Barnpreacher
Puritan Board Junior
Dr. Clark\'s \"A Brief History of Covenant Theology\"
Dr. Clark,
Appreciated very much your article. I am a dispensational trained minister, so I wonder if you could expound on your second to last paragraph when you have the time. I am trying to get a better understanding of CT and this is one of the places that I get hung up.
"In reaction to Murray and Shepherd, Meredith Kline of Westminster Seminary in California has returned to the classic correlation between the Law and Gospel dichotomy and the dichotomy between the covenant of works and grace. To answer the liberals and dispensationalists, he has argued that there is one covenant of grace in the history of salvation, but that the Mosaic covenant, though gracious with respect to justification, had a works element relative to Israel's tenure in Canaan. In this way, the Mosaic theocracy becomes a re-publication of the covenant of works and a foreshadowing of Christ, the obedient 2nd Adam. Though it appears novel in our time, this view is quite traditional. His view that the Mosaic Covenant was a temporary, legal, superimposition upon the covenant of grace, though hinted at in the earlier tradition, is an development of the earlier theology."
If the C of Grace began in Genesis 3 and was consummated at Calvary then why did the C of Works play such an important role in O.T. history after Adam had failed as our federal head? What was the purpose? Was it simply to show that Christ would fulfill all of the C of Works for us? I don't understand CT's view of why God made such a big deal out of the Sinai Law, O.T. sacrifices etc. if the Covenant of Grace was already in effect for the elect.
Hebrews 9:1 says, "Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary."
This is referring to the Law, which in your article you explain that classic Reformed Orthodoxy believes is the C of Works. However, this had already been broken by Adam and could not be fulfilled by any other but our Second Adam. So why did God seem to keep it on the scene for so long according to CT?
[Edited on 9-4-2006 by Barnpreacher]
Dr. Clark,
Appreciated very much your article. I am a dispensational trained minister, so I wonder if you could expound on your second to last paragraph when you have the time. I am trying to get a better understanding of CT and this is one of the places that I get hung up.
"In reaction to Murray and Shepherd, Meredith Kline of Westminster Seminary in California has returned to the classic correlation between the Law and Gospel dichotomy and the dichotomy between the covenant of works and grace. To answer the liberals and dispensationalists, he has argued that there is one covenant of grace in the history of salvation, but that the Mosaic covenant, though gracious with respect to justification, had a works element relative to Israel's tenure in Canaan. In this way, the Mosaic theocracy becomes a re-publication of the covenant of works and a foreshadowing of Christ, the obedient 2nd Adam. Though it appears novel in our time, this view is quite traditional. His view that the Mosaic Covenant was a temporary, legal, superimposition upon the covenant of grace, though hinted at in the earlier tradition, is an development of the earlier theology."
If the C of Grace began in Genesis 3 and was consummated at Calvary then why did the C of Works play such an important role in O.T. history after Adam had failed as our federal head? What was the purpose? Was it simply to show that Christ would fulfill all of the C of Works for us? I don't understand CT's view of why God made such a big deal out of the Sinai Law, O.T. sacrifices etc. if the Covenant of Grace was already in effect for the elect.
Hebrews 9:1 says, "Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary."
This is referring to the Law, which in your article you explain that classic Reformed Orthodoxy believes is the C of Works. However, this had already been broken by Adam and could not be fulfilled by any other but our Second Adam. So why did God seem to keep it on the scene for so long according to CT?
[Edited on 9-4-2006 by Barnpreacher]