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The New Covenant
- Thread starter RAnonUS19B
- Start date
Jack Terrence
Fighting the good fight
Provide us with a specific scripture which says that the old covenant is being fulfilled today by modern Israel. Modern Israel is NOT even blood related to ancient Israel. Anthropology 101.
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0
The nation of Israel should have been looking for a New Covenant, because they had broken the Old Covenant.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
The Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Blood Covenant of Christ.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
The Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Blood Covenant of Christ.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
.
Upvote
0
Rough Draft of a Free Book on the New Covenant.
Feel free to share it or any part of it with others.
I will post one chapter per day.
Lost Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ
Chapter:
1. Treasure hidden in plain sight
2. Conflict Resolution
3. New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ
4. Covenant Confusion and the Doctrines of Men
5. The Sabbath and the New Covenant
6. New Covenant Law
7. New Covenant Baptism
8. Ark of the New Covenant
9. Revealing the Lost Treasure
10. Beyond Faith- Mathematical Certainty
Introduction:
I do not claim to be much of a writer. However, I felt compelled to record what I have discovered in God’s Word during the last few years. Hopefully, the reader will keep this fact in mind while reading my humble attempts to place words on a page.
Through the efforts of my wife and others who have reviewed this work, it is my prayer it will be a blessing to the Body.
Within this book you will find sections of scripture underlined and in bold print. There is no intention to lessen the importance of the rest of the text. However, it seemed a necessity to bold and underline some of the text in order to focus on those sections. Several passages are repeated, because their meaning is key to understanding various interpretations of the passage.
I have mainly used the King James version, because it is the version I have become accustomed to for many years. However, I do understand the original autographs were written in Hebrew, and Greek. A few passages may contain other translations which seemed to better communicate the concept being considered at the time. Any translation which is faithful to the intent of the original Hebrew or Greek texts should be accepted as the truth.
This book is dedicated to the Seed foretold in the Book of Genesis, who bought us with His Blood on the Cross of Calvary.
It is also dedicated to my Brothers and Sisters of this and past generations who have searched the scriptures in an effort to find the truth. Since we are made partly of flesh we may not agree on all things. Let us learn to listen at least as much as we are willing to speak, in order that we may love other members of His Body. Let us be willing to give up our own long-held traditions, if we find it is of benefit to His purpose in spreading the Gospel.
No matter our differences of opinion related to the interpretation of some passages, we share the common bonds of our faith in Jesus Christ and the atoning work of His precious Blood.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This book is intended to be shared by the Body of Christ.
Therefore, the book or any part of it may be shared in print or electronically, as long as no changes are made to the original text.
Reproduction of modified documents could eventually lead to a corruption of the author’s original intent and are therefore discouraged.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
At one time I served as the teacher-advisor of a Christian club at my middle-school. One year at the beginning of the first meeting I passed out a notecard and a pencil to each student. I then asked them to answer two questions.
1. Where are you going when you die?
2. Why is that going to happen to you?
All of the students wrote down the word “heaven” in response to the first question.
However, many different answers were given to the second question.
Below are a few examples.
I am a good person.... I have been baptized.... I go to church.
I have been on mission trips.... I give to the poor.... I pray.
There were only a few who responded in reference to Christ paying their sin debt.
I knew some of these students had been involved in churches their whole lives and some of them were straight A students. During the rest of that year we attempted to make sure all of the students understood the answer to the second question.
On the day of the survey I had to ask myself a very simple question…
What has gone wrong with the modern Church?
That question led to this book.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chapter 1:
Treasure Hidden in Plain Sight:
The story is a familiar one. One of the world’s most priceless treasures is housed in a famous museum, where it can be viewed daily by those who wish to see it. The treasure is shrouded in a glass case only accessible to those who control the museum. Each day thousands of people have access to this great masterpiece, safely housed in a secure location.
However, a brilliant thief has devised a plan to steal the treasure. He breaks into the museum late at night, somehow overcoming the multiple alarm systems that should have alerted those in charge of the museum’s security. When he gains access to the glass case housing the treasure, he removes the treasure and puts it into a velvet bag to protect the priceless treasure. The thief opens another bag and pulls out the substitute.
The thief has created something that looks like the treasure, but in reality it is not the same treasure. He replaces the real treasure with a facsimile. The next day thousands of people visit the museum, thinking they are viewing the priceless treasure. However, they are unaware that the thief now possesses the treasure and has cheated them out of the privilege of experiencing the real thing.
How long will the crime go undetected? Will it be a few days, a few weeks, or a few years ? How will the museum staff know the real treasure has been replaced by a counterfeit? What will alert them to the crime?
This book is about a similar scenario. However, a few who have examined the treasure now see the flaws in the counterfeit and have alerted security.
The time has come to find out how the priceless treasure was removed and return it to its rightful place.
Along the way we will try to understand the origin of the treasure, its purpose in God’s Plan for mankind, and even how your eternal destiny is found in its true purpose.
One of the strangest twists of this story is how the real treasure has been accessible to most of us for years, sitting in plain sight, but ignored because the substitute is our reality.
It is the story of the ark of the covenant, but not the same story as the famous movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” released in 1981 starring actor Harrison Ford. In the movie the characters go on a treasure hunt to find the lost ark of the Sinai covenant. According to the story-line, this ark possesses strange powers the Nazis want to harness for their evil purposes. Indiana Jones, the main character, finds the lost ark but the Nazis steal the gold covered box. They perform a secret ritual to reveal what is inside this sacred treasure which held the stone tablets Moses brought down from Mount Sinai.
Each year thousands of Christians visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the area of Egypt now known as the Sinai Peninsula and are told they are at Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. There is just one small problem… In Galatians 4:25 the Apostle Paul says Mount Sinai is in Arabia. We also know Paul went to Arabia for about three years after his conversion. (Galatians 1:17)
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
If you are skeptical regarding the location of the real Mount Sinai, find “Midian” on an old map. Moses fled to Midian after he killed the Egyptian. We know the father-in-law of Moses was Jethro, who was a priest of Midian. The burning bush of God was in Midian. The older maps show that Midian is on the West side of Arabia, across the Red Sea from Egypt.
Exo_2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
So here, we find the story of another lost treasure. It has been said by others the only thing more powerful than scripture and history is tradition. Constantine’s mother visited the Middle East after his conversion and identified the probable site of Mount Sinai and the tradition continues to this day. Saint Catherine’s Monastery was built on the site due to this tradition. However, our New Testament plainly says Mount Sinai is in Arabia. The traditional site suffers from another tremendous problem. A trip from the land of Goshen to Saint Catherine’s Monastery does not require a crossing of the Red Sea. However, the trip to Arabia does require the crossing.
Thanks to the work of amateur Bible archeologists like Jim and Penny Caldwell, a site has been discovered in Saudi Arabia near the mountain named Jebel al Lawz (the spelling varies). This site contains multiple artifacts the traditional site is totally lacking. Another problem with the traditional site is the fact that the area now commonly known as “the Sinai Penninsula” was the site of Egyptian copper mines, during the time of Moses. In other words, it was Egyptian territory. Therefore, the children of Israel could not have wandered for 40 years in this area, because they would still have been in Egypt. However, Arabia is a place where a large group of people could roam for a very long period of time. If you are interested in this topic, Jim and Penny Caldwell produced a DVD titled “Sinai in Arabia” and it is available from “Split Rock Research”.
The real archeological treasure of the actual site of Mount Sinai is in Arabia, as Paul clearly states in the Book of Galatians. For many years Christians have been presented with a counterfeit. Thank God the substitute has been carefully examined and found to be a fake. Now Christians can see the evidence provided by the real treasure. This remarkable site can prove to the world that the Exodus from Egypt by Moses and the children of Israel is not just some dusty old fairy-tale. It really happened just as the Bible says and now we have the hard physical evidence in Saudi Arabia, which proves this fact. Since this site has been discovered, the Saudi’s have put a fence around the mountain and seem determined to keep the treasure locked up and out of sight. However, the location of the treasure has now been revealed.
In the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” the box used to contain the Sinai covenant is believed to possess a strange untapped power. At the end of the movie we find it housed in a government warehouse, charring the wooden box that surrounds it. We do know the Bible contains an event where a man attempted to keep the ark from falling and grabbed hold of it. In the process he was killed by the power of the ark.
2Sa 6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
2Sa 6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
Numerous books have been written on the location where the Sinai ark might be presently located. Some believe it was moved by the Levites to Ethiopia. A lone man guards a temple in Ethiopia housing what some believe is the original ark of the covenant. This man is said to dedicate his life to the purpose of guarding the ark. What if the real Sinai ark is found and presented to the world? What would it mean? It would validate the story found in the Bible, but would the box contain special powers from God? Or… would it be a religious artifact that has already served its purpose in God’s Plan and no longer contains any special powers.
Our story is about another ark, housing a different covenant.
It is a better covenant, made on better promises, with a better mediator.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
This New Covenant has made the Sinai Covenant obsolete, based on the Book of Hebrews.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Therefore, it is likely that the ark of the covenant built by the ancient Israelites is now also obsolete in God’s Plan and now possesses no special powers, because it has already served it’s intended purpose.
If we accept what is written in God’s Word, this first ark is most likely no longer Holy. It has been replaced by another ark that is Holy and is a much greater treasure.
.
Feel free to share it or any part of it with others.
I will post one chapter per day.
Lost Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ
Chapter:
1. Treasure hidden in plain sight
2. Conflict Resolution
3. New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ
4. Covenant Confusion and the Doctrines of Men
5. The Sabbath and the New Covenant
6. New Covenant Law
7. New Covenant Baptism
8. Ark of the New Covenant
9. Revealing the Lost Treasure
10. Beyond Faith- Mathematical Certainty
Introduction:
I do not claim to be much of a writer. However, I felt compelled to record what I have discovered in God’s Word during the last few years. Hopefully, the reader will keep this fact in mind while reading my humble attempts to place words on a page.
Through the efforts of my wife and others who have reviewed this work, it is my prayer it will be a blessing to the Body.
Within this book you will find sections of scripture underlined and in bold print. There is no intention to lessen the importance of the rest of the text. However, it seemed a necessity to bold and underline some of the text in order to focus on those sections. Several passages are repeated, because their meaning is key to understanding various interpretations of the passage.
I have mainly used the King James version, because it is the version I have become accustomed to for many years. However, I do understand the original autographs were written in Hebrew, and Greek. A few passages may contain other translations which seemed to better communicate the concept being considered at the time. Any translation which is faithful to the intent of the original Hebrew or Greek texts should be accepted as the truth.
This book is dedicated to the Seed foretold in the Book of Genesis, who bought us with His Blood on the Cross of Calvary.
It is also dedicated to my Brothers and Sisters of this and past generations who have searched the scriptures in an effort to find the truth. Since we are made partly of flesh we may not agree on all things. Let us learn to listen at least as much as we are willing to speak, in order that we may love other members of His Body. Let us be willing to give up our own long-held traditions, if we find it is of benefit to His purpose in spreading the Gospel.
No matter our differences of opinion related to the interpretation of some passages, we share the common bonds of our faith in Jesus Christ and the atoning work of His precious Blood.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This book is intended to be shared by the Body of Christ.
Therefore, the book or any part of it may be shared in print or electronically, as long as no changes are made to the original text.
Reproduction of modified documents could eventually lead to a corruption of the author’s original intent and are therefore discouraged.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
At one time I served as the teacher-advisor of a Christian club at my middle-school. One year at the beginning of the first meeting I passed out a notecard and a pencil to each student. I then asked them to answer two questions.
1. Where are you going when you die?
2. Why is that going to happen to you?
All of the students wrote down the word “heaven” in response to the first question.
However, many different answers were given to the second question.
Below are a few examples.
I am a good person.... I have been baptized.... I go to church.
I have been on mission trips.... I give to the poor.... I pray.
There were only a few who responded in reference to Christ paying their sin debt.
I knew some of these students had been involved in churches their whole lives and some of them were straight A students. During the rest of that year we attempted to make sure all of the students understood the answer to the second question.
On the day of the survey I had to ask myself a very simple question…
What has gone wrong with the modern Church?
That question led to this book.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chapter 1:
Treasure Hidden in Plain Sight:
The story is a familiar one. One of the world’s most priceless treasures is housed in a famous museum, where it can be viewed daily by those who wish to see it. The treasure is shrouded in a glass case only accessible to those who control the museum. Each day thousands of people have access to this great masterpiece, safely housed in a secure location.
However, a brilliant thief has devised a plan to steal the treasure. He breaks into the museum late at night, somehow overcoming the multiple alarm systems that should have alerted those in charge of the museum’s security. When he gains access to the glass case housing the treasure, he removes the treasure and puts it into a velvet bag to protect the priceless treasure. The thief opens another bag and pulls out the substitute.
The thief has created something that looks like the treasure, but in reality it is not the same treasure. He replaces the real treasure with a facsimile. The next day thousands of people visit the museum, thinking they are viewing the priceless treasure. However, they are unaware that the thief now possesses the treasure and has cheated them out of the privilege of experiencing the real thing.
How long will the crime go undetected? Will it be a few days, a few weeks, or a few years ? How will the museum staff know the real treasure has been replaced by a counterfeit? What will alert them to the crime?
This book is about a similar scenario. However, a few who have examined the treasure now see the flaws in the counterfeit and have alerted security.
The time has come to find out how the priceless treasure was removed and return it to its rightful place.
Along the way we will try to understand the origin of the treasure, its purpose in God’s Plan for mankind, and even how your eternal destiny is found in its true purpose.
One of the strangest twists of this story is how the real treasure has been accessible to most of us for years, sitting in plain sight, but ignored because the substitute is our reality.
It is the story of the ark of the covenant, but not the same story as the famous movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” released in 1981 starring actor Harrison Ford. In the movie the characters go on a treasure hunt to find the lost ark of the Sinai covenant. According to the story-line, this ark possesses strange powers the Nazis want to harness for their evil purposes. Indiana Jones, the main character, finds the lost ark but the Nazis steal the gold covered box. They perform a secret ritual to reveal what is inside this sacred treasure which held the stone tablets Moses brought down from Mount Sinai.
Each year thousands of Christians visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the area of Egypt now known as the Sinai Peninsula and are told they are at Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. There is just one small problem… In Galatians 4:25 the Apostle Paul says Mount Sinai is in Arabia. We also know Paul went to Arabia for about three years after his conversion. (Galatians 1:17)
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
If you are skeptical regarding the location of the real Mount Sinai, find “Midian” on an old map. Moses fled to Midian after he killed the Egyptian. We know the father-in-law of Moses was Jethro, who was a priest of Midian. The burning bush of God was in Midian. The older maps show that Midian is on the West side of Arabia, across the Red Sea from Egypt.
Exo_2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
So here, we find the story of another lost treasure. It has been said by others the only thing more powerful than scripture and history is tradition. Constantine’s mother visited the Middle East after his conversion and identified the probable site of Mount Sinai and the tradition continues to this day. Saint Catherine’s Monastery was built on the site due to this tradition. However, our New Testament plainly says Mount Sinai is in Arabia. The traditional site suffers from another tremendous problem. A trip from the land of Goshen to Saint Catherine’s Monastery does not require a crossing of the Red Sea. However, the trip to Arabia does require the crossing.
Thanks to the work of amateur Bible archeologists like Jim and Penny Caldwell, a site has been discovered in Saudi Arabia near the mountain named Jebel al Lawz (the spelling varies). This site contains multiple artifacts the traditional site is totally lacking. Another problem with the traditional site is the fact that the area now commonly known as “the Sinai Penninsula” was the site of Egyptian copper mines, during the time of Moses. In other words, it was Egyptian territory. Therefore, the children of Israel could not have wandered for 40 years in this area, because they would still have been in Egypt. However, Arabia is a place where a large group of people could roam for a very long period of time. If you are interested in this topic, Jim and Penny Caldwell produced a DVD titled “Sinai in Arabia” and it is available from “Split Rock Research”.
The real archeological treasure of the actual site of Mount Sinai is in Arabia, as Paul clearly states in the Book of Galatians. For many years Christians have been presented with a counterfeit. Thank God the substitute has been carefully examined and found to be a fake. Now Christians can see the evidence provided by the real treasure. This remarkable site can prove to the world that the Exodus from Egypt by Moses and the children of Israel is not just some dusty old fairy-tale. It really happened just as the Bible says and now we have the hard physical evidence in Saudi Arabia, which proves this fact. Since this site has been discovered, the Saudi’s have put a fence around the mountain and seem determined to keep the treasure locked up and out of sight. However, the location of the treasure has now been revealed.
In the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” the box used to contain the Sinai covenant is believed to possess a strange untapped power. At the end of the movie we find it housed in a government warehouse, charring the wooden box that surrounds it. We do know the Bible contains an event where a man attempted to keep the ark from falling and grabbed hold of it. In the process he was killed by the power of the ark.
2Sa 6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
2Sa 6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
Numerous books have been written on the location where the Sinai ark might be presently located. Some believe it was moved by the Levites to Ethiopia. A lone man guards a temple in Ethiopia housing what some believe is the original ark of the covenant. This man is said to dedicate his life to the purpose of guarding the ark. What if the real Sinai ark is found and presented to the world? What would it mean? It would validate the story found in the Bible, but would the box contain special powers from God? Or… would it be a religious artifact that has already served its purpose in God’s Plan and no longer contains any special powers.
Our story is about another ark, housing a different covenant.
It is a better covenant, made on better promises, with a better mediator.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
This New Covenant has made the Sinai Covenant obsolete, based on the Book of Hebrews.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Therefore, it is likely that the ark of the covenant built by the ancient Israelites is now also obsolete in God’s Plan and now possesses no special powers, because it has already served it’s intended purpose.
If we accept what is written in God’s Word, this first ark is most likely no longer Holy. It has been replaced by another ark that is Holy and is a much greater treasure.
.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
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Chapter 2:
Conflict Resolution:
The term “conflict resolution” is often used to describe a process to resolve the differences between two or more people, for example a husband and wife, or a worker and his coworkers. It could be used to increase the efficiency of complex machinery or computer systems. It can also be applied to the area of Bible interpretation.
Since God’s Word is perfect, it therefore contains no internal contradictions when viewed as a whole. Any interpretation which produces conflict with another passage, cannot be the correct interpretation. This fact can be used as a tremendous tool when dealing with multiple interpretations of a passage. Numerous interpretations can be easily eliminated by rejecting those producing conflict with other passages.
