THE DIFFERENCE
To what extent is having the New Testament different then? The answer to this became clear with the coming of Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost because He inspired Peter to be the first to preach the Good News of Jesus and His New Covenant Kingdom of God.
And many of the Jews there on that day received Christ and went on to receive the Apostles' teachings and began to grow in Christ.
As time went on the New Covenant Kingdom understandings emerged in writing as the Word of Christ for the Body of Christ. The majority are found in the scriptures of Acts 2'1 to Revelation 3'22 and some in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
So, the difference between the New Covenant and the Old is profound. The apostle Paul, who has Timothy with him, explains:
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.
For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech...," 2 Corinthians 3'5-12.
A major difference is that the "... letter kills, but the Spirit gives life," Paul says. And the understandings they are presenting are "the ministry of the Spirit" and "the ministry of righteousness".
Then there's the apostle Peter speaking for himself and his readers about glorious New Covenant Kingdom understandings:
"Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ. To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust," Peter 2:1'2-3.
For born again Believers the Holy Spirit "... has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him" - "... exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature".
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It's not surprising then that Peter, or James and John, ever forgot that mountain-top experience, as Peter says:
"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
For He received from God the Father honour and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain," 2 Peter 1'16-18.
That's when the Father said, "Hear Him!" And they did take notice of Jesus. Immediately following the Lord's ascension Peter took the lead and performed the first of a number of crucial things (Acts 1). He began using the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Jesus had given him, one by one (see Kingdom Keys on the Menu).
The apostle Paul was another to take notice of what Jesus said. When the Lord intervened dramatically in his murderous mission of persecuting Jesus' people of The Way. Paul responded to the Lord's voice, by saying "... what do You want me to do?” (Acts 9'1-6, 26'14-16).
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“And the common people heard Him gladly," Mark 12'37.
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