FIRSTS AND SECONDS

"Then He said, 'Behold, I have come to do Thy will.' He takes away the first in order to establish the second" (Hebrews 10.9, New American Standard Bible).

With unfathomable wisdom, God has arranged many things in pairs, in contrasting twos, as a part of the outworking of His plan throughout the ages. We read of the first Adam and the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15.45) each Adam the beginning of a race; the first, that which is of the earth; the second, that which is of the heavenly. We have a natural birth, born into the realm of earth, and we have a spiritual birth, to be born from above -- partaking of His reality -- SPIRITUAL REALITY. Remember: "As we have borne the image of the earthly we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (1 Corinthians 15.49).

In former writings I expounded on first and second death, and I will briefly write of it here, again. In the first death man died to the will and knowledge of God. Man turned to his own way to serve flesh and self-will, to the absorption of his being in the carnal mind -- and so on to complete corruption. Then the second death, which is dying to self and sin, so that we become alive to God and His righteousness in Christ Jesus.

Death reigns over man through the offence of the first Adam, and it is plainly manifested in two stages; (1) transition from the spiritual realm to the carnal, and (2) then the physical flesh lowered into utter corruption and decay. The second death undoes all the work of the first death, just as the last Adam undid, completely, the work of the first Adam.

This wasn't done to abrogate or annul the purpose being wrought by the plan of God in the "firsts", but to bring a release from all the negative aspects of the first, into the "MUCH MORE" of God, into the glory and victory of the greater things of our heavenly Father. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order" (1 Corinthians 15.22-23).

Creation was made subject to the bondage of vanity for a purpose (Please read Romans 8.20). Sin has been allowed to exist for wise ends, and when those ends have been reached, sin will be utterly destroyed. No, the purpose isn't nullified, but the instrument whereby the purpose is executed shall be done away. Discipline is not an end in itself but leads to the "peaceable fruit of righteousness" (Hebrews 12.11).

The first Adam died to God and righteousness, thus becoming alive to self and sin. The last Adam died to self and sin, and lives to God, and so fulfills all righteousness. The first made all men sinners, the last makes all men righteous -- two greatly contrasting lives and deaths!

In the realm of "firsts", there is the law written on stone, but in the "seconds" His laws are written in our heart and mind (Hebrews 8.10). There is the Levitical priesthood contrasted with the order of Melchizedek, and many other contrasts witnessed throughout the Bible.

Now, some of these "firsts" may appear to be good, and perhaps for a time acceptable, but in God's due time they are followed by "seconds" which are better, higher, more desirable, than the firsts. Perfection is found in God's seconds.

Many of His firsts are types and shadows of the reality to be found in the seconds; in the former there is often the negative realm working out God's intention, and in the latter there is the glorious positive fulfilling of His purpose. The more one meditates upon each fragment of truth God chooses to reveal, the more one longs to leave behind the natural, imperfect, fragmentary realm, and enter into the freedom of the Spirit of Life in His fullness. "...for we know in a partial, fragmentary, incomplete way, and we utter divine revelations in the same way. But whenever that which is complete comes, that which is incomplete and fragmentary will be done away" (1 Corinthians 13.9-10, Wuest's Expanded New Testament). (A more direct translation from the Greek is even more positive: "For in part we know and in part we prophesy; but when comes the perfect thing, the thing in part will be abolished").

The writer to the Hebrews makes specific reference to the covenants which God has made with His people and distinguishes one from the other by naming them "old" and "new". The writer contrasts the ministry of the old covenant priests with the ministry of Jesus Christ who is "the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises" (Hebrews 8.6).

We are familiar with the division of our Bible into the Old Testament and the New Testament, and this is a silent witness to the two covenants. Most of us have heard or read the couplet that well states the case: "The OLD is by the NEW revealed, the NEW is in the OLD concealed". All types and shadows of the Old Testament are more clearly understood as we see them fulfilled in the New Testaments reality, and yet it is in the Old Testament that we most often find the symbols which the Holy Spirit uses to give us "revelation" or insight into the NEW. Paul wrote: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV).

