God reminds us in the Bible that He gave an Old Covenant and a New Covenant. Confuse the two and you’re in for a confusing and inconsistent attempt at living for Jesus. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that the church across the world is mired in legalistic discipleship and an insistence on salvation by works. That’s the natural consequence of confusing the Old and New Covenants. Discover the freedom God wants you to know in the believers’ new normal found in God’s New Covenant.

Discussion Questions

Our spiritual growth takes us on a journey where our preconceived ideas about God and life get shattered or stretched. How have the things you once thought about God and spiritual maturity changed over the years?

What is the difference between the old and new covenants? Why did God give a new covenant through Jesus (Hebrews 8:6, 9:15, Luke 22:20)?

One view of Christian maturity is that we discover the rules (or laws) and try hard to obey them. Why is this a false approach to growing in Christ? How do you explain the following verses about the Old Covenant: Romans 6:14, Hebrews 8:13, Galatians 2:21, 2 Corinthians 3:6-8?

Often people try and break up the Old Testament Law into three categories (Moral, Civil, Ceremonial). Why is this an artificial distinction? When Paul says we’re no longer “under law” (Rom. 6:14), what does he mean?

Law-keeping as a means to becoming a Christian and growing as a Christian is a futile exercise (Galatians 2:16, 3:2-3, 5:4). Why do we often gravitate to keeping the rules as a means of transformation?

The secret to living the Christian life is not law-keeping but walking in the Spirit (Romans 7:6). What does it mean for you to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18)? How’s that walk going for you?

Further Reading

New Direction

When we find ourselves moving in a certain direction and focused on our goals, it can be jarring to feel like God suddenly is taking us in a new direction. It's hard to consider that what we are currently building is no longer necessary or worse, futile all along. We...

New Community

We all identify with communities in some ways. Even the most isolated individuals acknowledge some basic common ground with other people groups. From sports teams to political parties to hometowns, communities unite us around common ideas. But when we run into...

A New Heaven and A New Earth

God makes all things new. He is about taking the brokenness brought on by sin and offering a new reality. God’s plans for a believer’s eternity are staggering in immensity and joy. We will exist forever on a new earth—a reality more alive than our present existence....

New Habits

Habits can have a profound impact on our lives in both good and bad ways. And often, we’re unaware of how much we do in our lives simply by force of habit. We’ll discuss how modern behavioral science is catching up to what the church has known for thousands of years...

A New Song

Songs are powerful things. The combine melody and harmony. They express both truth and emotion. They can fill us with joy and hope or with lament and sorrow. Through the beauty of song we worship, we celebrate, and we mourn. In the Psalms, the worship songs of the...