# Brand New Book on Covenant Theology



## C. Matthew McMahon (Feb 28, 2005)

Dear Friends,

Everyone has consistently asked about a simple book that could explain covenant theology. The fact is - there is no book that does. Some books are out there that have attempted to explain the basics, but they seem to always deviate from the orthodox formulations and redefine Covenant Theology overall. On the other hand, there are the Auburn Avenue and Federal Visionists who have twisted Covenant Theology into a theological mess. We need a book that explains simply and easily how biblical Covenant Theology works, while at the same time demonstrating the truth of the old formulations that have stood the test of time. Something clear, accurate and simple is needed for the laymen in the church. 

Look no further.

By the request of Reverend Rick Phillips, Chairman of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, I have have written an historically clear, biblically accurate, and simple overview of Covenant Theology for the laymen.

It is currently available in book form at this link:
www.puritanshop.com

Tell your pastors. Tell your friends. Tell those who have been inquiring. Covenant Theology does not have to be difficult. Here is a simple overview that remains biblically consistent, and true to the Westminster Confession of Faith.


----------



## matthew11v25 (Feb 28, 2005)

Ordered mine!


----------



## ReformedWretch (Feb 28, 2005)

Ordering mine ASAP! Thanks for doing it.


----------



## ChristianTrader (Mar 1, 2005)

Is this book supposed to replace, Christ of the Covenants as the book people recommend to learn about covenant theology?

CT


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 1, 2005)

Its different than Robertson's book. it actually sustains the orthodox historical terminology of the covenants, as well as properly defining covenant as a pact or agreement, unlike Robertson's book. Its prupose is to be "the" replacement for that book in terms of bringing the church back to the WCF's interpretation of the Scriptures. Robertson departs from that.


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 1, 2005)

Please pray that God would use this work. When I get it, I am going to deliver a copy to Pastor Rick Phillips who will in turn get it to Lig Duncan and then finally get it into mainstream sellers. Since the "pop" up of the New Perspectives and the Federal Vision, we need more books that help the laymen of the church understand the basics of Covenant Theology.


----------



## matthew11v25 (Mar 1, 2005)

> _Originally posted by webmaster_
> When I get it



Matthew,

have you seen the book in finished format, or just waiting on more copies?


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 1, 2005)

Waiting on 2 copies for Rick and Lig to send them. The books are VERY well done (I was even suprised).

[Edited on 3-1-2005 by webmaster]


----------



## matthew11v25 (Mar 1, 2005)

> _Originally posted by webmaster_
> The books are VERY well done (I was even suprised).
> [Edited on 3-1-2005 by webmaster]



SSSSWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!


----------



## rchapman (Mar 1, 2005)

Matt, at approximately 4pm(Central Standard Time) on March 1st, I placed my order for both books and am now full of anticipation. Counting the days...1,2,3 etc. Bob Chapman


----------



## Puritanhead (Mar 1, 2005)

Do you have a shortened version for Baptists without the infant baptism stuff?


----------



## Philip A (Mar 1, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Puritanhead_
> Do you have a shortened version for Baptists without the infant baptism stuff?



Nope, that would be Nehemiah Coxe:

http://www.rbap.net/projects.php

:bigsmile:


----------



## Larry Hughes (Mar 1, 2005)

Matt,

Got mine on order & looking forward to reading it. Thanks for all the hard work for the faith.

ldh


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 1, 2005)

Amen!


----------



## Puritanhead (Mar 1, 2005)

Well I've read a great deal online... and I'm thankful Dr. McMahon pointed me to it last year when I inquired about NCT vis-a-vis CT.... I found it very helpful, as it is very erudite and perceptive, and soundly explains the continuity and unity of the covenants, the purpose of the law, and the most perfect New Covenant promises fulfilled by our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm sure he has improved upon it--- in print form. The Socratic Q&A dialogue is a nice touch. 

If I cease being poor financially in the near future, and my cash flow situation improves, I'll happily add it to my library collection.


[Edited on 3-2-2005 by Puritanhead]


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 2, 2005)

Ryan, 

As a note, I revised it quite a bit. It has evolved and change since its been online (actually a couple of times). Some of the infroamtion was not needful, in other spots there needed greatler clarity, etc. Hopefully at this point it will be a good intro to CT.


