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''Disambiguation: Covenant Theology is not to be confused with the Covenanters '' Covenant Theology (also known as '''Covenantalism''' or '''Federal theology''' or '''Federalism''') is a conceptual overview and Interpretive framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible . Covenantalism uses the theological concept of "''' Covenant '''" as an organizing principle for Christian Theology and it views the History of mankind's Redemption from Sin under the framework of three over-arching theological covenants:
These three covenants are called "theological covenants" because they are not explicitly presented as such in the Bible , although covenantalists see them as theologically implicit. Covenant Theology teaches that God has established two covenants with Mankind and one within the Godhead to deal with how the other two relate. The Covenant of Redemption, is the agreement beyond time and within the Godhead that the Father would appoint the Son Jesus Christ to live a perfectly acceptable Substitution ary life and die an undeserved death on behalf of, and as a covenantal Representative for, those who would sin but would trust in Christ as their covenantal Substitution ary representative. The Covenant of Works, was made in the for disobedience. Adam and ultimately all mankind failed to live as God intended and stood condemned. Adam disobeyed God and broke the covenant, and so the Covenant of Grace was made between God and all of mankind. The Covenant of Grace, promised eternal blessing for all people for trusting in the successive promises of God and ultimately for accepting Christ as a substitutionary covenantal representative. It is the historical expression of the eternal covenant of redemption and covenant theologians see Gen 3:15 as the historical beachhead for the covenant of grace. The Covenant of Grace became the basis for all future covenants that God made with mankind such as with Noah (Gen 6, 9), with ''' Abraham ''' (Gen 12, 15, 17), with ''' Moses ''' (Ex 19-24), with ''' David ''' (2 Sam 7), and finally in the New Covenant fulfilled and founded in Christ. These individual covenants are called the "biblical covenants" because they are explicitly described in the Bible. Under the Covenantal overview of the Bible, submission to God's rule and living in accordance with his moral law (expressed concisely in the Ten Commandments ) is a ''response'' to grace - never something which can earn God's acceptance ( Legalism ). Even in his giving of the Ten Commandments, God introduces his law by reminding the Israelites that he is the one who brought them out of slavery in Egypt (grace). Regarding frameworks for viewing the Bible, Covenantalism stands in direct contrast to Dispensationalism . Regarding the theological status of modern day Jew ish people Covenantalism is often referred to by its detractors as ''' Supersessionism ''' or '''Replacement theology''' as it promotes the idea that God has abandoned the promises made to the Jews and has replaced the Jews with Christians as His Chosen People in the earth. This viewpoint is the basis for much anti-Semitism which was an opinion of Jews even held by Martin Luther. Covenant theology is a prominent feature in Protestant Theology , especially in churches holding a Reformed view of Theology such as the Reformed Churches and some Presbyterian Church es and, in different forms, some Methodist churches and in some Baptist churches. HISTORY OF COVENANT THEOLOGY Covenant theology has roots in the writings of (c. 1603-1669) developed the classical statement on covenant theology in his ''The Doctrine of the Covenant and Testament of God'' (''Summa doctrinae de foedere et testamento dei'', 1648). Covenant theology was clearly expressed in the British Westminster Confession Of Faith (chap. 7) and further developed by Hermann Witsius (1636-1708) in the ''Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man''. It may also be seen in the writings of Jonathan Edwards (''Collected Writings of Jonathan Edwards'', Vol 2, Banner of Truth edition, p.950). In the United States , the Princeton Theologians ( Charles Hodge , A. A. Hodge , B. B. Warfield , Geerhardus Vos , and J. Gresham Machen ) and, in the Netherlands , Herman Bavinck followed the main lines of the classic view, teaching the Covenant of Redemption, the Covenant of Works (Law), and the Covenant of Grace ( Gospel ). Current well-known Covenant theologians include . COVENANT THEOLOGY AND THE BIBLICAL COVENANTS Covenant theology first sees a Covenant of Works administered with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Though it is not explicitly called a covenant in the Bible, Hosea 6:7 has been interpreted to support the idea. The specific covenants after the fall of Adam are seen as administered under the overarching theological Covenant of Grace and include:
COVENANT THEOLOGY AND THE SACRAMENTS Since Covenant Theology today is mainly Protestant and Reformed in its outlook, proponents view Baptism and The Lord's Supper as the only two Sacraments , and both subjects are related to the idea of Supersessionism . The Lord's Supper The Lord's supper instituted by Jesus was a replacement for the Jewish Passover festival. As such, it should be celebrated in much the same way - as a symbolic participation in God's act of salvation. In the Old Testament the Jews celebrated God's rescue from Slavery in Egypt , with Lamb 's Blood painted on their doors to protect them from God's wrath. In the New Testament , this directly refers to a celebration of God's rescue of the Church from their lives of Sin , with the blood of Jesus acting as the means by which God's New Covenant people are able to be rescued from God's wrath. Baptism Paedobaptist Covenant Theologians see the administration of all the biblical covenants, including the New Covenant, as including a principle of Familial , corporate inclusion or "generational succession." The biblical covenants between God and man include signs and seals that visibly represent the realities behind the covenants. These visible signs and symbols of God's covenant redemption are administered in a corporate manner (for instance, to households), not in an exclusively individualistic manner. Baptism is considered by Covenant Theologians as the visible sign of entrance into the New Covenant and therefore may be administered individually to new believers making a public profession of Faith . Paedobaptists further believe this extends corporately to the households of believers which typically would include Child ren, or individually to children or infants of believing parents (see Infant Baptism ). In this view, baptism is thus seen as the functional replacement and sacramental equivalent of the Abrahamic rite of Circumcision and symbolizes the internal cleansing from Sin , among other things. Credobaptist Covenant Theologians (such as the Baptist written on their hearts and would know God, Baptist Covenant Theologians believe only those who are Born Again are members of the New Covenant. SEE ALSO
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO COVENANT THEOLOGY
CRITICS OF COVENANT THEOLOGY
REFERENCES
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