One Covenant, One Christ: Why Christians Must Choose Between Law and Grace

By Mindflos Faith & Control

When faith follows two masters, truth becomes confusion

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Introduction — The Great Christian Contradiction

Across pulpits and political platforms, one paradox echoes through modern Christianity:

Many claim to follow Jesus — yet still preach Moses.

They quote the Old Testament to condemn, exclude, or control, while proclaiming allegiance to the New Testament, which commands forgiveness, compassion, and equality.

If Christianity is truly built on the words of Christ, then this double standard is not faith — it’s confusion.
For two covenants cannot rule one heart.

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The Old Testament — Law, Fear, and the Birth of Discipline

Before Christ, the Hebrew scriptures formed the moral spine of ancient Israel.
They commanded:

• What foods to eat or avoid (Leviticus 11)
• When to rest and what to punish (Exodus 20–31)
• What sacrifices to make for sin (Leviticus 4–7)
• How to keep purity through strict physical codes

It was a system built on obedience and fear, a teacher training the human spirit through rules and ritual.
But it was never meant to last forever.

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The New Testament — Love, Conscience, and Inner Law

Then came Jesus — not as a lawgiver, but as a liberator.
He didn’t destroy the old law; He fulfilled and transcended it.

“You have heard it said, ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person… Love your enemies.” — Matthew 5:38–44

“Nothing that enters a person from outside can defile them… In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.” — Mark 7:18–19

Through such words, He replaced ritual with compassion, punishment with mercy, and obedience with conscience.
Morality moved from stone tablets to the human heart.

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⚖️ Two Testaments, Two Worlds

Theme	Old Testament	New Testament
Law	Mosaic Law – obedience & punishment	Law of Christ – faith & love
Salvation	Ritual & sacrifice	Grace & repentance
Purity	Physical (food, blood, clothing)	Spiritual (intent, conscience)
Justice	“Eye for an eye”	“Turn the other cheek”
God’s People	One nation (Israel)	All humanity
Worship	Temple & sacrifice	Spirit & truth

You either live under law or under grace — not both.

“You are not under law but under grace.” — Romans 6:14

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Voices of Theologians Who Agree

Paul the Apostle

“Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” — Romans 10:4

Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE)

“The New Testament lies hidden in the Old; the Old is unveiled in the New.”

Martin Luther (1483–1546)

“The Law was given to show man his sin, not to make him righteous.”

John Calvin (1509–1564)
Taught that ceremonial and civil laws were abolished in Christ — only the moral essence, love of God and neighbor, remains.

Karl Barth (1886–1968)

“All divine revelation is in Christ alone.”

Modern New-Covenant Theologians — Meredith Kline, Douglas Moo, D. A. Carson

“The old covenant is obsolete… replaced by the law of Christ.” — Kline, Modern Reformation (2018)

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When Religion Becomes a Weapon

Despite centuries of teaching, many still quote Leviticus to condemn others — while ignoring the Christ who said, “Judge not.”

They use the Bible’s past to silence the message of its future.
This is not faith; it’s regression.

A faith that uses the Old Testament to justify hate is a faith that crucifies Jesus again — with verses instead of nails.

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The Real Test of Discipleship

Jesus never said, “They will know you are my disciples if you quote Leviticus.”
He said:

“They will know you are my disciples if you love one another.” — John 13:35

That is the dividing line between the old and the new, the letter and the spirit, the law and love.

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A Call to Modern Christians

If Christianity is to remain morally alive, it must return to its center — the teachings of Jesus, not the punishments of Moses.
The Old Covenant was humanity’s childhood; the New is maturity, where conscience replaces command and love fulfills all law.

To follow both is to follow neither.
You cannot carry the cross and the tablets at the same time.

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Final Word — Choose Your Covenant

Christianity stands at a crossroads.
One path leads back to judgment and ritual.
The other leads forward to grace, reason, and compassion.

The Old Covenant built the walls.
The New Covenant tore them down.

A true follower of Jesus must choose — not both, but one.
That choice defines not only personal faith, but the moral soul of Christianity itself.

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