Again?.Are Christians IN a new covenant relationship with God?

Transcription

1 Again?.Are Christians IN a new covenant relationship with God?

2 Review: How d we get here from there? Yew are not a Jew? (Dec 2013); Galatians 4: 4-6 Jesus had his own Jewish church (Matthew 16: 18); he is now head of the church, which is his body (Ephesians 1: 22, 23) What is the church? Israel is Israel ALL THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES Is Israel HISTORY or does she have one? The Gentiles: (Jan ) The key to understanding Israel and the Church Deuteronomy 32: 8 The gods were given territorial jurisdiction (nations) Israel was the Lord s portion (as a people for God s own possession (1 Peter 2: 9)) Gentiles not excluded totally from the blessings, yet some nations to be punished in the future Abraham, Jonah, Magi and Romans 2: ( the Law written in their hearts ) Future judgments (Psalm 2) Future healing (Revelation 22: 2 and 21: 23-26) The Covenants and the Church: (Jan ) Hebrews 8: 13 ( old not yet gone; new not yet here) Jesus inaugurated the new covenant in his blood so isn t it happening now? Is the Christian Church in the new covenant?

3 Oh Golly Ology Replacement Theology: What is it and what does it mean? My paper: A Short History of Interpretation: Oh Golly Ology Reformed/ Covenant Theology: An outgrowth of the Reformation which recovered a lot of the truths lost since the 1 st Century church, but with serious ties to Replacement Theology. Dispensational Theology: An outgrowth of reading what s written in the early 1800 s. Recovered the secret, the rapture, the special place of the church in the purposes of God. My paper: The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

4 We are Dispy-Doodles with a twist! The Christian Church was a secret and all that entails: The Resurrections are not the Rapture ( gathering together ); Permanent Salvation ( born of God ); yada, yada, yada Unitarian (Non-Trinitarianism) Dead are Dead (Mortalism); see movie Hell and Mr. Fudge Manifestations Exist TODAY (Non-cessationism) Hell is not eternal (Annihilationism) God is not in control of everything (Open theism) How many more isms are there? You don t want to know well, maybe one more. Maestro, next slide please This is the most important one!

5 This is where we Dance! KJV Ephesians 4:4-6 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Bob s very important theological term! Baptism is no longer in water (Non-dunkificationism); read John Lynn s What is True Baptism?

6 All the mentions of the new covenant (NC) in 1. Matthew 26:26-29 (verse 28) 2. Mark 14:22-25 (verse 24) 3. Luke 22:14-20 (verse 20) the Christian Scriptures Parallel versions of the last supper and the inauguration of the new covenant by Jesus himself (in his blood) 4. 1 Corinthians 11:20-30 (verse 25); Paul s remembrance of Jesus till he come 5. 2 Corinthians 3:5-18 (verse 6); Christians are ministers of the NC 6. Hebrews 8 (verse 8); a quote from Jeremiah 31: 31 (reference to Israel) 7. Hebrews 9 (verse 15); Jesus is (presently) the mediator of the NC 8. Romans 11:25-36 (verse 27); a reference to the future NC with Israel 9. Hebrews 12:22-29 (verse 24); Jesus the mediator of the NC (same as 9: 15) 10. Hebrews 7 (verse 22); Jesus has become the a guarantee of a better covenant

7 Back to the Covenant Contexts NAU Hebrews 8: When He said, " a A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. b But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is 2 ready to disappear. NAU Hebrews 7:22 so much the more also Jesus has become the a guarantee (e;gguoj (egguos) - surety or of b a better covenant. YLT 2 Corinthians 3:11 for if that which is being made useless is through glory, much more that which is remaining is in glory. Look at these translations across the board and see the bias toward Reformed theology. I have pasted translations that are more accurate in these verses than many of the others.

8 Some Questions for you If the new covenant were in total effect for Christians don t you think the Christian Scriptures might SHOUT that to the entire world? That is a bit of a change for a Jewish prophet. If all the promises of the new covenant had been transferred from Israel to the Church don t you think the Christian Scriptures might have said that somewhere in clear, plain language? If there were not a future for the nation of Israel don t you think the Christian Scriptures might have said this in a concise and natural fashion?

9 Who is serving whom? Hebrew Prophets were serving Christians. How you ask? NJB 1 Peter 1:12 It was revealed to them (the Hebrew prophets) that it was for your sake and not their own that they were acting as servants delivering the message which has now been announced to you by those who preached to you the gospel through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

10 Jesus is a servant to Israel NASB Romans 15: For I say that Christ has become a servant (minister) to a the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm b the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for a the Gentiles to b glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, " c THEREFORE I WILL 1 GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME." 10 Again he says, " a REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE." 11 And again, " a PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM." 12 Again Isaiah says, " a THERE SHALL COME b THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, c IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE." 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all a joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope b by the power of the Holy Spirit.

11 We are servants of the New Covenant. So how does that work out practically? KJV 2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers (servers) of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. Do you recall any context in the Christian Scriptures that indicates the new covenant with all its attendant features is in full operational mode today? Are all the things in Jeremiah 31: accomplished anywhere? Is there somewhere in the Christian Scriptures that says there is one people of God for all time (inclusive of Christians)?

