Reformed Baptist Apologetics: Reformed Baptist Distinctives

IV. God's New Covenant is the final administration of His Covenant of Grace (see Genesis 3:15 ), which is the historical outworking of the eternal Covenant of Redemption (see John 17 and 2 Timothy 1:8-10) and the culmination of his progressive Biblical revelation. His New Covenant, just as His Covenant of Grace has been, is with His elect only. All of those in the New Covenant have the moral law of God written on their hearts. The moral law of God does forever bind all, justified persons as well as those who are not, to the obedience thereof. The Moral Law of God (as summarized in the Ten Commandments) that is written on the consciences of all men (see Romans 2:14-15 , Romans 3:19 ) , is the same law that was written on stone by the finger of God and given to Moses to give to the nation of Israel (see Exodus 31:18 , Deuteronomy 9:10 ), put in the ark of the covenant (see Deuteronomy 10:2-5) and continues to be the law that is written on the heart of all members of the new covenant, all of whom are believers (see Hebrews 8:1-13, Hebrews 9:1-28, Hebrews 10:1-22, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:26-27 , 2 Cor. 3:2-11, , Acts 2:41-47). The civil and ceremonial laws were NOT written by the finger of God, but were written down in a book by Moses. See Exodus 24:3-4 and Exodus 34:10-27 especially verse 27. Note: there is only one people in covenant with God in the New Covenant; these include both Jews and Gentiles, and they are all believers (see Hebrews 9:1-28, Matthew 21:43 (see also 1 Peter 2:7-9), Matthew 26:28, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Cor.11:23-26, Eph. 2:11-22, Eph. 3:5-6, Rom. 2:28-29, Rom. 9:6-8, Rom 10:12-13, Rom 11:2-10, Rom. 11:16-23, Gal. 3:6-9, Gal. 3:15-16, Gal. 3:19, Gal. 3:21-22 , Gal. 3:26-29,Phil 3:3,1 Peter 2:7-9 This view of the unbreakable nature of the new covenant and who is included in it distinguishes the Reformed Baptists from paeodobaptists who believe that unregenerate children of believers are included in the New Covenant with God and can break the covenant and from dispensationalists who say that the New Covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Jeremiah 32:37-40 and confirmed as applying to the New Testament Church in Hebrews 8:1-13, ,Hebrews 9:1-28 and Hebrews 10:1-22,applies only to ethnic Jews of a reconstituted nation of Israel during the Millennium period. Reformed Baptists believe that God has already established the New Covenant with His elect (Luke 22:19-20, 2 Cor. 3:2-11) and that the New Covenant cannot be broken because God ensures that all its members will keep it, see Jeremiah 32:37-40, because they are all redeemed. Here are some key passages that confirm these views:

Exodus 31:18 (New King James Version)

18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Deuteronomy 9:10 (New King James Version)

10 Then the LORD delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

Deuteronomy 5:22 (New King James Version)

22 “These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
[Notice that not only did God write His moral law on two tablets of stone, but he added no more to it. This emphasizes the distinctiveness of the Decalogue that distinguishes it from the civil and ceremonial laws which were temporary applications of the moral law of God that were applied only to the nation of Israel until the final seed of Abraham, Christ, came and these ceremonial and civil laws were fulfilled in Him and done away with, whereas the moral law of God is written on the heart of all His people (see Jeremiah 31:31-34,Ezekiel 36:26-27 , Hebrews 8:6-13,Hebrews 10:10-22, 2 Corinthians 3:2-11 -my comments]

Deuteronomy 10:2-5 (New King James Version)

2 And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark.’
3 “So I made an ark of acacia wood, hewed two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain, having the two tablets in my hand. 4 And He wrote on the tablets according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the LORD had spoken to you in the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me. 5 Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, just as the LORD commanded me.”

[The moral law of God, i.e. the Decalogue or Ten Commandments was the only law that was written by the finger of God and was the only law that was put in the ark of the covenant. Thus it is distinctive from all the other laws. The next passage, 2 Corinthians 3:2-11 indicates that this same moral law of God is the law that is written by the Holy Spirit on the hearts of all New Covenant members, i.e. believers-my comments]

2 Corinthians 3:2-11 (New King James Version)

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

The Spirit, Not the Letter

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;^[a] for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Glory of the New Covenant

7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
Footnotes:

2 Corinthians 3:6 Or spirit

[This passage in 2 Corinthians 3:2-11 makes reference to the moral law of God, the Ten Commandments that were written on stone by the finger of God (see passages quoted above Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 9:10 ), that have now been written by the Holy Spirit on the hearts of all New Covenant members, i.e. believers in Christ-my comments. See also Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Hebrews 8:6-13, Hebrews 10:10-22]

