Covenant Theology (Reformed) Is Not Replacement Theology

[Locutus]

The following are excepts from a Reformed blogger website:

Recently I had a question asking whether “covenant theology” is so-called “replacement theology.” Those dispensational critics of Reformed covenant theology who accuse it of teaching that the New Covenant church has “replaced” Israel do not understand historic Reformed covenant theology.....................

First, the very category of “replacement” is foreign to Reformed theology because it assumes a dispensational, Israeleo-centric way of thinking. It assumes that the temporary, national people was, in fact, intended to be the permanent arrangement.

Such a way of thinking is contrary to the promise in Gen. 3:15. The promise was that there would be a Savior. The national people was only a means to that end, not an end in itself. According to Paul in Ephesians 2:11-22, in Christ the dividing wall has been destroyed. It cannot be rebuilt.

The two peoples (Jews and Gentiles) have been made one in Christ. Among those who are united to Christ by grace alone, through faith alone, there is no Jew nor Gentile (Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11).................

At least some forms of dispensationalism have suggested that God intended the national covenant with Israel to be permanent. According to Reformed theology, the Mosaic covenant was never intended to be permanent. According to Galatians 3 (and chapter 4), the Mosaic covenant was a codicil to the Abrahamic covenant. A codicil is added to an existing document..........................

Second, with respect to salvation, Reformed covenant theology does not juxtapose Israel and the church. For Reformed theology, the church has always been the Israel of God and the ​

Israel of God has always been the church

.

Reformed covenant theology distinguishes the old and new covenants (2 Cor. 3; Heb. 7-10). It recognizes that the church was temporarily administered through a typological, national people, but the church has existed since Adam, Noah, and Abraham; and it existed under Moses and David; and it exists under Christ....

Full text at:

https://heidelblog.net/2013/08/covenant-theology-is-not-replacement-theology/​

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[loveme1]

Those that recognise they are filthy rags and it is GOD that is special.. The Creator is to be revered not the creation.. many have made an idol of Israel.. Love GOD with all your being through His Son's Testament.

The New Covenant came through the Old by the power of GOD..

 

[MarcR]

The following are excepts from a Reformed blogger website:

Recently I had a question asking whether “covenant theology” is so-called “replacement theology.” Those dispensational critics of Reformed covenant theology who accuse it of teaching that the New Covenant church has “replaced” Israel do not understand historic Reformed covenant theology.....................

First, the very category of “replacement” is foreign to Reformed theology because it assumes a dispensational, Israeleo-centric way of thinking. It assumes that the temporary, national people was, in fact, intended to be the permanent arrangement.

Such a way of thinking is contrary to the promise in Gen. 3:15. The promise was that there would be a Savior. The national people was only a means to that end, not an end in itself. According to Paul in Ephesians 2:11-22, in Christ the dividing wall has been destroyed. It cannot be rebuilt.

The two peoples (Jews and Gentiles) have been made one in Christ. Among those who are united to Christ by grace alone, through faith alone, there is no Jew nor Gentile (Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11).................

At least some forms of dispensationalism have suggested that God intended the national covenant with Israel to be permanent. According to Reformed theology, the Mosaic covenant was never intended to be permanent. According to Galatians 3 (and chapter 4), the Mosaic covenant was a codicil to the Abrahamic covenant. A codicil is added to an existing document..........................

Second, with respect to salvation, Reformed covenant theology does not juxtapose Israel and the church. For Reformed theology, the church has always been the Israel of God and the ​

Israel of God has always been the church

.

Reformed covenant theology distinguishes the old and new covenants (2 Cor. 3; Heb. 7-10). It recognizes that the church was temporarily administered through a typological, national people, but the church has existed since Adam, Noah, and Abraham; and it existed under Moses and David; and it exists under Christ....

Full text at:

https://heidelblog.net/2013/08/covenant-theology-is-not-replacement-theology/​

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Heb 8:7-13
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
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:
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.
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:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
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.
KJV


Jer 31:31-34
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:
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:
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.
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.
KJV

Hebrews 8:10-13 cites Jeremiah 31:31-34 as the New covenant and acknowledges that God made this covenant with Israel and Judah. Jeremiah wrote this during the Babylonian captivity; which means that Israel had ceased to exist as a nation about 200 years earlier during the Assyrian captivity. Hence this must be understood as a promise of future restoration fulfilled 11/18/1949.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Second, with respect to salvation, Reformed covenant theology does not juxtapose Israel and the church. For Reformed theology, the church has always been the Israel of God and the Israel of God has always been the church

Yes this is "with respect to salvation" during the Church Age. But that is not where everything ends. After the second coming of Christ, Israel will be redeemed and restored. Study Ezekiel for starters.



