle the old with the new, it renders them both useless. Christ's ministry of grace cannot be placed as a PATCH on the Mosaic law and ministration-- it just will not work. "If the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise." (Gal. 3:18). Phillips reads, "If the receiving of the promised blessing were now to depend on the Law, that would amount to a cancellation of the original "contract" which God made with Abraham as a promise." It is either the old ministration of condemnation and death, or the new ministration of His life, but you cannot have a measure of both and try to sew them together. That makes for CONFUSION!
Yet how often do men try and take the "little bit of Jesus they know" and sew it into all the traditions, old forms and programs. It never ceases to amaze me how people like to live under the old law dispensation. It seems the regimentation of works self-righteously satisfies their flesh, even if there be no life in it. Yet finding it a heavy yoke to bear, they also keep trying to breathe new life into the old order, try to sew just enough of the new Christ life into their rituals to fill up what is lacking. (Sounds like some Messianic groups [ed.]). But it doesn't work-- Christ cannot be held in with unyielding restraints, and like the new wine in a bottle, He will move and break out, disrupting the program, and challenging the people to let go the old, and embrace the walk into His more abundant life.
Strangely enough, human nature is such that "No man also having drunk old wine straightway desires new: for he says, The old is better." (Luke 5:39) It is familiar, we can repeat the pattern, the comfortable routines, and maintain a sense of identity. How we pray the Lord to loose us from carnal form and ceremony, loose us from ritual which pleases the flesh, and help us to go with the flow of the Spirit as He would lead onward step by step, that we might "come up higher," as He calls us onward in ascension.
Continuous change is difficult because it requires flexibility, and we must be adjustable-- receptive, elastic, open, ready to MOVE ON! But I assure you that HIS INDWELLING IS NOT STAGNANT. There is A PROGRESSIVE WORK WITHIN as He changes us from glory to glory.
The very first mention of the holy Spirit in the Scripture (Gen. 1:2), is connected with movement. "The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters ..." (Genesis 1:2). Moved-- the Hebrew word is "rachaph" meaning: to brood, to flutter, to shake. The BROODING PRESENCE OF GOD was a continuous moving of life and tender care. His overshadowing is not a stagnant thing, it is vibrant with life, creating, restoring, leading on-- stripping away the old, and clothing us with the new.
How beautifully Paul expressed this two-fold working of God within. "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus," (THE CROSS CANCELS OUT THE OLD REALM), "THAT the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." (2 Cor. 4:10). And so, same chapter, 16th verse, "Though the outward man perish, yet the inward is renewed day by day." No wonder Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." It is an on-going relationship with Him-- both in the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable unto His death, and yet also sharing His resurrection life. In a day by day walk with Him there is a fresh inflow, praise God!
Which brings us to a very important point, Isaiah 43:18-19. "Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth: shall you not know it?"
"Remember not..." The Hebrew word is "zakar" meaning: to imprint, make a memorial. And interestingly enough, it comes from a root word "to be a male," as one through whom the memorial of parents is continued. That is why many cultures so highly prized a male child born into the family-- he was/is part of their memorial, the parent being remembered through the son. The flesh births after its own kind because it wants to be remembered. But it is in the relinquishing of this identity and memorial, that we take on a new identity, TO BE FOUND IN CHRIST, to bear His name, be of His lineage.
Also, in the Hebrew connotation of the word, to remember meant more than just to recall to mind, but it has the thought of re-living, participation in it. Do we not, in certain memories, feel almost like we are reliving the experience again? You feel the rush of emotion, the joy, the sorrow, or whatever. In the natural this may have its place, but in spiritual advancing HE says "Remember not the former things..." Don't recite and relive it over and over again, it is TIME TO GO ON. Constant reciting of the past builds a structure against the future-- it becomes an obstruction. We remember various workings and revivals and long to repeat them, but this very remembering has drawn our attention away from what HE IS doing today.
So there is a cutting off of the things of yesterday-- and we can either view it as experiencing death-throes, and the ending of something that might have once been a real blessing to us, or, we can view the pain and travail as the BIRTHPANGS of that which is now to be brought forth. God is a wise economist, and He does not waste our pain and grief-- thus He can use it both for death and life-- the old passes, and the new becomes! Thus cycle after cycle we are stripped of the former things, that we might be prepared to embrace whatever God has for us today. It is an on-going work that is not accomplished in one grand leap, but line upon line, and precept upon precept He transforms His people into His image and likeness.