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (New King James Version)

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgment and do them.
[This passage from Ezekiel parallels Jeremiah 31:31-34 (which is quoted in Hebrews 8:6-13 and Hebrews 10:10-22 and is applied to believers in Christ) and indicates that when God puts His Holy Spirit within believers, God will cause them to walk in His statutes, i.e. obey His law-my comments]

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (New King James Version)

A New Covenant

31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,^[a] says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Hebrews 8:1-13 (New King James Version)

New King James Version (NKJV)

The New Priestly Service

1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”^[a]

6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

A New Covenant

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. [ See also 1 John 2:27 , John 6:44-45] 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds^[a] I will remember no more.”^[b]
13 In that He says, “A new covenant, ” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 9:1-28 (New King James Version)

The Earthly Sanctuary

1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

Limitations of the Earthly Service

6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation [i.e the ceremonial laws were abrogated and fulfilled in Christ once Christ as High Priest offered His once for all sacrifice of His own blood for sins on the cross and obtained eternal redemption for His elect-my comments]

The Heavenly Sanctuary

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come,^[a] with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Mediator’s Death Necessary

16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”^[b] 21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Hebrews 10:1-22 (New King James Version)

Animal Sacrifices Insufficient

1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Christ’s Death Fulfills God’s Will

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’”^[a]

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.”^[b] He takes away the first that He may establish the second.

10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified

11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”^[a] 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”^[b] 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Hold Fast Your Confession

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water [a reference to water baptism?].
Footnotes:

Hebrews 10:16 Jeremiah 31:33
Hebrews 10:17 Jeremiah 31:34

[My comments: The author of Hebrews applies the prophecy of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31 to those for whom the sacrifice of Christ's blood on the cross has perfected and sanctified, i.e. believers in Christ who make up His Church. Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant in His blood. Thus all members of the New Covenant already 1. Have the law of God written on their hearts. 2. Know God (savingly) and 3. Have their sins forgiven. ]

Acts 20:28 (New King James Version)

28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God^[a] which He purchased with His own blood.

[As the mediator of the New Covenant in His blood, Christ purchased the church of God with His blood. That is, all those for whom Christ died, i.e., believers, make up His true church and are members of the New Covenant-my comments]

Jeremiah 32:37-40 (New American Standard Bible)

37"Behold, I will ^(A)gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and ^(B)make them dwell in safety.
38"They shall be ^(C)My people, and I will be their God;
39and I will ^(D)give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own ^(E)good and for the good of their children after them.
40"I will make an ^(F)everlasting covenant with them that I will ^(G)not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will ^(H)put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.
[My comments: This passage demonstrates the unbreakable nature of God's New Covenant with His people. It is an everlasting covenant. God guarantees that His people will not break the New Covenant by putting the fear of Him in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Him and He will not turn away from them, to do them good. See also John 6:37-39 below]

John 6:37-39 (New American Standard Bible)

37"^(A)All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
38"For ^(B)I have come down from heaven, ^(C)not to do My own will, but ^(D)the will of Him who ^(E)sent Me.
39"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of ^(F)all that He has given Me I ^(G)lose nothing, but ^(H)raise it up on the last day.
Cross references:

John 6:37 : John 6:39; 17:2, 24
John 6:38 : John 3:13
John 6:38 : Matt 26:39
John 6:38 : John 4:34; 5:30
John 6:38 : John 6:29
John 6:39 : John 6:37; 17:2, 24
John 6:39 : John 17:12; 18:9
John 6:39 : Matt 10:15; John 6:40, 44, 54; 11:24

Luke 22:19-20 (New King James Version)

19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Matthew 26:27-28 (New King James Version)

27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new^[a] covenant, which is shed for many for the remission [forgiveness] of sins.

Matthew 26:27-28 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

27 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood [that establishes] the covenant; [a] it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. (A)
Footnotes:

Matthew 26:28 Other mss read new covenant

Cross references:

Matthew 26:28 : Ex 24:8; Mt 20:28; Mk 1:4; Heb 9:20;

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (New King James Version)

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat;^[a] this is My body which is broken^[b] for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

[my comments: Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the New Covenant who establishes the New Covenant by the shedding of His blood on the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of His elect. Jesus here links the New Covenant in his blood with the forgiveness of sins so that all who are in the New Covenant have their sins forgiven through the shedding of Christ's blood on their behalf.]