Also, we usually find that all important doctrine is found in multiple passages. It is almost as if God is a radio operator sending an important message through the scriptures. He will make sure we got the message by repeating the message several times, sometimes using different wording.
However, we must also realize there are some passages that contain symbols and cannot always be interpreted “literally”. When these symbols are found, the key to understanding the symbol is almost always found somewhere in the Bible, many times in the same passage.
We must also remember no scripture may be ignored or changed in an effort to get a particular doctrine to work. Any doctrine that requires this methodology is not correct and can only come from the minds of men.
If you are discussing Bible doctrine with someone and they attempt to ignore the scripture that destroys their doctrine, you may feel like you are dealing with a used-car salesman. You have found a problem with what they are trying to sell you, but they want to divert your attention to the positive aspects of the item. It is as if they are saying… “Don’t look there. Look over here, instead.” This is a dead give away there is a serious conflict between their doctrine and what is written in the text.
In this regard, God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword. The interpretations of men are often destroyed by the process of “Conflict Resolution,” in which the Word will cut to pieces any doctrine not in agreement with the whole.
I once heard a well-respected Sunday School teacher utter the following words when it came to the matter of two interpretations of a passage…
“I am going to interpret it this way.“
That one phrase should be viewed by all believers with great care, when we consider “Sola Scriptura” (what the Bible means), instead of “Solo Scriptura” (what we think the Bible means).
2Pe_1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
We are all made of rotten flesh. The only good thing in us, is Him.
Each of us must exercise great care when it comes to the matter of interpreting God’s Word.
This author is reminded that he is also prone to error.
In considering the process of “Conflict Resolution” we must remember who wrote both the Old and the New Testament…
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
It is a love story written in Blood.
Every yot and every tittle is about Him, the Son of the living God.
Because we love Him above all else, we should very carefully consider the interpretation of His Word.
Do you love Christ more than the members of your family?
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Therefore, tread lightly when considering the meaning of each precious verse.
Chapter 2:
Conflict Resolution:
The term “conflict resolution” is often used to describe a process to resolve the differences between two or more people, for example a husband and wife, or a worker and his coworkers. It could be used to increase the efficiency of complex machinery or computer systems. It can also be applied to the area of Bible interpretation.
Since God’s Word is perfect, it therefore contains no internal contradictions when viewed as a whole. Any interpretation which produces conflict with another passage, cannot be the correct interpretation. This fact can be used as a tremendous tool when dealing with multiple interpretations of a passage. Numerous interpretations can be easily eliminated by rejecting those producing conflict with other passages.
Also, we usually find that all important doctrine is found in multiple passages. It is almost as if God is a radio operator sending an important message through the scriptures. He will make sure we got the message by repeating the message several times, sometimes using different wording.
However, we must also realize there are some passages that contain symbols and cannot always be interpreted “literally”. When these symbols are found, the key to understanding the symbol is almost always found somewhere in the Bible, many times in the same passage.
We must also remember no scripture may be ignored or changed in an effort to get a particular doctrine to work. Any doctrine that requires this methodology is not correct and can only come from the minds of men.
If you are discussing Bible doctrine with someone and they attempt to ignore the scripture that destroys their doctrine, you may feel like you are dealing with a used-car salesman. You have found a problem with what they are trying to sell you, but they want to divert your attention to the positive aspects of the item. It is as if they are saying… “Don’t look there. Look over here, instead.” This is a dead give away there is a serious conflict between their doctrine and what is written in the text.
In this regard, God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword. The interpretations of men are often destroyed by the process of “Conflict Resolution,” in which the Word will cut to pieces any doctrine not in agreement with the whole.
I once heard a well-respected Sunday School teacher utter the following words when it came to the matter of two interpretations of a passage…
“I am going to interpret it this way.“
That one phrase should be viewed by all believers with great care, when we consider “Sola Scriptura” (what the Bible means), instead of “Solo Scriptura” (what we think the Bible means).
2Pe_1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
We are all made of rotten flesh. The only good thing in us, is Him.
Each of us must exercise great care when it comes to the matter of interpreting God’s Word.
This author is reminded that he is also prone to error.
In considering the process of “Conflict Resolution” we must remember who wrote both the Old and the New Testament…
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
It is a love story written in Blood.
Every yot and every tittle is about Him, the Son of the living God.
Because we love Him above all else, we should very carefully consider the interpretation of His Word.
Do you love Christ more than the members of your family?
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Therefore, tread lightly when considering the meaning of each precious verse.
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Chapter 3:
The New Blood Covenant of Christ:
In Genesis chapter three we find God’s solution to the choice made by Adam and Eve in the garden. In this one verse God reveals the ultimate fulfillment of His plan. We will find this one unchanging purpose throughout the whole of scripture. In this verse God is addressing Satan and making it clear that he will pay for the corruption of God’s creation.
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Some have labeled this verse as the “Protoevangelium”. It is the first indication of the solution to sin, which is the Gospel of the coming Messiah. He would be the Seed of the woman. The serpent would bruise His heel, but He would eventually crush the head of the wicked one. If you want to truly understand the whole purpose of scripture and God’s one, unchanging plan of redemption, then trace this coming Seed starting in Genesis and ending in the Book of Revelation. It is all about this One Seed.
In his book “Abraham’s Four Seeds” Pastor John G. Reisinger documents the seed line that would lead to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It is an excellent resource which attempts to cut through the doctrines of men, by relying solely on what is written in the text. Pastor Reisinger has a habit of asking those hard questions sometimes needed to challenge our understanding of God’s Word. Reisinger’s sole purpose is to reveal Jesus Christ in every page of the Bible. Pastor Reisinger has told the story of one of his pastor friends who called the Bible… “a HIM book”. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s Plan to restore the creation to its former perfection. On the road to Emmaus, Christ reveals that the whole Bible is about Him.
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
After the book of Genesis states that Abraham had been chosen by God, we find the promise that all of the families of the world would be blessed through his seed. Abraham and his wife Sarah attempted to “help” God, by allowing the slave woman Hagar to produce a descendant from Abraham. Through Hagar’s son, Ishmael, millions of Arab people in the modern world are also Abraham’s natural seed. However, he was not the seed that would produce the Messiah. By rejuvenating the dead womb of Sarah, God would later produce a miracle child. Sarah laughed when told she would conceive a child in her old age and thus the name “Isaac” means “laughter”. The seed line of the Messiah would come through Isaac, instead of Ishmael.
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
(The word “thee” in this verse is Abraham.)
God commanded Abraham to circumcise his male offspring as the “Sign” of this covenant promise. This sign would later be a focus of the New Testament Book of Galatians. Here Paul enters into a theological argument with the Judaizers who insist Gentile Christians must also be circumcised. There are some today who still take the side of the Judaizers.
Later Isaac had fraternal twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob, the younger of the two, ends up being the one elect, chosen by God to continue the seed line of the Messiah. Later Jacob’s name is changed to Israel and through this lineage the Messiah will come.
Jacob’s son Joseph ends up being sold into slavery in Egypt due to the jealousy of his brothers, although God uses their wicked intentions to continue His plan of redemption.
Jacob’s family then goes to Egypt where their descendants later become slaves under a future ruler of the land.
Moses becomes the instrument of God who will go up against the powerful ruler of Egypt, because the Pharaoh refuses to release the descendants of Jacob from their bondage.
After the Children of Israel escape their bondage in Egypt they arrive at Mount Sinai (which is in Arabia). Moses goes up to the mountain and receives from God the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments, which is the actual Sinai covenant. (Hebrews 9:4) These are further explained through approximately 600 ordinances recorded by Moses. These give the specifics of the covenant. For example, if your neighbor’s cattle steals your grass, by eating it, how should the situation be handled in regard to the original covenant?
The fourth commandment of Sabbath keeping would be the “Sign” of this covenant. A man found working on the Friday sundown, to Saturday sundown time of rest was to be stoned to death for picking up sticks, because it was considered work. The people were forbidden from traveling a distance more than about 3/4 of a mile on this day.
Great confusion still exists today among Christians as to the present observance of this “Sign” given to the Israelites under the Sinai Covenant. We will deal with this issue in chapter 5 of this book.
An important part of the Sinai covenant would be the system of animal sacrifices offered to cover the sins of the people. During the following years, thousands upon thousands of animals would be slaughtered and their blood offered as a shadow of the one Blood sacrifice coming to bring in the New Covenant.
The often overlooked parameter of the Sinai covenant regards the If-Then conditional aspect of the covenant. This will be important later in our story, because some today insist the Sinai covenant is still in effect.
Exo_19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Although Israel promised to keep the Old Covenant, it was an impossible task for humans made of rotten flesh like me. We find in Jeremiah 31:32 a clear statement that Israel had broken the Old Covenant.
At times the nation feared God and remembered the covenant, and at other times they fell away from God and sought after other gods.
It was a constant struggle, but throughout the trials and tribulations of the Israelites “the seed of the woman” was being passed down through the descendants of Abraham and Jacob. It eventually was passed through the Tribe of Judah to King David. God made a promise to David that through his son the throne of his kingdom would be established, “forever”. How long is “forever”?
2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
David’s descendants would produce Mary, the virgin mother of Christ, whose womb would receive the Messiah, through which all the families of the earth would be blessed, as promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3.
The prophet Jeremiah foretold of a New Covenant, different from the Sinai Covenant which the Children of Israel had broken.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
We will find some of these same words repeated in Hebrews 8:6-13.
After this prophecy was recorded by Jeremiah, the Israelites should have been looking for a New Covenant which was to replace the Sinai covenant they had broken.
Near the end of the Babylonian captivity, the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel and gave him the time when the Messiah would appear.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Notice the reference to “iniquity” and “sin”, also found in Jeremiah 31:34
The angel also gave Daniel the time at which the prophecy was to commence.
Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Jesus of Nazareth would appear as the promised Messiah at the exact time foretold by the angel Gabriel. Also, remember the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel “AFTER” the promise of the New Covenant given to Jeremiah.
The 1599 Geneva Bible was the Bible the Pilgrims brought to America.
The following commentary is found at Daniel 9:27. Compare the wording of Daniel 9:27 to the words of Christ at Matthew 26:28. They both speak of a “covenant” with “many“.
Daniel 9:27
And he (a) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to (b) cease, (c) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
(a) By the preaching of the Gospel he affirmed his promise, first to the Jews, and after to the Gentiles.
(b) Christ accomplished this by his death and resurrection.
(c) Meaning that Jerusalem and the sanctuary would be utterly destroyed because of their rebellion against God, and their idolatry: or as some read, that the plague will be so great, that they will all be astonished at them.
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Millions of evangelical Christians today hold to a completely different interpretation of Daniel 9:27, in which the angel Gabriel does not mention the New Covenant, already foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This interpretation will be discussed later in this book. We must remember that Daniel was reading from Jeremiah at the beginning of Daniel chapter 9. We will also come to see the New Covenant of the Messiah is the ultimate completion of God’s Plan for the world.
The Atonement Clock by Christian Gedge, is one of the most powerful little books I have ever had the privilege to read. It details the timing of Bible chronology. He pinpoints the year that Jesus of Nazareth would be baptized in the Jordan River by His Father from heaven, as well as major events that occurred throughout the history of the nation of Israel. It also gives an excellent explanation of the ancient Hebrew Lunar/Solar calendar, which used a seven year cycle. On the seventh year, the land was to be allowed to rest by not being planted. Israel had ignored this command, but God enforced it during their 70 years in Babylon. No Christian’s library would be complete without the book titled “The Atonement Clock”. It highlights God’s countdown to the fulfillment of God‘s Plan of redemption.
The Messiah would establish the New Blood Covenant, thus fulfilling the Promise made to Abraham. He confirmed His destiny as “the seed of the woman” at the Last Supper, by announcing that He would fulfill the New Blood Covenant foretold in Jeremiah chapter 31. The disciples thought this meal was going to be just another commemoration of the Passover of the Exodus, in which the blood of a lamb was placed upon the doorposts. It was something they celebrated every year.
This time God’s own Son revealed it would be His Blood that would be the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin. He was the promised Lamb of God through which the promise would be fulfilled. This time the Blood would cover the sinner, instead of the doorpost.
Mat 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (NKJV)
Each time we partake of the Last Supper, it is this “New Blood Covenant” we are commemorating. We should understand it as the fulfillment of the promise first found at Genesis 3:15, and the Promise to Abraham, and the promise to David, and the promise to all those who accept His gift of Grace.
Praise God and the precious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ!
Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Son of the Living God who defeated sin and death at Calvary, fulfilling every yot and tittle of Jeremiah 31:31-34.
This New Covenant fulfilled in His Blood replaced the sacrifice of animals for sin. John 19:30, Mark 15:38
When did the New Covenant go into effect?
Heb_9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
The Greek word “diatheke”̄ can be translated as “testament” or as “covenant”. It is the same Greek word. Therefore, the books of the Bible written during the first century which we usually refer to as the “New Testament” can also be referred to as “The New Covenant”.
After Christ lived the perfect sinless life by keeping all of God’s Commandments, which is something no man has ever done, He was arrested, tortured, and suffered a cruel death on Calvary’s Cross.
He could have prayed to the Father and had thousands of angels to intercede for Him. No human was capable of forcing Him to lay down on that Cross and let Roman soldiers drive iron spikes through His body. He did it for me. It was not the spikes that held Him to the Cross. It was His love for a rotten sinner like me.
Mat_26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
During his suffering a drop of Blood ran down His body, dripped off into the air and headed toward the earth. Before it hit the ground it fell onto me and covered me with His Grace. It only takes one drop of Christ’s Blood to atone for the sins of all humans on this planet. It is the free gift of Grace. Nothing you can ever do will bring you into a right relationship with God. It is not what you can do. It is what He has already done.
His last words on the Cross fulfilled the New Covenant.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
There are some who insist there are Old Testament promises not fulfilled at the Cross. We should all prayerfully consider that God sent His precious, innocent Son, to die a cruel death, in order to fulfill the promise made in Genesis 3:15.
Was this not enough?
If someone tells you there is something He left undone, refer them back to this verse and the words of the one who was God in human form… “It is finished.”
The eternal destiny of every person on this planet is linked to His last three words on the Cross.
At the moment Jesus died, the veil in the temple which separated the Holy of Holies from the people was ripped in half, symbolizing that animal sacrifices, the Levitical priesthood and the whole Sinai covenant system had just become “obsolete”.
Mar_15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Some today cannot let go of the Sinai covenant. Some even claim the New Blood Covenant of Grace will come to an end 7 years before the Second Coming of Christ and then God will go back to the Sinai Covenant again. We will deal with these claims later in this book.
When dealing with issues such as these, our only source of truth is God’s Word.
What do we find written in the New Testament which may settle these issues?
We must rely upon the principle of “Conflict Resolution”. If the statements of men or women produce conflict in any verse, then their interpretation cannot be correct.
To whom were the promises to Abraham made?
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
The Apostle Paul said the Abrahamic Promise was only made to Christ, who is the one seed.
Paul also makes it clear the promise was not made to the “many” seeds.
How does a person inherit the promises made to Abraham?
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
(Christians are the Seed of Abraham who will inherit the promise found in Genesis chapter 12.)
How does the Apostle Paul compare the Old Sinai Covenant to the New Covenant?
Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
(In these verses the Apostle Paul compares the Sinai Covenant to slavery and the apostle also confirms the location of Mount Sinai.)
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
(In Hebrews 11:16, we find that the New Jerusalem is now in heaven.)
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture?
Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
(Here Paul makes it clear that we are to cast out the Sinai Covenant and that the inheritance does not come through the Old covenant.)
Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
(We are the children of the New Covenant, instead of the Old.)
Since the New Covenant was to be made with Israel and Judah, is it in effect now or will it be fulfilled in the future?
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
(This verse makes it clear it was in effect during the first century.)
Who were the first people who became members of the New Covenant ?
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
(Note the reference to “men of Judea” and “house of Israel” and compare to Jer. 31:33.)
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
(About 3,000 Israelites accepted the New Blood Covenant on the Day of Pentecost.)
Are there Two Israels according to the Apostle Paul?
Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
There is an Israel of the Flesh, who are not the children of God.
And there is an Israel of the Promise, who are the children of God.
Tremendous confusion is produced by lumping these two groups together into one group called “Israel”.
What were the Gentiles grafted into?
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Paul begins the chapter with two groups of Israelites.
Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
(Paul was an Israelite, who accepted the New Covenant.)
Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Rom 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
(There was a group of Israelites who worshipped Baal, referred to here as “they“.)
Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
(There was a remnant of 7,000 Israelites who would not bow to Baal.)
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
(Paul said there was also an elect group of Israelites during his time.)
Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (The original branches were faithful Israelites, who had become part of the New Covenant, by accepting Christ.)
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
(The wild Gentile branches were grafted in among the cultivated Israelite branches, which remained in the tree.)
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
(The branches broken off can be grafted back in through faith in Christ.)
The Olive Tree here is a symbol of the New Blood Covenant Church.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
(The last Gentile comes into the New Covenant on the day of Christ’s Second Coming. Part of the Israelites were blinded as to who the Messiah was. However, the other part, like Paul, were not blinded and were the “remnant” of Israelites who accepted Christ.)
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
The Greek translation of the word “so” in this verse is the Greek word “houto”. It means- “in this manner“, which refers back to being grafted into the Olive Tree as found in verse 23.
Some today have changed the word “so”, which is an adverb of manner, into the word “then”, which is an adverb of time. By changing this one word some have completely changed the meaning of the passage in an attempt to postpone the fulfillment of this verse.
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
(The covenant in this verse is the New Blood Covenant of Christ, “now” in effect, based on Hebrews 8:6. It is not waiting on a future fulfillment. The “Deliverer“ came out of Sion (Zion) about 2,000 years ago.)
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
There are two different groups in Romans 11:28. The first group are enemies of the Gospel, because they are the Israelites who rejected Christ. They can be grafted back into the tree, by faith in Christ. The second group are the election who are the Israelite branches remaining in the Olive Tree through faith in Christ. The Apostle Paul started the chapter with two groups of Israelites and Paul ends the chapter in the same way. Refer back to the Israelite Baal worshippers and the remnant of 7,000 Israelites who would not bow to Baal, at the beginning of the chapter.
Salvation now comes by being grafted into the Olive Tree, which is a symbol of the New Blood Covenant Church of Christ.