Read what God said to Israel when He brought them out of the slavery of Egypt: "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation... . The people all responded together, "We will do everything the Lord said". (Exodus 19.5-6,8). The Covenant of God and His people is, briefly stated, "You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD" (Leviticus 18.3-5,NIV).

God's people were not to live in the manner of Egypt where they were slaves. Nor were they to take up the practices and live in the ways of the Canaanites. The people of God were meant to walk in GOD'S WAY, do His commandments and live -- ; failure to walk in His way and execute His statutes and decrees would cause His people to die. "For Moses writes that the man who [can] practice the righteousness (perfect conformity to God's will) which is based on the LAW [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it" (Romans 10.5 Amplified Bible).

The quintessence of the covenant which God made with His people is DO AND LIVE, but the people's carnal nature, filled with self would not allow them to DO the way of the Lord. No matter how much they tried, they always failed; coming far short (and a miss is as good as a mile) of the glory of God. So, rather than drawing them into the abundant life, the Law was an ever-present witness to the fact of the people's failure to DO RIGHT. The Law became a ministration of condemnation (see 2 Corinthians 3.9), bringing them to death. This is a truly great illustration of man's inability in his own strength (no matter how good his intentions) to live the life God commands.

Our God instituted the first covenant (the Law) with a special purpose in mind. He was working out His plan for the Ages, but the Law was NOT meant to be a permanent arrangement. It was for a time, with a view toward the time when it would be taken away.

We must clearly understand and accept this principle: The processing we experience is ENTIRELY THE OUTWORKING OF GOD IN HIS PURPOSE for the ages. HE is in control. We wish to "GO ON TO PERFECTION", and "this will we do, if God permit", (Hebrews 6.1-3). "We are HIS workmanship" (Ephesians2.10). God gave us the OLD covenant; He instituted all of its services -- and HE takes it away so that He may extablish the New. GOD ONLY can give us a vision, a revelation of the NEW, and then work it into us until it becomes reality. We can't live on borrowed revelations. We can't take that which God has made real to us and cause it to become life and reality to another! How many of God's creatures have been "turned off" by some well-intentioned zealot on the air-ways, on street-corner or church-dais, trying to force-feed some "ism", "revelation" or private "doctrine" to those whom God has not yet called!!?? We can't do it!! God, and HE alone, is the LIFE-SOURCE, and, "For it is GOD who is at work within you, giving you the will and the power to achieve HIS purpose" (Phillipians 2.13, Phillips Translation; emphasis mine. NOTE WELL: God is GIVING us the will and power; we didn't, can't, and never will be able to, earn such).

"He taketh away the first ...". Once man becomes used to a particular realm he acts as though it will last indefinitely, or, he longs for the "good old days", the "old time religion", "the pristine church of Peter and Paul". NONSENSE!

We think of the shadows as being real; we imagine that the signs and symbols are the substance, and we want to repeat everlastingly the experiences of yesteryear. BUT -- we must kick loose the "FIRST" in order to receive the "SECOND". God's means of "taking away" are applied to us as individuals, so we shouldn't dare to preach and teach our "experience" and expect that everybody will face the exact problems, pressures and trials, and get the same result we have. But even if the stripes are many or few, whether we come immediately and receive His gift, or whether we must travel the road to Damascus and be stricken blind for a season -- the principle being worked in us is the same: We are ALL to be conformed to HIS IMAGE and partake of HIS DIVINE NATURE, so that we will EXPRESS HIS LIFE. It seems that some things just sort of "drop-off" as we outgrow them in the Christ-life, while others have to be taken away with more forceful action. Since it is GOD who ordains the taking away, we may be absolutely sure that He does it in absolute love, with tenderness and lovingkindness, all things worked wisely to our good.

Colossians 1.12-13 says, "...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you (some manuscripts read "us") to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves..." (NIV Translation).

We recognize this action as our ongoing process with old things passing away, all things becoming new. Paul writes of Christ in 2 Corinthians 1.10: "...Who delivered us from such great death, and He will deliver , in Whom we have been trusting that He will continue to deliver " (my translation and italics).