Acts 2:41-47 (New King James Version)

41 Then those who gladly^[a] received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church^[b] daily those who were being saved.
Footnotes:

Acts 2:41 NU-Text omits gladly.
Acts 2:47 NU-Text omits to the church.

Galatians 3:6-25 (New King James Version)

6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[a] 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”^[b] 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

The Law Brings a Curse

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”^[c] 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”^[d] 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”^[e]
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”^[f]), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Changeless Promise

15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,”^[g]who is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ,^[h] that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Purpose of the Law

19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Footnotes:

Galatians 3:6 Genesis 15:6
Galatians 3:8 Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14
Galatians 3:10 Deuteronomy 27:26
Galatians 3:11 Habakkuk 2:4
Galatians 3:12 Leviticus 18:5
Galatians 3:13 Deuteronomy 21:23
Galatians 3:16 Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 24:7
Galatians 3:17 NU-Text omits in Christ.

[My comments:The promise of the Abrahamic Covenant was made to Abraham's Seed, i.e., Christ (see Galatians 3:16) and was fulfilled in Christ (see Galatians 3:19 ). The prophecy of the Messianic Seed was first given in Genesis 3:14-15. The promise of the Holy Spirit is given to the those who are sons of Abraham through faith in Christ. See Galatians 3:7-9 and Galatians 3:13-14 ). The purpose of the Old Covenant Mosaic ceremonial law, including circumcision, was to preserve and set apart the nation from whom the Messiah would come until the promised Seed, Christ came. Once Christ came, these laws were fulfilled in Christ and were done away with. See Galatians 3:19 , Galatians 3:24-25 , Hebrews 8:6-13 , Hebrews 9:7-12 , Hebrews 10:10-22 and 1 Peter 2:9 .

However, the moral law of God, i.e., the Ten Commandments is not done away with (see Matthew 5:17-19) but is the moral standard by which all unbelievers are judged (see Romans 2:14-15 , Romans 3:19 ) and it is written on the hearts of all New Covenant members, i.e. believers. See Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:26-27 ,Hebrews 8:6-13,Hebrews 9:15,Hebrews 10:10-22 and 2 Cor. 3:2-11 .]

Galatians 3:26-29 (New King James Version)

New King James Version (NKJV)

Sons and Heirs

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise

Romans 4:1-18 (New King James Version)

Abraham Justified by Faith

1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?^[a] 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[b] 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

David Celebrates the Same Truth

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 “ Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.”^[c]

Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted Through Faith

13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”^[d]) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”^[e]

Luke 3:7-9 (New King James Version)

John Preaches to the People

7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

[John the Baptist says that being a physical descendant of Abraham means nothing if one does not "bear fruits worthy of repentance". In fact those who say they are Abraham's children , but do not bear fruits worthy of repentance will be judged on the day of judgment and will be cast into hell to experience God's wrath forever-my comments]

John 8:33-44 (New King James Version)

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s

37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with^[a] your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

[Jesus acknowledges that the Jews who want to kill Him are descendants of Abraham, but that they are not children of Abraham, but rather children of their father the devil-my comments]

Rom. 9:6-8

Romans 9:6-8 (New King James Version)

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose

6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”^[a] 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 9:7 Genesis 21:12

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (New King James Version)

1 Corinthians 10

Old Testament Examples

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

[My comments: Notice how Paul calls the Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt "our" fathers even though he is addressing Gentile believers!]

John 1:11-13 (New King James Version)

11 He came to His own [Jews],^[a] and His own^[b] did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Footnotes:

John 1:11 That is, His own things or domain
John 1:11 That is, His own people

Romans 2:28-29 (New King James Version)

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Revelation 3:9 (New King James Version)

9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
[This passage in Revelation, which addresses the church of Philadelphia is stating that those who are Jews of ethnic descent, but are not believers in Christ are not truly Jews, implying that only believers in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile physically are true Jews, i.e believers make up the true Israel of God-my comments]

Philippians 3:3 (New American Standard Bible)

3for ^(A)we are the true circumcision, who ^(B)worship in the Spirit of God and ^(C)glory in ^(D)Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,
Cross references:

Colossians 2:11-13 (New King James Version)

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins^[a] of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
Footnotes:

Colossians 2:11 NU-Text omits of the sins.

