Gary Wainwright Follower of Jesus Christ, Husband, Father, Civil Engineer

A testament is just another word for a covenant, therefore the Old and New Testaments are really the Old and New Covenants. 

The Old Covenant was in effect during the time before Jesus' death, burial and resurrection when the Jews were living under the Mosaic Law, and is associated with the Old Testament and the leadership of Moses. The New Covenant went into effect after Jesus' death, burial and resurrection which fulfilled the requirements of the Old Covenant, and is associated with the New Testament and the leadership of Jesus.

The bible has an excellent comparison of the Old Covenant to the New Covenant which is found in 2 Corinthians 3 NLT “1 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. 4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

The Glory of the New Covenant

7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! 12 Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 

Wow isn't that awesome.

January 09 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Seth Freeman

tes·ta·ment [tes-tuh-muhnt] Show IPA
noun
1.Law.
a. a will, especially one that relates to the disposition of one's personal property.
b. will2 (def 8).
2. either of the two major portions of the Bible: the Mosaic or old covenant or dispensation, or the Christian or new covenant or dispensation.
3.(initial capital letter) the new testament, as distinct from the Old Testament.
4.(initial capital letter) a copy of the New Testament.
5.a covenant, especially between God and humans.

January 08 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report