----------



## WrittenFromUtopia (Mar 2, 2005)

I can't wait to get paid finally so I can order one! I might get one for my girlfriend who I am introducing to the whole CT realm of things (we were both raised dispensational to the core).


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 2, 2005)

Your friend is the perfect person to read the book. That is who it was meant for.


----------



## Me Died Blue (Mar 2, 2005)

> _Originally posted by webmaster_
> Its different than Robertson's book. it actually sustains the orthodox historical terminology of the covenants, as well as properly defining covenant as a pact or agreement, unlike Robertson's book. Its prupose is to be "the" replacement for that book in terms of bringing the church back to the WCF's interpretation of the Scriptures. Robertson departs from that.



What does he basically define "covenant" as if not a pact or agreement? And when you say he departs from the WCF on the issue, what is one or more brief way(s) in which he does so?


----------



## Arch2k (Mar 2, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Me Died Blue_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by webmaster_
> ...



Robertson defines a Covenant as a "bond in blood sovereignly administered." This definition has it's advantages, but I can see it's downfalls. He also redefines what the Westminster Confession calls the "Covenant of Grace" he terms the "Covenant of Redemption." He also calls the "Covenant of Works" the "Covenant of Creation."

I really like this book, but I also disagree with his redefining terms. The book also doesn't answer alot of my questions. I look forward to reading Matt's treatment, and after that, Witsius.


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 2, 2005)

Chris, Jeff is right. His redefinition are why the book is not helpful. His ideas are actually "hurting the church" in moving them away from the "old way" and reinforncing the Federal Vision's "allowance" to "redefine terms". Both Robertson and Kline have good things to say, but thier "squabble" throughout the Westminster Theological Journal's articles are like a boxing match between deviants definitions. We need to get back to the HEBREW of word, instead of "theological ideas" that don't pan out.


----------



## matthew11v25 (Mar 7, 2005)

Just recieved my copy today...The book itself looks like it is pretty good quality. Smells good too.


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 7, 2005)

We paid extra for the scent! 

Yes, they do look very good and the quality is excllent. They do a great job in putting them together.

I love the smell. You just can't beat the smell of a new book.


----------



## matthew11v25 (Mar 7, 2005)

> _Originally posted by webmaster_
> You just can't beat the smell of a new book.



You also cant beat the smell of a GOOD book.


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 7, 2005)

True! The two make it all the better - a good book and a good smell. (Yes, even better than those cigars everyone talks about !)


----------



## RamistThomist (Mar 7, 2005)

Do you plan to publish mainstream? Like Seminaries and bookstores?


----------



## Mayflower (Mar 10, 2005)

Dear Math,

Have you also included in this book of covenant a chapter about baptism ? And are you planning (after all the discussions on the board) to publish a book about paedobaptism ?


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 10, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Mayflower_
> Dear Math,
> 
> Have you also included in this book of covenant a chapter about baptism ? And are you planning (after all the discussions on the board) to publish a book about paedobaptism ?



Book 2 will cover some of those issues in-depth. this is a more basic outline overall.



> Do you plan to publish mainstream? Like Seminaries and bookstores?



Yes, we are working on that right now.


----------



## Larry Hughes (Mar 12, 2005)

Matthew,

Great book, got my copy a few days ago and I"˜m just now getting time to sit down with it. I´m only up to page 77 now but it is really pulling things tight for me. I´ve been studying this issue for quite some time and trying to lean as heavy on Scripture alone as I can. But my time is limited and mental capacity for that matter. This is pulling the knots tight that I already starting tying - kind of like a child learning to tie his shoes - you can get the form of the knots together but you need an adult to synch them up.

Oddly enough your old car (Ford Fairlane) analogy on page 65 discussing the adjective word "œnew" in Jer. Is one that I was using in my head about two months ago while driving to work thinking on that very issue; new = brand new Vs. new = refreshed/renewed. Except I was thinking in terms of "œfixing up" an old car, thus renewed and then being "œnew" in that sense. 