My wife and I support two ministries who are taking the Gospel of the New Covenant to the modern descendants of Jacob. They are Jews for Jesus and Word of Messiah. If we truly love the modern Jewish people, then we need to make sure they are grafted into the Olive Tree. This is clearly Paul’s message at the end of Romans chapter 11.
Which Covenant is in effect, now?
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
(Would God ever go back to a weaker covenant with Moses as the mediator?)
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
(The New Covenant was necessary because no one but Christ could keep the Old covenant.)
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
(The New Covenant has made the Sinai covenant “obsolete”.)
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, (The New Covenant is “everlasting”.)
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(A person cannot be under the Blood of the Lamb and not be under the Grace of the New Blood Covenant.)
What is the spiritual difference between the Sinai covenant and the New Covenant foretold by Jeremiah?
In the Sinai covenant the laws were written on tablets of stone.
Heb_9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
In the New Covenant the laws are written on the heart through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2Co_3:3 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.
In the New Covenant, it is the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and constantly corrects us in our daily battle with sin. Therefore, God’s Law is written inside of us.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
The New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ is the thing that ties all denominations together into One Body.
Sadly, there are very few today who have heard a sermon on the New Blood Covenant.
In the chapters that follow, we will attempt to understand why the New Covenant has been overlooked, misunderstood, and mostly ignored by the modern Church.
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Chapter 3:
The New Blood Covenant of Christ:
In Genesis chapter three we find God’s solution to the choice made by Adam and Eve in the garden. In this one verse God reveals the ultimate fulfillment of His plan. We will find this one unchanging purpose throughout the whole of scripture. In this verse God is addressing Satan and making it clear that he will pay for the corruption of God’s creation.
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Some have labeled this verse as the “Protoevangelium”. It is the first indication of the solution to sin, which is the Gospel of the coming Messiah. He would be the Seed of the woman. The serpent would bruise His heel, but He would eventually crush the head of the wicked one. If you want to truly understand the whole purpose of scripture and God’s one, unchanging plan of redemption, then trace this coming Seed starting in Genesis and ending in the Book of Revelation. It is all about this One Seed.
In his book “Abraham’s Four Seeds” Pastor John G. Reisinger documents the seed line that would lead to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It is an excellent resource which attempts to cut through the doctrines of men, by relying solely on what is written in the text. Pastor Reisinger has a habit of asking those hard questions sometimes needed to challenge our understanding of God’s Word. Reisinger’s sole purpose is to reveal Jesus Christ in every page of the Bible. Pastor Reisinger has told the story of one of his pastor friends who called the Bible… “a HIM book”. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s Plan to restore the creation to its former perfection. On the road to Emmaus, Christ reveals that the whole Bible is about Him.
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
After the book of Genesis states that Abraham had been chosen by God, we find the promise that all of the families of the world would be blessed through his seed. Abraham and his wife Sarah attempted to “help” God, by allowing the slave woman Hagar to produce a descendant from Abraham. Through Hagar’s son, Ishmael, millions of Arab people in the modern world are also Abraham’s natural seed. However, he was not the seed that would produce the Messiah. By rejuvenating the dead womb of Sarah, God would later produce a miracle child. Sarah laughed when told she would conceive a child in her old age and thus the name “Isaac” means “laughter”. The seed line of the Messiah would come through Isaac, instead of Ishmael.
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
(The word “thee” in this verse is Abraham.)
God commanded Abraham to circumcise his male offspring as the “Sign” of this covenant promise. This sign would later be a focus of the New Testament Book of Galatians. Here Paul enters into a theological argument with the Judaizers who insist Gentile Christians must also be circumcised. There are some today who still take the side of the Judaizers.
Later Isaac had fraternal twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob, the younger of the two, ends up being the one elect, chosen by God to continue the seed line of the Messiah. Later Jacob’s name is changed to Israel and through this lineage the Messiah will come.
Jacob’s son Joseph ends up being sold into slavery in Egypt due to the jealousy of his brothers, although God uses their wicked intentions to continue His plan of redemption.
Jacob’s family then goes to Egypt where their descendants later become slaves under a future ruler of the land.
Moses becomes the instrument of God who will go up against the powerful ruler of Egypt, because the Pharaoh refuses to release the descendants of Jacob from their bondage.
After the Children of Israel escape their bondage in Egypt they arrive at Mount Sinai (which is in Arabia). Moses goes up to the mountain and receives from God the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments, which is the actual Sinai covenant. (Hebrews 9:4) These are further explained through approximately 600 ordinances recorded by Moses. These give the specifics of the covenant. For example, if your neighbor’s cattle steals your grass, by eating it, how should the situation be handled in regard to the original covenant?
The fourth commandment of Sabbath keeping would be the “Sign” of this covenant. A man found working on the Friday sundown, to Saturday sundown time of rest was to be stoned to death for picking up sticks, because it was considered work. The people were forbidden from traveling a distance more than about 3/4 of a mile on this day.
Great confusion still exists today among Christians as to the present observance of this “Sign” given to the Israelites under the Sinai Covenant. We will deal with this issue in chapter 5 of this book.
An important part of the Sinai covenant would be the system of animal sacrifices offered to cover the sins of the people. During the following years, thousands upon thousands of animals would be slaughtered and their blood offered as a shadow of the one Blood sacrifice coming to bring in the New Covenant.
The often overlooked parameter of the Sinai covenant regards the If-Then conditional aspect of the covenant. This will be important later in our story, because some today insist the Sinai covenant is still in effect.
Exo_19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Although Israel promised to keep the Old Covenant, it was an impossible task for humans made of rotten flesh like me. We find in Jeremiah 31:32 a clear statement that Israel had broken the Old Covenant.
At times the nation feared God and remembered the covenant, and at other times they fell away from God and sought after other gods.
It was a constant struggle, but throughout the trials and tribulations of the Israelites “the seed of the woman” was being passed down through the descendants of Abraham and Jacob. It eventually was passed through the Tribe of Judah to King David. God made a promise to David that through his son the throne of his kingdom would be established, “forever”. How long is “forever”?
2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
David’s descendants would produce Mary, the virgin mother of Christ, whose womb would receive the Messiah, through which all the families of the earth would be blessed, as promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3.
The prophet Jeremiah foretold of a New Covenant, different from the Sinai Covenant which the Children of Israel had broken.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
We will find some of these same words repeated in Hebrews 8:6-13.
After this prophecy was recorded by Jeremiah, the Israelites should have been looking for a New Covenant which was to replace the Sinai covenant they had broken.
Near the end of the Babylonian captivity, the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel and gave him the time when the Messiah would appear.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Notice the reference to “iniquity” and “sin”, also found in Jeremiah 31:34
The angel also gave Daniel the time at which the prophecy was to commence.
Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Jesus of Nazareth would appear as the promised Messiah at the exact time foretold by the angel Gabriel. Also, remember the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel “AFTER” the promise of the New Covenant given to Jeremiah.
The 1599 Geneva Bible was the Bible the Pilgrims brought to America.
The following commentary is found at Daniel 9:27. Compare the wording of Daniel 9:27 to the words of Christ at Matthew 26:28. They both speak of a “covenant” with “many“.
Daniel 9:27
And he (a) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to (b) cease, (c) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
(a) By the preaching of the Gospel he affirmed his promise, first to the Jews, and after to the Gentiles.
(b) Christ accomplished this by his death and resurrection.
(c) Meaning that Jerusalem and the sanctuary would be utterly destroyed because of their rebellion against God, and their idolatry: or as some read, that the plague will be so great, that they will all be astonished at them.
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Millions of evangelical Christians today hold to a completely different interpretation of Daniel 9:27, in which the angel Gabriel does not mention the New Covenant, already foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This interpretation will be discussed later in this book. We must remember that Daniel was reading from Jeremiah at the beginning of Daniel chapter 9. We will also come to see the New Covenant of the Messiah is the ultimate completion of God’s Plan for the world.
The Atonement Clock by Christian Gedge, is one of the most powerful little books I have ever had the privilege to read. It details the timing of Bible chronology. He pinpoints the year that Jesus of Nazareth would be baptized in the Jordan River by His Father from heaven, as well as major events that occurred throughout the history of the nation of Israel. It also gives an excellent explanation of the ancient Hebrew Lunar/Solar calendar, which used a seven year cycle. On the seventh year, the land was to be allowed to rest by not being planted. Israel had ignored this command, but God enforced it during their 70 years in Babylon. No Christian’s library would be complete without the book titled “The Atonement Clock”. It highlights God’s countdown to the fulfillment of God‘s Plan of redemption.
The Messiah would establish the New Blood Covenant, thus fulfilling the Promise made to Abraham. He confirmed His destiny as “the seed of the woman” at the Last Supper, by announcing that He would fulfill the New Blood Covenant foretold in Jeremiah chapter 31. The disciples thought this meal was going to be just another commemoration of the Passover of the Exodus, in which the blood of a lamb was placed upon the doorposts. It was something they celebrated every year.
This time God’s own Son revealed it would be His Blood that would be the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin. He was the promised Lamb of God through which the promise would be fulfilled. This time the Blood would cover the sinner, instead of the doorpost.
Mat 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (NKJV)
Each time we partake of the Last Supper, it is this “New Blood Covenant” we are commemorating. We should understand it as the fulfillment of the promise first found at Genesis 3:15, and the Promise to Abraham, and the promise to David, and the promise to all those who accept His gift of Grace.
Praise God and the precious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ!
Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Son of the Living God who defeated sin and death at Calvary, fulfilling every yot and tittle of Jeremiah 31:31-34.
This New Covenant fulfilled in His Blood replaced the sacrifice of animals for sin. John 19:30, Mark 15:38
When did the New Covenant go into effect?
Heb_9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
The Greek word “diatheke”̄ can be translated as “testament” or as “covenant”. It is the same Greek word. Therefore, the books of the Bible written during the first century which we usually refer to as the “New Testament” can also be referred to as “The New Covenant”.
After Christ lived the perfect sinless life by keeping all of God’s Commandments, which is something no man has ever done, He was arrested, tortured, and suffered a cruel death on Calvary’s Cross.
He could have prayed to the Father and had thousands of angels to intercede for Him. No human was capable of forcing Him to lay down on that Cross and let Roman soldiers drive iron spikes through His body. He did it for me. It was not the spikes that held Him to the Cross. It was His love for a rotten sinner like me.
Mat_26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
During his suffering a drop of Blood ran down His body, dripped off into the air and headed toward the earth. Before it hit the ground it fell onto me and covered me with His Grace. It only takes one drop of Christ’s Blood to atone for the sins of all humans on this planet. It is the free gift of Grace. Nothing you can ever do will bring you into a right relationship with God. It is not what you can do. It is what He has already done.
His last words on the Cross fulfilled the New Covenant.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
There are some who insist there are Old Testament promises not fulfilled at the Cross. We should all prayerfully consider that God sent His precious, innocent Son, to die a cruel death, in order to fulfill the promise made in Genesis 3:15.
Was this not enough?
If someone tells you there is something He left undone, refer them back to this verse and the words of the one who was God in human form… “It is finished.”
The eternal destiny of every person on this planet is linked to His last three words on the Cross.
At the moment Jesus died, the veil in the temple which separated the Holy of Holies from the people was ripped in half, symbolizing that animal sacrifices, the Levitical priesthood and the whole Sinai covenant system had just become “obsolete”.
Mar_15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Some today cannot let go of the Sinai covenant. Some even claim the New Blood Covenant of Grace will come to an end 7 years before the Second Coming of Christ and then God will go back to the Sinai Covenant again. We will deal with these claims later in this book.
When dealing with issues such as these, our only source of truth is God’s Word.
What do we find written in the New Testament which may settle these issues?
We must rely upon the principle of “Conflict Resolution”. If the statements of men or women produce conflict in any verse, then their interpretation cannot be correct.
To whom were the promises to Abraham made?
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
The Apostle Paul said the Abrahamic Promise was only made to Christ, who is the one seed.
Paul also makes it clear the promise was not made to the “many” seeds.
How does a person inherit the promises made to Abraham?
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
(Christians are the Seed of Abraham who will inherit the promise found in Genesis chapter 12.)
How does the Apostle Paul compare the Old Sinai Covenant to the New Covenant?
Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
(In these verses the Apostle Paul compares the Sinai Covenant to slavery and the apostle also confirms the location of Mount Sinai.)
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
(In Hebrews 11:16, we find that the New Jerusalem is now in heaven.)
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture?
Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
(Here Paul makes it clear that we are to cast out the Sinai Covenant and that the inheritance does not come through the Old covenant.)
Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
(We are the children of the New Covenant, instead of the Old.)
Since the New Covenant was to be made with Israel and Judah, is it in effect now or will it be fulfilled in the future?
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
(This verse makes it clear it was in effect during the first century.)
Who were the first people who became members of the New Covenant ?
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
(Note the reference to “men of Judea” and “house of Israel” and compare to Jer. 31:33.)
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
(About 3,000 Israelites accepted the New Blood Covenant on the Day of Pentecost.)
Are there Two Israels according to the Apostle Paul?
Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
There is an Israel of the Flesh, who are not the children of God.
And there is an Israel of the Promise, who are the children of God.
Tremendous confusion is produced by lumping these two groups together into one group called “Israel”.
What were the Gentiles grafted into?
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Paul begins the chapter with two groups of Israelites.
Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
(Paul was an Israelite, who accepted the New Covenant.)
Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Rom 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
(There was a group of Israelites who worshipped Baal, referred to here as “they“.)
Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
(There was a remnant of 7,000 Israelites who would not bow to Baal.)
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
(Paul said there was also an elect group of Israelites during his time.)
Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (The original branches were faithful Israelites, who had become part of the New Covenant, by accepting Christ.)
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
(The wild Gentile branches were grafted in among the cultivated Israelite branches, which remained in the tree.)
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
(The branches broken off can be grafted back in through faith in Christ.)
The Olive Tree here is a symbol of the New Blood Covenant Church.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
(The last Gentile comes into the New Covenant on the day of Christ’s Second Coming. Part of the Israelites were blinded as to who the Messiah was. However, the other part, like Paul, were not blinded and were the “remnant” of Israelites who accepted Christ.)
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
The Greek translation of the word “so” in this verse is the Greek word “houto”. It means- “in this manner“, which refers back to being grafted into the Olive Tree as found in verse 23.
Some today have changed the word “so”, which is an adverb of manner, into the word “then”, which is an adverb of time. By changing this one word some have completely changed the meaning of the passage in an attempt to postpone the fulfillment of this verse.
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
(The covenant in this verse is the New Blood Covenant of Christ, “now” in effect, based on Hebrews 8:6. It is not waiting on a future fulfillment. The “Deliverer“ came out of Sion (Zion) about 2,000 years ago.)
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
There are two different groups in Romans 11:28. The first group are enemies of the Gospel, because they are the Israelites who rejected Christ. They can be grafted back into the tree, by faith in Christ. The second group are the election who are the Israelite branches remaining in the Olive Tree through faith in Christ. The Apostle Paul started the chapter with two groups of Israelites and Paul ends the chapter in the same way. Refer back to the Israelite Baal worshippers and the remnant of 7,000 Israelites who would not bow to Baal, at the beginning of the chapter.
Salvation now comes by being grafted into the Olive Tree, which is a symbol of the New Blood Covenant Church of Christ.
My wife and I support two ministries who are taking the Gospel of the New Covenant to the modern descendants of Jacob. They are Jews for Jesus and Word of Messiah. If we truly love the modern Jewish people, then we need to make sure they are grafted into the Olive Tree. This is clearly Paul’s message at the end of Romans chapter 11.
Which Covenant is in effect, now?
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
(Would God ever go back to a weaker covenant with Moses as the mediator?)
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
(The New Covenant was necessary because no one but Christ could keep the Old covenant.)
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
(The New Covenant has made the Sinai covenant “obsolete”.)
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, (The New Covenant is “everlasting”.)
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(A person cannot be under the Blood of the Lamb and not be under the Grace of the New Blood Covenant.)
What is the spiritual difference between the Sinai covenant and the New Covenant foretold by Jeremiah?
In the Sinai covenant the laws were written on tablets of stone.
Heb_9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
In the New Covenant the laws are written on the heart through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2Co_3:3 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.
In the New Covenant, it is the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and constantly corrects us in our daily battle with sin. Therefore, God’s Law is written inside of us.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
The New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ is the thing that ties all denominations together into One Body.
Sadly, there are very few today who have heard a sermon on the New Blood Covenant.
In the chapters that follow, we will attempt to understand why the New Covenant has been overlooked, misunderstood, and mostly ignored by the modern Church.
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Chapter 4:
Covenant Confusion and the Doctrines of Men:
When a Christian attempts to make God’s Word fit into a manmade system of interpretation, sometimes it is like hammering a square peg into a round hole of the same diameter. Some damage is going to occur. In this case, the damage is to the scripture that connects every verse to ever other verse, in order to reveal the one unchanging Plan of God to save mankind through the precious Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Even though the Bible is made up of 66 books, with 40 or so different human recorders, it is like a beautiful tapestry where each verse represents a thread. Every verse is entwined with other verses and reinforces the fabric as a whole. The tapestry has two sides. One is the shadow which reveals the perfection of the other side. If we view just one verse we may not see the big picture. However, if we take the time to stand back and view the tapestry as a whole, we see a picture of the Son of God, who bought us with His Blood. If we must remove even one of the threads to make our doctrine work, then we have damaged what was once perfection and we have weakened the precious tapestry given to us, as the Word of God.
How does one go about discussing this subject, knowing that toes are going to be stepped on? Maybe the best thing would be to apologize in advance and pray to remain in fellowship with all my Brothers and Sister in Christ. I believe it is always of benefit to the Body to speak the truth in love. If we notice that our child seemed to be suffering from a disease, would we not do everything in our power to identify the problem and then do everything necessary to correct the problem.
And so it is with the Church of Jesus Christ. Anyone who has eyes to see cannot help but notice that our Body is seriously ill. During my lifetime the illness has gotten worse. It is as if different organs of the body are attacking each other instead of working together to make this One Body function as it is supposed to work. Some have now clearly seen that there is a problem, while others declare, “Everything is just fine. Do not bother me. This is the way things are supposed to be”. Some are in that river in Egypt up to their eyeballs, but cannot bring themselves to see it. They are in “Denial”.
Often times physicians would suggest that a complete examination of the patient is necessary, in order to first identify the cause of the ailment. The patient must be willing to be poked and prodded. Unless the patient is willing to undergo this examination, the sickness will no doubt continue. This procedure may make us uncomfortable at times, but is indeed necessary.
