# Has any one read...



## caoclan (Apr 4, 2008)

...this book. If so how is it for a beginner?


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## N. Eshelman (Apr 4, 2008)

It is awesome! Not a quick read though.


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## toddpedlar (Apr 4, 2008)

I've taught from it - small group Bible study format. It's very good, and while Nathan's right - it's not a quick read - it's very accessible to someone fairly new to reformed thinking (I think)


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## TaylorOtwell (Apr 4, 2008)

I read it probably a month or so ago. I found it a helpful introduction to the covenants of the Bible; however, you may want to take advice from someone with a much deeper understanding of covenant theology than myself. 

It helped me appreciate the over-arching greatness and majesty of God's redemptive plan. Specifically, the fact that God has a perfect plan for the redemption of His people which He has been carrying out throughout history.


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## caoclan (Apr 4, 2008)

nleshelman said:


> It is awesome! Not a quick read though.



Not a problem, I just finished Bondage of the Will. It was a good read but took a while especially since I had not read Erasmus' Diatribe. BTW do any copies of the Diatribe exist?


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## toddpedlar (Apr 4, 2008)

caoclan said:


> nleshelman said:
> 
> 
> > It is awesome! Not a quick read though.
> ...



I believe there are a couple of versions that include in one printing both the Diatribe and Luther's Bondage of the Will.

Another great book on that same subject is Calvin's Bondage and Liberation of the Will, in which he takes on a guy named Pighius (boy, did *that* guy get teased in school, I bet, with a name like that!) on a similar set of issues. That work is very VERY good.


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## A5pointer (Apr 5, 2008)

Robertson slays the dragon of dispensationalism pretty handily.


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## SueS (Apr 5, 2008)

I'm reading it right now. The first two or three chapters are pretty slow going but then the pace quickens and the book turns into a very interesting read. I'm really enjoying it.


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## Raj (Apr 5, 2008)

Finished twice. It is a great help to understand the whole Bible from Covenant perspective.


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Apr 5, 2008)

The copy I have doesn't have the nice picture on the cover. Mine is third printing October 1982. I read it back then (while I was a dispensationalist) and remember being challenged by it, but not really persuaded.

About 15 years ago, I re-read it and Robertson's book along with some writings by Gerstner and Witsius brought me firmly to the conclusions that dispensationalism was wrong, and that Covenant Theology was Biblical.

Of special help to me in making the transition was chapter 2: *The Extent of the Divine Covenants* and chapter 11: *Excursus: Which Structures Scripture--Covenants or Dispensations?*

The whole book is well written, but as has been noted in a previous post, sometimes slow-going. It is however, well worth the time it takes to read.


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## mshingler (Apr 5, 2008)

I just recently started reading it. I've finished chapter 4 so far. I especially appreciated the way he handled the obligations of man in the pre-fall conditions. I also think the terminology "covenant of creation" and "covenant of redemption" is probably useful.


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## Hippo (Apr 5, 2008)

I know that the book has its critics but I found that I got more out of Michael Hortons Amazon.com: God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology: Michael Horton: Books


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## Reformed Covenanter (Apr 5, 2008)

Read it 6 years ago and thought it was good. However, Richard (AV1611) thought that his definition of the meaning of the word "covenant" was wanting (or so he said on another thread).


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## py3ak (Apr 5, 2008)

Doesn't he define covenant as "a bond in blood, sovereignly administered"? I prefer the term "covenant of works" to "covenant of creation".


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## Richard King (Apr 5, 2008)

It is on a list of books of expected reading for elder candidates at my church.


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## Casey (Apr 5, 2008)

_The Christ of the Covenants_ is a great book, In my humble opinion. Particularly helpful and encouraging is that the book includes a lot of exegesis and comments on a lot of Scripture. It doesn't just present the theology, it presents the basis for it. For this reason it's very useful for going through what Scriptures says on the covenants, but also to give to those who do not yet accept covenant theology.


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## AV1611 (Apr 5, 2008)

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Read it 6 years ago and thought it was good. However, Richard (AV1611) thought that his definition of the meaning of the word "covenant" was wanting (or so he said on another thread).



And it was not just me. It is helpful, don't get me wrong, but there are better works. 

Economy of the Covenants :: Other Classic Authors :: Classic Authors :: Monergism Books


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## Reformed Covenanter (Apr 5, 2008)

py3ak said:


> Doesn't he define covenant as "a bond in blood, sovereignly administered"? I prefer the term "covenant of works" to "covenant of creation".



Yes, he does.


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