Lifted Veil

New Covenant Person - Joe KrygierNew Covenant Person - Joe Krygier

New Covenant Power - Shane BeckerNew Covenant Power - Shane Becker

I was recently part of a great discussion that all started with this short video clip: 

http://www.desiringgod.org/media/video/vftp_promo05.mov

(Reference: Sound of Grace discussion Group April/May discussions: http://freegroups.net/groups/soundofgrace/)

Over the next few posts I’ll be explaining the importance of Gospel Sanctification, sharing some of the discussion details, and answering some of the questions raised - which were some of the very issues I have struggled with and perhaps some of you also struggle with.

Shane.

The Masters Seminary (TMS) is currently critiquing New Covenant Theology (NCT) in their current faculty lecture series.  These are available for download from their site: Download Link.

Also be sure to keep up with the In Depth Studies (IDS) ongoing response by Steve Lehrer on their blog:

http://idsblog.org/

As I am associate editor of SoloChristo.com the comments by Prof. Dennis M. Swanson, regarding the growth of NCT being largely attributed to the internet, makes me do the happy dance. SoloChristo.com was the flagship of the NCT internet web sites.  Full credit to senior editor Dale LaVoie who early recognised the significance of the internet medium for the spread of the great gospel truths expounded in NCT, who built the site from scratch and launched it back in 1994.  I can take no credit for the early impact of SoloChristo.com but am privileged to be part of this great project in taking over the running of the site and keeping its impact going.  The story of how I came to take over this great work can be found here.

Full credit also to Jaime Adams who has built the IDS.org site and blog and keeps it going. The quality of IDS.org sets a new standard in web site excellence that the rest of us webmasters in the NCT community struggle to keep up with. Prof. Dennis M. Swanson also mentioned the quality of this site and its ongoing impact.  It was a real joy for me to meet Jaime last year and discuss options for working together.

And I must also mention Moe Bergeron, who has single-handedly launched the following:

• SoundofGrace.com, the web ministry of John Reisinger.
• Piper Notes, the original John Piper library web site launching his ministry on the internet.
• Christway Media, for Donald A. Carson and others.
• Biblical Studies, the web ministry of Fred Zaspel.
• The Grizzly Bible Institute web site.
• The Sound of Grace Discussion Group, which continues to be a key web forum where NCT representatives sharpen one another.

Moe has become a wonderful friend and role model for me.  In addition to his web work Moe has maintained a full time secular job as well as maintained a Pastorate.

There are others who I haven’t mentioned because I don’t know who they are although I am very familiar with their web sites and the authors they support.  The work of an NCT webmaster is largely ‘behind the scenes’ and not recognised although the impact has been significant.  Maintaining the prominent NCT web ministries come down to only a handful of people.  For the most part we don’t have paid webmasters or faculty staff to do this work.  It is a labor of love to our glorious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

A friend at church asked me how I would describe New Covenant Theology. Below is my reply.

–//–

Regarding your question about the characteristics of New Covenant Theology.
 
I would describe New Covenant Theology in terms of ‘flavour’ and ‘distinctives’.
 
1. Flavour
 
You are familiar with the flavour.  It is the same flavour of Christ Community Church [NB: Church we both attend]. That is, seeing the totality of God’s redemptive program culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ and living daily in the joy and grace of that reality.  For the most part, when I think of NCT, I think of people, churches, and theology that use the entire Bible to help us “look unto Jesus”, “preach nothing but Christ and Him crucified” and display Christ’s work through “Moses and all the Prophets”. (Heb 12:2, 1 Cor 2:2, Luke 24:13-27).  NCT is centred upon the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
 
This article describes NCT with an emphasis upon that ‘flavour’: 
http://solochristo.com/theology/nct/MurrayMcLellan_GloryofGodinFaceofJesus.html

2. DistinctivesThe distinctives, like Covenant Theology & Dispensationalism, have some variance among the NCT individuals.  However, I believe this article summarises the key distinctives well:

http://solochristo.com/theology/nct/GaryLong_NewCovenantTheologyDistinctives.html

Your brother in Christ, Our Covenant-Shane.

“I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations” Isaiah 42:6

“Thus says the LORD:
‘In a time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you and give you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages,’ ” Isaiah 49:8
 
 
 

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Study Notes

16So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations– 21Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22which all concern things which perish with the using–according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.  Col 2:16-23
 

The “Sabbath(s)” of Colossians 2:16

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths . . . “

Four interpretations – 3 Sabbatarian & 1 Non-Sabbatarian:

1.      Sabbath = “Ceremonial” Sabbaths and not the Sabbath of the 4^th Commandment. (Common among Sunday Sabbatarians such as the puritans).

2.      Sabbath = Old Testament ceremonial and civil elements which are abolished. However, a 1 day in 7 cycle still remains.

3.      Sabbath = a perverted “Sabbath” practiced in Collose which bears no resemblance to the Sabbath of the 4^th Commandment. The condemnation is against this new and perverted “Sabbath” with no reference being made to the true Sabbath.

4.      Sabbath = The Weekly Sabbath day of the 4^th Commandment.

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