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[MarcR]

The following are excepts from a Reformed blogger website:

Recently I had a question asking whether “covenant theology” is so-called “replacement theology.” Those dispensational critics of Reformed covenant theology who accuse it of teaching that the New Covenant church has “replaced” Israel do not understand historic Reformed covenant theology.....................

First, the very category of “replacement” is foreign to Reformed theology because it assumes a dispensational, Israeleo-centric way of thinking. It assumes that the temporary, national people was, in fact, intended to be the permanent arrangement.

Such a way of thinking is contrary to the promise in Gen. 3:15. The promise was that there would be a Savior. The national people was only a means to that end, not an end in itself. According to Paul in Ephesians 2:11-22, in Christ the dividing wall has been destroyed. It cannot be rebuilt.

The two peoples (Jews and Gentiles) have been made one in Christ. Among those who are united to Christ by grace alone, through faith alone, there is no Jew nor Gentile (Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11).................

At least some forms of dispensationalism have suggested that God intended the national covenant with Israel to be permanent. According to Reformed theology, the Mosaic covenant was never intended to be permanent. According to Galatians 3 (and chapter 4), the Mosaic covenant was a codicil to the Abrahamic covenant. A codicil is added to an existing document..........................

Second, with respect to salvation, Reformed covenant theology does not juxtapose Israel and the church. For Reformed theology, the church has always been the Israel of God and the ​

Israel of God has always been the church

.

Reformed covenant theology distinguishes the old and new covenants (2 Cor. 3; Heb. 7-10). It recognizes that the church was temporarily administered through a typological, national people, but the church has existed since Adam, Noah, and Abraham; and it existed under Moses and David; and it exists under Christ....

Full text at:

https://heidelblog.net/2013/08/covenant-theology-is-not-replacement-theology/​

​

​

​

When Jeremiah was inspired to write Jer 31:31-34, the Church, as such, did not yet exist and would not exist until Pentecost.

The Church is included in the new covenant as a result of the adoption spoken of in Rom chapter 8 and elsewhere.

Romans 11, like the new covenant is a promise of national restoration.

If you were correct, which you are not, then Zech chapters 12-14 would be meaningless; and God does not inspire meaningless babble!

 

[SovereignGrace]

Oy vey!! Hyper-dispensationialism is thriving and killing our churches.

 

[SovereignGrace]

Ekklesia, which was translated 'church' in the NT. It means 'called out ones'. In the Greek septuagint, ekklesia is used. To say the word 'church' is not used in the OT, is a horrible hermenuetic. There was a body of 'called out ones' in OT days. There has always been an ekklesia, a body of believers.

 

[J7]

Totally incorrect and borderline heretical I am afraid Marc


Matthew 15:24
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Acts 2:36
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Heb 8:7-13
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
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:
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.
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:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
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.
KJV


Jer 31:31-34
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:
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:
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.
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.
KJV

Hebrews 8:10-13 cites Jeremiah 31:31-34 as the New covenant and acknowledges that God made this covenant with Israel and Judah. Jeremiah wrote this during the Babylonian captivity; which means that Israel had ceased to exist as a nation about 200 years earlier during the Assyrian captivity. Hence this must be understood as a promise of future restoration fulfilled 11/18/1949.

 

[MarcR]

Totally incorrect and borderline heretical I am afraid Marc


Matthew 15:24
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Acts 2:36
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

How do the scriptures that you cited contradict those that I cited? You have not even addressed the Scripture I cited.

Of course Israel was not walking in obedience during Jesus' earthly ministry. They were walking contrary when Jeremiah was inspired to promise restoration. Of course Israel was undeserving but so are we all.

Isa 49:6-8
6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
7 Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
8 Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
KJV

Zec 12:10-13:1
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.
11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.
13 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
KJV

Zec 14:1-8
14 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
KJV

This can only occur after the promised restoration. The only thing wrong in the post you cited was that I typed 1949 instead of 1948 and didn't notice it until it was too late to fix it ; but that is hardly heresy.

 

[MarcR]

Totally incorrect and borderline heretical I am afraid Marc


Matthew 15:24
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Acts 2:36
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Isaiah prophesied Jesus' rejection by Israel almost 200 years before Jeremiah prophesied restoration.

By what authority do you call the Scripture I cited incorrect?

 

[MarcR]

Totally incorrect and borderline heretical I am afraid Marc


Matthew 15:24
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Acts 2:36
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

An excerpt from my commentary on Jeremiah:

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.

