THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS

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BAPTISM AND SALVATION

Old Covenant	Dominion of sin	Law = Judgment	Death and the grave
New Covenant	Dominion of grace	Holiness = Sanctification	Salvation /Eternal life

See Romans 6:16-23 and St. Paul's contrast of the parallels between two dominations or-one form of domination is under the Old Covenant Law and the other under the New Covenant in Christ.

The Old Covenant Law of Moses could not bring salvation; it only identified sin but was incapable of removing sin (the blood of an animal could never be perfect enough to remove sin but was only a temporary remedy to sin). Disobedience to the Law led to transgression of the Law and God's wrathful judgment but through the New Covenant promises, established in the blood of the sacrifice of the perfect "Lamb of God", Jesus Christ, man received God's promise of salvation in the gift of unmerited grace and faith.

The Law transgression wrath

God's promises unmerited grace faith

God's power to make us godly is greater than the power of concupiscence which tempts us to sin. [see CCC #s 161, 405, 1264, 1961-64, 1965-70, 2515-16; Roman 4:13-17].

The necessity of faith as the first step in the process of salvation: CCC # 161, "Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation. Since 'without faith it is impossible to please [God]' and to attain to the fellowship of his Son, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will anyone obtain eternal life 'but he who endures to the end.'" [quoting Dei Filius 3; Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Hebrews 11:6; Council of Trent: DS 1532].

The Council of Trent stated that this initial act of faith "moves the person to recognize God, to repent of his sins, to put his trust and faith in God's divine mercy and to love him above all things; and to desire the sacraments and resolve to live a holy life.." The Council of Trent, De Justification, chapter 6.

The designation "CCC" is an abbreviation for Catechism of the Catholic Church.