The Bible tells us that Christ came as the Mediator of a better covenant
(Hebrews 8:6). The popular belief that the New Covenant abolishes God's
law reflects a misunderstanding of both covenants. God tells us that
He altered the original covenant and made "a better covenant, which
was established on better promises" (verse 6). But it was not established
on different laws. The law stayed the same.
There was, however, a weakness, or fault, in the original covenant.
That fault was with the people, not with the law. "Because
finding fault with them, He says: 'Behold, the days are coming,
says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah'" (verse 8). It was because the people "did
not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord" (verse 9).
In the Old Covenant, God wrote the law on tablets of stone. It was
external, not part of the thinking and motives of the people. It was
in their literature but not in their hearts. In the New Covenant, God
writes the law in the minds and hearts of His people (Hebrews 8:10; Jeremiah 31:33-34).
