Law or Christ? Why New Covenant Theology?
May 13
As you can tell by the title of this blog I hold to something known as New Covenant Theology. This may seem like an irrelevant debate, or even a passing thought but it is not. Your theological system will drive the way you live your life as a Christian rather you want it to or not. Much like a family. Complementarianism (Men lead exclusively) versus Egalitarianism (equality between men and women) will drive the way you make decisions, relate to one another, discuss differences and even rear children.
I will say that I am usually disappointed that we Christians do not think critically enough about what we believe and why. And your system of theology will influence how you behave for the rest of your life. With that I think I have finally taken a side in this New Covenant Theology discussion.
If you are interested in the premises of New Covenant Theology here is a good link from the guys at New Covenant Theology Journal . They also have quite a few essays and posts dealing with some of the more detail implications of New Covenant Theology and the practicality of this system. In short NCT takes the position that the entire Old Covenant (this includes all three parts if you agree with the trichotimization which I disagree) given on Sinai has been abolished, cancelled out, and/or is obsolete. The hermeneutical key would be Matthew 5 and the book of Hebrews. Because this law has been cancelled and the Law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21) is now what guides the believer we no longer need to look to Moses for our moral compass.
Now this post is about the debate that is sort of going on within the ranks of NCT. I have finally taken a position. After thinking through this for some time I think the brothers of at Christ My Covenant rightfully reflect my heart on the issue. I do not believe that the New Covenant is list driven, nor do I believe one list has been exchanged by a new list. I believe Christians now live by the Law of Love guided or motivated by the New Heart. I don’t believe there was any intention on the writers of the New Testament to make a new list of laws which would later become the Law of Christ. We do not need to search the scriptures to make such a list or even attempt to put such a list in front of believers. I believe if Christ be lifted up the believer will respond in moral faithfulness. I am not saying there are not principles but I do believe these principles to be a result of motivating believers not the cause of motivating believers.
I believe the new heart promised and the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31 in Hebrews 8 is Christ living in us and working through us and conforming us to His image and all lists have been cancelled out completely. We now live by the Spirit and now law. I do not believe the principles on the New Testament pages to be a new type of law just boundaries or guide posts.
This is a short post and much can be said, but I think I am with the fellas over at Christ My Covenant.
Philippians 2:13 – “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Now either this is true (in all believers) or it is not. And I believe it is. Therefore, though the New Testament does contain many “boundaries or guide posts”, all believers, born again by the Holy Spirit, have the indwelling presence of God to guide, instruct, teach, conform, convict, discipline, chastise, etc. them for His good pleasure. How this looks in each of us may be as varied or even moreso than the colors in the spectrum. But in the end, it is all God’s work in us and (pardon the bad grammar) “we don’t need no stinkin’ list!”
BLD,
Many NCT’ers would disagree and many would agree. I agree. I don’t believe Jesus takes us from Moses to a new and improved Moses. He takes us from list and then indwells us to be His people.
Lionel,
Great stuff!
But you’re too young to make up your mind on these matters. Wait until you’re around 50.
Let me chew on the Law of Christ=Law of Love. Seems to be the case, though.
Yeah you are right T.C.R how presumptuous of me
Amen. That where I have landed.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. -Romans 8:2
Think about the multiplied millions of Christians who lived and died prior to: 1) The writing of the NT scriptures, then those who lived and died prior to 2) the councils that compiled and codified the canon of NT scriptures, then those who lived and died before it was common to personally be in possession of the scriptures, not to mention the issue of literacy.
No, Paul expected the largely illiterate congregations he wrote to, to be led by the Spirit and live according to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
Hutch,
Man that is a great observation, one I don’t even know has been considered in the debate.
Even after all the letters and gospels that we recognize as “cannonical” were written around 70-90 AD depending on when Revelation was written, it is very unlikely that any of the local congregations at that time had all of the books of the NT, that was not compiled together into one set until many years some say maybe a few hundred years later.
