Implications of  Gospel Truth

 

 

Implications of that which I have written in the subpages of http://www.newcovenanttheology.com are numerous and sobering:

1. The gospel is heard by very few. That was true in the time of Jesus and is even more true now. Jesus asked if He would find faith on the earth at His return, His Second Coming. This question is for me a prophesy that there would be very little faith in these last moments of creation. Those who are are the children of the bondwoman, who seek righteousness by the Law of Moses (in whatever form they seek it) outnumber the children of the freewoman. (Gal 4:22-31) The children of legalism always try to destroy the faith of the children of Abraham. Legalism is EVERYWHERE worldwide. Grace is hardly to be found! Again, even those who teach New covenant theology, such as John Reisinger and W. R. Downing cling to law preaching as a central tenant of their theologies, founding their false religion in the London Confession of 1689. I view that confession as being a falling away from the Christ honoring 1646 London Confession.

2. The life of a true believer is a life of sorrow. Many of your dearest relatives do not hear the scripture, and friends forsake you, and even those who you think are with you may very well not be with you at all. You are considered to be arrogant, when you are simply seeking to follow the Spirit of Christ. If you are a true believer in the revealed gospel of Jesus Christ, then you can try to fellowship, but be warned that if you cannot stand up and speak the truth, if you are in any way hindered, you must get up and leave that congregation. You may end up alone, and you may not be able to find fellowship at all. But God is with you. That is all that matters.

3.Covenant Theology insists on the salvation of infants. They use examples of David's child and John the Baptist as a defense of the view. Of course we don't know much about David's child other than he went to Sheol when he died. We know that John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb. (Luke ch 1) Psalm 58:3 states that the wicked speak lies from the womb. Obviously that means that as young children they speak lies. I don't believe you can use the passage in Luke to show that John was saved prior to birth. While I would not make this point a contention of fellowship, I would say that no one should trust in the salvation of elect infants based on the example of John the Baptist. My view is that the elect finish the race, and enter into Christ's sufferings and grow to maturity in Christ. This is a passage that I wrote from a forum I belong to relating to their contention that John the Baptist was really filled with faith IN his mother's womb:

Let us suppose that your arguments regarding "from the mother's womb" are valid. Even so, every one of those people grew up and lived faith to the end. They did not die in infancy, or as the scriptures have said, died an untimely death. Indeed, nothing is untimely with the elect. It is said of them that they all grow to maturity, that they all win the race, that they all keep faith to the end. There is not one example in the Bible to say that someone separated to be chosen from their mother's womb was ever killed in infancy! 

 A response was as follows from one I was debating: "There is no where in Scripture which says the elect will not die in infancy and I believe it is clear from David's statement that he expected to see the child which the Lord took from Him in heaven as Gill says"

My response: There is a scripture that strongly suggests that the elect will not die in infancy. It is Eph 2:10. Also, David said he would go to the grave one day with his child. He did not indicate the child was saved. See Gen 37:35. Sheol cannot be equated with heaven where all are redeemed.

I don't have to prove my position, but rather show that yours is not founded in scripture. You cannot use anecdotal evidence to build a doctrine that says certain deceased infants are going to be saved. My position is that you just don't have enough information to do so. Remember you have built a doctrine. I am showing that doctrine has no solid foundation whatsoever.
 
 
4. The gospel of the Reformers and Covenant Theologians and Augustinians is a gospel of free will cloaked in the disguise of Sovereign grace. The use of law preaching and non believer introspection was an attempt to put oneself in the way of grace, a way of making oneself ready to be chosen. This false gospel is nowhere biblical and in fact is proven not to be biblical. (Acts ch 2) Twentieth century manifestations of covenant theologians are the Theonomy movement which seeks to reconstruct the church/state and the Banner of Truth Trust, which seeks to promote sabbath laws and the Protestant tradition. It goes without saying that these movements are to be avoided by the elect.
 
 
5.The understanding that the earth is young is so important to the elect, people who are believers. Believers can find great arguments all over the web for proofs of a young earth. However, to convince someone that the earth is young, that evolution is wrong, that carbon dating is incorrect, etc. for the purpose of getting a Christian confession is for  wrong. Let me explain: 

When a person is called to be in Christ, it does not matter what they believe regarding evolution prior to the power of the gospel working to save them. Whatever they believe will  be buried under the power of God. While I see nothing wrong with telling an evolution believer that his science is a form of a false religion, it is a false gospel to attempt to argue a person into believing in the savior through convincing him of creationism. The gospel is the power of God and it is sufficient! The truth is laid out about the gospel, and it is left to God to give the increase. 

Furthermore, many if not most creationists falsely use the knowledge they have to promote the ten commandments. Remember, the commandments were a law written on stone, and they caused condemnation and death. The New Law of Christ is written on the heart, and we follow His commands, like the sermon on the mount, and also we follow the commands of His chosen Apostles. The sabbath day, which is patterned after God resting on the seventh day, was only first revealed in Exodus 20 and was for the physical nation of Israel only! The new sabbath is faith in Jesus Christ, as He is the sabbath. (Heb. ch 3, ch 4) The elect will discern the error of the legalists.

 

6. If you continue in faith you will be living within the perfect law of liberty. (James 1:21-25) You will not build again the things you destroyed, ie legalism (Gal 2:18), however you could be temporarily caught up in falsehood and you will need to throw off that falsehood and escape. (2 Cor 11:4-15) You must escape the most subtle of evil men, those who come looking as if they are righteous.  As Paul says to the Corinthians that it is not surprising if the servants of Satan come disguised as angels of light, as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their evil deeds!

If you continue in faith you will keep faith to the end as was preordained before the foundation of the world. Imputed righteousness continues as it did in the life of Abraham. The record states that righteousness was imputed to Abraham's account numerous times by faith. See James 2:17-26, [Gen 15:6, Rom. 4:19-22 and Rom. 4:9-14] and Hebrews 11:8  where we see justification taking place many times in Abraham's life, from going out of Egypt to siring Isaac to offering Isaac. Please note that this does not mean that a truly justified believer will fall out of justification. What it means is that once justified, the just will live by faith, will continue in faith, through the end of life.

 

7. You see that the world is lost, in darkness, and yet they do not hear, and you know God is not calling many. You know that billions of people will spend eternity in separation from God, with suffering, fear, lonliness and despair to face continually. What human being would not agonize at this judgement of mankind! You have no joy in this as an elect person in Christ.

You have frustration in the plan of God for the end of the end times, and you want a better roadmap! Still, you know God is in complete sovereign control of His universe and of His plan and of your salvation, and He will deliver the elect in Christ! May God be with you. Gary Anderson 

Resources:

http://www.newcovenanttheology.com

http://www.newcovenanttheology.com/doctrine.html

Calvin's misuse of law and introspection:

http://www.newcovenanttheology.com/calvin.html

Evidence of a young world:

http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=1842