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I. The special characteristics of the new covenant:
А. Involving an inner law.
B. Involving an inner knowing.
C. Not according to man’s teaching.
D. Every believer being a priest.
E. Every believer being a member one of another.
II. The service of the new covenant:
А. Not being according to ordinances but according to life.
B. Not being of the letter but being of the Spirit.
C. Not outward but inward.
D. Not the service of a few but the service of all.
E. Not the service of individuals but the service of the Body.
III. How to have the service of the new covenant:
А. Being in life.
B. Living by the Spirit.
C. Living according to an inward operation.
D. Every believer serving.
E. Living in the Body.
The service of the new covenant is completely different from the service of the old covenant because of its special characteristics. Therefore, we need to look at the special characteristics of the new covenant.
1. “I will impart My laws into their mind” (Heb. 8:10 see also 10:16).
The new covenant is according to an inner law. This is the first special characteristic. The law of the old covenant was written with letters on stone tablets outside of man, so it was outward and dead. The law of the new covenant is written with life on the tablets of our hearts, so it is inward and living. This inner living law is the life of God. Since each life has a nature and capabilities related to its nature, the nature and capability of the life of God operate within us spontaneously (2 Pet. 1:4).
1. “All will know Me” (Heb. 8:11).
The new covenant also involves an inner knowing. This is the second special characteristic. This knowledge of God is inward rather than outward. Since the law of the new covenant is within man, the knowledge of God related to the new covenant is also within man. In the old covenant man knew God by the outward law of letters. There was an outward knowledge of God, but it was according to dead letters. In the new covenant man knows God by the inward law of life. This knowledge is inward, and it is according to the living operation of the life of God. Knowledge from outward letters is shallow and weak because it is not related to life, but knowledge that comes from God’s inward life is deep and strong.
Inward knowledge does not come out of outward knowledge; it comes out of life. A six-month-old child knows that some herbs are bitter, but sugar is sweet. This knowledge is not based on knowing outward facts but on the reactions of his inward life. Even though the child has no concept of bitter or sweet, his inward life reacts negatively to what is bitter and positively to what is sweet. Similarly, in the new covenant our knowledge of God and the things of God does not come from outward knowledge but from an inner sense of life. Any knowledge that comes from outward knowledge related to our mind will be shallow, weak, and even dead. The inner sense of life, however, will result in a knowledge of God that is deep, strong, and living. This is the kind of knowledge that is spoken of in the second half of Hebrews 8:11.
1. “They shall by no means each teach his fellow citizen and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord” (Heb. 8:11).
In the new covenant there is no need for man’s teaching. This is the third special characteristic. In the old covenant man needed others to teach him if he wanted to know God. In the new covenant we do not need others to teach us to know God because we all have the law of life that causes us to know God. Man teaches according to outward knowledge, but the knowledge that comes from the law of life replaces and even surpasses man’s teaching. We do not need people to teach us to know God because the law of life teaches us inwardly.
2. “You have no need that anyone teach you; but as His anointing teaches you concerning all things” (1 John 2:27).
We do not need anyone to teach us to know God, because we have the law of life within, and we also have His anointing within that teaches us concerning all things and causes us to know God. This anointing is the inward operation of the Holy Spirit who indwells us. The Holy Spirit operates as ointment to anoint us inwardly, teaching us to know God in all things. Therefore, we do not need man’s teachings.
1. “Made us a kingdom, priests to His God” (Rev. 1:6 see also 5:10; 1 Pet. 2:9).
In the new covenant every believer is a priest. This is the fourth special characteristic. In the old covenant there were only a few priests among God’s people. In the new covenant God wants every believer to be a priest. To be a priest means to serve God. God wants every believer to serve Him because He wants every believer to be a priest. In fallen Catholicism and deformed Christianity, only a few serve God because of the clergy-laity system. This system is very much against the teaching of the new covenant. In the new covenant God wants all His people to serve Him. He wants every believer to be a serving priest without any distinction based on a system of clergy and laity, that is, those who serve God and those who do not serve God. Every believer should serve God because every believer is a priest to God in the new covenant.
1. “We who are many are one Body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Rom. 12:5).
In the new covenant the believers are members one of another. This is the fifth special characteristic of the new covenant. Romans begins with our status as sinners and then, step by step, brings us to our status as members who serve in the Body of Christ in Romans 12. The believers who serve God are the Body of Christ, the church, and are members one of another, manifesting their function in the Body. In the old covenant the church was a hidden mystery, but in the new covenant the church has been manifested (Eph. 3:5-10). Therefore, a unique characteristic of the new covenant is that the believers are members one of another in the Body.
In the new covenant God wants the believers in Christ to express Christ throughout the universe as the Body of Christ, which is the church. In the new covenant God wants the members of the Body of Christ to serve Him. We are the Body of Christ and members one of another because we have received the life of Christ. The life of Christ was not available to those under the old covenant; consequently, those under the old covenant could not experience the reality of being the Body of Christ and of being members one of another. This is possible only under the new covenant; therefore, it is a special characteristic of the new covenant.
