“The Old Testament Shadow vs. New Testament Reality” – Episode 2

This program is made possible in part by the partners and friends of Creflo Dollar Ministries. Coming up next on Changing Your World. The old covenant temple and the sacrificial system were shadows that pointed to Jesus, who is the ultimate High Priest and the perfect sacrifice. Jesus is both High Priest and sacrifice. In the Old Testament, the high priest had to bring a separate sacrifice, but in Christ the reality has come. He is the High Priest and the sacrifice in one. It is always a blessing to have Dr. Dollar here with the Spirit and Grace Tour and the Grace Gang in town.

Many who shared testimonies, asked questions, and received answers said they also found the answers they personally needed. It created an atmosphere of freedom. People are encouraged to attend when the Spirit and Grace Tour comes to a city near them. Seats are limited and filling quickly, so registration is available now at spiritandgracetour.com. This is your world, so let us commit to making it a better place. Let every heart that encounters us know that God’s love is here to stay. It is time to live a new life. Let His love shine brightly through you. We live by His grace, so we embrace His love today. We are changed.

If someone were born again today and asked what the first step should be, the answer would be simple: get to know Jesus. Many people respond by saying read the Word, study the Bible, confess the Word, and meditate on scripture. None of that is wrong, but the main thing must remain the main thing. We read the Word to know Jesus more deeply. We meditate on scripture to know Jesus more intimately. We confess the Word so we can know Jesus better. The goal of all spiritual study is not information alone, but relationship. After reading, does it draw you closer to Him? Sometimes you discover something about Jesus and it moves you to tears in prayer because you suddenly realize how deeply He loves and cares for you.

That is the message of grace. Grace reveals a God who loves you so much that He became the substitute for everything you could never accomplish on your own. He promises never to leave you or forsake you. You may remember moments when you felt abandoned, but God’s truth remains the same. If He brought you through it, then He was the one carrying you the entire time. When you build that kind of relationship with the Holy Spirit, growth begins to happen. The Holy Spirit tells you the truth about yourself in ways no one else can. He reveals areas that need change, not to condemn you, but to transform you into the image of Christ.

The Holy Spirit may show you selfishness, pride, or attitudes that need correction. He is not insulting you. He is helping you become more like Jesus. If we truly want to know Him, we must allow Him to speak to us just as freely as we speak to Him. Many people talk to God constantly but never pause long enough to let Him respond. Prayer is not only speaking. It is also listening.

Now consider the shadows found in scripture, beginning with the Passover lamb. In the Old Covenant, the blood of the Passover lamb protected Israel. During the conflict between Moses and Pharaoh, God instructed the Israelites to place the blood of the lamb over their doorposts. When the angel of death passed through Egypt, every house covered by the blood was spared. That was a shadow pointing forward to Christ. In the New Covenant, Jesus is the true Passover Lamb whose blood brings eternal salvation. Exodus 12:5 describes the lamb as being without blemish, a male of the first year. This spotless lamb represented Jesus, the sinless Son of God.

Then the New Testament reveals the fulfillment. First Peter 1:19 speaks of the precious blood of Christ, like a lamb without blemish or spot. The Old Testament image was never meant to stand alone. It was always pointing to Jesus. He is now our eternal Passover Lamb. Just as the blood on the doorposts delivered Israel from death, the blood of Jesus delivers us from sin and judgment. The entire purpose of the shadow was to reveal the reality found in Him.

Without understanding this, people can wrongly assume the Bible contradicts itself. What was true under the law is fulfilled differently under grace. Under the law, the Sabbath was observed as a day. Under the New Covenant, Jesus Himself becomes our Sabbath rest. The shadow served its purpose until the reality arrived.

Now consider the temple and the sacrifices. When reading the Old Covenant and seeing the temple rituals, we should recognize that they also reveal more of Jesus. The temple and sacrificial system were shadows pointing to Christ, the ultimate High Priest and the perfect sacrifice. In the Old Testament, priests offered animal sacrifices for sin. Leviticus 16:30 explains that atonement was made so the people could be cleansed before the Lord. Yet those sacrifices only covered sin temporarily and had to be repeated year after year.

