Taking Issue (Part 1)
- graceapologetics10
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
TAKING ISSUE (Part 1)
DISPENSATIONIST vs “NEW” COVENANT THEOLOGY
Usually, I am pointing out and taking issue with those that hold to Calvinist and Arminianism theology. But as of late, due to overt personal attacks, I find it fascinating that Dispensationists, which exist under all types of denominational flags, are a group of thinkers that just cannot contain themselves. They give the perception that they are genteel, yet they are aggressive and overtly overbearing about their theological positions. Biblical or not – having continuity or not – they don’t care. If you don’t stand in hand-to-hand agreement with this camp, you are the enemy. If you stand in any way opposite of their position, they are beside themselves with determination to rake you over the coals and make you submit to their theological position at all costs. They will deny this, but their abhorrent behavior speaks loudly for all to hear.
They do not know how to keep the discussion rooted in civility. Now when I say “rooted in civility” I mean - not arrogant, condescending and self-righteous. Rather, when in disagreement, making a point to agree on just the essentials, and fundamentals of Salvation by grace alone, via faith alone, in the work of Christ alone would make the encounter more tolerable. Even though we may not stand hand-in-hand on specific non-essential issues does not mean we should abandon our brother and sisterhood in Christ.
The essentials of the gospel must be held close, and the non-essentials should be able to be debated with civility and cordial discourse. Do recognize that I did not bring Traditional Covenant Theology (Replacement Theology) into this immediate dialogue. That is because I can have civil discourse with them, but I cannot with the other. It’s almost like being a Free Grace Theology person encountering a Calvinist. The heat and the vitriol often come from one side only, and it is not from my side. This is a sad and unnecessary reality.
With that being said. Here is a list of church leaders throughout church history.
Early & Medieval Church:
Augustine (354–430 AD)
Reformation & Post-Reformation Era (16th–17th Centuries):
Martin Luther (1483–1546) & John Calvin (1509–1564)
Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575) & Caspar Olevianus (1536–1587)
The 19th & Early 20th Centuries:
Philip Mauro (1859–1952)
Benjamin B. Warfield (1851–1921)
Mid to Late 20th Century:
George Eldon Ladd (1911–1982)
John H. Gerstner (1914–1996)
Oswald T. Allis (1880–1973)
Contemporary Teachers:
R.C. Sproul (1939–2017)
Michael Horton: Professor at Westminster Seminary California
Vern S. Poythress
John Murray
Kim Riddlebarger
Alistair Begg
What does the above list of teachers, scholars and theologians have in common?
The answer… they do not hold to Dispensationist Theology and matter of fact teach against it with veracity that many others do not. They are willing to be the lone fish swimming against the cultural current of their day. However, they tend to hold to Replacement Theology found within Traditional Covenant Theology and lack scriptural continuity as well.
THE PREDOMINATE VIEWS:
Regarding Israel and the Church there are three predominant modes of thought within the evangelical Christian world that address redemptive history.
They are the following: Traditional Covenant Theology (TCT), Dispensationalism (Disp), and New Covenant Theology (NCT). I specifically listed them in this order because SO MANY assume Traditional Covenant Theology (TCT) is the exact same as New Covenant Theology (NCT), and they are not!
Now it is not lost on me that ALL systems of theology make the claim that THEIR school of thought is accurately based upon biblical text.
However, it is NCT that truly attempts to allow biblical text to have the “final word, the final say,” what do I mean?
Dispensationism stands upon many assumptions and presuppositions from other sources than just proof texting. It stands upon a lot of academic and literary work that came out of the cult years of the 1800’s. It predominantly relies on notes from the Scofield Bible. That is a whole other subject in and of itself.
The same for TCT that stands on the presuppositions lent to it by the Westminster Confessions. TCT has very weak footing scripturally with blatant potholes in the road.
Whereas NCT does not have the luxury of standing on the shoulders of outside sources. It could be considered the new kid on the block, but it is not. Just like Free Grace Theology is not. Both have existed since the first century. NCT has no outside sources that lead one to bend and press in order to impose upon scripture. No compulsion to distort scripture, context, and exegesis to accommodate its school of thought.
WHAT IS THE BIG PICTURE? AND… A WHOLE LOT OF DISP. BELIEVE THEIR IS REALLY NO BIG PICTURE OTHER THAN THEIR PICTURE.
What is the all-encompassing big picture regarding the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation? What is the big story of God redeeming man all about, and what does it truly entail in the end? What is the capstone of it all? Is it just Jews, Israel, and middle east real estate and then in parenthesis as an afterthought this thing called the “Church?” As if it is the secondary concept of the big picture? Or, as if Salvation for Jews is optional because they have some side deal going on other than Faith in Jesus? The very same Jesus (Yeshua) they could not believe, rejected and cried – “give us Barabas” in objection to…??
