A Pastoral Note About My Doctoral Project I am glad you are interested in reading my dissertation. Given that it took a fair amount of effort and my passion for the subject matter, I am happy to share it with church members and friends. Please allow me to introduce you to the project by saying just a few things. If you ask someone what Covenant Theology is and if it is a good or bad thing, you will likely hear lots of different answers. It is fairly common for evangelicals to respond by either saying they do not know what Covenant Theology is or by describing it as something unbiblical and relating to a particular view regarding millennialism, baptism, or Israel. There are three major problems with such responses. First, classic Covenant Theology is essentially concerned with matters of sin and salvation, not something else. Second, the biblical support for such things as the federal headship of Adam and Jesus is strong (federal being from the Latin foedus meaning covenant). Third, when Covenant Theology is rejected, justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone is at best in serious jeopardy. My dissertation is a promotion and defense of classic Covenant Theology. I have written out of a pastoral passion to help people understand human history federally/covenantally just as the Apostle Paul did as he wrote inspired Scripture (see Romans 5:12-21). Likewise, I have written in order to demonstrate the vital connection between Covenant Theology and justification by faith alone, the doctrine that is so commonly compromised by rejecters of the federal perspective. The structure of the dissertation reflects its academic nature. But my hope and prayer is that it can be helpful beyond the academy. May your comprehension and appreciation of the ever so amazing work of the triune God be abounding more and more! Pat Pat Abendroth LIGONIER ACADEMY OF BIBLICAL & THEOLOGICAL STUDIES COVENANT THEOLOGY FOR THE UNINFORMED, UNSYMPATHETIC, AND MISINFORMED A MAJOR PROJECT SUBMITTED TO: THE FACULTY OF LIGONIER ACADEMY OF BIBLICAL & THEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY PATRICK J. ABENDROTH OMAHA, NEBRASKA MAY 2016 Copyright © 2016 by Patrick AbeNdroth All rights reserved iii Contents AckNowledgmeNts ........................................................................................................................................ v Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1. What is a CovenaNt? .............................................................................................................. 22 Chapter 2. The CoveNaNt of RedemptioN ........................................................................................... 38 Chapter 3. The Covenant of Works ....................................................................................................... 67 Chapter 4. The Covenant of Grace ......................................................................................................... 117 Chapter 5. CovenaNt Theology for the Church ................................................................................. 134 AppeNdix 1. The Problem of Biblicism ................................................................................................ 147 AppeNdix 2. ImpUtatioN, JUstificatioN, aNd the Active ObedieNce of Christ ......................... 161 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................... 191 Vita iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A project like this coUld Not be completed apart from the vital sUpport of others. I waNt to thaNk the members of Omaha Bible ChUrch for sUpportiNg my work in countless ways. The partnership we share in holding forth the word of truth is a delight. I am particUlarly gratefUl for the eNcoUragemeNt aNd sUpport of my fellow elders: FraNk Barber, Dallas Focht, Mike Grimes, Dave GUthrie, Mike Holloway, Chris Peterson, and Todd Swift. YoU meN have beeN aN immeasUrable meaNs of grace to me iN so maNy ways. ThroUghoUt my work oN this project, the gUidaNce, sUggestioNs, aNd eNcoUragemeNt from Dr. J. V. Fesko have proveN to be of exceptional value. Thank you, Dr. Fesko for your oversight. GratitUde is also offered to Dr. AaroN DeNliNger who was the reader for this project. ThaNk yoU to my wife, Molly, aNd childreN, JoNathaN, Natalie, AlexaNdra, Josiah, aNd OweN. I am thaNkfUl for yoUr love, prayer, aNd patieNce. My prayer for each of yoU, my childreN, is that yoU kNow aNd eNjoy the coveNaNt faithfUlNess of the Lord Jesus Christ. v ABSTRACT This project was desigNed to demoNstrate that the coveNaNts of redemptioN, works, and grace as classically formulated