[My comments: physical circumcision in the Old Covenant was a foreshadowing or type of heart circumcision, i.e. regeneration by the Holy Spirit, in the New Covenant. In these passages, heart circumcision is described.Thus heart circumcision is the New Covenant fulfillment of Old Covenant physical circumcision. Thus, the distinction between Jew and Gentile in the Old Covenant has been done away with in Christ in the New Covenant since both Jew and Gentile believers have their hearts circumcised. Furthermore, because heart circumcision is the fulfillment of physical circumcision, Baptism, the sign of the New Covenant, requires that its recipients have circumcised hearts since God's new covenant is with those who have circumcised hearts, i.e. believers.]

Romans 11:14-24 (New American Standard Bible)

14if somehow I might ^(A)move to jealousy ^(B)my fellow countrymen and ^(C)save some of them.
15For if their rejection is the ^(D)reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but ^(E)life from the dead?
16If the ^(F)first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.
17But if some of the ^(G)branches were broken off, and ^(H)you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
18do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that ^(I)it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
19^(J)You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
20Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you ^(K)stand by your faith ^(L)Do not be conceited, but fear;
21for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
22Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's ^(M)kindness, ^(N)if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also ^(O)will be cut off.
23And they also, ^(P)if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

[My comments: This passage explains how Gentile believers, who as unbelievers were once part of the wild olive tree, Gentiles in the flesh, have, as believers, been grafted as new branches into the cultivated olive tree, the true Israel of God (see Romans 9:6-8 , Rom. 2:28-29, Galatians 3:7, Galatians 3:26-29). Unbelieving Jews have been broken off the cultivated olive tree since they are not part of the true Israel of God. All Jewish believers are natural branches of this same cultivated olive tree. There is therefore ONE covenant people of God in Christ, the elect Israel of God, which includes both Jew and Gentile believers (see Romans 9:9-24 , Galatians 6:14-16 , Ephesians 2:11-19 .]

Cross references:

John 11:11,14-16 (New King James version)

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

[My comments: Christ describes Himself as the good shepherd who dies for His sheep, i.e., His elect. The reference to sheep whom He has who "are not of this fold" is a reference to Gentiles. Christ's intention is to have one flock of elect Jews and Gentiles.]

Romans 10:12 (New King James Version)

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

Galatians 5:6 (New American Standard Bible)

6For in ^(A)Christ Jesus ^(B)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but ^(C)faith working through love.
Cross references:

Galatians 6:15-16 (New King James Version)

New King James Version (NKJV)

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Blessing and a Plea

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

[My comments: For those who are in Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters anymore. What matters is having faith that is a result of the new creation, i.e. the new birth or regeneration. Those who walk according to this rule, i.e. have the faith that is the result of the new birth, are the Israel of God. Thus, the distinction between Jews and Gentiles has been done away with in Christ and those who are in Christ are the Israel of God.]

Corinthians 12:2 (New King James Version)

2 You know that^[a] you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.
Footnotes:

1 Corinthians 12:2 NU-Text and M-Text add when.

Ephesians 2:11-22 (New King James Version)

Brought Near by His Blood

11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Our Cornerstone

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

[My comments: Believers, both Jew and Gentile, are now fellow citizens of the commonweath of Israel and members of the household of God, the Church. They are also both heirs of the covenants of promise. Notice how believing Gentiles were Gentiles. The distinction between Jews and Gentiles has been done away with in Christ. Believers make up the holy temple and dwelling place of God in the Spirit. The physical temple of the Old Testament was merely a shadow and type of this true temple of God.]

Romans 10:16-21 (New King James Version)

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?”^[a] 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

“ Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.”^[b]

19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:

“ I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,
I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”^[c]
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:

“ I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”^[d]
21 But to Israel he says:

“ All day long I have stretched out My hands
To a disobedient and contrary people.”^[e]

1 Peter 2:7-10 (New King James Version)

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,^[a]

“ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”^[b]

8 and

“ A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”^[c]

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Footnotes:

1 Peter 2:7 NU-Text reads to those who disbelieve.
1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14

Matthew 21:42-43 (New King James Version)

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?^[a]

43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
Footnotes:

Matthew 21:42 Psalm 118:22, 23

[These parallel passages speak of the kingdom of God being taken from the ethnic nation of Israel and given to a "holy nation" made up of both Jews and Gentiles, i.e. believers in Christ-my comments]

John 3:3 (New King James Version)

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

[Furthermore, the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom and is made up only of those who have been regenerated and born again by the Holy Spirit. Thus those who say that the kingdom of God is some future kingdom made up of ethnic Jews who are not necessarily believers in Christ is false and is not supported by the Scriptures-my comments]

Romans 14:17 (New King James Version)

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

John 18:36 (New King James version)

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.