The answer is - JESUS! Just Jesus! He is the cornerstone and the capstone. It is all about him. Nothing else! Any promises ever made to anyone at any time (both old and new) in biblical history must be viewed through the lens of Jesus as the risen Saviour (Messiah). That is what NCT always strives to bring to the table.
Why do I say this in light of the fifty plus promises made to Israel? - according to James C. Morris
Well… because Colossians 1:16 declares - “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
Him who?
Well… Jesus… the capstone and the cornerstone of this whole subject called the story of redemption.
He is the center of it all, center of creation, center of the universe, and center of the bible in its plenary fullness. This implies some very distinct things.
He is King and all things flow to Him, through Him, and for Him. His words and His words alone stand over all other words. He, and His words must be the lens by which we view all promises and covenants both old and new for His Word tells us: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2 Cor. 1:20)
NCT holds exclusively to the authority and centrality of Jesus alone. How we apply exegesis to the Old Testament promises, considering Jesus, the Christ, coming in the New Testament as the fulfillment of it all, is crucially and irrefutably THE pillar of biblical context. For the Dispensationist… Yes – it is one context, not two. It is one story of redemption, not two!
Jesus is contextually the center of all things (Col. 1:16) All powers that be, and have been, all institutions, all men, all world events of the OT history, all culminate in a single event in the NT. That would be the entrance into the world, the cornerstone and capstone to it all. Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, Emmanuel - “God with us.”
Jesus is:
Last Adam (Roman 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:45)
Second Adam (1 Cor. 15;21-22; 15:47; Rom. 5:14, 17-19)
True Image of God (Col. 1:15; 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3; John 14:9)
Seed of Abraham, when he was till Abram (Gal. 3:16)
Bread of Life (John 6;35; 6:48; 6:51)
Final Sacrifice (Heb. 10:10-14; Heb. 9:26, 28; 1 Peter 3:18; Rom. 3:25; 6:10; John 1:29)
Final Prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15-19; Matt. 17:5; Acts 3:22,23; Acts 7:37)
Passover Lamb (1 Cor.5:7; John 1:29; John 19:36; 1 Peter 1:19; Rev. 5:6)
The New Exodus (Luke 9:30-31; Matt. 2:15; 1 Cor. 5:7; John 1:29; Matt 4:1-2 and Mark 1:12,13; 1 Cor. 10:3,4; Luke 22:20 ties to Exodus 24:8)
NEW and BETTER COVENANT (Luke 22:20; Heb. 7:22; 9:15; 12:24)
True Tabernacle (John 1:14; Heb 9:11,12; 8:1-2; Rev. 21:3,22; John 2:19-21)
Eternal Priest (Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:17; 7:21; Psalm 10:4 / Heb. 7:24; 7:3; 7:16 / Heb. 7:25; Heb 4:14)
The End/Last Temple/The Temple Risen up in three days (John 2:19-22; Matt. 12:6; Col. 2:9; 1 Cor. 3:16)
Faithful son of David (Matt. 1:1; 2 Samuel 7:12,13; Luke 1:32-33; Matt. 9:27; Luke 18:38; Rev. 22:16)
Anointed King (OT- Psalm 2:6-7; 45:6-7; Isaiah 9:6,7 / NT- Luke 1:32,33; Matt. 21:5; Acts 4:26-27; John 18:36;1 Tim. 6:15 and Rev. 19:16; let's not forget His Kingly anointing as He was baptized in the river Jordan by His cousin and Prophet John.)
Suffering Servant (Isaiah 42:1-4; 491-6; 50:4-9; 52:13 - 53:12; 53:3,5,7,12; Matt 8:17; Acts 8:32-35; 1 Peter 2:22-25; Mark 10:45)
When the fall of man took place in Genesis, God the Father had one singular PLAN (not a covenant of… Although pre-Christ, the children of God had covenants as typologies of the ultimate FINAL blood covenant found in Jesus.) and it was nothing other than Jesus ruling as King and Savior over it all. All nations, all people, all kindred. It was NOT about a modern-day real estate deal. After all there will be new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem. He will rule over all that he created, therefore he will rule over the very cosmos. (Col. 1:15-20; Revelation 21:1-2; Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13)
So, as you can see God doing a NEW thing is not new. Including a NEW Covenant, wet with blood. The blood of Jesus! (Eph 2:11-22; Romans Chapter 9)
Language and Terms Can Be Allusive
This indiscriminate use of a word, phrase, or category that is actually not in scripture is the very thing that NCT attempts to disassociate with.
I am ending here with Part 1 of this discourse and will pick up with Language and Terms, and much more, in Part 2.
But to Summarize Part 1 with brevity:
Jesus is the lens by which we must look at all promises both old and new, all promises made to both Jew and Gentile, and that it is about Jesus being both the cornerstone and capstone in the story of redemption. He is the all-encompassing singular everything that all things flow from, flow to, and are created for. Not two plans, but one plan, about redemption and not real estate.
Brent A. Hartford
06/18/2026
GA101
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