Under the New Covenant, Jesus offered Himself once and for all. His sacrifice on the cross is final and complete. Through His blood we receive forgiveness and reconciliation with God. Hebrews 10:10 says we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. He does not need to offer Himself again every time someone fails. His sacrifice was sufficient forever. We receive it by faith.

Hebrews also explains that Old Testament priests stood daily, repeatedly offering sacrifices that could never remove sins completely. But Jesus, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. No Old Testament priest ever sat down because their work was never finished. But Jesus sat down because the work of redemption was complete. No more sacrifices are needed. Christ is the final sacrifice.

All our sins, past, present, and future, were placed on the body of Jesus. Before we were even born, He had already provided the answer for sin through the cross. Forgiveness is not something God is trying to decide whether to give. In Christ, it has already been accomplished and must be received by faith.

This is why believers no longer need to live with constant sin consciousness. Jesus has already dealt with sin completely. When He appears again, He is not returning to solve the sin problem because it has already been solved through His death and resurrection. He finished that work once and for all.

Because of Christ, believers can boldly declare who they are in Him. I am holy now. I am righteous now. I am forgiven now. I am delivered now. Holiness is not based on human performance. Holiness is a position given to us through union with the Holy One, Jesus Christ. The Bible says to awake to righteousness and sin no more. In other words, wake up to what God has already done for you.

Many people misunderstand Hebrews 10:26, which says if we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins. In context, the passage is not teaching that one personal failure removes salvation. It is referring to rejecting Jesus as the final sacrifice and returning to the old sacrificial system. Once the true sacrifice has come, there is no other sacrifice left to turn to. Christ alone is enough.

The issue is unbelief, refusing to trust that Jesus is the complete and final answer for sin. God does not force anyone to believe. Human beings are given the freedom to accept or reject His gift. But for those who believe, grace brings freedom, not pressure. Grace empowers where striving fails.

That is why today’s special offer is designed to make grace practical in everyday life. The Practical Living Bundle includes Creflo Dollar’s new book The Practical Side of Grace along with the six message series Understanding Your True Identity. These resources are created to help you see yourself the way God sees you: loved, righteous, and already accepted. As a special thank you, you will also receive an exclusive Grace Gang t shirt as a reminder that you belong to a community walking in grace together. This bundle is available today for a love gift of eighty US dollars or more. Visit creflodollarministries.org, click the e store, scan the QR code, or call the number on your screen to begin living grace practically every day.

For encouragement and spiritual growth, the Creflo Dollar Ministries TV app provides powerful content to strengthen your heart and mind. Discover messages about grace, faith, and living in the likeness of Christ on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and other streaming devices. Stream hope, truth, and understanding whenever you need it most.

Another featured resource is the six message series Grace Mentality for True Prosperity. This teaching reveals that true prosperity means nothing missing and nothing broken in spirit, soul, and body. Grace based prosperity flows from your identity in Christ. Through Jesus, God has already provided wholeness. He gave righteousness for our unrighteousness, redemption for our bondage, and supply for every need. This complete resource is available today for a love gift of thirty five US dollars or more.

Grace Gang partners are also invited to make a global impact. Partnership is more than joining a program. It is becoming part of a movement that spreads the message of God’s love and grace from College Park to communities around the world. Every prayer, every gift, and every act of service helps feed families, support outreach, and change lives every day. Partners receive exclusive resources, priority access, and the joy of growing in grace together. Visit creflodollarministries.org/partnership to join today.

As today’s broadcast comes to a close, there is one final invitation. If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there is no greater step you can take than beginning a personal relationship with Him. Pray this prayer with sincerity: Heavenly Father, come into my heart. Save me. I receive You now by faith. I declare in Jesus’ name that I am saved. Thank You, Lord, for saving me. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God. Through this ministry, millions of lives are being transformed every day with a fresh understanding of grace and the power of lasting change.