Is the New Covenant Active Now?

Most realize that Bible Students are split over whether the new covenant is active now, or if it belongs exclusively to or becomes active in the next age. We believe that the problem is that most do not seem to realize how the New Covenant, if it is not active now, can be active on the new creature so as to result in sanctification (consecration). The terminology most often used among Bible Students would either result in the thought that the new creature is not under the New Covenant, or that if he is under the New Covenant, then the New Covenant must be active now. We believe that trom these two extremes other wrong conclusions are developed.

What we need to realize is that everything pertaining the new creation belongs to the age to come, not this present evil age. Thus, Paul wrote:

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, they have become new. - 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The new creation is related to the passing away of the present evil age, the present heavens and earth, and the time when all things are made new. -- Isaiah 65:17; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Mark 31:31; Luke 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10,13; Revelation 21:1-5.

That New Heavens and New Earth are not now, but belong to the "age to come."

He will receive one hundred times now in this time, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. -- Mark 10:30.

Who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world [age] to come, eternal life." -- Luke 18:30.

That "age to come" had not yet come when the book of Hebrews was written, and it still has not come:

Concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,  and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come. -- Hebrews 6:4,5.

This last scripture shows that the new creature in this age has tasted "the powers of the age to come." It is in that age to come that the New Covenant becomes active to the world, thus we conclude that those who are chosen out this world become new creatures by means of the power of the age to come, reckoning them as belonging to the day. 

That "age to come" still is not fully with us, since the heathen of the earth are still being deceived by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:3), and the promised blessings of the heathen are not being seen. (Genesis 22:18) It is still true that God is choosing people out of the corrupted world as his sons, who then are no longer of the corrupted world (John 15:19), thus the corrupted world (Romans 5:12; 8:21; 2 Peter 1:4) is still in existence, and has not yet passed away. -- 1 Corinthians 17:31; John 2:17.

Once the present heavens and earth have passed away, the New Covenant becomes operative through Israel. (Jeremiah 31:31) In the meantime, we conclude that those who become new creatures in Christ in this age partake of the blessings of the age to come, having the New Covenant reckoned as applied to them beforehand. 

Therefore, when Jesus told his disciples: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20; see also 1 Corinthians 1125 he was indeed saying that the new covenant was to be applied to his disciples. The "blood of the covenant" (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24) that is applied to the followers of Christ is new covenant. The blood by which the believer is sanctified (consecrated) is the blood of the new covenant (Hebrews 10:29; 12:24; 13:20), by applying the powers of the age to come to those who believe in this age. -- Hebrews 6:4,5.