Series so far: Christ at the Center: The Fulcrum of Biblical Covenantalism – Introduction: Parts 1a, 1b, 1c, Jesus and the New Covenant: Part 2a, 2b Christ is the New Covenant! (Isa. 49:8) Several passages in the Bible are crucial for studying the New Covenant. In the OT, along with Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36 there is in particular Ezekiel 11 and 37, as well as early notices of the need for inner renewal in Deuteronomy 30:5-6. The NT references …
Category: Theology
Series so far: Christ at the Center: The Fulcrum of Biblical Covenantalism – Introduction: Parts 1a, 1b, 1c, Jesus and the New Covenant: Part 2a When one examines the Old Testament’s unilateral covenants a picture emerges which shows how each covenant: the Noahic, the Abrahamic, the Priestly, and the Davidic, are bound together in their future fulfillment with the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. This feature of the covenants is plainly present in two important prophetic passages, Jeremiah 33 and …
When one is associating a belief with the text of Scripture it is never wise to choose texts from obscure, debated or overly figurative portions of the Bible. Why go to a vision of Zechariah when you can go to an epistle of Paul for the same doctrine? When tying a doctrine concerning the Church to Scripture we find good men like F. Turretin running to the song of Solomon. Surely it is unwise to appeal to the Song of …
Series: Christ at the Center: The Fulcrum of Biblical Covenantalism Introduction: Parts 1a, 1b, 1c Jesus Christ and the New Covenant In my Introduction I showed that Scripture places the Person of Christ in the middle of everything. Not only did God create through the Son (as the Word or Logos, of which more to come), but everything was made for Christ. We may, therefore, view creation as a gift of the Father to the Son. Seeing it this way …
Since the non-Calvinists in the SBC rallied around the “Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation,” the charge of Semi-Pelagianism has been bandied about. I did it myself, and I don’t regret it. In response the theologians who signed the “Statement” have defended it and have asserted that it is not Semi-Pelagian. Let me be clear. I do not think these SBC theologians are Semi-Pelagians. But I am not so sure about the author of …
As I attend an SBC Church I want to record a few observations on the first two Articles of Eric Hankins’ “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation.” I shall run the proof-texts through the “Rules of Affinity” Article One: The Gospel We affirm that the Gospel is the good news that God has made a way of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for any person. This …
Previous Post I have reduced my Introduction down to three shorter pieces for ease of reading and digestion. This brief piece finishes off the exposition of Colossians 1:13-20 and leads into a preamble on the New Covenant. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 …
Continued from last time on Colossians 1:15b There is a great deal which might be said about the term “firstborn.” Primarily of course it concerns right of inheritance and prominence among brethren. As the examples of Isaac and Jacob and Judah and Solomon show, the first to be born is not the main idea in “firstborn” (prototokos). The primary idea involves status, not physical birth. Notice how this is true in Psalm 89:27, ” I also shall make him My …
Introduction To The Series There are all sorts of places one can launch out from when writing about the grand scheme of things in the Bible. Certain passages are just packed with theology! This has been seen and utilized by many writers down through the ages. From John Calvin to John Stott men have built solid arguments from expounding a few verses and establishing connections with the Biblical worldview. For all his faults Karl Barth is often a master at …
Previous Post A Little More Clarification on the Function of the Rules In my so-called “Rules of Affinity” I am seeking to accomplish one main task. That task is to uncover the degree of affinity between any statement of a doctrine or part doctrine, and the biblical references which are brought in to support it or defend it. All of us know that Christians with different theological outlooks claim that their views are biblical. But in reality just saying “I …
