Glory of the New Covenant

By Apostle Aje Pelser

Scripture Reading:

2Co 3:7-18  But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 2Co 3:16  Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.  

In this passage we find several contrasts between the Old and the New Covenant of the Christian Faith, that will enable us to experience God’s Glory.

These contrasts can be applied to preaching and teaching; worship; leadership; family life; and business.

For instance, in preaching we are to be ministers of righteousness. Apostle Andre trains preachers to ask themslves after preaching and teaching, “Have I preached people right with God today?” If people feel condemned after a session we are showing elements of Old Covenant preaching that makes people feel condemned with no hope of change.

What is the desired outcome of your sermon? Many pastors in the past have tried to see how many people can cry and repent after their sermons. Then the altar call will receive a great response. But trying to get this response from a local assembly week after tiresome week will eventually create a condemnation culture that never allows people to be free in their conscience. The dangling of the proverbial carrot in front of their spiritual growth as Apostle Andre illustrates, never allows them to reach the place of rest of faith that they are now right with God. Today in Christian circles there is a need for apostolic perspective like we receive from Apostle Paul in this letter to the Corinthian church. While the Holy Spirit does convict the world of sin, it also convicts the world of righteousness and judgment. It’s seems that for centuries, many preachers have only allowed for a third of the Holy Spirit’s work to flow in their meetings.

Jesus’ reformation includes the cleansing of the conscience, whereas the Old Covenant Laws could not achieve this at all.

Heb 9:8-14  the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  

Applying this principle to worship is easy, because one just has to read the lyrics of songs from different historical periods of Christianity to gauge the amount of New Covenant revelation in that era.

Take this beautiful song expressing the hunger in the individual for God’s presence:

“I just wanna be where You are, dwelling daily in Your Presence, I don’t wanna worship from afar, draw me near to where You Are.” Nice song, good intentions, but what is this song teaching us? It is saying that we don’t know where God is, that we are not in His presence continually and that he still needs to draw us near to Him. A New Covenant perspective would correct the lyrics as follows:

“I’m so glad to be where You are, I’m dwelling daily in Your Presence; I no longer worship from