Let me say that godly men have come from various systems of interpretation. Two of my favorites are Dr. James Kennedy and Dr. Adrian Rogers. Both of these men have inspired me. Both of them have now gone to be with the Lord. It is my belief if both of them could speak to us from beyond the grave, they would tell us to use God’s Word as our guide, instead of their words.
I have dear personal friends brought up in the tradition of Reformed Covenant Theology and I have other friends brought up in Dispensational church bodies. I have struggled in writing this chapter knowing that those I love may have their feelings hurt when they read this chapter. And no, it is not my purpose to offend all of my friends, at the same time.
Here is a question to help you understand my predicament in writing this chapter. Should your dear friend be offended if you noticed a nail stuck in the tire of his shiny new car? Would you ignore the nail for fear that your friend might get their feelings hurt?
The believers from Berea examined the teachings of the Apostles based on what was written in scripture.
Act 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
We will also attempt to be good “Bereans”.
The evangelical Church in America has divided itself mainly into two opposing camps of Bible interpretation.
The first is Reformed Covenant Theology, which is about 400 years old and uses the Westminster Confession of Faith as it’s guide to the interpretation of scripture. The Confession of Faith used by Reformed Baptists has made changes related to baptism, but otherwise is very similar to the Westminster Confession. The Reformed Covenant system came mainly out of the Protestant Reformation efforts of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others. The Reformers were being “Bereans” when they had the courage to stand up against the corruption of scripture by the Papacy. Many of them were faithful to the death, some even being burned at the stake. Many today equate the term “Calvinism” with Reformed Covenant Theology. However, no system is without those of differing opinions.
The second major system of interpretation is Dispensational Theology, which is less than 200 years old and is found in the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible. There are those who have modified the older classic form of Dispensationalism into something now called “Mid-Acts Dispensationalism”. If you hear a speaker constantly using the phrase… “our Apostle Paul” you are most likely listening to someone of this system. There are also those like Dr. Darrel Bock who have made some changes to the older form of the doctrine and have used the term “Progressive Dispensationalism”, for the newer version. However, the focus of the system continues to be the Two Peoples of God distinctions between Israel and the Church.
Many of those sitting in the pews of modern Dispensational church bodies have no idea that John Nelson Darby brought this doctrine to America, about the time of the Civil War. Very few of those preaching the doctrine from the pulpit know of the link between Darby and Edward Irving. Only a tiny number of those understand the link between Irving and the book “Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty“, written by Manuel Lacunza. Those connections will be shown later.
Pastor John G. Reisinger’s book “Abraham’s Four Seeds” has a subtitle at the the bottom of the front cover. It is “A Biblical Examination of the Presuppositions of Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism”. Pastor Reisinger compares what is written in the text of God’s Word to what is promoted by these two major schools of interpretation. He is not doing this to disparage or condemn our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, who hold to these systems. Instead, he is simply being a Berean in an effort to promote the faith by asking that corrections be made to any doctrine that does not agree with what is written in scripture. I would highly recommend Reisinger’s book to anyone attempting to understand the original doctrine taught by the Apostles of Christ.
This book will also examine some aspects of these two systems of interpretation, by comparing them to what is plainly written in God’s Word. While I was a classroom teacher in the public schools, teachers were asked to constantly examine what we were doing in an attempt to improve upon our instruction. Many times changes were made, if problems were discovered. This methodology should also be applied to the Church. We should constantly examine our doctrine to determine if it has strayed from the teachings of the Apostles. If it has, then corrections should be made.
However, this may be easier said, than done.
The New Testament writers will be the main witnesses called to testify to the original doctrine of the New Covenant Church of Christ. Any deviation from their words cannot be ignored. Even Christians are creatures of habit. We tend to interpret scripture through the same eyes as our fellow Brothers and Sisters, who have influenced us during our time growing up in the faith. Some would consider it “rude” to disagree with an interpretation coming from one’s Sunday-School teacher or the pulpit of their church. However, if we are going to be Bereans we must be willing to question any doctrine which does not agree with the original teachings of the Apostles. This should be done in a loving, firm, but non-confrontational way. When someone comes up with a foolproof method of accomplishing this goal, please let me know.
There was an occasion when I presented documentation to the deacon board of my church body on the history of modern Dispensational Theology. The next week, while in the sanctuary of the church, a man who was my Brother in Christ and my friend, spoke to me like a dog who had wet the carpet and knew better. I hold no grudge against this man and since that time we have eaten lunch together. However, I avoid the topic of eschatology during our conversations, because I have learned it can be one of the most divisive topics among some Christians.
The doctrines of both Reformed Covenant Theology and Dispensational Theology produce tremendous conflict with the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 3. Let us examine the conflicts based on scripture in an attempt to see how both systems of interpretation have taken the focus off of the New Covenant.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Verse 16 clearly states that the promises made to Abraham were made to only One Seed, which is Christ. The Apostle also makes it clear that the promises were not made to more than one seed.
This verse causes severe problems for Dispensationalists who claim the promises to Abraham were made to the children of Israel, which would be many seeds, instead of the One Seed. How do most Dispensationalists deal with this verse? They must ignore it to get their doctrine to work.
Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
Verse 17 clearly states the Sinai Covenant was “added” 430 years “after” the promise to Abraham and it cannot change the promise made to Abraham.
This verse is a tremendous problem for advocates of Reformed Covenant Theology, based on Chapter 19 of the Westminster Confession of Faith. This section of the Confession applies the 10 commandments to Adam, before the fall.
You can find below in Sections I. and II. of chapter 19, text that states the law given at Mount Sinai was the same covenant of works given to Adam.
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Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter XIX
Of the Law of God
I. God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which He bound him and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
II. This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables: the first four commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six, our duty to man.
III. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly, holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the New Testament.
IV. To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging under any now, further than the general equity thereof may require.
V. The moral law does forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that, not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it. Neither does Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
VI. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin, together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin: and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof: although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works. So as, a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law: and not under grace.
VII. Neither are the fore mentioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.
from www.reformed.org/documents
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There is also the problem of Adam and Eve not being able to understand the concept of adultery or being able to honor their father and mother, since they had no mother. How do those of Reformed Covenant Theology deal with this verse? They must ignore it to get their doctrine to work.
Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Here we find the Sinai Covenant was added because of transgressions, until the seed could come to whom the promises were made. We know that Seed was Jesus Christ. He did come about 2,000 years ago. This verse again stands in conflict to chapter 19 of the Westminster Confession of Faith’s claim that the 10 commandments also applied to Adam, before the Fall. One of the ways that Reformed Covenant theologians tend to deal with this problem is to separate the Moral Law (10 Commandments) from the 600 plus Ceremonial Laws, which explain and interpret the 10 commandments. The problem for them is that this separation is not found in scripture. (Refer to Hebrews 9:4.)
Reformed Covenant theologians sometimes attempt to claim that Adam and Abraham were also given the commandments, in an attempt to make their doctrine work. If these were all the same commandments, then the Apostle Paul is very confused in Galatians chapters 3 and 4. Adam was given a commandment… Do not eat of… Abraham was given a commandment… Circumcise your male offspring. The children of Israel were given a commandment at Mount Sinai… Keep the Sabbath.
The question now becomes… What becomes of the Sinai Covenant, since the Seed has come? Based on Hebrews 8:13, it was made “obsolete” by the New Covenant. Reformed Covenant theologians also have a habit of thundering the 4th commandment, which is the Sabbath Commandment, from the pulpit. We will deal with the Sabbath more completely in chapter 5.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Verse 29 is tied back to verse 16. We inherit the promise made to Abraham through Christ. Therefore, Christians are the seed of Abraham. Some might be quick to say this refers to spiritual seed and not physical seed. We would agree and ask if there is any advantage to being a physical seed of Abraham, while not being a spiritual seed of Abraham, through Christ? (Romans 9:6-8)
Therefore, it is the New Blood Covenant of Christ, which allows one to inherit the Abrahamic Promise, instead of being from a particular bloodline.
We might expect those of Reformed Covenant Theology or Dispensational Theology to be willing to change their doctrine to make it agree with scripture. However, for some this is extremely difficult, especially for those who have held to the doctrine for many years. I have often wondered how a pastor who has taught a doctrine for 30 years, can get up the courage to admit he has been wrong for all that time. However, I am sure it has happened many times.
Let us look again at Galatians chapter 4 to see the Apostle Paul’s opinion of the Sinai covenant.
Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
(Here Paul compares the Sinai covenant to slavery.)
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
(Here again the Sinai covenant is compared to slavery.)
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
(The New Jerusalem, which is now in heaven (Hebrews 11:16) is our destiny, instead of the earthly Jerusalem.)
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
(Here the Apostle Paul clearly states that we are to “cast out” the Sinai covenant.)
Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
(We are the children of the New Covenant instead of the Sinai covenant of bondage.)
Reformed Covenant theologians have somehow taken baptism, which is supposed to be the sign of believers in the New Covenant, and somehow mixed in infant circumcision in the Abrahamic covenant, to get infant baptism in Reformed Covenant Theology. While there is clear text in the New Testament showing baptism of believers after the day of Pentecost, there is no clear text which shows the baptism of infants. Some insist there is no link between regeneration and infant baptism, but others obviously do, based on the next paragraph.
A lady I know shared the story of how she and her husband were advised they should have their dying baby baptized, by members of their Lutheran church body. Apparently those giving the advice linked baptism to salvation. However, I am in no way implying that this belief is universal among Lutherans or Reformed Covenant Theologians. But, this story does highlight the confusion over the practice of infant baptism. Much of this confusion may come from the claim that the New Covenant is a “New Administration” of the Sinai covenant.
We will deal with New Covenant baptism in chapter 7.
Those promoting Reformed Covenant Theology tend to view the New Covenant as not really something “new”, but as a “new administration” of the 10 commandments.
They have applied the 10 commandments to Adam before the fall and have also ignored the Apostle Paul’s clear admonition that we are to “cast out” the Sinai covenant of bondage. This interpretation produces a tremendous conflict in scripture and hides the true meaning and purpose of the New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ.
Now we will turn back to modern Dispensational Theology, which was brought to America around the time of the Civil War, by John Nelson Darby. How has this doctrine confused the covenants found in scripture? Dispensationalists have mainly ignored the New Blood Covenant in their attempts to promote the Two Peoples of God doctrine.
One of Dispensationalism’s main methods of confirming its doctrine is to ignore Paul’s references to Two Israels, Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise. Instead they lump all Israelites into one group.
I have never heard a Dispensational preacher give a sermon on the New Covenant or any of Paul’s writings which show the differences between Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise.
When John G. Reisinger was in Bible School he asked his professor the meaning of Galatians 3:16. Reisinger said his professor seemed to get upset and dismissed the class early. Was it that his professor did not know what the verse meant or was he a Dispensationalist who knew the verse destroyed his doctrine? It is my suspicion that the latter was the truth. Dispensationalists often cite the Abrahamic covenant as the reason God has Two Peoples with Two different Plans. Let us examine Galatians 3:16 again in order to get the Apostle Paul’s viewpoint. Paul will be our witness.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
This verse clearly states that the Promise was made only to Christ, who is the One Seed. Just to make sure we have the clear meaning, Paul says the Promise did not go to the many seeds. The One to whom the Promise was made has to be singular. However, in the Dispensational view the Promise must be to the plural “seeds”. Therefore, the words of the Apostle Paul stand in opposition to the Dispensational viewpoint in this verse.
In discussing the New Covenant with Dispensationalists, you will usually find them lumping all Israelites together, even though we know some Israelites did place their faith in Christ. Dispensationalists may also say Israel did not accept the New Covenant or the New Covenant has not taken effect yet, since Jeremiah chapter 31 refers to a covenant made with Judah and Israel. Their logic will not stand against the words of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. (Here the New Covenant is in the present tense.)
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (This gives the reason for the New Covenant.)
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (This is the text taken from Jeremiah chapter 31.)
Here we have the writer of Hebrews clearly stating that Christ is “now” the mediator of a better covenant. The text that follows the three verses above clearly shows it to be the New Covenant from the Book of Jeremiah.
Neither will the Dispensational arguments stand up to the words of Peter on the day of Pentecost.
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
On the day of Pentecost about 3,000 “men of Israel” of “the house of Israel” became a part of the New Blood Covenant of Christ foretold in Jeremiah chapter 31.
In the Book of Romans the Apostle Paul attempts to identify the differences between the physical seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Abraham. These verses make it clear that the middle wall of separation between all races of people was broken down at the cross.
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
(The Gentile Christians later become part of the commonwealth of Israel.)
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph_2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
(The middle wall in the temple that separated the Israelites from the Gentiles was broken down at Calvary.)
Those who continue to claim a link between God’s plan of salvation and bloodline must ignore what Paul said above, in order to preserve their Dispensational doctrine.
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
In Romans chapter 9 the Apostle Paul identifies two Israels. Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise.
Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
(Not all Israelites would be Israel of the promise.)
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
In the passage above we find that being a physical descendant of Abraham or Jacob does not make one a child of God. These words from Paul, who was a Jewish scholar before his conversion, stand in direct conflict with the statements coming out of the mouth of many Christians today. Sometimes we do not like what we find in scripture, especially when it conflicts with what we have believed our whole lives. It is often very difficult to say three little words… “I was wrong.” , especially if you are a pastor who has been teaching a particular doctrine for many years.
Romans chapter 11 is one of the passages most often used by those promoting John Darby’s doctrine. Although much of this text was reviewed in chapter 3, it is necessary that we cover this text again and in the process compare it to the Dispensationalist’s interpretation. We will use the process of “Conflict Resolution” to find out if the Dispensational interpretation agrees with the previous writings of Paul and the other New Testament writers. If any conflict is produced, then their interpretation cannot be correct.
In order to make their doctrine work, many Dispensationalists will change one little word in Romans 11:26. Most of those promoting the doctrine have no idea who or where this change was first made. It actually goes back to the document used by Edward Irving to originate the Two Peoples of God doctrine. Since this book is now available online, it is a simple matter to verify the information that will now be presented. Edward Irving had gained access to the Spanish version of the book “Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty” written by Manuel Lacunza, who was a Jesuit priest. Irving had the book translated into English and added his own commentary to Lacunza’s work, before having it published in English during 1827. On page 124-125 of Irving’s commentary we find him reporting that he had taught doctrine from Lacunza’s book at the Albury Prophetic Conference held the year before. On page 170 of the 2007 edition of his book “Dispensationalism”, Dr. Charles C. Ryrie connects John Nelson Darby to Irving and the Albury Conference.
“It was not until several years after leaving the Church of England that Darby became interested in prophecy. His interest was piqued through conferences at Albury, out of which the Irvingian movement grew.”
In 1966 Brethren Historian F. R. Coad wrote a paper detailing the origin of John Darby’s doctrine. In the early years of the Plymouth Brethren movement Benjamin Newton and John Darby worked together. Edward Irving died as a result of tuberculosis in 1834. Sometime after 1834 John Darby adopted the “Secret Rapture” doctrine of the Irvingites and divided scripture into that for the Jews and that for the Church. When Newton would not accept Darby’s new doctrine, Darby made a personal attack on Newton that split the movement into two groups.
(from pages 23 and 24 of the paper by F.R. Coad)
"Darby’s solution was to project considerable sections of the New Testament away from the Church, as applicable only to a future dispensation of the restored Jewish remnant, which the Secret Rapture adherents envisaged. This would remove all the difficulties, and those Scriptures in the Gospels and elsewhere which presented such difficulty to adherents of the new teaching were thus simply explained: they referred not to the Church at all, but to the future Jewish remnant. The solution was too facile. If Darby had hoped for Newton’s glad acceptance he was sorely disappointed. Newton saw its weakness at once:—
‘At last Darby wrote from Cork, saying he had discovered a
method of reconciling the whole dispute, and would tell me when
he came. When he did, it turned out to be the “Jewish
Interpretation”. The Gospel of Matthew was not teaching Church
Truth but Kingdom Truth, and so on. He explained it to me and I
said “Darby, if you admit that distinction you virtually give up
Christianity.” Well, they kept on at that until they worked out the
result as we know it. The Secret Rapture was bad enough, but this
was worse.’
The damage was indeed done, and for a moment dispensationalising ran riot, as Tregelles has explained in his accounts of those times. But worse resulted, for Darby, finding his teachings challenged, reacted by vigorous attacks on Newton’s position, until a form of pamphlet war developed."
Around the time of the American Civil War, Darby brought his new doctrine to America. Several decades later the doctrine was incorporated into the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible and as they say… “The rest is history.” Since that time the doctrine has spread through much of the evangelical Church in America, especially Baptist church bodies. Dallas Theological Seminary was built to promote John Darby’s doctrine, as one of its main goals.
On page 349 of Lacunza’s book we find the following change to Romans 11:26.
“When this fulness hath entered in, or the time of the nations are concluded, then all Israel shall be saved.”
Let us compare Lacunza’s words to those of the Apostle Paul.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
As stated in chapter 3, the Greek word translated to the English word “so” is the Greek word “houto”, which means… “in this manner”.
By switching this one word Lacunza attempted to change the meaning of the passage. He changed the word “so”, which is an adverb of manner, to the word “then”, which is an adverb of time. I have heard pastors make the same change during television broadcasts by saying… “And then all of Israel shall be saved.”
This change is necessary to produce a future time of “national salvation” for the modern descendants of Jacob. There is still just one little problem. Let us look at the next verse.
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Which “covenant” is the covenant in Romans 11:27? Jeremiah 31:34
Let us examine Romans chapter 11 again remembering as we go all of the Apostle Paul’s previous references to two Israels… Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise from Romans 9:6-8. Also, remember from Galatians 3:16, 29 that the Promises to Abraham were made only to Christ and we are the seed of Abraham who inherit the promises through Christ. Then we will ask ourselves if the Apostle has become a schizophrenic and changed his mind in Romans chapter 11?
Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
(Paul was an Israelite who was not cast away, because of his faith in Christ.)
Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Rom 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
(This group of Israelites turned from God.)
Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
(This group of Israelites remained faithful to God.)
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
(During Paul's time there was also a remnant of Israelites, who believed in Christ.)
Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
(Here the Olive Tree is a symbol of those in the New Covenant. The Israelites who did not believe in Christ were the branches broken off of the Olive Tree. The Gentile branches were grafted in among the Israelites who accepted Christ, like the Apostle Paul.)
Rom 11:18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
(The branches broken off, has to be a reference to the unbelieving Israelites, who were broken off because of unbelief.)