I'm going to go through it with my wife.

Still reading!

Larry


----------



## matthew11v25 (Mar 12, 2005)

Finished it a couple days ago. Good job Matthew.


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 12, 2005)

Thanks all!

We really want to get this circulating in the CHURCH so that those who are not familiar can become familiar.

Pray that God uses it.


----------



## Larry Hughes (Mar 13, 2005)

Just finished it. Great book! It really lays out the covenant concept first rather than jumping to baptism which is usually the mistake made and where the "walls" come up. In other words it lays out the ground work of the structure of redemptive history.

I ran into things to affirm what I've been seeing in my study of Scriptures independantly and then things "that clicked" that put in links I hadn't considered.

ldh


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 13, 2005)

I'm glad it was of help Larry.

Spread the word! The church at large needs a good introduction to this topic.


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Puritanhead_
> Do you have a shortened version for Baptists without the infant baptism stuff?



Actually, the infant stuff is really about 5 pages of the book if that. It deals mostly with Covenant Theology overall. There should be much (most) that Baptists agree with in it.


----------



## ARStager (Mar 21, 2005)

I still don't get what's wrong with saying that the bond in blood is "sovereignly administered". I take it that Robertson is stressing that God himself dictates the terms of the bond, the promises and the curses, rather than us sitting at the bargaining table with him. 

Could you elaborate?


----------



## turmeric (Mar 22, 2005)

Oh, no! I'm working my way through Robertson's book. Is he gonna make me a heretic?

Will have to get yours next. Hopefully I can understand it!


----------



## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 22, 2005)

> _Originally posted by turmeric_
> Oh, no! I'm working my way through Robertson's book. Is he gonna make me a heretic?
> 
> Will have to get yours next. Hopefully I can understand it!



He won't make you a heretic. He will make you wrong in his definitions.



> I still don't get what's wrong with saying that the bond in blood is "sovereignly administered". I take it that Robertson is stressing that God himself dictates the terms of the bond, the promises and the curses, rather than us sitting at the bargaining table with him.
> 
> Could you elaborate?



Robertson is wrong. The Hebrew is both and. That comes from a failure to understand the Covenant of Works. Robertson blows that as well.


----------



## matthew11v25 (Mar 22, 2005)

Finished mine a couple days after I recieved it. Good, although I must admit I am not a big fan of "dialogue" style writing...but the book was simple and the topic was well covered.


----------



## turmeric (Mar 22, 2005)

Have you read Anselm's Cur Deus Homo? It's all dialogue. I think it's a medeival Socratic thing.


----------



## matthew11v25 (Mar 22, 2005)

No. I have read "theology in dialogue" by Gerstner and some articles with the style...never really hit home with me.


----------



## ARStager (Mar 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by webmaster_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by turmeric_
> ...



I'm afraid that still doesn't help me. I suppose you're at the point where you're going to say that I'll have to read your book if I want to find out what you mean? Surely you're not saying that the covenants are somehow like the Treaty of Versailles or even like Appomatox? Just elaborate on your "Hebrew is Both/And."


----------



## Poimen (Aug 27, 2005)

I finished your book the other day Matt. Well done! This is something I can hand out to my congregants (as soon as I get of rid of the 'Presbyterianism')!


----------



## bookslover (Oct 16, 2006)

> _Originally posted by C. Matthew McMahon_
> Dear Friends,
> 
> Everyone has consistently asked about a simple book that could explain covenant theology. The fact is - there is no book that does. Some books are out there that have attempted to explain the basics, but they seem to always deviate from the orthodox formulations and redefine Covenant Theology overall. On the other hand, there are the Auburn Avenue and Federal Visionists who have twisted Covenant Theology into a theological mess. We need a book that explains simply and easily how biblical Covenant Theology works, while at the same time demonstrating the truth of the old formulations that have stood the test of time. Something clear, accurate and simple is needed for the laymen in the church.
> ...



Have you read Randy Booth's book on paedobaptism, which came out a few years ago? I realize that he's a theonomist (which I'm not) but, in the process of defending paedobaptism, he gives a pretty clear description of covenant theology. At least, I thought it was pretty clear.


----------

