Covenants and Dispensations

[ALAYMAN]

“The doctrine of the divine covenant lies at the root of all true theology. It has been said that he who well understands the distinction between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace is a master of divinity. I am persuaded that most of the mistakes which men make concerning the doctrines of Scripture are based upon fundamental errors with regard to the covenants of law and of grace.” Spurgeon

Thoughts?

And on a more pointed note, do you believe that understanding Biblical theology at least a little bit in a covenantal fashion (as opposed to many forms of dispensational frameworks) provides more unified and cohesive understanding of total (OT + NT) Scriptural truth?

 

[Ransom]

And on a more pointed note, do you believe that understanding Biblical theology at least a little bit in a covenantal fashion (as opposed to many forms of dispensational frameworks) provides more unified and cohesive understanding of total (OT + NT) Scriptural truth?

The covenant of works and the covenant of grace are, at least, biblical categories, which is more than you can say for C. I. Scofield's rather synthetic scheme of seven dispensations. The various divine covenants (with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the New Covenant) are the biblical framework within which redemptive history unfolds.

Unlike the classical covenant theology (of Witsius et al), in which there are three implicit covenants:

• the covenant of redemption (in which the persons of the Trinity covenant to carry out the redemption of mankind)
• the covenant of works (which Adam broke at the Fall); and
• the covenant of grace (of which the Old and New Covenants are differing administrations),

my understanding is that Spurgeon conflated the so-called covenant of redemption with the covenant of grace, and regarded the post-fall covenants, apart from the New as modifications of the covenant of works. I've been wrangling with this aspect of hermeneutics for many years, and this view probably comes closer to where I am now than classical covenant theology or Dispensationalism.

 

[ALAYMAN]

This is merely anecdotal, but it is those who are overly enarmored with (hyper) dispensational hermeneutics that I have noticed who have difficulty synthesizing many common doctrines from both testaments (like salvation by grace vs works).

 

[Edwards]

The covenant of works and the covenant of grace are, at least, biblical categories, which is more than you can say for C. I. Scofield's rather synthetic scheme of seven dispensations. The various divine covenants (with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the New Covenant) are the biblical framework within which redemptive history unfolds.

Unlike the classical covenant theology (of Witsius et al), in which there are three implicit covenants:

• the covenant of redemption (in which the persons of the Trinity covenant to carry out the redemption of mankind)
• the covenant of works (which Adam broke at the Fall); and
• the covenant of grace (of which the Old and New Covenants are differing administrations),

my understanding is that Spurgeon conflated the so-called covenant of redemption with the covenant of grace, and regarded the post-fall covenants, apart from the New as modifications of the covenant of works. I've been wrangling with this aspect of hermeneutics for many years, and this view probably comes closer to where I am now than classical covenant theology or Dispensationalism.

Scott, I too have wrestled for quite a while with covenant theology. I have never heard CHS's point of view. It sounds to me like class covenant theology. How is it different? (I am not arguing, just trying to understand. I love Spurgeon and have never heard this).