We hear Job cry out, "What is man, that You should magnify him? and that You should set Your heart upon him? And that You should visit him every morning, and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17-18).
Visited, inspected every morning-- as He examines His work within us, marks out the next happening appointed for us, and then uses the new day to work it all out. HE CONSTANTLY COMES TO US-- redemption draws nigh, and He is ready to invade your world (life) and further His handiwork within. EXPECT MORE OF HIS HANDIWORK, He has not finished in us yet, not until we stand complete in Him, fully clothed with the new, will He be satisfied with us, and we shall be satisfied in Him.
Certainly trouble comes for a reason, and it only lasts for a season! We could say, trouble is opposition setting the stage on the way to a miracle. Trouble signifies that it is transition time into the new! So the prophet declared, "Remember not ... neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth: shall you not know it?"
How precious it is when the Spirit of God sovereignly speaks this into your heart, as a personal word for you to believe and stand upon, because God would work SOMETHING NEW INTO YOU. Confess it publicly and someone might say, "I've heard that before," and because they are still remembering the former things they are not ready to share your vision of the NEW that God has for you. But do not allow others to distract you from God's personal quickenings in your own heart, to your own Master you "stand or fall. And you shall be held up: for God is able to make you stand." (Rom. 14:4). "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal. 5:1). Do not let the unbelief of some deter you from God's promise and working within.
Truly, it is time that we "put off concerning the former conversation (or, manner of behavior) THE OLD MAN, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; that you PUT ON THE NEW MAN, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph. 4:22-24). Do note, the RENEWAL takes place in "the spirit of your mind," not just in your mind only-- for this is not some mental exercise that we do ourselves. This is far more than just the power of positive thinking. IN THE SPIRIT of your mind, your spirit is quickened by His Spirit, and then HE enables you to "gird up the loins of your mind, to be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13). It is HIS SPIRIT moving, brooding over our spirit, that then gathers up the thoughts of our mind and fastens them securely upon Christ-- prepared for more revelation of Him, as He changes us from glory to glory, "ACCORDING AS THIS CHANGE OF EXPRESSION PROCEEDS FROM THE LORD, THE SPIRIT." (2 Cor. 3:18, Wuest).
All of the working to PUT OFF THE OLD, and then PUT ON THE NEW is wrought by His Spirit. HE is the Positive Thinker! And we would become one with His mind. So Paul writes on, "Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him." (Col. 3:9-10).
This is far more than a "do-it-yourself" program. It is much more than mapping out our course for the day, mentally exercising ourselves to think just right, keep the right attitude, etc. All of these things WILL BE DONE BY THE SPIRIT WITHIN US, as we are yielded to Him. This world would copy His working, but they will never achieve with self-works what He alone can do by His Spirit. How beautifully the Psalmist expressed it, "HE brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." (Ps. 40:2-3). HE does it! We might try ever so hard-- determined to have a good day, keep a good attitude, smile at every one, and truly be an overcomer-- and yet we are scarcely into the duties of the day and find that "in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Rom. 7:18). So said Paul-- so we have experienced.
Thank God, the very essence of the new covenant is that God makes promise both for Himself, and for us, saying, "I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (2 Cor. 6:16). I WILL-- we have no trouble believing that God will do whatever He promises to do. But this "they shall" is another matter, IF it was dependent upon us to accomplish it. So HE comes to dwell within us by His Spirit, and HE lives out the Christ-life through us. Thus our redemption, from beginning to the end, is all IN HIS HANDS. When God dwells within and fulfills all the requirements, our salvation is secure.
The old covenant order was based upon an IF and THEN-- "If My people, which are called by My name, will ... then shall I ..." with God's "promised doing" linked to man's do-it-ism. But man could not do all that was needed, and so "the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh." Truly, only One could provide the remedy! Therefore God sent His own Son, and HE fulfills in us all righteousness-- "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. 8:3-4).
How glorious is the new covenant, based upon a "BECAUSE, THEREFORE." Jesus said it plainly, "BECAUSE I live, you shall live also." (John 14:19). ALL THAT WE HAVE IS BECAUSE HE LIVES! Without His life there is no living. If He does not go before us, there is no going. It is when we begin to understand that it is GOD ALL THE WAY, that we also cease from our own works, and rest in His! The BECAUSE of God, makes our redemption a reality.