The whole deliverance process is His; He takes away the first and establishes the second. "According to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: that we should be to the praise of His Glory" (Ephesians 1.11).

God was not just experimenting to see what mankind would do with His Laws when the first covenant was made. There's no guess-work or maybe-so in God!! He had a specific purpose for the rigid principle: DO THIS AND LIVE; MISS THIS MARK AND DIE. "What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made had come" (Galatians 3.19). (It is wonderful to realize that even the "dreadful" Ten Commandments are promises of the covenant that we will keep with Christ in us. Read the Commandments as promises rather than fateful fiats and you'll be rewarded with a glimpse into the everlasting, unbounded love of our Father for His Son).

"...until the Seed...". That is, the SEED by whom shall come the fulfillment of the promise, and that Seed belongs to the realm of God's seconds. It is the Seed Of The New Creation, born not of the flesh but of the Spirit. That Seed is Christ, singular, -- that composite body, that entire anointed company made ONE in Him. HE is the Head of the Body, and we, the anointed, are members in particular. (See 1 Corinthians 12.27)

The Head is present with us; Jesus Christ, the Firstborn of the new creation. The rest of the Body is still in the process of becoming, of being born and waxing strong. So, in one sense, the FULL Seed is not yet come and God continues to use restraining measures to hold in check the self-will transgressions of the world's people.

According to Revelations 3.21, the Head of our Body is now "set down" in the Father's throne, there awaiting the emergence of the OVERCOMERS, the firstfruits company of the new creation, the FULNESS of the SEED. Then the first covenant will be totally done away and the second covenant completely established. Because the Seed comes to do HIS will He can do this: take away the first and establish the second.

Many confuse the Law (first covenant) with the covenant of promise given to Abraham. The covenant God made with Abraham was made with an individual, and to his seed, and that covenant cannot be invalidated by the law which came through and by Moses to the entire community of Israel. Galatians 3.16-18, (NIV): "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say 'and to your seeds', meaning many people, but 'and to your seed', meaning one person who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in His grace gave it to Abraham through a promise." We must learn to rightly divide the word of Truth, for the law, which came after the promise, belongs to the realm of God's "firsts"; the promise, though given before the law, assuredly belongs to the dominion of "seconds" and therefore can't be fulfilled until after the "firsts" have been taken away.

The PROMISE constitutes the fact that through the SEED of Abraham all the blessings shall issue, and all nations shall ultimately be justified by faith. "Is the law against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under law, shut up unto faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galations 3.21-24).

The word "schoolmaster" is, in the Greek, "paidagogos" which means literally a "boy-leader" and by implication "child-guide". It is used in 1 Corinthians 4.15 as an "instructor" in Christ. It could just as easily, in Galatians 3.24, above, be translated "a guide" and be closer to the real meaning than "schoolmaster". In other places, in non-sacred writings, the word is used to describe a slave whose task it was to conduct a child to school, making sure he reached his teacher without mischief or mishap. Once the child reached the teacher the child-conductor's job was done. The pedagogue did NOT stand in the back of the classroom and continue to exercise control and authority over his erst-while charge, because the teacher was in control and brooked no outside interference. So also, once we have been brought to Christ, and He abides within us, we are to be led by the Spirit.

Man's propensity to do evil, manifesting his egocentric waywardness is made clear by the scripture. "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality; impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkeness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5.19-21, NIV).

In Galatians 5.19 the Holy Spirit asks a rhetorical question and answers that question as clearly as anyone could wish, "What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions...". Man was in a perilous and hopeless state, and in desperate need of a child-conductor, a "restrainer", to hold him on course until DIVINE HELP, THE PROMISED SEED, should come and enable him to live a righteous life. The entire ministration of law, its rules, regulations, rituals and ceremonies, was designed to remind man, continually, of what NOT to do, and what he SHOULD DO, if he would be found acceptable to God. According to the writer of Hebrews (9.10) it was "imposed on them ( mankind ) until the time of reformation".

