C+C University District CG Discussion Guide
Text: Hebrews 8:6–13
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Summary
Hebrews 8:6–13 declares that Jesus Christ has obtained a ministry that surpasses the old covenant because he mediates a better covenant, founded on better promises. The “first covenant” in view is the Mosaic covenant given at Sinai when God brought Israel out of Egypt. That covenant was good and holy, but it was not sufficient, evidenced by the fact that the people did not continue in it. The weakness was not in God’s law but in human hearts that were unable and unwilling to obey. In grace, God himself promised a new covenant through the prophet Jeremiah, anticipating a radical, gracious work that would address the core problem of the human heart.
This new covenant is not another arrangement of works for blessing, but a covenant of grace enacted and secured by Christ. Unlike the old covenant written on tablets of stone, the new covenant involves God writing his law on the minds and hearts of his people. God pledges to be their God and to claim them as his people, granting direct, personal knowledge of himself “from the least of them to the greatest.” The need for human mediators (priests, gurus, or spiritual elites) is removed, because Christ himself is the all-sufficient mediator who opens unhindered access to the Father.
At the center of this new covenant stands God’s definitive dealing with sin. He promises to be merciful toward the iniquities of his people and to remember their sins no more. This is not divine amnesia, but a covenantal commitment never again to reckon their sins against them because Christ has borne their guilt at the cross. All the earlier covenants (with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David) anticipated and pointed toward this climactic work of redemption, where the Son of God suffers in the place of covenant-breakers.
This passage also implies what Reformed theology calls the covenant of redemption: from eternity, the Father, Son, and Spirit purposed together to redeem a people. The Father chose, the Son came to accomplish redemption through his life, death, and resurrection, and the Spirit applies that work by giving new hearts and indwelling believers. In Christ, the demands of the covenant are fully met; believers receive its blessings by grace alone through faith alone, not by their obedience, though true obedience flows from new hearts.
Because the new covenant is entirely secured by Christ, Christians can live with deep confidence and joy. The work needed for salvation and acceptance with God is finished. Believers have real power, through the Holy Spirit, to grow in obedience, not to earn God’s favor but because they already have it in Christ. This reality calls the church to trust the Spirit’s work, to draw near boldly to the Father, and to bear witness to God’s pursuing love in a dark and violent world that devalues human life made in God’s image.
Key Takeaways
Discussion Questions
Practical Applications
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Summary
Hebrews 8:6–13 declares that Jesus Christ has obtained a ministry that surpasses the old covenant because he mediates a better covenant, founded on better promises. The “first covenant” in view is the Mosaic covenant given at Sinai when God brought Israel out of Egypt. That covenant was good and holy, but it was not sufficient, evidenced by the fact that the people did not continue in it. The weakness was not in God’s law but in human hearts that were unable and unwilling to obey. In grace, God himself promised a new covenant through the prophet Jeremiah, anticipating a radical, gracious work that would address the core problem of the human heart.
This new covenant is not another arrangement of works for blessing, but a covenant of grace enacted and secured by Christ. Unlike the old covenant written on tablets of stone, the new covenant involves God writing his law on the minds and hearts of his people. God pledges to be their God and to claim them as his people, granting direct, personal knowledge of himself “from the least of them to the greatest.” The need for human mediators (priests, gurus, or spiritual elites) is removed, because Christ himself is the all-sufficient mediator who opens unhindered access to the Father.
At the center of this new covenant stands God’s definitive dealing with sin. He promises to be merciful toward the iniquities of his people and to remember their sins no more. This is not divine amnesia, but a covenantal commitment never again to reckon their sins against them because Christ has borne their guilt at the cross. All the earlier covenants (with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David) anticipated and pointed toward this climactic work of redemption, where the Son of God suffers in the place of covenant-breakers.
This passage also implies what Reformed theology calls the covenant of redemption: from eternity, the Father, Son, and Spirit purposed together to redeem a people. The Father chose, the Son came to accomplish redemption through his life, death, and resurrection, and the Spirit applies that work by giving new hearts and indwelling believers. In Christ, the demands of the covenant are fully met; believers receive its blessings by grace alone through faith alone, not by their obedience, though true obedience flows from new hearts.
Because the new covenant is entirely secured by Christ, Christians can live with deep confidence and joy. The work needed for salvation and acceptance with God is finished. Believers have real power, through the Holy Spirit, to grow in obedience, not to earn God’s favor but because they already have it in Christ. This reality calls the church to trust the Spirit’s work, to draw near boldly to the Father, and to bear witness to God’s pursuing love in a dark and violent world that devalues human life made in God’s image.
Key Takeaways
- God's Pursuit - From eternity past, God has pursued his people with intentionality, grace, and mercy.
- New and Better - The New Covenant that Christ mediates is a better covenant based on grace
- Old vs. New - The Old Covenant was not flawed, but all it could do was reveal our brokenness. The New Covenant can actually forgive and redeem those who trust in Christ.
Discussion Questions
- How do you understand the difference between a covenant and a contract?
- What is the "fault" in the old covenant that is referenced in Hebrews 8:7?
- Practically, what does it mean that God's law is written on our hearts and not on tablets of stone?
- Have you ever heard the term "Covenant of Redemption"? What is that covenant? How does that help us grow in confidence and assurance in our standing before God?
- God promised in Jeremiah that He would remember our sins no more. Do you struggle to accept this complete forgiveness, and what keeps you from fully embracing God's mercy?
- What does it mean practically to trust the Holy Spirit to give you new desires and empower you to follow Jesus rather than relying on your own strength?
- Review the four promises included in the new covenant: 1. God will put His laws in our minds and write them on our hearts (v. 10), 2. "I will be their God and they shall be my people" (v. 10), 3: All will know the Lord directly (v. 11), 4. God will be merciful and remember our sins no more (v. 12). Which of these four promises stands out to you? Are any hard to believe right now?
- How could the comparison between a covenant of works and a covenant of grace help you reach out to nonbelievers in your life that are relying on their own works for salvation (or hope, peace, confidence, etc.)?
Practical Applications
- Confidence in Prayer - Set aside 15 minutes each day to come boldly to the Father in prayer. Bring your concerns, fears, and needs directly to Him, remembering that Jesus has opened the way.
- Reflect on God's Pursuit - Journal about how God has pursued you throughout your life. Where do you see His intentionality, creativity, and "hustle" in drawing you to Himself?
- Share the Gospel - The new covenant is good news! Identify one person who doesn't know Christ and pray for an opportunity to share what Jesus has done to make forgiveness and new life available.