This is the next post in a series on belief systems, or Systematic Theologies, that are used as a framework to understand the Bible as a whole. This series is part of a bigger series entitled How to Study the Bible.
This post discusses Covenant Theology, which is another framework that is similar to Replacement Theology. It is not spoken of as often as Replacement Theology, but it is discussed here because it teaches Replacement Theology. As you become exposed to different theologies and belief systems, it is important to examine them and find out which one holds most closely to what the Bible actually says. We should never have to twist Scripture to make it fit our belief system.
Covenant Theology (a.k.a. Reformed Covenant Theology) includes 3 covenants in its primary teachings:
1. The Covenant of Redemption. This covenant was made within the three persons of the Godhead before the world was created. The covenant was the agreement that the Father would send the Son to be the savior of the world (1 John 4:14).
2. The Covenant of Works. This covenant was between God and Adam and Eve, described in Genesis 2:15-16. This covenant included the rules in the Garden of Eden regarding the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam broke this covenant and as a result it was replaced by the Covenant of Grace.
3. The Covenant of Grace. This covenant is introduced by the animal that was killed to provide clothing for man. This animal represents the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Everything that happens after Genesis 3 is under the covenant of Grace.
Covenant Theology does a fairly good job of explaining how salvation works, but it does not do a good job of providing a structure that organizes the contents of the Bible in a way to help understand its overall teaching. In fact, it falls so short of that goal that it should not even be called a Biblical theology. It is only a soteriology.
What does Covenant Theology Teach?
It teaches that there is only one method of salvation that has been in effect for all of human history: That faith in the Messiah is the only condition of salvation. Israel believed in a coming Messiah, and the Church puts its faith in the finished work of the Messiah on the Cross, his resurrection, and his promised return. The error of this theology is that it makes no distinction between Israel and the Church – both groups are considered to be chosen of God and both share in the same destiny. This is Replacement Theology.
Replacement Theology a commonly held belief and it is dangerous because it is used as a justification for the United States to abandon its support for Israel, and also to argue that Christians should not support the right of the nation of Israel to exist.
Different Versions of Covenant Theology
The Reformed, or Calvinist, view is described above. The Catholic view acknowledges and teaches the actual Biblical covenants, but interprets them to have been fulfilled in the Church, thus doing away with any need for God to restore, use, and bless Israel. The Catholic Church promoted this theology to direct believers’ focus away from Jerusalem and towards Rome as the source of authority. This happened as belief in Christ’s soon return faded, about 200 years after Christ’s ascension. Teachers like Augustine promoted an allegorical view of Scripture that explained away the need for Christ’s return to establish a millennial kingdom. Over time, Christians no longer believed that Christ would come to establish His throne in Jerusalem. The leaders in Rome declared themselves to be the voice of Christ and the source of church authority.
Verses that support Covenant Theology:
After Genesis 3, there is nothing that supports Covenant Theology. Galatians 4:24 speaks of “two covenants.” But these two covenants are the law and the Church, as seen the context of Galatians 3:1-4:23. One could say that the second covenant is the covenant of grace, but that phrase is not found in the Bible. The covenant of grace was hinted at in Genesis 3:15 (“The seed of the woman”), but this verse is a prophecy and the covenant did not come into effect until Christ’s resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit (John 14:17, 17:21-23). It is true that there has only been one way of salvation throughout human history, but the framework of Covenant Theology removes Israel from its rightful, distinct, and prominent position in Scripture. Dr. Arnold Fructenbaum states that 5/6ths of the Bible is about Israel. All Biblical theologies should give Israel a prominent place to the nation of Israel and the covenants that God made with her.
Regarding Replacement Theology, one could argue that these verses from Romans 11 support it:
v. 7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
v. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
But by reading the entire chapter, it is clear that Paul is arguing the opposite, that Israel has been temporarily set aside to allow the Gentiles to be saved, creating a new nation of the church (1 Peter 2:9), the Bride of Christ:
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid….God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. (vv. 1, 2)
v. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
v. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved…
The olive tree is Israel. The church, a wild branch, has been grafted in. It obtains life from the Root of Israel, the Root of David, the Messiah. This does not mean that the Church has replaced Israel. The wild branch does not become a natural olive branch; it only obtains its life from the same Source.
Another verse that supports Replacement Theology is Acts 13:46:
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
This turning to the Gentiles was only temporary. Paul spent the majority of the rest of his life ministering to the Gentiles. This verse does not mean that God has permanently disowned Israel. Israel will be saved after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25).
In the Parable of the Vineyard, we find a verse that also predicts that God will turn away from Israel:
He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
Luke 20:16
In the parable, the vineyard is Israel. The “God forbid” is a clue that Paul leaves us by including the same words in Romans 11:1. It is clear from Romans 11 that this abandonment of Israel was not permanent.
A Refutation of Covenant Theology
(These verses refute Replacement Theology) In addition to Romans 11, there are other verses that make distinctions between the positions of Israel and the Church in God’s kingdom.
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Luke 2:32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
1 Corinthians 10:32
The above two verses show that both Jesus and Paul considered the church (a primarily Gentile body) and the nation of Israel (the Jews) two separate groups of people.
There are many promises in the Old Testament that guarantee that Israel will be restored to the head of the nations, and that it will exist forever. For example:
A Biblical Covenant Theology would include all of the covenants in the Bible that God established between Himself and His people. What are the covenants described in the Bible?
Edenic (Gen 1:26-30) God gave man dominion over the earth.
Abrahamic (Gen 12:1-3) God promised that Abraham would be the father of many nations, including Israel. All nations would be blessed because of Abraham.
Mosaic (the Law, or Old Covenant, Deuteronomy 11). God promised the nation of Israel that he would bless them in the land if they obeyed His commandments.
Davidic (2 Samuel 7:8-16) God promised that a son of David would always sit on the throne of Israel in Jerusalem.
New (Jeremiah 31:31-34) All of the above covenants were broken by man (With regard to the Abrahamic covenant, Abraham did not break the covenant; its promises are unconditional. But the land aspect of the covenant was broken through the disobedience of the nation of Israel). In the New Covenant, God says, “I will put my law within them” (i.e., Israel) so that they cannot break the covenant. All of the requirements of the new covenant (as well as all previous covenants) were fulfilled by Jesus. Because Jesus is a son of Adam, of Abraham, of Israel, and of David, he was qualified to fulfill the covenants. The New Covenant was initially directed toward Israel by Jeremiah but has since been made available to all mankind (John 3:16).
Five covenants are listed above, but many teachers acknowledge eight covenants. Dr. Arnold Fructenbaum has a good description of the eight covenants of the Bible here.
A brief overview of the covenants
A truly Biblical covenant theology acknowledges the prominent role that Israel plays in all of the above covenants, understanding that there are promises to Israel within some of those covenants that have not yet been fulfilled. Adherents of this theology anticipate God fulfilling His promises to Israel in the future. As you study the Bible, be careful that you let the Bible develop theology for you; do not impose someone else’s theology on the Bible.
Masters of the Universe 