Luke 17:20-21 (New King James version)

20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’^[a] For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

[Further Scripture that demonstrates that the kingdom of God in this age (before the establishment of the new heavens and new earth) is not some earthly physical kingdom, but that it is a spiritual kingdom-my comments]

Believers' lives are to be regulated by the Moral Law of God (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Psalm 1:1-2, Psalm 19:7-11, Psalm 40:8, Psalm 103:17-18, Psalm 119, Ecclesiastes 12:13, 2 Tim. 3:16-17 Romans 3:31, Romans 7:7-12, Romans 7:22, Romans 7:25, Romans 8:6-9, Romans 13:9-10, Matthew 5:17-19, Matthew 5:21-48, Matthew 15:1-20, Matthew 23:23, Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 10:16-21, John 14:15, John 14:21, John 15:10, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Corinthians 7:19, 1 Corinthians 10:1-12, Ephesians 6:1-3, Hebrews 8:6-13, Hebrews 10:10-22, 1 John 2:3-4, 1 John 3:4, 1 John 5:2-3) .

Chapter 19: The Law of God

19.1 God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written in his heart, [1] and a specific precept not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. [2] By this he bound him and all his descendants to personal, total, exact, and perpetual obedience. God promised life on fulfilling it, and threatened death on breaching it, and he endued him with power and ability to keep it. [3]

19.2 The same law that was first written in the human heart continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall. [1]It was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai [2] in ten commandments (written in two tables) the first four containing our duty towards God, and the other six our duty to our fellow beings. [3]

For the Fourth Commandment: Genesis 2:3 Exodus 16 Genesis 7:4 Genesis 8:10,12. For the Fifth Commandment: Genesis 37:10. For the Sixth Commandment: Genesis 4:3-15. For the Seventh Commandment: Genesis 12:17. For the Eighth Commandment: Genesis 31:30 Genesis 44:8. For the Ninth Commandment: Genesis 27:12. For the Tenth Commandment: Genesis 6:2 Genesis 13:10-11
Romans 2:12a,14-15
Exodus 32:15-16 Exodus 34:4,28 Deuteronomy 10:4

19.3 Besides this law, commonly called the moral law, God was pleased to give the people of Israel ceremonial laws containing several typical ordinances. These were partly concerning worship, and in them Christ was prefigured—his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits. [1] They also gave instructions about various moral duties. [2] All of these ceremonial laws were appointed only until the time of the New Testament, when Jesus Christ abrogated them and took them away, for he was the true Messiah and only law-giver, and was empowered to do this by the Father. [3]

19.4 To the people of Israel he also gave various judicial laws which lapsed when they ceased as a nation. These are not binding on anyone now by virtue of their being part of the laws of that nation, [1] but their principles of equity continue to be applicable in modern times. [2]

19.5 Obedience to the moral law remains forever binding on all, both justified persons and others, [1] both in regard to the content of the law, and also to the authority of God the Creator who gave the law. [2] Nor does Christ in any way dissolve this law in the Gospel, on the contrary, he strengthens our obligation [to obey the moral law]. [3]

19.6 Although true believers are not under the law as a covenant of works to be justified or condemned by it, [1] yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, because as a rule of life it informs them of the will of God and their duty, and directs and binds them to walk accordingly. [2]

It also exposes the sinful defilement of their natures, hearts and lives, and as they use it to examine themselves, they come to greater conviction of sin, humiliation for sin, and hatred against sin. They also gain a clearer sight of their need of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience [to the law]. [3]

Similarly, it is of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruption in that it forbids sin. The threatening of the law serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what troubles they may expect in this life because of their sins, even though they are freed from the curse and undiminished rigours of the law. [4]

The promises of the law also show believers God's approval of obedience, and what blessings they may expect when the law is kept, [5] although these blessings are not due to them through the law as a covenant of works. [6] If someone does good and refrains from evil simply because the law encourages the former and deters from the latter, that is not evidence of one's being under the law and not under grace. [7]

19.7 These uses of the law are not contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but are entirely in line with it, for the Spirit of Christ subdues and enables the human will to do freely and cheerfully what the will of God revealed in the law requires to be done. [1]

Galatians 3:21 Jeremiah 31:33 Ezekiel 36:27 Romans 8:4 Titus 2:14

[My comments:The following passages demonstrate that God has revealed his moral law, His moral standards to the conscience of all:

Romans 2:14-15 (New King James Version)

14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Romans 3:19 (New King James Version)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Romans 1:18-19 (New King James Version)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

[My comments:Proof that God gave his moral law, which is summarized in the 10 commandments to mankind before he gave it to Israel through Moses in Exodus 20 can be seen in the following passages:

The first 3 commandments from Exodus 20:

Exodus 20

The Ten Commandments

1 And God spoke all these words, saying:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
[First Commandment:] 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
[Second Commandment:] 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
[Third Commandment:] 7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Romans 1:18-32 (New King James Version)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness [violation of 9th Commandment], 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God [violation of 1st Commandment], nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things [violation of 2nd Commandment].
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves [violation of 7th Commandment], 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie [violation of 3rd and 9th Commandments], and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator [violation of 1st and 2nd Commandments], who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. [violation of 7th Commandment]
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality [violation of 7th Commandment],^[a] wickedness, covetousness [violation of 10th Commandment], maliciousness; full of envy, murder [violation of 6th Commandment], strife, deceit [violation of 9th Commandment], evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God [violation of 1st Commandment], violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents [violation of 5th Commandment], 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy [violation of 9th Commandment], unloving, unforgiving,^[b] unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

[This passage clearly shows that God judges all men by His moral law because He has revealed it to all men. Notice that this has been true since the creation of the world. Notice that God says that "those who practice such things are deserving of death". This would not be the case unless God had revealed His moral law to all men, not just the nation of Israel during the Mosaic Covenant-my comments]

[My comments: The following passages show that the 1st-10th Commandments were revealed by God to men before the Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses on 2 tablets of stone on Mount Sinai to give to the nation of Israel in Exodus 20. I have quoted each Commandment first and then the passages of Scripture that show that these Commandments were given by God to men before they were given by God to Moses on 2 tablets of stone to give to the Nation of Israel in Exodus 20

1st commandment:(Exodus 20:3) “You shall have no other gods before Me.

(Genesis 35:2) 2 "And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, 'Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.' "

2nd Commandment:(Exodus 20:4-6) 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
(Genesis 31:39) 39 "That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night."
3rd Commandment: (Exodus 20:7) 7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. "

(Genesis 24:3) 3 "and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;"

4th Commandment: (Exodus 20:8-11) "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. "

Genesis 2:3 (New King James Version)

3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Genesis 4:3-7 (Young's Literal Translation)

³And it cometh to pass at the end of days [this phrase could indicate the 7th day of the week] that Cain bringeth from the fruit of the ground a present [or offering] to Jehovah;
⁴and Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even from their fat ones; and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present,
⁵and unto Cain and unto his present He hath not looked; and it is very displeasing to Cain, and his countenance is fallen.
⁶And Jehovah saith unto Cain, `Why hast thou displeasure? and why hath thy countenance fallen?
⁷Is there not, if thou dost well, acceptance? and if thou dost not well, at the opening a sin-offering is crouching, and unto thee its desire, and thou rulest over it.'
[This passage implies that Cain and Abel were worshipping God by offering sacrifices to God. The use of the phrase "end of days" could mean that this special worship took place on the 7th day of the week, i.e. the Old Covenant Sabbath]

Genesis 8:6-12 (New King James Version)

6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.

[Notice how Noah waits 7 days before sending the dove out from the ark which implies the existence of a Sabbath day every 7 days as a way of measuring time-my comments]

Exodus 16:22-30 (New King James Version)

Genesis 37:10 (New King James Version)

10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”
[Jacob rebukes his son Joseph for what he sees to be a dishonoring of his father and mother-my comments]

6th Commandment: (Exodus 20:13) "You shall not murder."

Genesis 4:3-15 (New King James Version)

3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother;^[a] and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”
13 And Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15 And the LORD said to him, “Therefore,^[b] whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.
7th Commandment: (Exodus 20:14) "You shall not commit adultery"
Genesis 12:17 (New King James Version)

17 But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
[The LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house because Pharaoh took Sarai, Abram's wife, to be his wife-my comments]

(Genesis 39:9) 9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

[Joseph resists the sexual seduction of Potiphar's wife by telling her that adultery is great wickedness and a sin against God-my comments]
8th Commandment: (Exodus 20:15) "You shall not steal."

