Finding Objectivity (part 3.2): The Covenant Hermeneutic

Logic of the Position

And so, from what we can derive from the plans of God, He begins in Abraham and chooses a man, a family, a line. This line of people we come to know as the nation of Israel. Throughout the Old Testament, from the choosing of Abraham through the book of Malachi, we watch as the promise and the seed and the nation of Israel prospers and falls, is victorious and is in fear of annihilation. We watch as the covenant people of God are delivered time and time again. But through this story we come to know, especially through prophetic literature that there will be a Messiah, a Savior. This savior would come to be known as the ideal Israel. He would embody all that Israel was meant to be (Isaiah 49:1-6), He would fulfill the legal stipulations of the Law (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4; Galatians 4:4-5), He would fulfill all the positional duties of Israel, namely that of prophet, priest and king, He would be obedient where the nation failed (Phillipians 2:8; Romans 5:19; Hebrews 5:8), and He would be the perfect sacrifice and sacrificer (Hebrews 4:15; Isaiah 53).

Not only this, but prophetic literature promised a future remnant of Israel. If Christ is the Ideal Israel, and those who are being saved now are “in Christ” (Romans 7:4; 8:1; 12:5; etc) then they are “in Israel,” they must be “Israel.” To further validate this claim that we are the Israelite remnant of prophecy, the Hebrew Scriptures say that this remnant, upon their return will be given the New Covenant. The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that we are sharing in the New Covenant now (Hebrews 8/Jeremiah 31:31-37; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24). Being the recipients of the New Covenant, which was promised to Israel, being "in Christ," who is the ideal Israel, and being a repentant remnant, all seem to suggest that we, the Church, are the Israel of prophecy. The Church is, therefore, the Israel of the New Testament; a continuation of what God was doing in the Old Testament, or rather a replacement of the nation of Israel (God's chosen people of the Old Testament). [to be continued]

Finding Objectivity (part 3.1): The Covenant Hermeneutic

The Protestant Church knew they were facing a huge problem. As the Roman Catholics warned, giving the laity, the common people of the church, their own copy of the Word of God would almost certainly lead to heresies and destructive theologies, unless they could be limited by finding a means to objectivity. Universally, it was agreed that this means of objectivity would be found by accurately determining what it is that unifies all of Scripture. If the main purpose, the unifying theme of Scripture could be determined, then all events found within the Biblical texts could be weighed against this unifying theme and thus have a reference point by which objectivity could be found. Previously, this reference point, this hermeneutical principle, this means of objectivity, was Church Tradition, namely, the Roman Catholic Church. It was the Romans who determined the proper understanding of the texts, but this lead to abuse and a religion which had very little to do with actual Scripture.

These post reformation leaders, sought to find the unifying theme by first identifying that which they knew to be true concerning the purposes and plans of God. They are as followed:

1. Salvation of all of God’s people comes through Jesus
-Acts 4:12 - And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.
-Revelation 5:9 - And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood [men] from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

2. Jesus’ death, burial, & resurrection (atonement) is an eternal plan of redemption
-2 Timothy 1:9 - 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
-1 Peter 1:20-21 - For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

3. Jesus’ atonement is only necessary because of the Fall
-Genesis 3 –The Fall of man through the sin of Adam.
-Romans 5:12-14 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

4. God’s plans and purposes seem to revolve around the redemption of a people to Himself
-Scripture provides the story of Redemption
-From beginning to end the “story” of Scripture tells how God has chosen a people to Himself