More on my covenant/dispy thoughts

In a previous post, I expressed an interest in learning more about covenant and dispensational theology. I have not had much time to do in-depth reading on these frameworks as of yet but have come away with some brief, broad, general, perhaps imprecise, perhaps incorrect, and quite nascent perceptions.

First, I am attempting to do something I have never done before – read through the entire Old Testament. I always bog down in Leviticus. I will persevere this time, however. Though I have read through the New Testament a few times, there are many books in the Old Testament I have never read. I wish to remedy that situation in the next few months to better grasp the full council of God. That all being said, in reading through Genesis, I am struck by the fact that God is a sovereign maker of Covenants. In my previous reading of Genesis, this fact has never stood out in such bold relief. Also, I want to read through at least the Pentateuch before I do very much ‘extra-biblical’ reading on covenant/dispensational theology.

Second, this area of theology is not unimportant. What we think about God and how He interacts with His creation has implications both historical, personal, and profound. Among other things, I believe it informs to a great degree how we ‘define’ His church, especially in relationship with Israel. It informs our thinking on eschatology, the study of the direction and culmination of history. It is the study of His working of redemptive history culminating with the revelation of the risen Messiah.

Third, though important, this area of inquiry, the ‘choice’ between these frameworks, is not a make or break doctrine. It is not a hill I would chose to die on. Most discussions I have read on this subject are quite irenic.

Fourth, there is a dizzying array of technical terms to understand, some that may be a bit peripheral to the discussion, some with which I am familiar, some with which I am becoming more familiar. I am learning more about hyper-preterism, partial-preterism, preterism, and amillinialism. I could give more terms, but the point is clear that this a subject that requires some effort to apprehend. I believe the effort will be well spent.

Fifth, and this is a thought that has been peculating in my weird little mind for quite a while, it seems a number of interesting things were ‘discovered’ or taught by elements of the 19th century American church that had somehow been missed in the previous eighteen hundred years of the church. Examples may include the ‘discovery’ and teaching of a ’secret’ rapture of the church to occur at some point in the future. This doctrine is the driving impetus behind the mindset of the Left Behind series of books and movies that dominate much of the popular eschatological landscape. Another example would be the evangelical measures and methods popularized by Charles Finney that have such great traction in the American evangelical community today. While I personally have some issues with the excesses often evidenced by adherents of the two aforementioned examples, dispensational thought, born, too, in the 19th century, needs and deserves a more sober assessment and should not be easily dismissed.

Sixth, how do I deal with the year 1948 when Israel became a nation again? How does this significant historical event relate to the amillinialism that seems to be a large part of covenant (reformed) theology?

Seventh, dispensationalists have cool charts.
Eighth, I lean towards, no…stand resolutely on….a reformed view of soteriology, the TULIP. Perhaps a hill to die on. I also favor a post-trib, pre-millennial ‘rapture’ eschatology. I am not dogmatic on this, however. Not a hill I would die on.

Number ninth, should someone outside of the church ever stumble upon this post, what gibberish it all must sound like. But, they are not the intended audience. Who the intended audience is, of that, I am not sure. I think perhaps me, for the most part.

Tenth, what is the deal with Federal Vision? Seems to be a controversy in Presbyterian circles. Something to study when I am more firmly grounded in covenant thinking.

As an addendum, please forgive any misspelled words. Spell-check did not recognize many terms and I did not take the effort to check every questionable spelling through an internet query.