God’s Old Covenant with Israel was characterized by its association with the physical world. In the Old Covenant, Israel had a physical kingdom in which they offered physical tithes by means of physical sacrifices. They observed the physical Sabbath days and numerous feast days. They also had various ceremonial washings with physical water.

During God’s offer of the New Covenant Kingdom in the gospels and the Acts period, we see water baptism as well as many physical miracles, wonders, and signs which God gave to validate the offer of the New Covenant Kingdom. When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, Israel will be filled with the Holy Spirit of God and will serve as a nation of priests in a physical kingdom. As such, they will receive the tithes, administer the various physical ceremonies and serve as judges for the nations of the world.

However, the dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ is characterized by its association with the spiritual realm. We have been spiritually baptized into the Church which is the Body of Christ. We have been spiritually translated into a heavenly kingdom and have found our spiritual Sabbath in the Lord Jesus. Our hearts have been miraculously filled with all spiritual blessings, and we find our fulness or completeness in the fulness of Christ.

Col 2:9-12
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (KJV)

The physical realm is a realm of death without the spiritual reality just as the physical human body is dead without the spirit. The physical circumcision of the Old Covenant pictured the spiritual necessity of dying to one’s self. The water baptism of the New Covenant pictured the spiritual reality of death as well as resurrection with Christ. The Church which is the Body of Christ has the opportunity to experience the spiritual fulness that was pictured in these physical shadows.

Col 2:16-17
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. (NKJ)

We, as members of the Church which is the Body of Christ, are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3: 20) and should set our affections on things above (Col. 3:2).

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/