Becker Bible Studies LibraryNew Covenant Theology |
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"Covenant 01285. A compact (because made by passing between
pieces of flesh):— confederacy, [con-]feder[-ate], covenant,
league." (Strong's Hebrew Lexicon) "Covenant 1242. A disposition, i.e. (specially) a contract (especially a devisory will):— covenant, testament. (Strong's Greek Lexicon)" The term New Covenant or Testament as referred to in the Bible: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:” ( Jeremiah 31:31 ). “For this is my blood of the new testament <1242>, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” ( Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20). “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants <1242>, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;”(Romans 9:4). “For this is my covenant <1242> unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Romans 11:27 ). “After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament <1242> in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25 ). “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament <1242>; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6). “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant <1242> that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant <1242>, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant <1242> that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” ( Hebrews 8:8). “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” ( Hebrews 8:13 ). “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament <1242>, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament <1242>, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament <1242> is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament <1242> is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament <1242> which God hath enjoined unto you.” ( Hebrews 9:15-20). “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” ( Hebrews 12:24). Introduction The New Covenant Theology offers a religious viewpoint concerning redemption and is different from the Covenant theology and Dispensationalism. There have been two primary choices for understanding the structure of the Bible in Evangelical Christianity and that is the Covenant Theology, that comes out of the Reformation, and the theology of Dispensationalism. The New Covenant Theology is being promoted as being the middle ground with a Biblical basis of understanding. Dispensationalism has put Israel and the church on different planes. The Covenant Theology put Israel and the church equal. The New Covenant Theology recognizes that the Old Covenant demonstrated in the New Testament church levels this plane and identifies them for all intents and purposes. They view the Mosaic economy as a temporal, conditional covenant that has been forever replaced by the Glory of the New Covenant. The New Covenant Theology has some similarities with Progressive Dispensationalism and some commonalities with the classic Covenant Theology and how Israel and the Church are viewed. The New Covenant Theology, however, has more in common with Dispensationalism than with the Covenant Theology in the harmonious relationship with the Mosaic Law. There is similarity in the Christian doctrine about salvation being brought about by Jesus Christ, and the doctrines concerning the human soul in its relation to death, judgment, heaven and hell. The New Covenant Theology and the Covenant Theology agree that the Church has become the Spiritual Israel, that Gentiles are heirs to the Abrahamic Covenant, and they acknowledge the historical redemptive interpretation. They agree on the Calvinistic theology about the doctrine on salvation that states salvation is brought about by Jesus Christ. They also agree that the main purpose of God in history is Christ and His Church and that the Old Testament does have prophecies of the Church Age. They share the statement that everyone ever saved is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Lastly, they agree Jesus Christ offered a spiritual kingdom to ethnic Israel but was rejected, but spiritual Israel has accepted and do continue to accept the Kingdom. They disagree that the church started at Pentecost, that there is no “Church” in the Old Covenant, and the nature of the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant theology rejects the three theological covenants supported in the Covenant Theology, which are the covenant of redemption, the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. Adherents to the New Covenant believe that the Mosaic Law is fulfilled with the advent of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant and now are under the Law of Christ. Their biggest disagreement with Covenant Theology is their view of the Mosaic Law. The Covenant Theology believes the Mosaic Law is divided into three levels; the civil, ceremonial and the moral division and they believe only the moral laws remains in effect today. The New Covenant Theology sees the New Testament writers refer to the Mosaic Law in entirety including the 613 laws and the Ten Commandments. The eternal unchanging moral law is communicated by both the New and the Old Law, but the Old Law doesn’t carry over. They believe the Law of Christ is the moral commands that were given by the writers of the New Testament and the apostles of Jesus. They believe Moses went to a mountain to get the Laws and Jesus Christ went up into a mountain to give the new Law. There are Critics that see the New Covenant Theology as opposing the traditional Reformed interpretation of the Law and argues that whatever is not abolished in Christ continues. The New Covenant Theology believers say that the whole Law of Moses has passed away as it has passed through the hands of Jesus Christ. Nothing is binding unless Christ hands it on to man in the New Testament, which also includes the Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments. History It is believed the New Covenant Theology can be traced back to the post-Reformation theological development. The New Covenant Theology also can be found in the Reformed Baptist history in their basic principles or belief. Many of the New covenant Theology churches of today have been influenced by the First London Baptist confession of Faith, the 1646 edition. Belief The New Covenant Theology is a Biblical approach to understanding the unfolding plan of salvation. The focus of this methodology is the works and the person of Jesus Christ. It's importance is on what God has accomplished and fulfilled in Jesus Christ for the elect. They believe that it is the Lord Jesus Christ that unifies the entire Bible. The New Covenant Theology foundation is based on Christ as a brand New Covenant which totally replaces the Old Covenant. They believe the Old Covenant was a covenant that God had established only with the Nation of Israel. The provisions of this Old Covenant were the Ten Commandments, also called the Tables of Stone, and the Laws. They believed the Old Covenant was a legal covenant that had conditions with Israel that demanded absolute obedience in order to receive the promised blessings from God. Adherents believe the Ten Commandments are not the essence of the Moral Law. They do see them as an element that applies only as a term of the entire Old Covenant with the Nation of Israel. They believe all Christians are no longer bound by the terms of the Old Covenant. They believe the Law of Christ is the independent standard for the believer of the New Covenant. They believe the primary function of the Old Covenant was a ministry of death. They believe the Old Covenant was historically time bound and contained the instructions that the Israelites were obligated to perfectly obey, until the promised seed of Abraham, who they believe to be Jesus Christ, would arrive. They teach that the New Covenant is a new and better covenant. They believe Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant and the New Covenant is founded on a better promise. The New Covenant Theology believes and teaches the New Covenant is made up of a new, regenerate membership because, Christ had died only for His people, the elect. They believe it is the elect who receive the complete benefits of His reconciling work. They believe Jesus Christ kept the terms of the Old Covenant and that Jesus has earned all the blessings for His people. They also believe that since Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant, He is then the new Lawgiver and the Lord of the church. The New Covenant Theology believes all Christians are under the authority of the New Covenant which is governed by the New Testament Scriptures. They do not believe the Covenant of Grace or the Covenant of Works can be found in Scripture. They believe God has put Israel under the law as a covenant which does not make the Old Covenant a covenant of grace. They believe the Scripture specifically designates the purpose of the Mosaic Law as bringing a conviction of sin to those under the Old Covenant. Adherents do not believe the Nation of Israel is the real people of God. They believe the Nation of Israel is unbelieving people of God who are rejected by God as a covenant nation. They do, however, believe the remnant of the Nation of Israel were true believers. They believe the New Covenant believers are now the true people of God because Jesus purchased all who are under the New Covenant. They believe even though the Nation of Israel is referred to as the people of God, they are not people of God. They believe the Nation of Israel was a nation that God had adopted in a way that of His Children were adopted in Christ. They believe this is the reason the Nation of Israel can be called the children of the kingdom that shall be cast out because they are rejected by God. The New Covenant Theology believes the Abrahamic Covenant is a revealing of the plan of salvation of the purpose of God through Abraham and his physical descendants. They believe the true seed of Abraham in Jesus Christ and the believers are the true children of Abraham. |
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MLA Style Citation: About the Author
Joanne B. Holstein is a Becker Bible Studies teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She is seeking a second degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology after completing her study of Psychology/Christian and Bible Counseling. She is well-known as a counsleor to Christian faithful who are struggling with tremendous burden in these difficult times. She is a leading authority on the history of development of the Christian churches and the practices and beliefs of world religions and cults. |
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