None of the preceding points were possible under the old covenant. They are realities only in the new covenant. If we want to know the true service of the new covenant, we must understand these five special characteristics. After seeing these five special characteristics, we can see the service of the new covenant.
The service of the new covenant is based entirely on the special characteristics of the new covenant. With each characteristic of the new covenant, there is a corresponding aspect of service. Consequently, the special characteristics of the new covenant are also the characteristics of the service of the new covenant.
1. “Not according to the law of a fleshy commandment but according to the power of an indestructible life” (Heb. 7:16).
The service of the new covenant is not related to ordinances but to life because the law of the new covenant is not according to letters but according to life. The law of letters is dead; the law of life is living. Service according to ordinances is dead, but service according to life is living. Both the law of letters and the service according to ordinances in the old covenant are dead. In contrast, both the law of life and the service according to life in the new covenant are living. Therefore, service in the new covenant has nothing in common with service in the old covenant.
The service of ordinances is according to fixed ordinances. It is rigid and constant, and it does not require any leading. The service of life is according to the sense of life. It is flexible rather than systematic, and it requires the leading of the Lord. In the service of ordinances, there also is no need for fellowship with God; we need only to follow an established ordinance. But in the service of life, we must rely on God and fellowship with God in order to properly serve Him.
The service of ordinances is weak because it has no life. The service of life is strong because it is living. Hebrews 7:16 says that the Lord, as the Priest of the new covenant, is serving God in the new covenant. He does not serve according to weak ordinances but according to the power of an indestructible life. The Lord’s service is strong and powerful. The Lord is our Head. Since His service is powerful according to His indestructible life, our service should be the same. Today we do not serve God according to weak and dead ordinances but according to the power of an indestructible life. Therefore, our service also is strong and powerful.
1. “Not of the letter but of the Spirit”; “In spirit, not in letter”; “In newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter” (2 Cor. 3:6; Rom. 2:29; 7:6).
The service of the new covenant is not according to ordinances but according to life, and it is not of the letter but of the Spirit. Ordinances are of the letter, but life is of the Spirit. Not serving according to ordinances means not serving according to the letter. Serving according to life means serving according to the Spirit. The letter of the law is not only dead but also old. The Spirit of life is not only living but also new. Therefore, service according to the letter is dead and old, but service according to the Spirit is living and new. The service of the old covenant is dead and old because it is according to the letter, but the service of the new covenant is living and new because it is according to the Spirit.
The service of the old covenant is based on written regulations, and these written regulations are the letter. Those who served God under the old covenant only had to follow written regulations in order for their service to be proper. Their service according to the letter required neither the inspiration of the Spirit nor the leading of God. Therefore, there was no need to fellowship with God, because everything could be done according to written regulations.
The service of the new covenant is based on the living Spirit. God still wants man to serve Him under the new covenant, but He does not provide written regulations for man. Instead, He puts His Spirit into man and wants man to act according to His Spirit. Therefore, service under the new covenant must be according to the Spirit of God, not according to the letter.
Serving according to the letter means serving according to the regulations of the letter. Such service follows set regulations. In principle, anything that is done in a fixed way, according to rules, or is based on old practices, whether it involves prayer, preaching, or other kinds of service, will be a service that is according to letter. Such service cannot be counted as service in the new covenant. Even service that issues from the inspiration of the Spirit or is carried out in fellowship with God can become a service that is according to the letter if it is not continually carried out through the inspiration of the Spirit in fellowship with God. Any service or work that is old, formal, or ritualistic cannot be counted as new covenant service.
When some Christian groups worship, they read prayers that are printed in a prayer book. The prayers at their weddings, funerals, and other services all come from printed prayer books. These prayers are fully in the realm of the letter, and they cannot be considered as service in the new covenant. Some do not pray from prayer books, but they pray the same prayers every day. These prayers, which are recited like lessons, are completely according to the letter and cannot be considered as service in the new covenant. Similarly, when some preach, they use the same message or copy the words of others, often repeating their words in an old way. This type of preaching, which is set and old, is according to the letter and cannot be considered as service in the new covenant.
Service in the new covenant must be based on the inspiration and leading of the Lord that comes out of fellowship with Him. It must be new and living. This kind of service is not according to set texts or rituals, nor does it have an old and dead flavor. It is from the operation of the Spirit; it is new and living. It causes people to feel the presence of God and to touch God Himself. Our service in both prayer and preaching must be in this way in order to be the new covenant service.
1. “Not...outwardly...but...inwardly” (Rom. 2:28-29).
The service of the new covenant is not according to ordinances or letters but according to the power of life and the Spirit. Hence, it is not outward but inward. What is done outwardly is according to ordinances and the letter. It does not require the inward power of life and the inward operation of the Spirit. What is done inwardly is according to the power of life and the Spirit. It requires the inward power of life and the inward operation of the Spirit. Anything done according to ordinances and the letter is only an outward action because it does not require the inward power of life and the inward operation of the Spirit. Anything done according to the power of life and the Spirit is an inward action because it requires the inward power of life and the inward operation of the Spirit. Service that comes from within and is according to the inward power of life and the inward operation of the Spirit is the new covenant service. Service that is based on outward ordinances and the outward letter is not the new covenant service. In nature, such service is according to the old covenant.
