| The CROWN of CHRIST - Understanding the Times in the Light of Scripture |
| Christian Covenanting Considered |
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A law is simply a command to be obeyed. An oath is an appeal to God as the Witness
that one is telling the truth. A vow is a promise one person makes. We often use
these terms interchangeably.
A covenant includes all of the above. It is an agreement between two or more
people, who vow to do something lawful, and swear an oath that they are sincere.
Think of marriage. It is legally regulated and sworn before God and men. The whole
arrangement is a covenant between the couple, society and God. The promise to be
faithful to the marriage covenant is a vow and an oath.
Covenants can be either civil or religious. Religious covenants are either personal or
social. When a believer turns from sin to trust Jesus, he enters the Gospel Covenant
as an individual. It is also good for whole societies to promise to take God as their
God and to follow Him. (Deut 29:10-13, Josh 24:1,25, 2 Chron 15:9-15,
Is 19:18, Jer 11:10)
Even pagans like the sailors of ancient Tarshish knew that covenanting was a good
and natural thing to do. (Jonah 1:16) The heathen philosopher Epictetus wrote that
men should swear loyalty to God, since soldiers swear loyalty to the Emperor.
The Bible commands us to make vows and then keep them. (Deut 10:20, 2 Chron
30:8, Ps 76:11, Jer 4:6,44:26, Mt 5:33, Rom 6:13, 12:1) The Bible also gives us
examples of true believers who made covenants with God. (Deut 26:15-19,
29:10-13, Josh 24:1, 25, 2 Kg 11:17, 23:1+2, Neh 10:20)
Covenanting was never abolished, so it is a moral duty in this New Testament era.
Faithless disloyalty, or covenant-breaking, is a great evil. (Rom 1:31) Bible
prophesies refer to this present age (or perhaps the Millennium) as an age of
covenanting. (Is 19:18-25, Jer 4:4+5) Paul expected the Corinthian Christians to
be generous - but he was surprised and pleased when they first gave themselves to
God in some sort of covenant. (2 Cor 8:5, cf. 2 Chron 30:8)
God's relationship with His people is closer and stronger in the New Testament than
in the Old. (Heb 12:18,22) The Church is still God's Bride. (Hosea 2:19+20,
Eph 4:25, 5:30) But the prophets predicted that God would take whole lands as His
covenanted People. (Is 62:4) Knowing God makes whole societies happy; Jesus isn't
just a "personal Savior" of individuals. (Ps 144:15)
Swearing a covenant adds moral duty to God's Laws. For example, it is always wrong
to be a traitor. But a soldier who deserts commits a double crime because he breaks
his oath to defend the country. An unmarried fornicator certainly breaks the
seventh commandment. But a married adulterer is guilty of both immorality and
breaking his or her wedding vows.
Public social covenants are forever binding on the children of all who swear them. A
covenant only ends if the entity that swore it ceases to exist and/or its purpose is
accomplished. For example, marriage ends with the death of the spouse.
Jacob made a covenant with God at Bethel, but the Prophet Hosea holds his
descendants bound to it. (Gen 28:13, Hos 12:4) The covenant with Israel at the
time of Moses didn't die with those who swore it. (Deut 5:2+3, 29:10-15) Joshua
and the Israelites made a covenant with the Gibeonites; four or five centuries later
God punished David and Israel because Saul had broken it. (Joshua 9:15,
2 Sam 21:1+2)
God condemns His people for not keeping their ancestors' covenants. (Jer 11:10)
Federal representation is simply assumed throughout the Bible. When Joseph's
brothers swore to carry his bones out of Egypt, did Joseph think they would live to
leave Egypt themselves? No. He assumed that their great grandsons would keep the
promise. (Gen 50:25, Ex 13:19)
It is a basic but misunderstood principle that parents have the right to bind their
children to covenants. This is the principle behind Biblical infant baptism: children
are part of their parents' faith. (Gen 17:23, Acts 2:39,11:14,16:31) This is also
the principle behind international treaties, which don't become invalid if the current
politicians die or lose office. God has decided to hold us responsible for the public
obligations of our physical, ecclesiastical and national parents. Thus Levi paid tithes
to Melchisedec because he was "in the loins of Abraham". (Heb 7:10)
Understanding the seriousness of covenanting helps us remember to be loyal to God.