are exegetically derived, historically significant, aNd pastorally prUdeNt. As sUch, the coveNaNts of traditional CovenaNt Theology are showN to Not be creative iNveNtioNs imposed UpoN the text of the Bible, bUt derived from the Bible itself iN order to reveal the maNNer iN which God, the covenant Lord, relates to the hUmaN race. The value of CovenaNt Theology is shown not to be esoteric, but practical for both pastor and parishioner as it makes the eNtire Bible more coherent in both part and whole. This coherence provides for a bolstering of discerNmeNt especially as it relates to the importaNt matter of justification sola fide. SUch discerNmeNt is showN to be Necessary giveN the attacks UpoN the jUstifyiNg work of JesUs that are commoNly related to compromising a given aspect or aspects of CovenaNt Theology. In addition, specific atteNtioN is giveN to aNsweriNg commoN criticisms of CovenaNt Theology. The project concludes with guidelines for iNtrodUciNg aNd implemeNtiNg CovenaNt Theology into the life of the local church. vi Introduction CovenaNt theology is a coherent perspective from which coUNtless millioNs of believers both young and old have understood the revelation of God in general and the all-importaNt work of Christ in particular. For centUries it has benefited the church in this way and continues to do so even this very day. Despite enjoying such a formidable history of helpiNg people to kNow God aNd most Notably his soN JesUs, maNy today are UNfamiliar with CoveNaNt Theology and still others antagonistically shun it. This writer was first introduced to CovenaNt Theology while working on a Master of DiviNity degree at which time some of his professors Upheld the theological covenants of CovenaNt Theology as biblical and vital for a proper understanding of God, sin, and salvation. From classroom lectUres to assigNed texts, CoveNaNt Theology was promoted aNd defeNded. Other professors however, vehemeNtly warned against CovenaNt Theology as woefully unbiblical and extremely dangerous. This project comes some tweNty years later oUt of the settled conviction that traditional CovenaNt Theology Not oNly reflects the most accUrate way of UNderstaNdiNg the Bible, bUt that it is most helpfUl aNd direly needed in the life of the chUrch from pUlpit to pew. Many have written on CovenaNt Theology. Wonderful works, long and short, old and new, are readily accessible. The intent of this project is not to offer somethiNg esseNtially differeNt. BUt it is to offer somethiNg geared toward 1 evangelicals who are either unaware of CovenaNt Theology and its benefits or who are antagonistic toward it. This project will argue for the legitimacy and usefulness of historic Reformed Protestant CoveNaNt Theology. By traditioNal CoveNaNt Theology, this writer meaNs that the coveNaNt of works, grace, aNd redemptioN provide the framework for understanding God, his word, and his ways.1 It will be argued that each of these three covenants are the product of divine intention and therefore are to be discovered from a Normal readiNg of the Bible. Therefore significant attention will be given to those biblical passages teaching or supporting the covenants of Covenant Theology. ComplemeNtiNg the biblical support will be theologians from the past and present. Opponents will likewise be engaged at pertinent points in the discussion throughout. The vital UsefUlNess of CoveNaNt Theology will be a matter for each chapter with particular attention given in the concluding chapter entitled “Covenant Theology for the Church.” The remaiNder of this iNtrodUctioN will consider the significance of theology, covenant, a preview of Covenant Theology, as well as the present need for Covenant Theology. 1 Michael Horton, Introducing Covenant Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006), 15. 2 I. Why Care About Theology? Theology is importaNt becaUse of the sUpreme sUbject matter iN view—God and his ways!2 There is NothiNg of greater importaNce. God, the oNe trUe aNd liviNg God, has revealed himself. To therefore know and understand this God and his ways is an unrivaled priority. God himself briNgs Us perspective throUgh Jeremiah the prophet: ThUs says the Lord: “Let Not the wise maN boast iN his wisdom, let Not the mighty maN boast iN his might, let Not the rich maN boast iN his riches, bUt let him who boasts boast iN this, that he UNderstaNds aNd kNows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord” (Jer 9:23–24).3 The deeply personal nature of understanding God and how he works cannot be overstated. To appreciate how he relates to his creatioN aNd those made iN his image is one thing, but to go further and