If you were a Chriatian from 33 AD-48AD, there were no NT scriptures. If you were a Christian who was alive in 49 AD the only NT scriptures you could possibly have a slim chance of having was Galatians, but if you did not live in the Galatia, you most likely would not even have known of the letter. If you did live in Galatia, you probably only heard the letter read maybe once or twice, but it was unlikeley that the eh um “pastor” presented expositional sermons from Galatians throughout 49 AD until you had a slim chnace of having a copy of James in 50 AD, but if you lived outside of Jerusalem there was a very slim chnace of hearing the book of James read…etc. etc. Of course if you were a Christian who was baptised by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, you would have had to wait almost 30 years before you would have had a small chance of obtaining a written gospel, Luke 61AD, Mark & Matt-58-62 AD, John 65 AD.
Lionel,
Amen!
“Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Not through Him and the list!
However, they did have the Apostles teaching orally handed down and they had, however accessed, the OT Scriptures interpreted in light of Christ, just as Jesus taught in the Gospels, the men on the road to Emmaus and just as the Apostles preached in the book of Acts and as all the writers made reference to at one time or another. So, this “objective truth ” coupled with the work of the Holy Spirit ( I am one of the Christ My Covenant guys) who is the law written on the heart- the inscription, not simply an encourager or enabler CAUSES us to grow ( a promise of the New Covenant- and I will add Christ himself) in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There are those who might accuse some NCT folk of not referring to the word of God for instruction concerning “law” matters which is utter non-sense, for Christ, The Living Word, the Incarnate Word- He is what all the printed pages in the end are about in one way or another is who we look to and live for. We are not just arbitrarily driven by the Spirit with no objective truth coupled with our subjective experience.As Moe Bergeron as so aptly said, “the objective Scriptures are the bookends to our subjective experience/knowledge”.
Mr. Krygier,
I agree 100%, we do have the objective
Joseph-
I agree as well, my only point was that the Law Written on the Heart/the very indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit was more than sufficient in the absence of access to any written scriptures to seal unto teh day of redemption, lead one into all truth, growth and practical sanctification.
Hutch,
Got a post about the “word of God” coming.
Hutch,
Amen, No disagreement there.
Yet we are glad that we do have objective truth and the Spirit. Otherwise we might just be some kind of bizarre automoton and there would be no need for any corrective passages in the Scripture to address our growth and maturity as we struggle in the now/not yet reality. And even though we see in a dimly lit mirror, with the word revealing THE WORD we can see Him with eyes of faith because of the many portraits of Him in the Scripture and that is a blessing. BTW. – Our think tank this summer is very focused on the Holy Spirit and the New Covenant Community and our ethics, sanctification and so on.
Amen. I’m glad I have the written word of God, but I’ve moved to studying the life and words of The Living Word of God more and interpreting the epistles through the words and life of Christ, as well as really endeavoring to start to learn what it means to die to self daily, walk in the Spirit, take up my cross and follow Him through sacrificially serving others to apprehend greatness in the Kingdom of God.
Amen brother. Christ is the best hermeneutic.
Lionel: I appreciate the careful content, the warm spirit of your posts! One of these days you are going to have to get to the John Bunyan Conference held in April in Lewisburg, PA! By the way, have you had the opportunity to read Jason Meyer’s “The End of the Law” yet?
The thing that amazed me most after coming over to New Covenant Theology and then going back and revisiting all of my doctrinal positions and examining them in light of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood, was that 99.9% of those who subscribe to NCT still have not applied it to church leadership, ecclesiology and the Lord’s Supper and are still adhering to a type of “Reformed Catholicism” when it comes to those issues instead of embracing what the NC scriptures have to say and teach about mutual ministry, a real functioning priesthood of all believers, non-titled sacrificial servants recognized as examples to be followed/leaders and frequent full meal love feasts to remember Christ’s body and blood instead of the shot glass of juice and Jesus cracker ritual.
Hutch, Learning and teaching Mutual Ministry and the essential teaching of the New Covenant does not happen overnight in established assemblies of His saints. There are saints who have a clear grasp on one and not the other. Pray for those of us who are called to lead folks in these areas. We need to learn patience and dependence upon the Spirit of God as He opens the Scriptures to willing minds and hearts. Hopefully they will not take the years we took to bow to these things in love.
Moe-
I hear ya…
Great thoughts, Lionel.
I am reading through Hebrew now and it amazes me how simply that whole book covers this very topic. I don’t even really know why there’s discussion/debate. The writer is very clear to me….