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
(These Israelites can be grafted back into the Olive Tree, through faith in Christ.)
Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
In the verse above we find two Olive Trees, one is wild and the other is cultivated. The wild tree represents the Gentile Christians and the cultivated tree represents the Israelites, who accepted Christ. At the end of the verse we find that those Israelites broken off can be grafted back into the tree, through faith.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
There are at least two methods of interpreting verse 25. Dispensationalists would like to say that “all” of the Israelites were “partially” blinded as to who the Messiah is. However, the rest of the passage conflicts with this interpretation starting at verse 1, with Paul stating he is an Israelite. Paul was not “partially” blinded, nor were the 3,000 men of “the house of Israel” who accepted Christ on the day of Pentecost.
The other option is that part of the Israelites were blinded and part of the Israelites were not blinded and accepted Christ. This fit’s the clear meaning found in the other verses of Romans chapter 11.
Dispensationalists also often claim the Church is the “Gentile Bride”, even though we know from this passage that the early New Covenant Church was made up of Israelites and Gentiles grafted together and is still made up of both bloodlines today. Darbyists do this in order to claim that the Pretribulation Rapture is the time when “the fullness of the Gentiles be come in”. There are several conflicts produced by this logic. The first is the many problems with the pretrib doctrine. One of the main purposes of the pretrib doctrine is to get the Church off the planet so that God can have a “Second Chance” with the modern descendants of Jacob. The second problem is the fact that even Dispensationalists acknowledge that some Gentiles come to faith in Christ during the tribulation period.
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Since the pretrib doctrine is an essential part of modern Dispensational Theology, we will take a quick detour here to look at the actual text most often used by Dispensationalists to prove a pretrib removal of the Church.
Will the text produce a 7 year stay in heaven for the Church, before the Second Coming of Christ?
Please remember when Paul wrote this letter there were no verses or chapters in the text.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(The phrase "sleep" in Jesus is a metaphor describing the dead in Christ.)
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(The word "descend" means to come down.)
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
(The word "But" connects chapter 5 to chapter 4.)
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
(We also find the "day of the Lord" when He "comes as a thief" in 2 Peter 3:10 and Revelation 16:15, which are clearly Second Coming passages. Therefore, this verse provides the timing of the event at the end of chapter 4.)
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
(It will not overtake us as a thief.)
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Dispensationalists often claim the tribulation period is “the wrath of God”, even though the Greek words translated as “tribulation” and “wrath”, are not the same and Revelation 12:12 shows at least some of the period to be the wrath of Satan.)
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
(The metaphor "sleep" in this verse proves that chapter 5 is connected to chapter 4.)
The verses above show that the Apostle Paul gave a description of the event at the end of chapter 4 and the timing of the event in chapter 5.
No 7 year stay in heaven can be found within this text.
It must be imported from another passage.
Now, we will return to Romans chapter 11 to finish our examination of the Dispensational interpretation of the passage.
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Rom 11:26 And “so”all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
("so" is an adverb of manner indicated by the Greek. It is not an adverb of time.)
G3779
οὕτω
houtō
hoo'-to
Or, before a vowel, οὕτως houtōs hoo'-toce.
From G3778; in this way (referring to what precedes or follows): - after that, after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like (-wise), no more, on this fashion (-wise), so (in like manner), thus, what.
This could also be written, “And in this manner all Israel shall be saved…” which refers back to verse 23. They can be grafted back in through Faith in Christ.
Rom 11:26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; (ESV)
The descendants of Jacob can only be grafted back into faithful Israel by faith in Christ. This is the "so", manner of their salvation by grafting them back into the Olive Tree at Romans 11:23.
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
This has to be the New Covenant foretold in Jer. 31:31-34, and spoken by the words of Christ at Matt. 26:28. It is also found at Hebrews 8:6-13, 12:24, 13:20. It is now in effect, based on Heb. 8:6. Christ took away the sins of all bloodlines of people at the Cross of Calvary. If this covenant is already in effect, instead of waiting on a future fulfillment, the Dispensational viewpoint of the passage cannot be correct.
We also have to remember Paul clearly teaches in the passage that those in faith must be grafted into the Olive Tree. The passage provides no path of salvation for those broken off of the Olive Tree. We know that limbs broken off of a tree wither and die.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
I have heard the following question asked by Dispensationalists in regard to Romans 11:28.
How can “they” be enemies of the Gospel and elect at the same time?
The logical answer is… They cannot. In order to prevent conflict with the rest of the passage, this verse must include two groups of Israelites.
Paul started Romans chapter 11 with two groups of Israelites, those who bowed to Baal and the remnant of Israelites who would not. In this verse we also have two groups. There were those blinded to who was the Messiah and were broken off of the Olive Tree. Paul constantly battled these Israelites, who were enemies of the Gospel. There was also another group of Israelites, who like him, were the “election” by accepting Jesus as their Messiah and remained in the Olive Tree. The Gentiles were grafted in among the election of Israelites.
We would all like to see the entire modern nation of Israel come to faith in Christ. However, the Dispensationalist’s plan for a future “national salvation” of the descendants of Jacob outside of the New Covenant Church, cannot be found in Romans chapter 11.
The Olive Tree, is a symbol of those in the New Covenant and according to the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 11, salvation only comes through being grafted into the Olive Tree. The modern Church needs to share the Gospel message with the modern descendants of Israel, based on this passage.
In my humble opinion, the greatest error of modern Dispensational Theology is the idea that the “Church Age” will end years before the Second Coming of Christ. It is the one thing about the doctrine that should concern all of us, as members of the New Covenant Church.
John Darby’s doctrine claims there will be a future 7 year time period, when people will come to salvation outside of the New Covenant Church. This time period is to begin at the Pretribulation rapture of the Church and is commonly called Daniel’s 70th week. This future 70th week is produced by adding a manmade “gap” to Daniel chapter 9, not mentioned by the angel Gabriel. In this process they have also added an antichrist not found in the chapter and insist the “covenant” with the “many” in Daniel 9:27 is a treaty made by the antichrist, instead of the “covenant” with the “many” in Matthew 26:28.
The Dispensational interpretation also ignores any period of time during the first century when the Gospel was taken to Daniel’s people. It is commonly held that the ministry of Christ on earth was about 3 ½ years, which is half a week of years. We also know the early Church was almost completely Jewish.
In Daniel 9:25, we find that the Messiah would be “cut off” (killed) after the 69 weeks. If I agree to paint your house “after” 69 days, it will not be painted until the 70th day or later.
Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
If Christ was “cut off” after the 69 weeks was finished, it had to be during the 70th week of years.
We find in Daniel 9:24 a summary of things to be accomplished during the 70 weeks.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
One of the key events in the verse above is the anointing. Jesus of Nazareth was anointed by His Father from heaven when His cousin John the Baptist placed Him in the waters of the Jordan River.
Luk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
It is most likely that this was the beginning of the 70th week, which continued until the time that Stephen reviewed the whole history of the nation of Israel, before he was stoned. This would be a 7 year time period when the Gospel was taken to Daniel’s people. It was no accident that Paul was there that day, since he would be the one chosen by Christ to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.
If we compare the notes at Daniel 9:27 found in the 1599 Geneva Bible to what we find in the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible, we see the Scofield interpretation substitutes a future treaty made by an antichrist, in place of the New Covenant already foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This is accomplished by adding a “gap” not mentioned by the angel Gabriel and by inserting an antichrist not found in the chapter. This interpretation also has the angel Gabriel “forgetting” to mention the New Covenant found in Jeremiah chapter 31. We know it would be the Blood of the Messiah that would confirm the New Covenant and the focus of Daniel chapter 9 is the Messiah. The Dispensational interpretation has hidden the New Blood Covenant of the Messiah from millions of modern Christians, who have never been shown there is another interpretation. The most logical interpretation, based on the text is that the “covenant” with “many” in Daniel 9:27 is the same “covenant” with “many” in Matthew 26:28, which is clearly the New Blood Covenant.
Classic Dispensationalists believe God will again go back to dealing with the modern nation of Israel after the end of the“ Church Age”. They claim the Church is a “parenthesis” in God’s dealings with the nation of Israel.
Lewis Sperry Chafer, the first president of Dallas Theological, had the following to say about the difference between Israel and the Church.
“The dispensationalist believes that throughout the ages God is pursuing two distinct purposes: one related to the earth with earthly people and earthly objectives involved which is Judaism; while the other is related to heaven with heavenly people and heavenly objectives involved, which is Christianity.”
Lewis Sperry Chafer, Dispensationalism (Dallas, Seminary Press, 1936), p. 107.
Chafer states that, ‘Israel is an eternal nation, heir to an eternal land, with an eternal kingdom, on which David rules from an eternal throne,’ that is, on earth and distinct from the church who will be in heaven.”
Lewis Sperry Chafer. Systematic Theology. 1975. Vol. IV. pp. 315-323.
John Walvoord, another prominent voice of Dallas Theological stated…
"...it is an article of normative dispensational belief that the boundaries of the land promised to Abraham and his descendants from the Nile to the Euphrates will be literally instituted and that Jesus Christ will return to a literal and theocratic Jewish kingdom centred on a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. In such a scheme the Church on earth is relegated to the status of a parenthesis.”
John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question.1979, p. 25
There are numerous conflicts with other passages of scripture produced by John Darby’s Two People of God / Two Kingdoms of God doctrine. Many of the older classic Dispensationalists claim the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are not the same. However, a parallel study of the Gospels reveals the error of this logic.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Luk 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luk 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
We will now turn back to the New Blood Covenant.
Hebrews 13:20 says the New Blood Covenant of Christ is “everlasting”.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
A verse from Hebrews chapter 12 proves this is the New Covenant.
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Therefore, the “Age of Grace” will not end before the Second Coming of Christ. The other major problem for Dispensationalists is the fact that not one passage in the New Testament clearly shows there will be a future time period when people will come to salvation outside of the Church.
There is a verse in the Book of Revelation that exposes an “Achilles Heel” of John Darby’s doctrine, once one comes to understand the New Covenant. Dispensationalists claim members of the Church are not present during the tribulation period, even though the New Blood Covenant is “everlasting” in Hebrews 13:20.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
A person cannot be under the Blood of the Lamb and not be under the Grace of the New Blood Covenant. The claim that believers during the tribulation period are not members of the New Blood Covenant Church of Jesus Christ has just been shown to be in conflict, by this one verse.
Instead of placing our hope in a future 7 year period of time when the modern nation of Israel will come to faith in Christ, we need to do everything in our power to make sure they hear the Gospel now. Sadly, many leaders of the modern evangelical Church act as if the modern Jews are still somehow under the Old Covenant. At least one modern televangelist has stated this as a fact and has promoted the idea of “Dual Covenant Theology”. This doctrine is not to be found within the pages of the New Testament. However, in some ways “Dual Covenant Theology” is a natural consequence of many of the teachings found in the “Two People of God” doctrine of modern Dispensational Theology. Hebrews 8:13 kills “Dual Covenant Theology”, by showing that the New Covenant has made the Sinai Covenant “obsolete”.
Dispensationalists also often use the following verse from the Old Testament and claim a large number of modern Jews will come to salvation on the day of Christ’s Second Coming.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
This interpretation stands in direct conflict to the parable of the virgins in Matthew chapter 25.
Jesus said the virgins must be prepared before the Bridegroom arrives.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
However, Zechariah 12:10 does fit the day of Pentecost, because some of the Jews there on that day were the same ones who called for Jesus to be crucified a few weeks earlier. Also, the Spirit was poured out upon some of those present on the day of Pentecost.
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The text of 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1, does not indicate any Second chances on the day of His Second Coming. He will return in Flaming Fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God.
2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
We find this same idea in 2nd Peter 3:10.
We also need to remember the John 5:27-30 bodily resurrection of all the dead, when all will be judged by Christ, including those who pierced Him.
Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Dispensationalists have most often been those willing to go into the deepest, and darkest jungles of the world to spread the Gospel to lost people. I personally know one missionary who was speared while attempting to evangelize native peoples in South America. He was later told by his doctor if the spear would have deviated in any direction, he would have been a dead man. After his recovery, this missionary went back to the same people who tried to kill him and later saw the man who wielded the spear come to faith in Christ. We should all strive for his passion to reach the lost.
We must ask ourselves the following question…
Is there now any difference between a naked native living in the Amazon rain forest and a modern descendant of Jacob living in the modern nation of Israel?
Based on the words of the New Testament, they both need Christ for the same reason and in the same way.
Do we find Two separate Peoples of God with Two separate Plans in the words of Christ, found below?
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold,andone shepherd.
Since we have identified how both Reformed Covenant Theology and modern Dispensational Theology have deviated from the text of the New Testament, what can we do about it? We find the Apostle Paul describing the Church as a Body in the Book of Corinthians.
Rom_12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
The human body is made up of organs with each having a role in keeping the body as a whole working correctly. When one organ begins working incorrectly the whole body is often effected. God’s Word reveals the New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ as God’s Plan of salvation, starting in Genesis 3:15. An interpretation of scripture which deviates from this purpose causes confusion within the organs of the Body, and therefore keeps the Body from working at its full potential.
Many times when our body is not working correctly, we seek the help of a physician.
Jesus Christ is the great physician. He wrote the whole Bible. (John 1:1).
The one unchanging purpose of the Bible is the revealing of how God’s own Son would bless all the families of the earth through His sacrifice on the Cross.
He is the only One who can heal us.
Isa_53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Many times a physician will order an MRI or a CAT scan to look for abnormalities within the body. In many ways this has been the purpose of this chapter.
In our examination of Reformed Covenant and Dispensational Theology we simply compared their doctrine to the Word of God. We have discovered there is no doubt that manmade interpretations of scripture have misapplied, hidden, and ignored the treasure of the New Covenant. In this regard, we have only acted as the technician responsible for doing the Body scan. The report on this scan is now complete and we have turned the findings over to the patient.
The patient now has to take some corrective action in order to restore the Body to full function.
If the patient ignores the report, then the ailment will continue to impede Body function and may eventually lead to even more damage.
Chapter 4:
Covenant Confusion and the Doctrines of Men:
When a Christian attempts to make God’s Word fit into a manmade system of interpretation, sometimes it is like hammering a square peg into a round hole of the same diameter. Some damage is going to occur. In this case, the damage is to the scripture that connects every verse to ever other verse, in order to reveal the one unchanging Plan of God to save mankind through the precious Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Even though the Bible is made up of 66 books, with 40 or so different human recorders, it is like a beautiful tapestry where each verse represents a thread. Every verse is entwined with other verses and reinforces the fabric as a whole. The tapestry has two sides. One is the shadow which reveals the perfection of the other side. If we view just one verse we may not see the big picture. However, if we take the time to stand back and view the tapestry as a whole, we see a picture of the Son of God, who bought us with His Blood. If we must remove even one of the threads to make our doctrine work, then we have damaged what was once perfection and we have weakened the precious tapestry given to us, as the Word of God.
How does one go about discussing this subject, knowing that toes are going to be stepped on? Maybe the best thing would be to apologize in advance and pray to remain in fellowship with all my Brothers and Sister in Christ. I believe it is always of benefit to the Body to speak the truth in love. If we notice that our child seemed to be suffering from a disease, would we not do everything in our power to identify the problem and then do everything necessary to correct the problem.
And so it is with the Church of Jesus Christ. Anyone who has eyes to see cannot help but notice that our Body is seriously ill. During my lifetime the illness has gotten worse. It is as if different organs of the body are attacking each other instead of working together to make this One Body function as it is supposed to work. Some have now clearly seen that there is a problem, while others declare, “Everything is just fine. Do not bother me. This is the way things are supposed to be”. Some are in that river in Egypt up to their eyeballs, but cannot bring themselves to see it. They are in “Denial”.
Often times physicians would suggest that a complete examination of the patient is necessary, in order to first identify the cause of the ailment. The patient must be willing to be poked and prodded. Unless the patient is willing to undergo this examination, the sickness will no doubt continue. This procedure may make us uncomfortable at times, but is indeed necessary.
Let me say that godly men have come from various systems of interpretation. Two of my favorites are Dr. James Kennedy and Dr. Adrian Rogers. Both of these men have inspired me. Both of them have now gone to be with the Lord. It is my belief if both of them could speak to us from beyond the grave, they would tell us to use God’s Word as our guide, instead of their words.
I have dear personal friends brought up in the tradition of Reformed Covenant Theology and I have other friends brought up in Dispensational church bodies. I have struggled in writing this chapter knowing that those I love may have their feelings hurt when they read this chapter. And no, it is not my purpose to offend all of my friends, at the same time.
Here is a question to help you understand my predicament in writing this chapter. Should your dear friend be offended if you noticed a nail stuck in the tire of his shiny new car? Would you ignore the nail for fear that your friend might get their feelings hurt?
The believers from Berea examined the teachings of the Apostles based on what was written in scripture.
Act 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
We will also attempt to be good “Bereans”.
The evangelical Church in America has divided itself mainly into two opposing camps of Bible interpretation.
The first is Reformed Covenant Theology, which is about 400 years old and uses the Westminster Confession of Faith as it’s guide to the interpretation of scripture. The Confession of Faith used by Reformed Baptists has made changes related to baptism, but otherwise is very similar to the Westminster Confession. The Reformed Covenant system came mainly out of the Protestant Reformation efforts of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others. The Reformers were being “Bereans” when they had the courage to stand up against the corruption of scripture by the Papacy. Many of them were faithful to the death, some even being burned at the stake. Many today equate the term “Calvinism” with Reformed Covenant Theology. However, no system is without those of differing opinions.
The second major system of interpretation is Dispensational Theology, which is less than 200 years old and is found in the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible. There are those who have modified the older classic form of Dispensationalism into something now called “Mid-Acts Dispensationalism”. If you hear a speaker constantly using the phrase… “our Apostle Paul” you are most likely listening to someone of this system. There are also those like Dr. Darrel Bock who have made some changes to the older form of the doctrine and have used the term “Progressive Dispensationalism”, for the newer version. However, the focus of the system continues to be the Two Peoples of God distinctions between Israel and the Church.
Many of those sitting in the pews of modern Dispensational church bodies have no idea that John Nelson Darby brought this doctrine to America, about the time of the Civil War. Very few of those preaching the doctrine from the pulpit know of the link between Darby and Edward Irving. Only a tiny number of those understand the link between Irving and the book “Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty“, written by Manuel Lacunza. Those connections will be shown later.