Genesis 31:30 (New King James Version)

30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”

Genesis 44:8 (New King James Version)

8 Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?
9th Commandment: (Exodus 20:16) "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Genesis 27:12 (New King James Version)

12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”
(Genesis 39:17) 17 "Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me;"

[Potiphar's wife is lying about Joseph in this statement-my comments]

10th Commandment: (Exodus 20:17) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Genesis 12:18 (New King James Version)

18 "And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?"
[Pharaoh coveted Abram's wife and tried to take her to be his wife-my comments]

Genesis 6:1-2 (New King James Version)

1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

Genesis 13 (New King James Version)

Abram Inherits Canaan

1 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South.^[a] 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD.
14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants^[b] forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”
18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre,^[c] which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.
Footnotes:

Genesis 13:1 Hebrew Negev
Genesis 13:15 Literally seed, and so throughout the book
Genesis 13:18 Hebrew Alon Mamre

Exodus 18:21 (New King James Version)

21 Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 Corinthians 3:2-11 (New King James Version)

The Spirit, Not the Letter

Glory of the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:6 Or spirit

[The above passage demonstrates that the same law that was written on stone, the Ten Commandments, has now been written on the hearts of all New Covenant members, i.e. believers, by the Holy Spirit-my comments]

[Below are some passages that speak of God writing His law on the hearts of all believers-my comments]

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (New King James Version)

A New Covenant

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (New King James Version)

Isaiah 51:7 (New King James Version)

7 “ Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
You people in whose heart is My law:
Do not fear the reproach of men,
Nor be afraid of their insults.

Psalm 37:30-31 (New King James Version)

30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.

Psalm 40:8 (New King James Version)

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”

Hebrews 8:6-13 (New King James Version)

New King James Version (NKJV)

6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

A New Covenant

Hebrews 10:10-22 (New King James Version)

10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified

Hold Fast Your Confession

Hebrews 10:16 Jeremiah 31:33
Hebrews 10:17 Jeremiah 31:34

Psalm 1:1-2 (New King James Version)

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 19:7-11 (New King James Version)

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

[David, the psalmist was a believer when he wrote these passages extolling the law of God and their benefit to the believer-my comments] See also Psalm 119

John 14:15 (New King James Version)

Jesus Promises Another Helper

15 “If you love Me, keep^[a] My commandments.

John 14:21 (New King James Version)

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

[Jesus says that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments-my comments]

1 John 2:3-4 (New King James Version)

The Test of Knowing Him

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Matthew 7:21 (New King James Version)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

1 John 5:2 (New King James Version)

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
[John the Apostle of Christ says that the test of whether we love God and are His children is whether we keep His commandments-my comments]

1 Corinthians 7:19 (New King James Version)

19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.
[Paul the Apostle of Christ states that keeping the commandments of God is what matters for the Christian-my comments]

1 John 3:4 (New International Version)

4Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
[How can believers say that they do not need to obey the law of God? If they sin, they are breaking the law of God-my comments]

Luke 16:18 (English Standard Version)

Divorce and Remarriage

18^(A) "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

[For Jesus, the 7th commandment, "You shalt not commit adultery" is still in effect for everyone-my comments]

Romans 2:17-22 (New King James Version)

The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles

17 Indeed^[a] you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

[Paul the Apostle asks his hearers if they have violated 3 of the Ten Commandments "You shall not steal" (8th Commandment), "You shall not commit adultery"(7th Commandment) and "You shall have no other gods before Me" (2nd Commandment) to show his Jewish audience that the Jews are as guilty as the Gentiles of breaking God's moral laws-my comments]

Romans 13:8-10 (New King James Version)

New King James Version (NKJV)

Love Your Neighbor

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”^[a] “You shall not covet,”^[b] and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”^[c] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

James 2:8-11 (New King James Version)

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”^[a] you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,”^[b] also said, “Do not murder.”^[c]Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
[Notice how James treats the moral law as a unit, which shows that none of it has been abrogated-my comments]

1 Timothy 1:8-11 (New King James Version)

8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
[In this passage, Paul the Apostle of Christ gives the 1st four commandments in general language and then summarizes violations of the 5th-9th commandments in order with single words (kidnappers would violate both the 8th and10th commandments) . Notice how these violations of the 10 commandments are "contrary to sound doctrine" according to the gospel itself. So the 10 commandments are still in force even after the Old Covenant has been superceded by the New Covenant-my comments]

Ephesians 6:1-3 (New King James Version)

Children and Parents

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”^[a]

Romans 3:31 (New King James Version)

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 8:5-9 (New King James Version)

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
[Paul says that the carnal or unregenerate mind "is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. Then who can be subject to the law of God? The regenerate believer is one who lives according to the Spirit and in whom the Spirit of God dwells. The believer is the one who can be subject to the law of God-my comments]

Romans 7:14-16 (New King James Version)

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
[Paul is speaking of his present experience as a believer when he writes this and states that the law is spiritual and that it is good. In this way, he says that the law is a rule of life and guide to him as a Christian-my comments]

Romans 7:7 (New King James Version)

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”^[a]
Footnotes:

Romans 7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21

Romans 7:21-25 (New King James Version)

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
[Paul the Apostle did not stop delighting in and obeying the law of God when he became a Christian and neither should we-my comments]

Luke 16:17 (English Standard Version)

17But^(A) it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.