(Deut 4:32, Acts 3:28) It gives us a basis for coming to God and asking Him to bless
us. (Lev 26:44+45, Jer 14:22) It helps unify the Church in all ages by reminding us
to walk in the pious footprints of our spiritual fathers. (John 17:11)
Public social covenanting is not an ordinary part of public worship (like prayer,
Psalm-singing, reading & preaching). Covenanting is a duty for special occasions.
Christians might choose to covenant with God when they face serious back-sliding,
persecution, revival or blessing. (Jer 50:4+5, Neh 9:1,38, 2 Kg 23:1-3, 11:17-20,
Ps 76:11, Deut 29:10-15, Ps 44:3, Heb 11:32, Is 44:3-5)
Covenanting was practiced by the European Reformers and English Puritans. The
Lutherans, for example, swore the Smalcaldic League. We should pay special
attention to the National covenants of our British forefathers.
The National Covenant was sworn in 1581 by the Scottish King James VI, the General
Assembly of the Scottish Church and all sorts of citizens. It was renewed in 1590 and
1638. The National Covenant is a promise to God that Scotland will be a Biblical
Christian nation and reject Popish errors.
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between Scotland, England &
Ireland to serve God in unity and to defend each other from anti-Reformation
forces. It was sworn by the Scottish Church in 1643, and by the Parliament in 1644 &
1649. In 1650 & 1651, King Charles II vowed to keep it - but he broke it soon after.
These covenants agree with the Bible, so we who have descended from the nations
of Great Britain are obligated to keep them.
Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, No man disannulled!, or
addeth thereto... Galatians 3:15
This summary of section 11 of William L. Roberts' Reformed Presbyterian Catechism
(1853) Was prepared by Scott Rocca Box 365 Gratz PA 17030.
that one is telling the truth. A vow is a promise one person makes. We often use
these terms interchangeably.
A covenant includes all of the above. It is an agreement between two or more
people, who vow to do something lawful, and swear an oath that they are sincere.
Think of marriage. It is legally regulated and sworn before God and men. The whole
arrangement is a covenant between the couple, society and God. The promise to be
faithful to the marriage covenant is a vow and an oath.
Covenants can be either civil or religious. Religious covenants are either personal or
social. When a believer turns from sin to trust Jesus, he enters the Gospel Covenant
as an individual. It is also good for whole societies to promise to take God as their
God and to follow Him. (Deut 29:10-13, Josh 24:1,25, 2 Chron 15:9-15,
Is 19:18, Jer 11:10)
Even pagans like the sailors of ancient Tarshish knew that covenanting was a good
and natural thing to do. (Jonah 1:16) The heathen philosopher Epictetus wrote that
men should swear loyalty to God, since soldiers swear loyalty to the Emperor.
The Bible commands us to make vows and then keep them. (Deut 10:20, 2 Chron
30:8, Ps 76:11, Jer 4:6,44:26, Mt 5:33, Rom 6:13, 12:1) The Bible also gives us
examples of true believers who made covenants with God. (Deut 26:15-19,
29:10-13, Josh 24:1, 25, 2 Kg 11:17, 23:1+2, Neh 10:20)
Covenanting was never abolished, so it is a moral duty in this New Testament era.