"NOT FASHIONING YOURSELVES according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which has called you is holy, so be holy in all manner of conversation (Greek, behavior)." (1 Peter 1:14-15).
Ah, in our ignorance of the handiwork of God in the new covenant, and being filled with our own lusts-- desires-- we have tried to "FASHION OURSELVES"' to make ourselves into a satisfactory spiritual stature. The Greek word is "suschematizo,"-- to conform one's self (mind and character) to another's pattern. The only other time this word is used in the New Testament, is in Romans 12:2, "Be not CONFORMED to this world." Men try to FASHION themselves to fit into the world's standard, or some religious pattern, but it does not bring them into LIFE, joy, peace, contentment in Christ. It is just an on-going, discouraging struggle to be what self cannot be. ONLY IN CHRIST CAN OLD THINGS PASS AWAY, and all things become new. Thus, personal worthiness is not a contributing factor-- that we are nothing in ourselves is a fact, what we are becoming IN CHRIST is His decision and inworking.
Truly we would BE CLOTHED WITH CHRIST, to walk in a new anointing, enriched with His grace and mercy. And so Paul writes, "Purge out the old leaven, that you may BE A NEW lump." (1 Cor. 7:7). And Jesus warned them, "Beware of the leaven of bread--- of the doctrine of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees." (Matt. 16:12). The traditions, teachings, etc. of the carnal religious orders of that day, or now, would fashion out a garment of selfrighteousness. And the only way to END the working of this leaven, is THE FIRE. God knows the best way, and the perfect heat, needed to bring to an end all the fashioning of man, conforming to this or that standard, and through the processing He CONFORMS US TO HIS IMAGE, through the renewing of our mind into Christ.
"Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ." (Phil. 2:5). Herein is a MAJOR INWORKING. Having thought processes which emulated the pattern of the world, now HE would OPERATE HIS MIND IN US, and we are finding an inner turmoil, conflict-- "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind." (Rom. 7:22-23). But the more we are RENEWED INTO HIS MIND, the more the inner conflict ends, and we rejoice in His blessed will and way, while His life is also "made manifest in our mortal flesh." (2 Cor. 4:11).
Now, "In that He says, A new covenant, He has made the first old. Now that which decays and waxes old is ready to vanish away."
(Heb. 8:13).Two different Greek words used here for "old," the first is "palaios" and means: antiquated, become an antique, The first covenant, the law with its ministration of condemnation and death, has become old-- an antique. It is waxing old-- here the word is "gerasko," from the root for "geriatric," old and feeble, going into senility, and ready to vanish away. Whatever light it once had is fading, disappearing-- while the NEW comes on the horizon.
Many can write of the age that is ending, but few are directed towards the glory, the light increasing. One writer has stated, "It is time to cancel our plans to be miserable." There is a new manifestation of His glory to be revealed, and we need to fix our gaze on the light that is increasing.
"Arise (from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you; rise to a new life)! Shine-- be radiant with the glory of the Lord." (Isaiah 60:1, Amplified). Through the Christ-life we shall overcome, and obey the voice of our destiny. The promise looms before us, "The glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts: and IN THIS PLACE WILL I GIVE PEACE." (Haggai 2:9). IN A PEOPLE, HIS NEW CREATION TEMPLE, the Prince of Peace shall dwell, and truly, He is our peace. Thank God, the old is passing away, and we shall hear Him say, "Behold, I make all things new." (Rev. 21:5). IN HIM we are becoming. Amen.
Not of the old, shall be the new, recycling men of earth,
A new creation is His plan, brought forth by a new birth.
It is by grace, and grace alone, that He leads the way,
For all our works of flesh come short-- they cannot make His day.
One cannot masquerade the old and hope to thus appear
As if they hold the vision, too, of things now drawing near.
The fire is unquenchable as He would burn the chaff,
But we would learn to trust Him more, and lean upon His staff.
To sew the old into the new brings problems by the score,
The futile efforts that we weave will only rent it more.
The life of Christ cannot be held in bottles that are old,
He breaks traditions of the flesh, as He advances bold.
He takes the things of yesteryear that we have cherished so,
And strips them all away that we might see His way to go.
Our looking back can only cast a shadow on the trail,
And hinder us from going on to things He shall unveil.
So draw us, Lord, and we will run-- be swift to follow Thee,
And in Thy light shall we see light, shall share Thy victory.