The Greek word translated "reformation" is used in the New Testament only in the reference above cited. It is the genitive, singular of the noun " diorthosis " which means to set things right, to straighten thoroughly, to rectify -- TO RESTORE TO ITS RIGHT CONDITION SOMETHING WHICH HAS GOTTEN OUT OF LINE. Although "root words" can't always be trusted to convey New Testament meanings, I think the root of this word is interesting enough to use as a sort of "precept hanger". The root is " orthos " which means "upright", "straight". Many people have had to visit an orthodontist -- one who makes the teeth straight, and I, myself, have been called "unorthodox" -- i.e. "un-right-think", --(that is, I don't see things the way the "orthodox" see them -- a fact for which I praise God daily!). Isn't it obvious that man was pressed down and his entire being bowed down by the burden of sin; man was centered on self, turned away from God and could not stand upright before God. So the law was added -- imposed on man to help guide his steps -- BUT, rather than enabling him to stand upright, the law pressed him down even more with a super-load of condemnation. MAN WITHOUT CHRIST COULD NOT AND CANNOT MAINTAIN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW. No wonder then that the law has to be taken away -- and thank God He purposed that there shall be a MAKING OF ALL THINGS THOROUGHLY RIGHT.

This realm of "reformation" or "things made right" is what the Holy Spirit speaks of when He has Paul write: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5.22-23, 25).

Tremendous, isn't it? If we live and walk in the realm of the Spirit, there is a life to be lived that expresses and reaps the fruit of the Spirit -- and there is NO BURDENING LAW AGAINST THAT LIFE. In verse 24 the Holy Spirit tells us why --: "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." You see, that's the reason there is no need for the restraining influence of the law; Once the CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST has done its work within us and only the Christ-life is expressed, it is a life that is ALTOGETHER RIGHTEOUS. "If ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law" (Galatians 5.18), and as long as we "walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Galatians 5.16).

The Law, then, serves as a child-conductor to point out that which is against God's will. It serves as a warning for us not to fall short or miss the mark while we are brought to Christ and the inworking of His anointing. "When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16.13). The Holy Spirit, promised by God, having come into us we are promised further; "Ye have no need that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is the truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him" (1 John 2.27).

WE HAVE THE TEACHER, THE CHRIST WITHIN -- and we have no further need of the pedagogue -- its role is ending even now. The Holy Spirit guides us and empowers us to fulfill the righteousness of the law.

And this brings us to another transition: -- as the indwelling Spirit of Christ governs our life we are beginning to experience the realm of the "seconds". It is the firstfruits company that is now learning to live and walk in the Spirit, but in that day when He fully takes away the first to establish the second, HE WILL POUR OUT OF HIS SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH. When that is accomplished "they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest" (Hebrews 8.11, quoting a prophecy of Jeremiah).

"...for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law" (Romans 5.13,NIV). Death reigned as the result or fruit of iniquity, but from Adam to Moses there was no law to establish what sin was so that man would have the knowledge of sin. Romans 5.20,NIV: "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." The law brought sin into plain sight, made it manifest, so that it might be dealt with -- dealt with by God, rich in mercy with grace abounding far beyond the scope of all sin and death.

The law is holy, just and good. How then does it serve? The law causes sin to appear for what it is -- exceedingly contrary to God's will. The law makes man aware of sin and man becomes unaware of his true relationship to God the Father. In fact, he loses the consciousness of his true identity and becomes completely immersed in sin consciousness, being separated from God by the onus of the law.

It takes truth to expose error, but therein is the difference between the two ministrations, (about which we have neither time nor space to write here. Perhaps in another dissertation.) To speak the truth negatively produces death but to speak the truth positively kindles the spark of life. For instance, anyone might expose sin by simply stating the truth about what is wrong, or perhaps expose it by preaching what is right, exposing sin, making error and evil self-evident, just as light witnesses against darkness or a straight stick laid beside a crooked stick might expose crookedness. But to expose sin and offer nothing to replace it leaves a void. So -- "The Law was added" and served as a ministry of condemnation and death, but in itself the law was holy, just, and good.