They shall teach no more ... every man his brother ... for they shall all know me from the least ... unto the greatest of them. True specially of Israel (Isa 54:13); secondarily true of believers (John 6:45; 1 Cor 2:10; 1 John 2:20).
I will forgive their iniquity, and ... remember their sin no more -
(Jer 33:8; 50:20; Mic 7:18-19) applying peculiarly to Israel (Rom 11:26-27); secondarily, all believers (Acts 10:43).
(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, in Public Domain via E-Sword.)

[I consider it remarkable that 3 Scotsmen, with no Jewish connections, publishing in 1868, would have such insight. It demonstrates that Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) promise that the Holy Spirit would guide believers into all truth (Jn 16:13) is trustworthy. M.R.]

 

[7seasrekeyed]

I am often perplexed by those who cherry pick verses to cite what they believe is God dumping Israel.

the really bad exegetical renderings are offered with absolutely no proof other than heightened emotional denials and passive aggressive 'how dare yous' that seem to reflect an insecurity in their personal understanding, more so, than in that of the Jewish people

following is a statement that pretty much illustrates what I mean:

Oy vey!! Hyper-dispensationialism is thriving and killing our churches.

not only dispensationalism, but hyper if you please

personal comments do seem to outweigh what scripture states in some circles

I am thinking hyper ventilating here

 

[Locutus]

I think this is not the first time....

 

[1ofthem]

Do some people just read the Bible in hopes of finding scripture so they can point their finger at others and say they are going to hell? Why not just pray and have hope that others will come to repentance? I mean seriously folks...Where is the love of God nowadays? If it makes us happy, and we are hoping that others go to hell then we might need to check ourselves.... Just Saying…

 

[preacher4truth]

LOL!!!!!!!!!! No one in this thread did any searching of Scriptures in order to point fingers and claim others are going to hell, or hope others are going to hell. How ridiculous and what an asinine thing to say...goodness sake...LOL!!!!

Looks like "someone" needs to check self prior to offering an unsubstantiated rant..."just saying"

 

[1ofthem]

LOL!!!!!!!!!! No one in this thread did any searching of Scriptures in order to point fingers and claim others are going to hell, or hope others are going to hell. How ridiculous and what an asinine thing to say...goodness sake...LOL!!!!

Looks like "someone" needs to check self prior to offering an unsubstantiated rant..."just saying"

Just saying there preacher4???...I have no idea as to why all these theories? But have seen a lot of stuff where it looks like folks are lifting themselves up in pride saying that they are a part of this "small group" who Jesus died for...I remember reading scripture saying don't boast yourself up or you will be cut off...
Romans 11:18-23
[FONT=&quot]18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.[/FONT]

 

[SovereignGrace]

Just saying there preacher4???...I have no idea as to why all these theories? But have seen a lot of stuff where it looks like folks are lifting themselves up in pride saying that they are a part of this "small group" who Jesus died for...I remember reading scripture saying don't boast yourself up or you will be cut off...
Romans 11:18-23
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

And Jews are coming to saving faith now. God has not cast away His ppl He foreknew. Look up 'foreknew'.

 

[1ofthem]

And Jews are coming to saving faith now. God has not cast away His ppl He foreknew. Look up 'foreknew'.

Ok thanks, I do especially like that verse that if they abide not in unbelief then they will be grafted in again.

 

[Muzungu256]

Do some people just read the Bible in hopes of finding scripture so they can point their finger at others and say they are going to hell? Why not just pray and have hope that others will come to repentance? I mean seriously folks...Where is the love of God nowadays? If it makes us happy, and we are hoping that others go to hell then we might need to check ourselves.... Just Saying…

all i see and hear is love of God these days..... all the tv preachers all got the same style, bring in yer tithes and be blessed u see, sow the seed, reap blessings, new revelation, new age, yoga, dimmed lights, the hollywood package..... only love and no preaching on sin, unless its the sin of not tithing then u robbing God.
so i think u are dealing with some individuals i think christianity in the big leagues is more and more friendly and loving.... i dont live right but i still wanna hear some old tyme preachin.
bring back the puritans u see

 

[7seasrekeyed]

LOL!!!!!!!!!! No one in this thread did any searching of Scriptures in order to point fingers and claim others are going to hell, or hope others are going to hell. How ridiculous and what an asinine thing to say...goodness sake...LOL!!!!

Looks like "someone" needs to check self prior to offering an unsubstantiated rant..."just saying"

why limit it to this thread?

there are certain threads that cannot be posted in unless you are aggressive and looking to fight

some of you would correct the Bible itself if you could

constantly picking on others and LOLing while doing it

lovely