Pastor John G. Reisinger’s book “Abraham’s Four Seeds” has a subtitle at the the bottom of the front cover. It is “A Biblical Examination of the Presuppositions of Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism”. Pastor Reisinger compares what is written in the text of God’s Word to what is promoted by these two major schools of interpretation. He is not doing this to disparage or condemn our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, who hold to these systems. Instead, he is simply being a Berean in an effort to promote the faith by asking that corrections be made to any doctrine that does not agree with what is written in scripture. I would highly recommend Reisinger’s book to anyone attempting to understand the original doctrine taught by the Apostles of Christ.
This book will also examine some aspects of these two systems of interpretation, by comparing them to what is plainly written in God’s Word. While I was a classroom teacher in the public schools, teachers were asked to constantly examine what we were doing in an attempt to improve upon our instruction. Many times changes were made, if problems were discovered. This methodology should also be applied to the Church. We should constantly examine our doctrine to determine if it has strayed from the teachings of the Apostles. If it has, then corrections should be made.
However, this may be easier said, than done.
The New Testament writers will be the main witnesses called to testify to the original doctrine of the New Covenant Church of Christ. Any deviation from their words cannot be ignored. Even Christians are creatures of habit. We tend to interpret scripture through the same eyes as our fellow Brothers and Sisters, who have influenced us during our time growing up in the faith. Some would consider it “rude” to disagree with an interpretation coming from one’s Sunday-School teacher or the pulpit of their church. However, if we are going to be Bereans we must be willing to question any doctrine which does not agree with the original teachings of the Apostles. This should be done in a loving, firm, but non-confrontational way. When someone comes up with a foolproof method of accomplishing this goal, please let me know.
There was an occasion when I presented documentation to the deacon board of my church body on the history of modern Dispensational Theology. The next week, while in the sanctuary of the church, a man who was my Brother in Christ and my friend, spoke to me like a dog who had wet the carpet and knew better. I hold no grudge against this man and since that time we have eaten lunch together. However, I avoid the topic of eschatology during our conversations, because I have learned it can be one of the most divisive topics among some Christians.
The doctrines of both Reformed Covenant Theology and Dispensational Theology produce tremendous conflict with the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 3. Let us examine the conflicts based on scripture in an attempt to see how both systems of interpretation have taken the focus off of the New Covenant.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Verse 16 clearly states that the promises made to Abraham were made to only One Seed, which is Christ. The Apostle also makes it clear that the promises were not made to more than one seed.
This verse causes severe problems for Dispensationalists who claim the promises to Abraham were made to the children of Israel, which would be many seeds, instead of the One Seed. How do most Dispensationalists deal with this verse? They must ignore it to get their doctrine to work.
Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
Verse 17 clearly states the Sinai Covenant was “added” 430 years “after” the promise to Abraham and it cannot change the promise made to Abraham.
This verse is a tremendous problem for advocates of Reformed Covenant Theology, based on Chapter 19 of the Westminster Confession of Faith. This section of the Confession applies the 10 commandments to Adam, before the fall.
You can find below in Sections I. and II. of chapter 19, text that states the law given at Mount Sinai was the same covenant of works given to Adam.
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Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter XIX
Of the Law of God
I. God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which He bound him and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
II. This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables: the first four commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six, our duty to man.
III. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly, holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the New Testament.
IV. To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging under any now, further than the general equity thereof may require.
V. The moral law does forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that, not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it. Neither does Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
VI. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin, together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin: and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof: although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works. So as, a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law: and not under grace.
VII. Neither are the fore mentioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.
from www.reformed.org/documents
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There is also the problem of Adam and Eve not being able to understand the concept of adultery or being able to honor their father and mother, since they had no mother. How do those of Reformed Covenant Theology deal with this verse? They must ignore it to get their doctrine to work.
Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Here we find the Sinai Covenant was added because of transgressions, until the seed could come to whom the promises were made. We know that Seed was Jesus Christ. He did come about 2,000 years ago. This verse again stands in conflict to chapter 19 of the Westminster Confession of Faith’s claim that the 10 commandments also applied to Adam, before the Fall. One of the ways that Reformed Covenant theologians tend to deal with this problem is to separate the Moral Law (10 Commandments) from the 600 plus Ceremonial Laws, which explain and interpret the 10 commandments. The problem for them is that this separation is not found in scripture. (Refer to Hebrews 9:4.)
Reformed Covenant theologians sometimes attempt to claim that Adam and Abraham were also given the commandments, in an attempt to make their doctrine work. If these were all the same commandments, then the Apostle Paul is very confused in Galatians chapters 3 and 4. Adam was given a commandment… Do not eat of… Abraham was given a commandment… Circumcise your male offspring. The children of Israel were given a commandment at Mount Sinai… Keep the Sabbath.
The question now becomes… What becomes of the Sinai Covenant, since the Seed has come? Based on Hebrews 8:13, it was made “obsolete” by the New Covenant. Reformed Covenant theologians also have a habit of thundering the 4th commandment, which is the Sabbath Commandment, from the pulpit. We will deal with the Sabbath more completely in chapter 5.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Verse 29 is tied back to verse 16. We inherit the promise made to Abraham through Christ. Therefore, Christians are the seed of Abraham. Some might be quick to say this refers to spiritual seed and not physical seed. We would agree and ask if there is any advantage to being a physical seed of Abraham, while not being a spiritual seed of Abraham, through Christ? (Romans 9:6-8)
Therefore, it is the New Blood Covenant of Christ, which allows one to inherit the Abrahamic Promise, instead of being from a particular bloodline.
We might expect those of Reformed Covenant Theology or Dispensational Theology to be willing to change their doctrine to make it agree with scripture. However, for some this is extremely difficult, especially for those who have held to the doctrine for many years. I have often wondered how a pastor who has taught a doctrine for 30 years, can get up the courage to admit he has been wrong for all that time. However, I am sure it has happened many times.
Let us look again at Galatians chapter 4 to see the Apostle Paul’s opinion of the Sinai covenant.
Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
(Here Paul compares the Sinai covenant to slavery.)
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
(Here again the Sinai covenant is compared to slavery.)
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
(The New Jerusalem, which is now in heaven (Hebrews 11:16) is our destiny, instead of the earthly Jerusalem.)
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
(Here the Apostle Paul clearly states that we are to “cast out” the Sinai covenant.)
Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
(We are the children of the New Covenant instead of the Sinai covenant of bondage.)
Reformed Covenant theologians have somehow taken baptism, which is supposed to be the sign of believers in the New Covenant, and somehow mixed in infant circumcision in the Abrahamic covenant, to get infant baptism in Reformed Covenant Theology. While there is clear text in the New Testament showing baptism of believers after the day of Pentecost, there is no clear text which shows the baptism of infants. Some insist there is no link between regeneration and infant baptism, but others obviously do, based on the next paragraph.
A lady I know shared the story of how she and her husband were advised they should have their dying baby baptized, by members of their Lutheran church body. Apparently those giving the advice linked baptism to salvation. However, I am in no way implying that this belief is universal among Lutherans or Reformed Covenant Theologians. But, this story does highlight the confusion over the practice of infant baptism. Much of this confusion may come from the claim that the New Covenant is a “New Administration” of the Sinai covenant.
We will deal with New Covenant baptism in chapter 7.
Those promoting Reformed Covenant Theology tend to view the New Covenant as not really something “new”, but as a “new administration” of the 10 commandments.
They have applied the 10 commandments to Adam before the fall and have also ignored the Apostle Paul’s clear admonition that we are to “cast out” the Sinai covenant of bondage. This interpretation produces a tremendous conflict in scripture and hides the true meaning and purpose of the New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ.
Now we will turn back to modern Dispensational Theology, which was brought to America around the time of the Civil War, by John Nelson Darby. How has this doctrine confused the covenants found in scripture? Dispensationalists have mainly ignored the New Blood Covenant in their attempts to promote the Two Peoples of God doctrine.
One of Dispensationalism’s main methods of confirming its doctrine is to ignore Paul’s references to Two Israels, Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise. Instead they lump all Israelites into one group.
I have never heard a Dispensational preacher give a sermon on the New Covenant or any of Paul’s writings which show the differences between Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise.
When John G. Reisinger was in Bible School he asked his professor the meaning of Galatians 3:16. Reisinger said his professor seemed to get upset and dismissed the class early. Was it that his professor did not know what the verse meant or was he a Dispensationalist who knew the verse destroyed his doctrine? It is my suspicion that the latter was the truth. Dispensationalists often cite the Abrahamic covenant as the reason God has Two Peoples with Two different Plans. Let us examine Galatians 3:16 again in order to get the Apostle Paul’s viewpoint. Paul will be our witness.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
This verse clearly states that the Promise was made only to Christ, who is the One Seed. Just to make sure we have the clear meaning, Paul says the Promise did not go to the many seeds. The One to whom the Promise was made has to be singular. However, in the Dispensational view the Promise must be to the plural “seeds”. Therefore, the words of the Apostle Paul stand in opposition to the Dispensational viewpoint in this verse.
In discussing the New Covenant with Dispensationalists, you will usually find them lumping all Israelites together, even though we know some Israelites did place their faith in Christ. Dispensationalists may also say Israel did not accept the New Covenant or the New Covenant has not taken effect yet, since Jeremiah chapter 31 refers to a covenant made with Judah and Israel. Their logic will not stand against the words of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. (Here the New Covenant is in the present tense.)
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (This gives the reason for the New Covenant.)
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (This is the text taken from Jeremiah chapter 31.)
Here we have the writer of Hebrews clearly stating that Christ is “now” the mediator of a better covenant. The text that follows the three verses above clearly shows it to be the New Covenant from the Book of Jeremiah.
Neither will the Dispensational arguments stand up to the words of Peter on the day of Pentecost.
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
On the day of Pentecost about 3,000 “men of Israel” of “the house of Israel” became a part of the New Blood Covenant of Christ foretold in Jeremiah chapter 31.
In the Book of Romans the Apostle Paul attempts to identify the differences between the physical seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Abraham. These verses make it clear that the middle wall of separation between all races of people was broken down at the cross.
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
(The Gentile Christians later become part of the commonwealth of Israel.)
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph_2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
(The middle wall in the temple that separated the Israelites from the Gentiles was broken down at Calvary.)
Those who continue to claim a link between God’s plan of salvation and bloodline must ignore what Paul said above, in order to preserve their Dispensational doctrine.
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
In Romans chapter 9 the Apostle Paul identifies two Israels. Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise.
Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
(Not all Israelites would be Israel of the promise.)
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
In the passage above we find that being a physical descendant of Abraham or Jacob does not make one a child of God. These words from Paul, who was a Jewish scholar before his conversion, stand in direct conflict with the statements coming out of the mouth of many Christians today. Sometimes we do not like what we find in scripture, especially when it conflicts with what we have believed our whole lives. It is often very difficult to say three little words… “I was wrong.” , especially if you are a pastor who has been teaching a particular doctrine for many years.
Romans chapter 11 is one of the passages most often used by those promoting John Darby’s doctrine. Although much of this text was reviewed in chapter 3, it is necessary that we cover this text again and in the process compare it to the Dispensationalist’s interpretation. We will use the process of “Conflict Resolution” to find out if the Dispensational interpretation agrees with the previous writings of Paul and the other New Testament writers. If any conflict is produced, then their interpretation cannot be correct.
In order to make their doctrine work, many Dispensationalists will change one little word in Romans 11:26. Most of those promoting the doctrine have no idea who or where this change was first made. It actually goes back to the document used by Edward Irving to originate the Two Peoples of God doctrine. Since this book is now available online, it is a simple matter to verify the information that will now be presented. Edward Irving had gained access to the Spanish version of the book “Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty” written by Manuel Lacunza, who was a Jesuit priest. Irving had the book translated into English and added his own commentary to Lacunza’s work, before having it published in English during 1827. On page 124-125 of Irving’s commentary we find him reporting that he had taught doctrine from Lacunza’s book at the Albury Prophetic Conference held the year before. On page 170 of the 2007 edition of his book “Dispensationalism”, Dr. Charles C. Ryrie connects John Nelson Darby to Irving and the Albury Conference.
“It was not until several years after leaving the Church of England that Darby became interested in prophecy. His interest was piqued through conferences at Albury, out of which the Irvingian movement grew.”
In 1966 Brethren Historian F. R. Coad wrote a paper detailing the origin of John Darby’s doctrine. In the early years of the Plymouth Brethren movement Benjamin Newton and John Darby worked together. Edward Irving died as a result of tuberculosis in 1834. Sometime after 1834 John Darby adopted the “Secret Rapture” doctrine of the Irvingites and divided scripture into that for the Jews and that for the Church. When Newton would not accept Darby’s new doctrine, Darby made a personal attack on Newton that split the movement into two groups.
(from pages 23 and 24 of the paper by F.R. Coad)
"Darby’s solution was to project considerable sections of the New Testament away from the Church, as applicable only to a future dispensation of the restored Jewish remnant, which the Secret Rapture adherents envisaged. This would remove all the difficulties, and those Scriptures in the Gospels and elsewhere which presented such difficulty to adherents of the new teaching were thus simply explained: they referred not to the Church at all, but to the future Jewish remnant. The solution was too facile. If Darby had hoped for Newton’s glad acceptance he was sorely disappointed. Newton saw its weakness at once:—
‘At last Darby wrote from Cork, saying he had discovered a
method of reconciling the whole dispute, and would tell me when
he came. When he did, it turned out to be the “Jewish
Interpretation”. The Gospel of Matthew was not teaching Church
Truth but Kingdom Truth, and so on. He explained it to me and I
said “Darby, if you admit that distinction you virtually give up
Christianity.” Well, they kept on at that until they worked out the
result as we know it. The Secret Rapture was bad enough, but this
was worse.’
The damage was indeed done, and for a moment dispensationalising ran riot, as Tregelles has explained in his accounts of those times. But worse resulted, for Darby, finding his teachings challenged, reacted by vigorous attacks on Newton’s position, until a form of pamphlet war developed."
Around the time of the American Civil War, Darby brought his new doctrine to America. Several decades later the doctrine was incorporated into the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible and as they say… “The rest is history.” Since that time the doctrine has spread through much of the evangelical Church in America, especially Baptist church bodies. Dallas Theological Seminary was built to promote John Darby’s doctrine, as one of its main goals.
On page 349 of Lacunza’s book we find the following change to Romans 11:26.
“When this fulness hath entered in, or the time of the nations are concluded, then all Israel shall be saved.”
Let us compare Lacunza’s words to those of the Apostle Paul.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
As stated in chapter 3, the Greek word translated to the English word “so” is the Greek word “houto”, which means… “in this manner”.
By switching this one word Lacunza attempted to change the meaning of the passage. He changed the word “so”, which is an adverb of manner, to the word “then”, which is an adverb of time. I have heard pastors make the same change during television broadcasts by saying… “And then all of Israel shall be saved.”
This change is necessary to produce a future time of “national salvation” for the modern descendants of Jacob. There is still just one little problem. Let us look at the next verse.
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Which “covenant” is the covenant in Romans 11:27? Jeremiah 31:34
Let us examine Romans chapter 11 again remembering as we go all of the Apostle Paul’s previous references to two Israels… Israel of the Flesh and Israel of the Promise from Romans 9:6-8. Also, remember from Galatians 3:16, 29 that the Promises to Abraham were made only to Christ and we are the seed of Abraham who inherit the promises through Christ. Then we will ask ourselves if the Apostle has become a schizophrenic and changed his mind in Romans chapter 11?
Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
(Paul was an Israelite who was not cast away, because of his faith in Christ.)
Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Rom 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
(This group of Israelites turned from God.)
Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
(This group of Israelites remained faithful to God.)
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
(During Paul's time there was also a remnant of Israelites, who believed in Christ.)
Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
(Here the Olive Tree is a symbol of those in the New Covenant. The Israelites who did not believe in Christ were the branches broken off of the Olive Tree. The Gentile branches were grafted in among the Israelites who accepted Christ, like the Apostle Paul.)
Rom 11:18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
(The branches broken off, has to be a reference to the unbelieving Israelites, who were broken off because of unbelief.)
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
(These Israelites can be grafted back into the Olive Tree, through faith in Christ.)
Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
In the verse above we find two Olive Trees, one is wild and the other is cultivated. The wild tree represents the Gentile Christians and the cultivated tree represents the Israelites, who accepted Christ. At the end of the verse we find that those Israelites broken off can be grafted back into the tree, through faith.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
There are at least two methods of interpreting verse 25. Dispensationalists would like to say that “all” of the Israelites were “partially” blinded as to who the Messiah is. However, the rest of the passage conflicts with this interpretation starting at verse 1, with Paul stating he is an Israelite. Paul was not “partially” blinded, nor were the 3,000 men of “the house of Israel” who accepted Christ on the day of Pentecost.
The other option is that part of the Israelites were blinded and part of the Israelites were not blinded and accepted Christ. This fit’s the clear meaning found in the other verses of Romans chapter 11.
Dispensationalists also often claim the Church is the “Gentile Bride”, even though we know from this passage that the early New Covenant Church was made up of Israelites and Gentiles grafted together and is still made up of both bloodlines today. Darbyists do this in order to claim that the Pretribulation Rapture is the time when “the fullness of the Gentiles be come in”. There are several conflicts produced by this logic. The first is the many problems with the pretrib doctrine. One of the main purposes of the pretrib doctrine is to get the Church off the planet so that God can have a “Second Chance” with the modern descendants of Jacob. The second problem is the fact that even Dispensationalists acknowledge that some Gentiles come to faith in Christ during the tribulation period.
……………………………
Since the pretrib doctrine is an essential part of modern Dispensational Theology, we will take a quick detour here to look at the actual text most often used by Dispensationalists to prove a pretrib removal of the Church.
Will the text produce a 7 year stay in heaven for the Church, before the Second Coming of Christ?
Please remember when Paul wrote this letter there were no verses or chapters in the text.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(The phrase "sleep" in Jesus is a metaphor describing the dead in Christ.)
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(The word "descend" means to come down.)
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
(The word "But" connects chapter 5 to chapter 4.)
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
(We also find the "day of the Lord" when He "comes as a thief" in 2 Peter 3:10 and Revelation 16:15, which are clearly Second Coming passages. Therefore, this verse provides the timing of the event at the end of chapter 4.)
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
(It will not overtake us as a thief.)
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Dispensationalists often claim the tribulation period is “the wrath of God”, even though the Greek words translated as “tribulation” and “wrath”, are not the same and Revelation 12:12 shows at least some of the period to be the wrath of Satan.)