Faithless disloyalty, or covenant-breaking, is a great evil. (Rom 1:31) Bible
prophesies refer to this present age (or perhaps the Millennium) as an age of
covenanting. (Is 19:18-25, Jer 4:4+5) Paul expected the Corinthian Christians to
be generous - but he was surprised and pleased when they first gave themselves to
God in some sort of covenant. (2 Cor 8:5, cf. 2 Chron 30:8)
God's relationship with His people is closer and stronger in the New Testament than
in the Old. (Heb 12:18,22) The Church is still God's Bride. (Hosea 2:19+20,
Eph 4:25, 5:30) But the prophets predicted that God would take whole lands as His
covenanted People. (Is 62:4) Knowing God makes whole societies happy; Jesus isn't
just a "personal Savior" of individuals. (Ps 144:15)
Swearing a covenant adds moral duty to God's Laws. For example, it is always wrong
to be a traitor. But a soldier who deserts commits a double crime because he breaks
his oath to defend the country. An unmarried fornicator certainly breaks the
seventh commandment. But a married adulterer is guilty of both immorality and
breaking his or her wedding vows.
Public social covenants are forever binding on the children of all who swear them. A
covenant only ends if the entity that swore it ceases to exist and/or its purpose is
accomplished. For example, marriage ends with the death of the spouse.
Jacob made a covenant with God at Bethel, but the Prophet Hosea holds his
descendants bound to it. (Gen 28:13, Hos 12:4) The covenant with Israel at the
time of Moses didn't die with those who swore it. (Deut 5:2+3, 29:10-15) Joshua
and the Israelites made a covenant with the Gibeonites; four or five centuries later
God punished David and Israel because Saul had broken it. (Joshua 9:15,
2 Sam 21:1+2)
God condemns His people for not keeping their ancestors' covenants. (Jer 11:10)
Federal representation is simply assumed throughout the Bible. When Joseph's
brothers swore to carry his bones out of Egypt, did Joseph think they would live to
leave Egypt themselves? No. He assumed that their great grandsons would keep the
promise. (Gen 50:25, Ex 13:19)
It is a basic but misunderstood principle that parents have the right to bind their
children to covenants. This is the principle behind Biblical infant baptism: children
are part of their parents' faith. (Gen 17:23, Acts 2:39,11:14,16:31) This is also
the principle behind international treaties, which don't become invalid if the current
politicians die or lose office. God has decided to hold us responsible for the public
obligations of our physical, ecclesiastical and national parents. Thus Levi paid tithes
to Melchisedec because he was "in the loins of Abraham". (Heb 7:10)
Understanding the seriousness of covenanting helps us remember to be loyal to God.
(Deut 4:32, Acts 3:28) It gives us a basis for coming to God and asking Him to bless
us. (Lev 26:44+45, Jer 14:22) It helps unify the Church in all ages by reminding us
to walk in the pious footprints of our spiritual fathers. (John 17:11)
Public social covenanting is not an ordinary part of public worship (like prayer,
Psalm-singing, reading & preaching). Covenanting is a duty for special occasions.
Christians might choose to covenant with God when they face serious back-sliding,
persecution, revival or blessing. (Jer 50:4+5, Neh 9:1,38, 2 Kg 23:1-3, 11:17-20,
Ps 76:11, Deut 29:10-15, Ps 44:3, Heb 11:32, Is 44:3-5)
Covenanting was practiced by the European Reformers and English Puritans. The
Lutherans, for example, swore the Smalcaldic League. We should pay special
attention to the National covenants of our British forefathers.
The National Covenant was sworn in 1581 by the Scottish King James VI, the General
Assembly of the Scottish Church and all sorts of citizens. It was renewed in 1590 and
1638. The National Covenant is a promise to God that Scotland will be a Biblical
Christian nation and reject Popish errors.
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between Scotland, England &
Ireland to serve God in unity and to defend each other from anti-Reformation
forces. It was sworn by the Scottish Church in 1643, and by the Parliament in 1644 &
1649. In 1650 & 1651, King Charles II vowed to keep it - but he broke it soon after.
These covenants agree with the Bible, so we who have descended from the nations
of Great Britain are obligated to keep them.
Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, No man disannulled!, or
addeth thereto... Galatians 3:15
This summary of section 11 of William L. Roberts' Reformed Presbyterian Catechism
(1853) Was prepared by Scott Rocca Box 365 Gratz PA 17030.