Anything that does not require an inward burden, an inward feeling, and an inward supply of life and that does not rely on the power of the inward life, does not pass through prayer, or does not come out of fellowship with God is an outward service in the principle of the old covenant. Furthermore, anything that merely mimics or copies what others do or repeats what has been done in the past without the leading of the Lord is also in the principle of the old covenant. For example, if we pray as another brother prays, preach the gospel as another brother preaches, or even love the brothers as another brother loves the brothers, our actions will only be an outward service.
Inward service requires an inward burden and must come out of the inward operation and inspiration of the Spirit. It must rely on the power of the inward life and pass through prayer and fellowship with God. It must come from the Spirit within us in order to be carried out by God’s inward life. God must be our source when we pray, preach the gospel, visit people, or do anything related to service. Only that which comes from our spirit and out of our inward life can be considered as service in the new covenant. Brothers and sisters, we must see that the new covenant service is not outward but inward. May we always remember the principle in Romans 2 — not outwardly but inwardly.
1. “Brothers,...your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1).
God wants every believer to serve Him as a priest in the new covenant. Therefore, service in the new covenant does not involve the service of a special few but a service of all the believers, all the brothers. In Romans 12 Paul exhorts the brothers who have received God’s salvation to present their bodies to God in order to serve Him. His exhortation is not directed toward a few gifted brothers; rather, he exhorts all the brothers who have received God’s salvation. According to the characteristics of the new covenant today, we realize that serving God is a necessary and reasonable matter for every believer. If we have received God’s salvation, we should serve God regardless of the measure of our gift of grace. God desires service from every believer in the new covenant. In principle, service that is limited to a few is not service according to the new covenant but service according to the old covenant. Similarly, any service that does not see a need for the service of others in order to carry it out is related in principle to the old covenant, not the new covenant.
1. “We who are many are one Body in Christ, and individually members one of another. And having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, whether prophecy...or service...or he who teaches...or he who exhorts...he who gives...he who leads...burning in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:5-8, 11 see also 1 Cor. 12:4-30; Eph. 4:11-12).
The service of the new covenant is the service not only of all the believers but also of the Body. The believers of the new covenant are the Body of Christ and members one of another in the Body. Therefore, the service of the believers in the new covenant is not individual but corporate. It is not a movement of individuals but a serving of all in coordination. No matter what kind of gift, ministry, or service that we have, we cannot move individually but must serve in coordination with all the saints in the church, the Body of Christ. The service of the new covenant is the service of the Body, and even individually we still are members of the Body. In a physical body the members must coordinate. If a member is separated from the body, it cannot function. Similarly, we must coordinate in the church. If we are not coordinated with the saints in the Body, we should not serve because such service is not in the principle or nature of the new covenant. The service of the new covenant is a coordinated service in the Body.
1. “Christ our life”; “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Col. 3:4; Gal. 2:20).
The service of the new covenant is according to life, so if we want to serve according to the new covenant, we must be in life. To be in life is to live by the Lord, not by ourselves. The Lord today is living in us as our life, causing us to live by Him. Whenever we live by ourselves, whenever we live under the law, we cannot be delivered from the service of the law of ordinances. If we want to be delivered from the service of the law of ordinances, we must be delivered from ourselves. If we want to be delivered from ourselves, we must live by the life of the Lord. When we live by the Lord and His life, we are delivered from the law of ordinances. When we live by the Lord and His life, we are in the service of the new covenant, which is according to the power of life.
1. “According to the spirit”; “Walk by the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5; Gal. 5:16).
The service of the new covenant is according to the spirit. If we want to have the service of the new covenant, we must live by the Spirit. To live by the Spirit is to follow the Spirit and to walk according to the spirit. This cannot be separated from living in the Lord and by the Lord. If we want to live in the Lord and by the Lord, we must live by the Spirit, which is to be according to the spirit and to walk by the Spirit. We can be delivered from letters and ordinances only by living according to the spirit and walking by the Spirit. When we live by the Spirit, we will also be delivered from rigid, old, and dead forms to a fresh, living, spiritual service according to the new covenant.
1. “It is God who operates in you both the willing and the working” (Phil. 2:13).
The service of the new covenant comes from within, so we must live according to the inward operation of life in order to be in the new covenant service. To live inwardly is to not be according to outward ordinances or outward practices. It is to live according to the inward sense of life and to live according to the inward operation of the Spirit. Therefore, it is the same as living in life and by the Spirit. When we live by the Spirit’s inward operation, our willing and our working are according to the operation of God in us.
1. “Brothers,...present your bodies a living sacrifice...which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1).
The service of the new covenant involves the service of all the believers; therefore, every believer must serve in order for the service of the new covenant to be realized. Consequently, all the brothers and sisters must present themselves as a living sacrifice to work out their ministry as priests to God.
1. “We who are many are one Body”; “The members are many, but the body one” (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:20).
We must live in the Body in order to have the service of the new covenant because this service is the service of the Body. This requires consecration and a willingness to abandon our individual actions and coordinate with all the saints in the service.