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
(The metaphor "sleep" in this verse proves that chapter 5 is connected to chapter 4.)
The verses above show that the Apostle Paul gave a description of the event at the end of chapter 4 and the timing of the event in chapter 5.
No 7 year stay in heaven can be found within this text.
It must be imported from another passage.
Now, we will return to Romans chapter 11 to finish our examination of the Dispensational interpretation of the passage.
………………………………....
Rom 11:26 And “so”all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
("so" is an adverb of manner indicated by the Greek. It is not an adverb of time.)
G3779
οὕτω
houtō
hoo'-to
Or, before a vowel, οὕτως houtōs hoo'-toce.
From G3778; in this way (referring to what precedes or follows): - after that, after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like (-wise), no more, on this fashion (-wise), so (in like manner), thus, what.
This could also be written, “And in this manner all Israel shall be saved…” which refers back to verse 23. They can be grafted back in through Faith in Christ.
Rom 11:26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; (ESV)
The descendants of Jacob can only be grafted back into faithful Israel by faith in Christ. This is the "so", manner of their salvation by grafting them back into the Olive Tree at Romans 11:23.
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
This has to be the New Covenant foretold in Jer. 31:31-34, and spoken by the words of Christ at Matt. 26:28. It is also found at Hebrews 8:6-13, 12:24, 13:20. It is now in effect, based on Heb. 8:6. Christ took away the sins of all bloodlines of people at the Cross of Calvary. If this covenant is already in effect, instead of waiting on a future fulfillment, the Dispensational viewpoint of the passage cannot be correct.
We also have to remember Paul clearly teaches in the passage that those in faith must be grafted into the Olive Tree. The passage provides no path of salvation for those broken off of the Olive Tree. We know that limbs broken off of a tree wither and die.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
I have heard the following question asked by Dispensationalists in regard to Romans 11:28.
How can “they” be enemies of the Gospel and elect at the same time?
The logical answer is… They cannot. In order to prevent conflict with the rest of the passage, this verse must include two groups of Israelites.
Paul started Romans chapter 11 with two groups of Israelites, those who bowed to Baal and the remnant of Israelites who would not. In this verse we also have two groups. There were those blinded to who was the Messiah and were broken off of the Olive Tree. Paul constantly battled these Israelites, who were enemies of the Gospel. There was also another group of Israelites, who like him, were the “election” by accepting Jesus as their Messiah and remained in the Olive Tree. The Gentiles were grafted in among the election of Israelites.
We would all like to see the entire modern nation of Israel come to faith in Christ. However, the Dispensationalist’s plan for a future “national salvation” of the descendants of Jacob outside of the New Covenant Church, cannot be found in Romans chapter 11.
The Olive Tree, is a symbol of those in the New Covenant and according to the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 11, salvation only comes through being grafted into the Olive Tree. The modern Church needs to share the Gospel message with the modern descendants of Israel, based on this passage.
In my humble opinion, the greatest error of modern Dispensational Theology is the idea that the “Church Age” will end years before the Second Coming of Christ. It is the one thing about the doctrine that should concern all of us, as members of the New Covenant Church.
John Darby’s doctrine claims there will be a future 7 year time period, when people will come to salvation outside of the New Covenant Church. This time period is to begin at the Pretribulation rapture of the Church and is commonly called Daniel’s 70th week. This future 70th week is produced by adding a manmade “gap” to Daniel chapter 9, not mentioned by the angel Gabriel. In this process they have also added an antichrist not found in the chapter and insist the “covenant” with the “many” in Daniel 9:27 is a treaty made by the antichrist, instead of the “covenant” with the “many” in Matthew 26:28.
The Dispensational interpretation also ignores any period of time during the first century when the Gospel was taken to Daniel’s people. It is commonly held that the ministry of Christ on earth was about 3 ½ years, which is half a week of years. We also know the early Church was almost completely Jewish.
In Daniel 9:25, we find that the Messiah would be “cut off” (killed) after the 69 weeks. If I agree to paint your house “after” 69 days, it will not be painted until the 70th day or later.
Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
If Christ was “cut off” after the 69 weeks was finished, it had to be during the 70th week of years.
We find in Daniel 9:24 a summary of things to be accomplished during the 70 weeks.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
One of the key events in the verse above is the anointing. Jesus of Nazareth was anointed by His Father from heaven when His cousin John the Baptist placed Him in the waters of the Jordan River.
Luk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
It is most likely that this was the beginning of the 70th week, which continued until the time that Stephen reviewed the whole history of the nation of Israel, before he was stoned. This would be a 7 year time period when the Gospel was taken to Daniel’s people. It was no accident that Paul was there that day, since he would be the one chosen by Christ to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.
If we compare the notes at Daniel 9:27 found in the 1599 Geneva Bible to what we find in the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible, we see the Scofield interpretation substitutes a future treaty made by an antichrist, in place of the New Covenant already foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This is accomplished by adding a “gap” not mentioned by the angel Gabriel and by inserting an antichrist not found in the chapter. This interpretation also has the angel Gabriel “forgetting” to mention the New Covenant found in Jeremiah chapter 31. We know it would be the Blood of the Messiah that would confirm the New Covenant and the focus of Daniel chapter 9 is the Messiah. The Dispensational interpretation has hidden the New Blood Covenant of the Messiah from millions of modern Christians, who have never been shown there is another interpretation. The most logical interpretation, based on the text is that the “covenant” with “many” in Daniel 9:27 is the same “covenant” with “many” in Matthew 26:28, which is clearly the New Blood Covenant.
Classic Dispensationalists believe God will again go back to dealing with the modern nation of Israel after the end of the“ Church Age”. They claim the Church is a “parenthesis” in God’s dealings with the nation of Israel.
Lewis Sperry Chafer, the first president of Dallas Theological, had the following to say about the difference between Israel and the Church.
“The dispensationalist believes that throughout the ages God is pursuing two distinct purposes: one related to the earth with earthly people and earthly objectives involved which is Judaism; while the other is related to heaven with heavenly people and heavenly objectives involved, which is Christianity.”
Lewis Sperry Chafer, Dispensationalism (Dallas, Seminary Press, 1936), p. 107.
Chafer states that, ‘Israel is an eternal nation, heir to an eternal land, with an eternal kingdom, on which David rules from an eternal throne,’ that is, on earth and distinct from the church who will be in heaven.”
Lewis Sperry Chafer. Systematic Theology. 1975. Vol. IV. pp. 315-323.
John Walvoord, another prominent voice of Dallas Theological stated…
"...it is an article of normative dispensational belief that the boundaries of the land promised to Abraham and his descendants from the Nile to the Euphrates will be literally instituted and that Jesus Christ will return to a literal and theocratic Jewish kingdom centred on a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. In such a scheme the Church on earth is relegated to the status of a parenthesis.”
John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question.1979, p. 25
There are numerous conflicts with other passages of scripture produced by John Darby’s Two People of God / Two Kingdoms of God doctrine. Many of the older classic Dispensationalists claim the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are not the same. However, a parallel study of the Gospels reveals the error of this logic.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Luk 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luk 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
We will now turn back to the New Blood Covenant.
Hebrews 13:20 says the New Blood Covenant of Christ is “everlasting”.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
A verse from Hebrews chapter 12 proves this is the New Covenant.
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Therefore, the “Age of Grace” will not end before the Second Coming of Christ. The other major problem for Dispensationalists is the fact that not one passage in the New Testament clearly shows there will be a future time period when people will come to salvation outside of the Church.
There is a verse in the Book of Revelation that exposes an “Achilles Heel” of John Darby’s doctrine, once one comes to understand the New Covenant. Dispensationalists claim members of the Church are not present during the tribulation period, even though the New Blood Covenant is “everlasting” in Hebrews 13:20.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
A person cannot be under the Blood of the Lamb and not be under the Grace of the New Blood Covenant. The claim that believers during the tribulation period are not members of the New Blood Covenant Church of Jesus Christ has just been shown to be in conflict, by this one verse.
Instead of placing our hope in a future 7 year period of time when the modern nation of Israel will come to faith in Christ, we need to do everything in our power to make sure they hear the Gospel now. Sadly, many leaders of the modern evangelical Church act as if the modern Jews are still somehow under the Old Covenant. At least one modern televangelist has stated this as a fact and has promoted the idea of “Dual Covenant Theology”. This doctrine is not to be found within the pages of the New Testament. However, in some ways “Dual Covenant Theology” is a natural consequence of many of the teachings found in the “Two People of God” doctrine of modern Dispensational Theology. Hebrews 8:13 kills “Dual Covenant Theology”, by showing that the New Covenant has made the Sinai Covenant “obsolete”.
Dispensationalists also often use the following verse from the Old Testament and claim a large number of modern Jews will come to salvation on the day of Christ’s Second Coming.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
This interpretation stands in direct conflict to the parable of the virgins in Matthew chapter 25.
Jesus said the virgins must be prepared before the Bridegroom arrives.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
However, Zechariah 12:10 does fit the day of Pentecost, because some of the Jews there on that day were the same ones who called for Jesus to be crucified a few weeks earlier. Also, the Spirit was poured out upon some of those present on the day of Pentecost.
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The text of 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1, does not indicate any Second chances on the day of His Second Coming. He will return in Flaming Fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God.
2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
We find this same idea in 2nd Peter 3:10.
We also need to remember the John 5:27-30 bodily resurrection of all the dead, when all will be judged by Christ, including those who pierced Him.
Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Dispensationalists have most often been those willing to go into the deepest, and darkest jungles of the world to spread the Gospel to lost people. I personally know one missionary who was speared while attempting to evangelize native peoples in South America. He was later told by his doctor if the spear would have deviated in any direction, he would have been a dead man. After his recovery, this missionary went back to the same people who tried to kill him and later saw the man who wielded the spear come to faith in Christ. We should all strive for his passion to reach the lost.
We must ask ourselves the following question…
Is there now any difference between a naked native living in the Amazon rain forest and a modern descendant of Jacob living in the modern nation of Israel?
Based on the words of the New Testament, they both need Christ for the same reason and in the same way.
Do we find Two separate Peoples of God with Two separate Plans in the words of Christ, found below?
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold,andone shepherd.
Since we have identified how both Reformed Covenant Theology and modern Dispensational Theology have deviated from the text of the New Testament, what can we do about it? We find the Apostle Paul describing the Church as a Body in the Book of Corinthians.
Rom_12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
The human body is made up of organs with each having a role in keeping the body as a whole working correctly. When one organ begins working incorrectly the whole body is often effected. God’s Word reveals the New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ as God’s Plan of salvation, starting in Genesis 3:15. An interpretation of scripture which deviates from this purpose causes confusion within the organs of the Body, and therefore keeps the Body from working at its full potential.
Many times when our body is not working correctly, we seek the help of a physician.
Jesus Christ is the great physician. He wrote the whole Bible. (John 1:1).
The one unchanging purpose of the Bible is the revealing of how God’s own Son would bless all the families of the earth through His sacrifice on the Cross.
He is the only One who can heal us.
Isa_53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Many times a physician will order an MRI or a CAT scan to look for abnormalities within the body. In many ways this has been the purpose of this chapter.
In our examination of Reformed Covenant and Dispensational Theology we simply compared their doctrine to the Word of God. We have discovered there is no doubt that manmade interpretations of scripture have misapplied, hidden, and ignored the treasure of the New Covenant. In this regard, we have only acted as the technician responsible for doing the Body scan. The report on this scan is now complete and we have turned the findings over to the patient.
The patient now has to take some corrective action in order to restore the Body to full function.
If the patient ignores the report, then the ailment will continue to impede Body function and may eventually lead to even more damage.
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Hieronymus
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Hieronymus
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The Law of the New Covenant or the Law of Christ is Agape, this forms the 2 Great equal Commandments:
- Love God
- Love your fellow man
- Love God
- Love your fellow man
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Steve Petersen
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Source please for the Star of Moloch. Hopefully a primary source from the period that Cannaanites worshipped Moloch.
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Hieronymus
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Google it.
Remphan also works.
David had nothing to do with it, but Solomon had.
1 Kings 11:5
I know it's a sensitive subject, but...
The star also pops up as a kabalistic symbol, the 'merkaba'.
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Steve Petersen
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I am interested in the source YOU used for the claim, not what I can find on Google.
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Hieronymus
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I use Google to browse the web, and that's how i found it.
Can't remember the exact sources.
Possibly documentaries.
If that's enough for you to dismiss it, be my guest.
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Chapter 5:
The Sabbath and the New Covenant:
The Sabbath is one of those issues that has divided the Body of Christ for hundreds of years. We will attempt here to examine the text in an effort to understand the Sabbath in view of the New Covenant established by Christ at Calvary.
The key to understanding this issue is to ask when the Old Testament Sabbath was established and why it was established. It would be helpful to remember that God established a calendar based on 7 days and 7 years since creation.
Now let us look at the Sabbath given under the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai to the children of Israel.
Exo 31:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
We must remember what we find in the Book of Hebrews. The children of Israel broke the Sinai covenant and the New Covenant has made the Sinai covenant obsolete.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Some insist the Sabbath must still be observed sundown Friday to sundown on Saturday. Others say it has been changed to Sunday. We would all be better served if we used the New Testament writers as our guide to the truth, instead of using the Old Testament Sinai covenant as our guide.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Many in the pulpit continue to thunder the fourth commandment. However, they should consider the Apostle Paul’s words in Galatians chapter 4, describing the Sinai covenant in comparison to Hagar the bondwoman.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
If you do not agree with the text above, you will have to take it up with the Apostle Paul, when you see him. Paul is trying to tell us to let go of the Sinai covenant of bondage and embrace the New Covenant of Christ instead. Some have attempted to claim this text is referring only to the “Oral Law”. However, Paul’s use of the word “covenant” in the passage, totally eliminates this line of logic.
We must also remember the Sabbath was given to the children of Israel as a “Sign” of the Sinai Covenant. Therefore, we must now ask what happens to the sign of a covenant that has been broken (Jeremiah 31:32) and that we are to cast out? The logical answer may not agree with what many of us have been taught our whole lives. Do we rely on tradition or do we rely on the words of the New Testament writers, like Paul? Some have said the only thing more powerful than scripture and history is tradition. Sabbath observance most certainly proves this to be the case.
Some will say the Sabbath was changed from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday to anytime Sunday. There is just one small problem. There is no scripture to support this claim. However, we can find in history an edict issued by a man that attempts to do this. We do find that the early Church did meet on the Lord’s Day within the text of the New Testament. We also find the resurrected Savior appearing to the Apostles on the Lord‘s day. However, there is no clear instruction indicating only this day is suitable for assembly of Christians.
There is no doubt a day of rest and worship is beneficial to the body and the Body. However, there is no text saying it could not be held on another day of the week. We find no clear commandment after the day of Pentecost on Sabbath observance for Christians.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Here Paul makes it clear we are not under the Sinai Covenant. All sorts of scriptural gymnastics have been used by those who cannot let go of it.
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
These things were merely a shadow of something much greater and that is Christ.
He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
He is our Sabbath Rest. He is inside of us every day of the week, because His Holy Spirit lives inside each of those who belong to Him.
My wife and I attend services with our church body on Sunday and also attend a Wednesday night Bible study, which meets in the homes of participants. We consider both of these days of worship.
If you are in the New Covenant, every day is the Sabbath.
Praise God and His Son Jesus Christ!
.
Chapter 5:
The Sabbath and the New Covenant:
The Sabbath is one of those issues that has divided the Body of Christ for hundreds of years. We will attempt here to examine the text in an effort to understand the Sabbath in view of the New Covenant established by Christ at Calvary.
The key to understanding this issue is to ask when the Old Testament Sabbath was established and why it was established. It would be helpful to remember that God established a calendar based on 7 days and 7 years since creation.
Now let us look at the Sabbath given under the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai to the children of Israel.
Exo 31:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
We must remember what we find in the Book of Hebrews. The children of Israel broke the Sinai covenant and the New Covenant has made the Sinai covenant obsolete.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Some insist the Sabbath must still be observed sundown Friday to sundown on Saturday. Others say it has been changed to Sunday. We would all be better served if we used the New Testament writers as our guide to the truth, instead of using the Old Testament Sinai covenant as our guide.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Many in the pulpit continue to thunder the fourth commandment. However, they should consider the Apostle Paul’s words in Galatians chapter 4, describing the Sinai covenant in comparison to Hagar the bondwoman.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
If you do not agree with the text above, you will have to take it up with the Apostle Paul, when you see him. Paul is trying to tell us to let go of the Sinai covenant of bondage and embrace the New Covenant of Christ instead. Some have attempted to claim this text is referring only to the “Oral Law”. However, Paul’s use of the word “covenant” in the passage, totally eliminates this line of logic.
We must also remember the Sabbath was given to the children of Israel as a “Sign” of the Sinai Covenant. Therefore, we must now ask what happens to the sign of a covenant that has been broken (Jeremiah 31:32) and that we are to cast out? The logical answer may not agree with what many of us have been taught our whole lives. Do we rely on tradition or do we rely on the words of the New Testament writers, like Paul? Some have said the only thing more powerful than scripture and history is tradition. Sabbath observance most certainly proves this to be the case.
Some will say the Sabbath was changed from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday to anytime Sunday. There is just one small problem. There is no scripture to support this claim. However, we can find in history an edict issued by a man that attempts to do this. We do find that the early Church did meet on the Lord’s Day within the text of the New Testament. We also find the resurrected Savior appearing to the Apostles on the Lord‘s day. However, there is no clear instruction indicating only this day is suitable for assembly of Christians.
There is no doubt a day of rest and worship is beneficial to the body and the Body. However, there is no text saying it could not be held on another day of the week. We find no clear commandment after the day of Pentecost on Sabbath observance for Christians.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Here Paul makes it clear we are not under the Sinai Covenant. All sorts of scriptural gymnastics have been used by those who cannot let go of it.
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
These things were merely a shadow of something much greater and that is Christ.
He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
He is our Sabbath Rest. He is inside of us every day of the week, because His Holy Spirit lives inside each of those who belong to Him.
My wife and I attend services with our church body on Sunday and also attend a Wednesday night Bible study, which meets in the homes of participants. We consider both of these days of worship.
If you are in the New Covenant, every day is the Sabbath.
Praise God and His Son Jesus Christ!
.
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0
Where do you get your information from? So much of what you posted here is just wrong.
