MANY PEOPLE do not understand that in the four gospels, Jesus was living under the Law and teaching those who were living under the Law. He was not teaching the Church. During His teaching, He introduced the principles of the kingdom of God, which at the time were "at hand." Now, on this side of the cross, we live in the New Covenant by those very principles. On the cross, Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" But what was finished? First, the reign of Satan was finished, for the power of sin had been broken. The old creation had passed away! - Sickness and disease was carried away as Jesus was made to be sick with our sickness. "By His stripes, we were healed!" (Matt. 8:17, Isaiah 53:5, I Peter 2:24) - And finally, the entire system of laws and ordinances (including the mandate for farmers to pay tithes of their produce and livestock) had come to an end. Now we are free to live in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free without a sense of sin, guilt and inferiority.