Topics Research

Question

Does the new covenant abolish or establish the moral law? Specifically, do the new covenant promises in Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10, Hebrews 10:16, and Ezekiel 36:26-27 indicate that the moral law (Ten Commandments) is written on believers' hearts and thus continues, or do they replace the old law with something entirely new?

Topics

COVENANT

Nave's identifies the Mosaic law as "called a covenant" (Exo 34:28) and lists "Of the Ten Commandments" (Exo 34:28; Deut 5:2,3; 9:9) as a specific covenant instance. The covenant is described as: Sacred (Jos 9:18-21), Binding (Gal 3:15), Everlasting (Gen 8:20-22; 9:1-17; Psa 105:8,10; Isa 54:10; 61:8), and God is faithful to it (Lev 26:44,45; Deut 4:31; 7:8,9; Psa 105:8-11; 111:5).

Key distinction: "THE SECOND COVENANT" is listed separately with references Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:4-13; 12:18-24; 13:20. The entry also notes the covenant was "Broken by the Jews" (Jer 22:9; Eze 16:59; Heb 8:9) and "Repudiated by God on account of Jews' idolatry" (Jer 44:26,27; Heb 8:9).

COMMANDMENTS

Nave's lists the Decalogue references (Exo 13:8-10; 20:3-17; Deut 5:6-21; 6:4-9) alongside NT commandment-keeping passages: John 14:11,15,23,24; 15:2,4,5,7-12,14,17. Paul's commandment precepts include Rom 12-13; Gal 5:1,16. Other apostles' precepts include James 2:1-4,8-12 and 1 John 2:15,28; 3:10-23; 5:21; Rev 3:11,18,19. The entry connects commandments across both testaments without indicating discontinuity in the moral commandments.

LAW

Nave's organizes the LAW topic with several key subsections:

1. General scriptures include both OT and NT: Psa 19:7-9; Rom 2:14,15; 7:7,12,14; 13:10; 1 Tim 1:5,8-10; James 1:25; 1 John 3:4 ("sin is the transgression of the law"); 1 John 5:3.

2. OF MOSES: Given at Sinai, engraved on stone, preserved in the ark, with divine authority. This section treats the law as a unified body.

3. TEMPORARY section: Lists Jer 3:16; Dan 9:27; Mat 5:17-45; Luk 16:16,17; Joh 1:17; Rom 7:1-6; 8:3; 10:4; 2 Cor 3:7-14; Gal 2:3-9; 4:30,31; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14-23; Heb 8:4-13; 9:8-24; 10:1-18. NOTE: This "TEMPORARY" label in Nave's is a classification that must be investigated against law-08's finding that none of the abolition passages explicitly names the Decalogue as abolished. Many of these references deal with ceremonial/sacrificial aspects (Heb 9:8-24; 10:1-18; Col 2:14-23).

TESTAMENT

Brief entry: "A will" (Heb 9:16-18); "The new" (Mat 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25). Cross-references to COVENANT.

OBEDIENCE

Extensive entry connecting obedience across both testaments. Key references include: Exo 19:5; 20:6; Deut 5:10; John 14:15,23,31; 15:10,14; Acts 5:29; Rom 6:17; 1 John 2:3-6; 3:22,24; 5:2,3; Rev 12:17; 22:7,14. The entry makes no distinction between old covenant obedience and new covenant obedience in terms of WHAT is obeyed -- only how obedience is enjoined and exemplified.

HEART

The RENEWED subsection is directly relevant: Deut 30:6; Psa 51:10; Eze 11:19; 18:31; 36:26; Rom 2:29; Eph 4:23; Col 3:10. The entry notes the heart "should render to God obedience" (Deut 10:12; 11:13; 26:16; Eph 6:6). The UNREGENERATE heart is described as "hard" (Eze 2:4; 3:7; 11:19; 36:26; Rom 2:5). This directly connects to the stone-heart/flesh-heart motif in the new covenant promises.

HOLY SPIRIT

The general scriptures section includes Eze 36:27; 37:9,14 (Spirit-empowered obedience), John 14:16,17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14 (the Comforter), Rom 8:1-27 (walk after the Spirit), 2 Cor 3:3,6,8,17,18 (Spirit writes on hearts; ministry of the Spirit), Gal 5:5,17,18,22,23,25 (fruit of the Spirit vs. works of the flesh).

FAITH

Key references connecting faith and law: Rom 1:5 ("obedience to the faith"); 3:22-28,31; 4:1-25; Gal 3:1-29; Heb 11:1-39. Also Rev 14:12 ("the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus"). Faith is not presented as replacing obedience but as the basis for it.

GRACE OF GOD

References include Rom 3:22-24; 4:4,5,16; 5:2,6-8,15-21; Eph 2:8,9; Tit 3:7. Grace is presented as the means of salvation, not as a replacement for law-keeping.

SIN

Key reference: 1 John 3:4 -- "sin is the transgression of the law." This defines sin in terms of the law, implying the law must continue for sin to be definable. Also Rom 5:12-21; 7:7,13 (law reveals sin); James 2:10,11 (the whole law, citing specific Decalogue commandments).

REDEMPTION

OF OUR SOULS: Rom 3:24-26; Tit 2:14 ("redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works"); Heb 9:12,15; 1 Pet 1:18,19. Redemption from sin, not from the law's moral standard.

SALVATION

CONDITIONS OF include faith, obedience, and repentance (Mat 3:2; 18:3; John 3:3-12; Acts 2:38). PLAN OF includes Rom 1:16,17; Eph 2:4-10. Salvation is not presented as freedom from moral obligation but as freedom from sin's penalty and power.

Related Topics Discovered

MORAL LAW (redirects to LAW)

Nave's does not have a separate "MORAL LAW" entry -- it redirects to the general LAW topic. This is consistent with law-06's finding that Hebrew vocabulary describes formal character rather than moral categories.

TEN COMMANDMENTS (redirects to COMMANDMENTS)

No separate entry -- redirects to COMMANDMENTS, which treats the Decalogue as part of the broader commandments framework extending into the NT.

SPIRIT (redirects to HOLY SPIRIT)

The SPIRIT topic redirects to HOLY SPIRIT and other subtopics.

GRACES (redirects to GRACE OF GOD)

Redirects to the GRACE OF GOD entry.

PROMISE

Not a separate major entry in Nave's. Key promise references are found under COVENANT (Gen 17:7; Jer 32:40; Heb 8:6 -- "better promises") and FAITH (Gal 3:14,16-18,29; Heb 6:12-17).