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A STUDY IN COVENANT THEOLOGY

AN EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS

(Romans-RASV-1901)

THE THESIS STATEMENT

 CRITIQUE

First, recognizing and defining a serious problem that confronts all of us:

FULLY recognizing and understanding the complete strategy of God’s reconciliation, as it must be observed from its conception to its completion, is a basic deficiency that exists within today’s main line denominations as well as the other Abrahamic religions.

Question 1 - What is our overall understanding of the continuity from the beginning through the ending of God’s reconciliation?

The principle mistake being made by the Christian Church, as well as other Abrahamic religions, is when they, as only fractional parts that are being graciously included into something that pre-existed them all, begin to believe that they would individually represent the whole of God’s reconciliation.

From my extensive dialogue with the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), it would seem that each of these faiths have a strong belief that they are an end within themselves—that they are nearly always individually superior to the others.

Question 2 – With that in mind, precisely what do you believe your individual faith’s role is within the Abrahamic Covenant /or God’s universal reconciliation?

Consequently, by being somewhat inhibited by their own religious perspectives, few, if any, within the major denominations and religions, have taken the opportunity to look for the larger picture that is to be found only by observing the entirety of God’s universal reconciliation.

Question 3 – Are you presently able to observe the larger picture of God’s universal reconciliation? Do you find any continuity between the visible institutions of Israel and the Christian Church?

Second, then seeking a detailed solution to this serious problem:

To begin, we must observe this full span of time—the whole of God’s universal reconciliation that would begin with creation and then run on to the end of this present world, as containing all of its necessary components.

Question 4 – Can you see that the intent of God’s universal reconciliation is always all-inclusive over space and time—that from its conception, the Abrahamic Covenant was to include all peoples, tribes, tongues and nations?

Then coming to understand that the Abrahamic Covenant of Grace that is extended to the world through the Judeo-Christian experience—that experience that was initially revealed in the formation of the Abrahamic Covenant and then more fully manifested within the New Testament Christian Church, is the operational agreement that God has so graciously established with the whole of His creation (Ref.Gen.17:1-27; Gal.4:21-31; Gen.21.10-12).

Question 5 - Can you see that the New Covenant established by Jesus is in fact the manifested fulfillment of Abraham’s Covenants with God? Then by using our 20/20 hindsight, can you now see the mirror image of the Abrahamic Covenant that is contained within the New Covenant?

A most difficult and yet necessary observation to make here in our examination of the Abrahamic Covenant, is to first recognize the distinct visible character that is represented by the Covenant of Bondage that is initially seen through the Circumcision of the Flesh Covenant (Ref.Gen.17:1-14, 20, 23-27).  And then secondly, to also recognize the coexistence of the invisible character of the same Abrahamic Covenant that is always represented by the hidden Covenant of Promise. (Ref.Gen.17:15-19, 21)   There are in fact, two separate characteristics that make-up the one Abrahamic Covenant of Grace. (Ref.Gal.4:21-26)

Question 6 – Can you clearly see and understand the necessary presence of these two distinct entities within the one Abrahamic Covenant?

Finally, the most mysterious understanding of all will be achieved when we fully comprehend that this invisible Covenant of Promise also represents that common hereditary thread that runs on through both the Old Testament and the New Testament dispensations: that same hidden thread that perfectly binds together the whole of God’s reconciliation.

Question 7 – What do we mean by a “common hereditary thread” that runs unbroken through both the Old and New Testaments?

Question 8 – What do we mean when we say that this “common hereditary thread” “binds together the whole of God’s reconciliation”?

This is in fact the only exegesis that will allow for both visible Israel and invisible Israel to successfully achieve their separate eschatological fulfillment.

Question 9 – Do you now see the coexistent presence of both visible Israel and invisible Israel? Then do you understand this need “for both visible Israel and invisible Israel to successfully achieve their separate eschatological fulfillment” within the continuum of God’s Covenants with Abraham?

Therefore, the dynamics of God’s Universal Reconciliation can be properly grasped only through a through study and understanding of Covenant Theology.

Question 10 – Do you now see that the “Abrahamic Covenant Theology” discussed here in this paper is the absolute prerequisite for any correct understanding of Theology?  Amen.