Japan was already at war and had been for many years before WW2 even started.
Italy changed sides part way through.
Much of Eastern Europe aligned with Germany under protest (being threatened often does that) and also through fear of the Soviet Union (fat lot of good that did them).
How much of Asia was conquered by the Axis powers? Last I heard India, before partition, was under British control, and the Soviet Union which ended up fighting NAZI Germany (btw Germany never really got that far into RSFSR, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, and most certainly never got to the Asian part) and in the last 2 or so weeks of WW2 even fought Japan and helped to chase them out of China. It seems to me that most of Asia was pretty clear of the Axis powers. Now if you mean South East Asia that's a different matter.
Lastly but not leastly WW2 lasted from 1939 to 1945 which by my calculations is approximately 6 years not 3.5 (even with the phony war that lasted about 9 months when WW2 officially started).
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Chapter 6:
New Covenant Law:
In the New Covenant, it is the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and constantly corrects us in our daily battle with sin. Therefore, God’s Law is written inside of us.
Some who oppose the New Covenant teaching claim it is promoting “antinomianism”, or lawlessness. They think those who say we are no longer under the Sinai covenant are promoting murder, adultery, etc.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. We are under a higher law, “The Law of Christ”.
In Matthew chapter 5 we find Christ giving an example of this concept.
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Under the Sinai covenant the union of an unmarried man and woman was the sin.
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
However, the words of Christ above clearly show that lusting after a woman is a sin.
This is an excellent example of the “Law of Christ” as a higher law. We have a better mediator than Moses, and a better law than the Sinai covenant.
We also know murder was a sin, when Cain killed his brother Able, long before the commandments were written on stone at Mount Sinai.
When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, he spoke the following words:
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the secondislike unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
There is no doubt any believer who follows the instructions given above could never be considered “lawless”.
Some attempt to hang onto the Sinai covenant by dividing it into the 10 commandments, which they label as “The Moral Law” and the 600 or so other laws recorded by Moses as the “Ceremonial Law”. Some also say laws were given that were never written down and are referred to as “The Oral Law”. They say it was only the “Ceremonial” or “Oral” law that was done away with in the New Covenant. The problem is we cannot find this division in the scripture. As a matter of fact, we find just the opposite written in the Book of Hebrews.
Heb_9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
We find the same concept spelled out for us in the Old Testament.
Exo 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
The Sinai covenant is described as the word written on the tables of stone, which we refer to as the 10 commandments. This thwarts any attempts at division.
We find below in the New Testament the tables of the New Covenant.
2Co_3:3 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.
The disciple Jesus loved gives us commandments of Christ in a letter found near the end of the New Testament.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
I once heard a Sunday School teacher make the following statement.
“We are not under the Law.”
Without further clarification the quote above could be quite confusing.
Are we under the Sinai covenant Law? No.
Are we under the Law of Christ? Yes.
.
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New Covenant Law:
In the New Covenant, it is the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and constantly corrects us in our daily battle with sin. Therefore, God’s Law is written inside of us.
Some who oppose the New Covenant teaching claim it is promoting “antinomianism”, or lawlessness. They think those who say we are no longer under the Sinai covenant are promoting murder, adultery, etc.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. We are under a higher law, “The Law of Christ”.
In Matthew chapter 5 we find Christ giving an example of this concept.
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Under the Sinai covenant the union of an unmarried man and woman was the sin.
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
However, the words of Christ above clearly show that lusting after a woman is a sin.
This is an excellent example of the “Law of Christ” as a higher law. We have a better mediator than Moses, and a better law than the Sinai covenant.
We also know murder was a sin, when Cain killed his brother Able, long before the commandments were written on stone at Mount Sinai.
When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, he spoke the following words:
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the secondislike unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
There is no doubt any believer who follows the instructions given above could never be considered “lawless”.
Some attempt to hang onto the Sinai covenant by dividing it into the 10 commandments, which they label as “The Moral Law” and the 600 or so other laws recorded by Moses as the “Ceremonial Law”. Some also say laws were given that were never written down and are referred to as “The Oral Law”. They say it was only the “Ceremonial” or “Oral” law that was done away with in the New Covenant. The problem is we cannot find this division in the scripture. As a matter of fact, we find just the opposite written in the Book of Hebrews.
Heb_9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
We find the same concept spelled out for us in the Old Testament.
Exo 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
The Sinai covenant is described as the word written on the tables of stone, which we refer to as the 10 commandments. This thwarts any attempts at division.
We find below in the New Testament the tables of the New Covenant.
2Co_3:3 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.
The disciple Jesus loved gives us commandments of Christ in a letter found near the end of the New Testament.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
I once heard a Sunday School teacher make the following statement.
“We are not under the Law.”
Without further clarification the quote above could be quite confusing.
Are we under the Sinai covenant Law? No.
Are we under the Law of Christ? Yes.
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Chapter 7:
New Covenant Baptism:
The New Covenant Church is not a building.
It is made up of human beings who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Mat_3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
One cannot enter the New Covenant through a ceremony using water, based on the text of the New Testament. In the Book of Acts and after, water baptism occurred after one came to faith in Christ.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Much of the modern Church tends to focus on the ceremony instead of the spiritual aspect of coming to faith. We are indwelled with the Holy Spirit upon faith.
It is this baptism of the Spirit that should be the focus, instead of immersion in water.
1Co_12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
(We are baptized through the Spirit into the Body of Christ.)
The Apostle Paul made it clear that preaching the Gospel was much more important to him than baptism.
1Co 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
We are commanded in the New Covenant to baptize believers, but immersion in water is merely the believers declaration or “Sign” of their faith. It imparts no aspect of salvation. The parents of Judas had him circumcised on the 8th day of life, as did all the parents of male children at his time. This was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant. However, a ceremony performed on Judas by his parents in no way imparted any measure of salvation on this baby, who would one day betray the Son of God for 30 pieces of silver. We should understand the same thing applies to Christian parents today. No ceremony performed upon a baby has any measure of salvation upon that child, based on the clear teachings of the New Covenant.
One cannot be baptized into the New Blood Covenant without first undergoing the baptism of the Holy Spirit, produced by the spiritual resurrection in John 5:24. In this process a believer is passed from death to life. This is the “first resurrection”, found in John chapter 5.
In John chapter 3 Jesus used the expression “Born Again”, in His discussion with Nicodemus.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water andofthe Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(It is most likely the reference to a man being born of water here, refers to amniotic fluid, since Nicodemus was referring to natural childbirth in the previous verse.)
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (The emphasis here is being born of the Holy Spirit.)
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Again we find the emphasis on being baptized with the Holy Spirit, instead of immersion in water. All babies are born in the amniotic fluid that fills the womb during the pregnancy. However, eternal life comes from being born of the Holy Spirit, which indwells those in Christ, because He is in us.
Any denomination focusing on baptism would do well to thoroughly explain the baptism of the Holy Spirit, before discussing the immersion in water. Throughout the history of the Church Baptists were often referred to as “Anabaptists”, which means to baptize again. This term was often used in a derogatory manner by those who held to infant baptism.
However, the term does accurately describe the fact that we are to only immerse in water after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, based on the clear teaching of the New Testament. The immersion ceremony is the “Sign” of the New Covenant, allowing believers to declare their conversion, just as circumcision on the 8th day was the “Sign” of the Abrahamic Covenant and Sabbath Keeping was the “Sign” of the Sinai Covenant. Only one of these three signs is an announcement of the precious gift of eternal life through the shed Blood of the Lamb.
The Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us manifests God’s Word written not on tablets of stone, but upon our heart, fulfilling the promise of the New Blood Covenant made in Jeremiah 31:33 and Matthew 26:28.
2Co_3:3 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.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Here we find a key difference between the Sinai covenant and the New Covenant. We have the Holy Spirit inside of us constantly correcting us and pushing us toward the day when we leave these bodies of rotten flesh.
Immersion of a person in water, at any age, without a previous immersion in the Holy Spirit cannot be the same believer’s baptism found in the New Testament after the day of Pentecost. Therefore, we would urge all Christians of our time to carefully examine their practices of baptism and throw off any tradition that does not match up with what is found written in God’s Word.
This will not be an easy task, especially for pastors who have been baptizing infants for many years. It may also be difficult for parents bedded firmly in this tradition. Legalism is a tough thing to overcome. However, it is pride that often becomes the one thing that keeps us from correcting our doctrine.
.
New Covenant Baptism:
The New Covenant Church is not a building.
It is made up of human beings who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Mat_3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
One cannot enter the New Covenant through a ceremony using water, based on the text of the New Testament. In the Book of Acts and after, water baptism occurred after one came to faith in Christ.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Much of the modern Church tends to focus on the ceremony instead of the spiritual aspect of coming to faith. We are indwelled with the Holy Spirit upon faith.
It is this baptism of the Spirit that should be the focus, instead of immersion in water.
1Co_12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
(We are baptized through the Spirit into the Body of Christ.)
The Apostle Paul made it clear that preaching the Gospel was much more important to him than baptism.
1Co 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
We are commanded in the New Covenant to baptize believers, but immersion in water is merely the believers declaration or “Sign” of their faith. It imparts no aspect of salvation. The parents of Judas had him circumcised on the 8th day of life, as did all the parents of male children at his time. This was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant. However, a ceremony performed on Judas by his parents in no way imparted any measure of salvation on this baby, who would one day betray the Son of God for 30 pieces of silver. We should understand the same thing applies to Christian parents today. No ceremony performed upon a baby has any measure of salvation upon that child, based on the clear teachings of the New Covenant.
One cannot be baptized into the New Blood Covenant without first undergoing the baptism of the Holy Spirit, produced by the spiritual resurrection in John 5:24. In this process a believer is passed from death to life. This is the “first resurrection”, found in John chapter 5.
In John chapter 3 Jesus used the expression “Born Again”, in His discussion with Nicodemus.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water andofthe Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(It is most likely the reference to a man being born of water here, refers to amniotic fluid, since Nicodemus was referring to natural childbirth in the previous verse.)
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (The emphasis here is being born of the Holy Spirit.)
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Again we find the emphasis on being baptized with the Holy Spirit, instead of immersion in water. All babies are born in the amniotic fluid that fills the womb during the pregnancy. However, eternal life comes from being born of the Holy Spirit, which indwells those in Christ, because He is in us.
Any denomination focusing on baptism would do well to thoroughly explain the baptism of the Holy Spirit, before discussing the immersion in water. Throughout the history of the Church Baptists were often referred to as “Anabaptists”, which means to baptize again. This term was often used in a derogatory manner by those who held to infant baptism.
However, the term does accurately describe the fact that we are to only immerse in water after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, based on the clear teaching of the New Testament. The immersion ceremony is the “Sign” of the New Covenant, allowing believers to declare their conversion, just as circumcision on the 8th day was the “Sign” of the Abrahamic Covenant and Sabbath Keeping was the “Sign” of the Sinai Covenant. Only one of these three signs is an announcement of the precious gift of eternal life through the shed Blood of the Lamb.
The Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us manifests God’s Word written not on tablets of stone, but upon our heart, fulfilling the promise of the New Blood Covenant made in Jeremiah 31:33 and Matthew 26:28.
2Co_3:3 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.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Here we find a key difference between the Sinai covenant and the New Covenant. We have the Holy Spirit inside of us constantly correcting us and pushing us toward the day when we leave these bodies of rotten flesh.
Immersion of a person in water, at any age, without a previous immersion in the Holy Spirit cannot be the same believer’s baptism found in the New Testament after the day of Pentecost. Therefore, we would urge all Christians of our time to carefully examine their practices of baptism and throw off any tradition that does not match up with what is found written in God’s Word.
This will not be an easy task, especially for pastors who have been baptizing infants for many years. It may also be difficult for parents bedded firmly in this tradition. Legalism is a tough thing to overcome. However, it is pride that often becomes the one thing that keeps us from correcting our doctrine.
.
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Chapter 8
Ark of the New Covenant:
Near the beginning of this book we discussed the Ark of the covenant the Israelites built to house the stone tablets brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses, 430 years after the promise to Abraham. It contained a covenant meant to reveal man’s sin. It was a covenant no one except Jesus Christ has ever been able to keep.
The inside of the box contained God’s standard of perfection which kills those made of Flesh. It was a ministry of bondage and required the sentence of death for those not able to keep it.
However, the lid of that box was known as the “mercy seat”. This seat was flanked on each side by the image of two cherubim, who seemed to guard it. Once per year on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest of the Israelites would enter into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of animals on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people. However, the blood of bulls and goats could never truly take away sin.
Heb_10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
The box contained a death sentence, but the mercy seat represented pure Grace.
The Ark of the Sinai covenant was but a shadow of the Ark that was to come.
The sin of men and women would require another source of Blood to completely cover sin via a substitution.
Only God’s own perfect, spotless Son could provide the Blood needed for a one time atonement of all sin.
Heb_9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
This time animal blood would not be placed on the mercy seat of a gold covered box.
This time the precious Blood would come from the Lamb of God and would be applied to rotten sinners like me.
It has allowed those who have placed their faith in Christ to be baptized with the Holy Spirit from God.
1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
The meaning of the verse above is clear.
In the New Covenant, you are the Ark of the Covenant, because you have God’s Law written not on tablets of stone, but on your heart, just as it was promised to Jeremiah in the Old Testament.
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
We will find the confirmation of this promise in the New Testament (Covenant).
2Co_3:3 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.
The verse above confirms that the New Covenant Ark , the box if you will allow, is the believer who is indwelled with the Spirit of the living God, who has written His Law on the hearts of those whom the Savior has purchased with His Blood.
If you have been passed from death to life, through faith in Christ and wish to see the Ark of the New Covenant, then look in the mirror, because it is you.
.
Ark of the New Covenant:
Near the beginning of this book we discussed the Ark of the covenant the Israelites built to house the stone tablets brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses, 430 years after the promise to Abraham. It contained a covenant meant to reveal man’s sin. It was a covenant no one except Jesus Christ has ever been able to keep.
The inside of the box contained God’s standard of perfection which kills those made of Flesh. It was a ministry of bondage and required the sentence of death for those not able to keep it.
However, the lid of that box was known as the “mercy seat”. This seat was flanked on each side by the image of two cherubim, who seemed to guard it. Once per year on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest of the Israelites would enter into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of animals on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people. However, the blood of bulls and goats could never truly take away sin.
Heb_10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
The box contained a death sentence, but the mercy seat represented pure Grace.
The Ark of the Sinai covenant was but a shadow of the Ark that was to come.
The sin of men and women would require another source of Blood to completely cover sin via a substitution.
Only God’s own perfect, spotless Son could provide the Blood needed for a one time atonement of all sin.
Heb_9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
This time animal blood would not be placed on the mercy seat of a gold covered box.
This time the precious Blood would come from the Lamb of God and would be applied to rotten sinners like me.
It has allowed those who have placed their faith in Christ to be baptized with the Holy Spirit from God.
1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
The meaning of the verse above is clear.
In the New Covenant, you are the Ark of the Covenant, because you have God’s Law written not on tablets of stone, but on your heart, just as it was promised to Jeremiah in the Old Testament.
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
We will find the confirmation of this promise in the New Testament (Covenant).
2Co_3:3 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.
The verse above confirms that the New Covenant Ark , the box if you will allow, is the believer who is indwelled with the Spirit of the living God, who has written His Law on the hearts of those whom the Savior has purchased with His Blood.
If you have been passed from death to life, through faith in Christ and wish to see the Ark of the New Covenant, then look in the mirror, because it is you.
.
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Chapter 9
Revealing the Lost Treasure:
Once I began to have problems getting my Bible to match up with what I was hearing coming from the pulpits and books written by those in the modern Church, I felt that something was not quite right, but I did not know what. I saw the big picture, but something seemed to be missing. I had a tough time making sense of the scriptures when viewed as a whole.
Now I know why this happened to me and also understand how it has happened to most probably millions of others in the modern Church.
The precious treasure of the New Covenant has been hidden, ignored, and overshadowed by substitutes.
It is not my belief that this was the same as a thief intentionally stealing the treasure and then putting a facsimile in its place as I described in my introduction. It has happened because men made of Flesh have forced what is plainly written in God’s Word to fit their manmade systems of interpretation. In the process of forcing the scriptures to fit their system, some have unintentionally hidden the New Covenant treasure.
2Co_4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
I will never forget those days when I came to understand the New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ. It was as if I had just come out of cataract surgery with perfect vision and was able to see clearly.
Today, there are many who are attempting to get the modern Church back to the understanding held by the Apostles of Christ.
It is not as if we are attempting some “new” teaching. Instead it is an attempt to get us back to what was taught during the first century.
During the last few years Providence Theological Seminary in Tennessee has been established for the purpose of training in the New Covenant teaching, which reveals to the world the precious treasure of the New Covenant.
However, it should not be encased within glass in a famous museum.
It should be revealed to the whole world as the one, unchanging purpose of God to send His precious Son in order that all things would be made right.
Praise God and His Son, who bought us with His Blood!
.
Revealing the Lost Treasure:
Once I began to have problems getting my Bible to match up with what I was hearing coming from the pulpits and books written by those in the modern Church, I felt that something was not quite right, but I did not know what. I saw the big picture, but something seemed to be missing. I had a tough time making sense of the scriptures when viewed as a whole.
Now I know why this happened to me and also understand how it has happened to most probably millions of others in the modern Church.
The precious treasure of the New Covenant has been hidden, ignored, and overshadowed by substitutes.
It is not my belief that this was the same as a thief intentionally stealing the treasure and then putting a facsimile in its place as I described in my introduction. It has happened because men made of Flesh have forced what is plainly written in God’s Word to fit their manmade systems of interpretation. In the process of forcing the scriptures to fit their system, some have unintentionally hidden the New Covenant treasure.
2Co_4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
I will never forget those days when I came to understand the New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ. It was as if I had just come out of cataract surgery with perfect vision and was able to see clearly.
Today, there are many who are attempting to get the modern Church back to the understanding held by the Apostles of Christ.
It is not as if we are attempting some “new” teaching. Instead it is an attempt to get us back to what was taught during the first century.
During the last few years Providence Theological Seminary in Tennessee has been established for the purpose of training in the New Covenant teaching, which reveals to the world the precious treasure of the New Covenant.
However, it should not be encased within glass in a famous museum.
It should be revealed to the whole world as the one, unchanging purpose of God to send His precious Son in order that all things would be made right.
Praise God and His Son, who bought us with His Blood!
.
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