Covenant Theology Pt.1 | Ep.22
In scripture we find many examples of covenants. There is a covenant made in Genesis between God and Noah, where God promises never to flood the Earth again. The patriarchs make covenants with the people in the lands where they sojourn. God makes more covenants with Kings and people later in history. The biggest covenant, however, is the one made with Abraham that God will make him a great nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed.
This covenant is seen throughout all of the Old Testament, and ultimately is fulfilled in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ. However, not everyone agrees that it ends there. A question that many debate is what the covenant looks like now that Christ has ascended to heaven. Some say that the covenant continues, but is changed. Others would argue that Christ’s work ended the old covenant, and now we live in a new one.
Even in these two camps, there are many disagreements. In the realm of those who say we still live in the same covenant, the question arises: what is the meaning of the covenant and how does Christ’s work effect the way we understand the covenant today? This leads to question of salvation. Who is in the covenant? What does it mean to be in the covenant? Is everyone in the covenant automatically guaranteed salvation? What ought we to understand when someone abandonds the faith? All of these questions receive different answers depending on who is asked.
A question here that is greatly debated is the place of children in the covenant. Some argue that children should not be admitted to the covenant until they are old enough to examine themselves and profess faith. Other say, no, the example of the Old Testament says that children are to be fully admitted to the covenant from infancy. Yet others would argue a middle ground, saying that children should be baptized into the covenant, but before they take on an active role in the church they must make a profession of faith.
These questions may seem too technical to some, and one might be tempted to argue that they are unimportant and only cause unnecessary divisions in the church. But an understanding of the covenant is essential to believers as we seek to live our daily lives. We must understand what it is we are called to do how we ought to do it. We claim to have communion with Christ, and that comes through some sort of covenant. Anyone who enters into a covenant should attempt to understand what that covenant is so that he may seek to fulfill his calling in it. In the same manner, we ought to seek to better understand the covenant in which we are joined to our bride Christ.
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