Covenant Theology

Among American Evangelicals, there are two main organizing views of the Bible: Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism. Dispensationalism is quite new, originating only in the middle 1800s. By contrast, Jewish and Christian scholars have written for millennia on Covenant Theology, which concerns the covenants found in Scripture. Reformers, and especially the Westminster Divines, were instrumental in further elucidating Covenant Theology. It is no surprise then that this Sum, since it summarizes the Westminster Standards, presupposes Covenant Theology and mentions covenants very frequently.

In the Holy Bible, a covenant is very similar to what today we would call a contract, such as a business contract. In most contracts, there are stipulations as to the obligations of each party and penalties for a party that fails to meet its obligations. There are often provisions for succession, such as payments to beneficiaries or in case of mergers and acquisitions of companies. Biblical covenants will contain most or all of these elements. But the most significant difference between human contracts and the covenants God has given to mankind is that God unilaterally dictates the terms of His covenants in His mercy, goodness, and grace, for His glory.

The history of the presentation of Laws and teachings given in the Holy Bible does not reflect the state of the art of the theology of any historical period. For example, Adam’s son Abel knew to sacrifice the firstborn of his flock and the fat—details of the ceremonial law that were not recorded in Scripture until the time of Moses. Also, relatively few of the divinely-inspired words uttered by prophets were recorded in the Scriptures. It is thus irrational to view the Holy Bible as presenting a series of different or changing theologies. Consequently, Covenant Theology views the entire Holy Bible as a whole, integrated literary work in which God (the actual Author), at various times, revealed, in writing, progressively more and more detailed information. The various covenants in the Bible reflect this, from the Covenant of Works with Adam to the Covenants of Grace with Noah, Abraham, Israel at Sinai, David, and so on. Unlike the case with human contracts, God unilaterally dictated each of these covenants to His people in love and grace. God typically promised (often implicitly) punishment for violating the covenant, but rewards for obeying Him. Often, as a sign or foretaste of eternal consequences, God included earthly punishments or rewards. The covenants of grace were earthly manifestations of the one eternal Covenant of Redemption (sometimes also called the Covenant of Grace) made among the Trinity in eternity, before Creation, to save sinners. All the covenants point to Jesus Christ and thus contain eternal promises, even to those Jews who have since rejected their Messiah; some day many of them will return to God, bringing great blessing on earth. Usually in this Sum, the covenant made in eternity by the Trinity is called the Covenant of Redemption, while its outworking as applied to believers on earth is called the Covenant of Grace.

“To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things” (Ephesians 3:8–9 ESV). Although many matters are made more clear in the New Testament, many of the teachings of the New Testament are also revealed in the Old Testament as may be seen by careful reading. Things such as the need to obey and glorify God are abundantly clear. For another example, there are dozens of commands to trust God. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7 ESV). And trust is the core meaning of faith, a word found so frequently in the New Testament. To summarize: people were saved the same way in Old Testament days as now and, though progressively revealed in increasing detail, God’s Word to mankind has always taught the same messages to us.

Just as parents will teach their children unchanging virtues such as obedience, kindness, and charity in all circumstances, but will have a few different rules for when they are at home, at the campground or beach, and as a guest in someone’s home, so God gave some different rules appropriate to different circumstances in history, but his Moral Law and the way of salvation are unchanging. In brief, Covenant Theology is simply the study of the Covenants and surrounding historical events and prophecies in Scripture in their progressing historical context to learn more and more of God and of His magnificent gift of Jesus Christ to those who put their trust in Him.

We now briefly turn to Dispensationalism. Dispensationalism is hardly the only false organizing framework for interpreting the Scriptures, but it has been extremely popular and influential. There are many strains of Dispensationalism, but in general, Dispensationalism teaches:

• That God has changed His Moral Law at different times in human history

• That God changed his plans because the Jews crucified their Messiah

• Dispensationalism has placed great emphasis on certain past predictions of events to come during the “End Times,” which predictions failed to materialize

Many readers will be old enough to recall the numerous predictions by various writers, based upon Dispensational theology, that Christ would return in certain years, mostly from 1985 to 2000. None of these predictions came to pass. This fact alone is sufficient to discredit Dispensationalism. More importantly, the idea that God changes His Moral Law or is taken by surprise by human actions contradicts His unchangeableness, omniscience, and eternal wisdom.