True light illuminates the hidden places in man and swallows up the darkness; and when the true Gospel, THE GOOD NEWS , is declared it will produce the desired results. Mankind hasn't really heard much of the good news yet. Man has received the law, "church" doctrines, "dos", "don'ts", rituals, dress codes, the burdens and chains of tradition laid on God's people by priest and preacher -- but he has had very little gospel preached to him. We can thank God for the great promise that a day is coming when "...the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (Habukkuk 2.14).

"For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature (Greek reads " sarkos " = "flesh"), God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man (Greek reads " ten sarki " = "in the flesh"), in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature (Greek: flesh) but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8.3-4 NIV, all in parenthesis mine).

This marvelous new ministry is that of the INDWELLING SPIRIT OF GOD! God's Spirit reveals to us His will, and then enables us to do it -- He never commands us to do anything unless He empowers us to obey, for His will and purpose is accomplished as we yield to the inflow of His grace.

The first law said, "Do, and thou shalt live", but this greater, new covenant says, "LIVE, and you shall do ALL MY WILL." By our union with Him we have the out-living of His life, fulfilling His will and, thank God, "...now we were discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held fast, so as to serve in the newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter" (Romans 7.6, my translation).

The word "oldness", above, is the Greek word " palaioteti " dative singular of the noun " palaiotes " -- and is used only here in the New Testament. It means just what the English translation says: "oldness", "outdated". When the Holy Spirit uses this word He is emphasizing the incompatability of the old and the new. The service of God which consists only in observance of what is written is outmoded, and is replaced by life in the power of the Spirit.

There are many people who have a lot of interest in antiques and antiquity; and there are many others who think the old, outdated and no longer pertinent should be forgotten. The old law is one antique that all of us should leave behind us -- the worn out realm of the letter has no place in our lives, if we desire to go into the newness and freshness of the Spirit. When the Spirit writes in the above cited reference "the letter", it is in direct reference to the law, the first covenant written in stone. We might quote from the "literal" letter of the law for hours and minister only condemnation and death, because the power to live the righteousness of the law is NOT in the stone . That power is the NEWNESS of His Spirit, in the vitality of HIS LIFE , in which we have the power to live out the life which is pleasing to God.

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. -- In that He saith, a new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away" (Hebrews 8.7-8,13).

(Who do you think the houses of Israel and Judah are?)

We have a lot of preachers who keep trying to sell what they call "new" life, a "new" gospel, a "new" doctrine, a "new order", -- but what they're delivering is the old order of the first covenant with a twist and a couple of social programs on the side. Now, when God said there was a New covenant, He immediately made the first one old, outdated, worn out, so no matter how many try to sell the old covenant as being new, it's still old because God has already decreed the NEW one to take its place. The writer of Hebrews realized the old covenant was still around, even though the book was (supposedly) written 35-38 years after Jesus declared the NEW. But: the old is decaying, ready to vanish away, because it "waxeth old". The word used in Hebrews 8.13 for "waxeth old" is " geraskon " which means becoming aged or senile. There is a realm which is senile -- the old realm. Let us leave that realm and walk in the newness of life in the Spirit.

He is truly taking away the first in order to fully establish the second in us. Yes, there are those who "turn again" to the weak and beggarly elements (rudiments, first steps) ...to observe days, months, and times and years," (Galatians 4.9-10), but the challenge is to rise up and accept the realm of the Spirit in all His freshness and vigor of life, and not return to the antiquated, senile and rotting letter of the law.

That first law wasn't able to make anyone perfect, whole, complete. It just gave knowledge of sin, which without Christ, no one can overcome. The New Covenant, the higher covenant, gives forgiveness of sin, then a knowledge of what is right. And not only does it give this knowledge it gives the inflow of HIS LIFE so that man will live pleasing unto God the giver.

Once this fulness of the new birth process is complete in us and we cannot sin, then the new, all-righteous life shall fulfill all the will of God. That first law, the law WITHOUT couldn't change the nature WITHIN. The new covenant begins inwardly, and then is able to manifest outward righteousness -- THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IN US, THE HOPE OF GLORY!

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols!"