12 Exposit 2 Corinthians 3 (introduction) Story of a friend of mine who is turning his back on this concept of a FUTURE new covenant KJV 2 Corinthians 3:1-4 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. 4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

13 Indicative, Future, Middle verb 2 Corinthians 3 (continued) Why this term and not recipients or fulfillers? 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers (servers) of the new testament (covenant); not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (makes alive). 7 But if the ministration (ministry) of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away (or is being made useless ): 8 How shall not the ministration (ministry) of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration (ministry) of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration (ministry) of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away (or is being made useless ) was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

14 2 Corinthians 3 (finished) Definition of hope (Romans 8: 24); hope that is seen is not hope! 12 Seeing then that we have such hope (OMG!), we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away ( is made useless ) in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it (they) shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. What are the Christians to do? Be servers of the NC. How? By delivering the message as the Hebrew prophets did for us.

15 The Old and New Covenants: All about Israel Jesus said, new covenant (in my blood) inaugurated (Lk 22: 20; Mt 26: 28; Mk 14: 24 and Paul s repetition of it in 1 Corinthians 11: 25 till he come new covenant (not quite here yet ) old covenant One new man new covenant Jesus the mediator of the new covenant; has become a servant to the circumcision and has become the surety of the better covenant (Hebrews 7: 22) old covenant (not quite gone yet ) Christians the servers of the new Covenant

16 Reasons the Christian Church is not IN the New Covenant (from Defending Dispensationalism ) 1. A covenant is a solemn promise binding two parties in an agreement. In certain biblical covenants like the New Covenant, God binds Himself unconditionally by His love and grace to perform specific promises to specific people (Israel). These promises cannot be disannulled, and neither can they be fulfilled only in part; they must at some point be fulfilled completely or God s righteousness would be compromised, and He found to be a liar. If the Church cannot fulfill the New Covenant, then it must be in a different relationship with God (we are in Christ/ in the Lord and Israel cannot claim this relationship). 2. The covenant was made with Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham according to the flesh, and with them as a specific nation. Since the Church is neither Jews nor Gentiles (a nation ), how can the Church fulfill this covenant? 3. Since the Abrahamic covenant promises Israel a permanent existence as a nation (with a physical country), then the Church is not fulfilling Israel s promises, nor is it the New Israel (or literally the Israel of God ). The New Covenant properly belongs to the restoration of Israel as a glorious nation that is filled with a knowledge of God as the waters fill the seas. 4. Because the Abrahamic covenant promises her permanent possession of the Promised Land, Israel must still come into possession of the land, which she has never fully possessed in her history, according to the precise specifications of that covenant. Old Testament prophecies confirm that Israel will have full possession of the land of Israel in the future, and Ezekiel 48 even describes which tribe will get which part of the land. In contrast, the Christian Church will never possess the land of Israel, and it has no tribes, so it cannot fulfill the prophecies of Ezekiel. 5. The New Covenant is made with the same people as the Old Covenant, namely Israel. 6. There is a distinction among personal promises to Abraham, national promises to Abraham s seed and universal promises to all the families of the earth. The national promises can be fulfilled only by the nation itself. The language of the New Covenant is quite specifically directed to national Israel (Jer. 31:31-33). 7. The Gospel of Christ is not a covenant, but the revelation of the salvation of God to all men.

17 8. All the blessings that come to the Church today are based upon the blood of Christ, which was necessarily shed to make possible the New Covenant, according to Jeremiah 31. But just because the Church partakes of the blessings of the shedding of Christ s blood (shed for the propitiation of the sins of the whole world 1 John 2:2) it does not mean that the Church therefore fulfils the New Covenant. The shed blood of Christ was a necessary condition for the formation of the Church, but was not sufficient for the fulfillment of the covenant. There is still the matter of land, material blessings, rest, Christ s reign, a new heart for Israel, and so on, that were promised as a part of the New Covenant and have not yet been fulfilled. That s why Hebrews 7: 22 says, Jesus has become the guarantee ( surety ) of a better covenant. 9. Although we do not have the covenant made with us, we can have some of its blessings ministered to us, as well as be ministers of some of its blessings. This is the same principle as Peter s Acts 2 citation of Joel 2:28-32 in reference to the giving of holy spirit on the day of Pentecost, a prophecy that actually refers to the still future day of the Lord. Peter had not been introduced to the truths of the dispensation of the Secret (Ephesians 3: 8) Although Peter did not then know the secret, his reference to Joel was relevant because each Christian now partakes of the holy spirit aspect of the future New Covenant with Israel. To me this is prevarication with the plain reading of the text. Peter absolutely DID NOT KNOW what he was talking about. Paul, in Romans 8:23 clears it up by saying we have the firstfruits of the spirit. It is easy to understand how people can have the blessings of a covenant ministered to them without being part of the covenant if one thinks of the Gentiles in the Old Testament. They were not part of the Old Covenant, but they could have covenant blessings ministered to them. Many non-jews lived in Israel, apparently for that reason. 10. As the Church receives blessings of the Abrahamic covenant by faith without fulfilling that covenant, so the Church may receive blessings from the New Covenant without fulfilling it. 11. Israel must go through the Tribulation and be delivered by the Messiah before the New Covenant can be fulfilled (Rom. 11:26 and 27). 12. Since the Tribulation, the second coming of Christ and the Millennial Reign of Christ are yet future, the fulfillment of this promise must also be future, and cannot be fulfilled now by the Church. 13. The Messiah, who ratified this New Covenant with Israel, must return to the earth to complete the salvation, restoration and blessing of Israel that is promised them as a result of the New Covenant God promised them.