Matthew 5:17-49 (New King James Version)

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,^[a] and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause^[b] shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Adultery in the Heart

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,^[c] ‘You shall not commit adultery.’^[d] 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding

31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality^[e] causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Jesus Forbids Oaths

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Go the Second Mile

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’^[f] 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Love Your Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor^[g] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,^[h] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren^[i] only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors^[j] do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes:

Matthew 5:21 Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17
Matthew 5:22 NU-Text omits without a cause.
Matthew 5:27 NU-Text and M-Text omit to those of old.
Matthew 5:27 Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18
Matthew 5:32 Or fornication
Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21
Matthew 5:43 Compare Leviticus 19:18
Matthew 5:44 NU-Text omits three clauses from this verse, leaving, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Matthew 5:47 M-Text reads friends.

[My comments: Jesus did not come to destroy or abrogate the Law, i.e. the Moral Law of God which is an expression of God's unchanging moral character and that is summarized in the Ten Commandments. In this passage, He explains the full meaning of the commandments against murder and adultery as including heart attitudes and not merely external acts in opposing the Pharisees distortions of the commandments and warns us that:

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven". ]

The moral law that is a rule of life for the Christian includes the fourth commandment, which is continued in the observance of the Lord's Day on the first day of the week.

(Genesis 2:1-3, Genesis 4:3, Genesis 5:29, Genesis 7:10, Genesis 8:10, Genesis 8:12, Exodus 16:4-5, Exodus 16:22-23, Exodus 20:8-11, Exodus 31:16-18, Isaiah 56:1-8, Matthew 12:1-13, Matthew 24:20, Mark 2:27-28, John 20:19-23, Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, Hebrews 4:4-11, Rev.1:10)

CH 22

Chapter 22: Worship and the Lord's Day

22.7 As it is the law of nature that a portion of time by God's appointment should be set apart for the worship of God, so in his Word he has given a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all people in all ages. In particular he has appointed one day in seven as a sabbath to be kept holy to him. [1] From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ this was the last day of the week, but from the resurrection of Christ it was changed to the first day of the week which is called the Lord's Day. This is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. [2]

22.8 People keep the sabbath holy to the Lord when (after appropriate preparation of their hearts and prior arrangement of their everyday affairs) they observe all day a holy rest from their own works, words, and thoughts [1] about their secular employment and recreations, but also devote the whole time to public and private acts of worship, and to carrying out duties of necessity and mercy. [2]

Genesis 2:1-3 (New King James Version)

1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

[The Sabbath was established as a creation ordinance and thus it is still in force. God established the Sabbath for the benefit of man on the principle that one is to do one's work in six days and rest on the seventh day, giving that day wholly to the Lord as the "Lord's Day"-my comments]

Exodus 16:22-30 (New King James Version)

22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’” 24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 25 Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”
27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

[Notice that the keeping of the Sabbath was commanded by God before God gave the 10 commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Exodus 20:8-11 below) which supports the position that the Sabbath is a creation ordinance-my comments]

(Exodus 20:8-11) "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. "

[God instituted the Sabbath at creation. It is a creation ordinance that has been effect ever since-my comments]

Isaiah 56:1-8 (New King James Version)

Salvation for the Gentiles

1 Thus says the LORD:

“ Keep justice, and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come,
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;
Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Do not let the son of the foreigner
Who has joined himself to the LORD
Speak, saying,

“ The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”;
Nor let the eunuch say,

“ Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the LORD:

“ To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
5 Even to them I will give in My house
And within My walls a place and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them^[a] an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off.
6 “ Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
Will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,

“ Yet I will gather to him
Others besides those who are gathered to him.”

[This prophecy of Isaiah is referring to the salvation of the Gentiles which occurred primarily after Christ's death and resurrection and the establishment of the Christian Church. Yet, the Sabbath is still commanded to be kept-my comments]

Isaiah 58:13-14 (New King James Version)

13 “ If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the LORD honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Matthew 24:15-22 (New King James Version)

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’^[a] spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
[Jesus is speaking to His followers (Christians) and prophesying of future events after His death. Yet the Sabbath will still be in effect-my comments]

Hebrews 4:9 (New American Standard Bible)

9 So there remains [present tense] a Sabbath rest [literally "Sabbath keeping"] for the people of God.

Colossians 2:16-17 (New King James Version)

16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

[Notice the plural "sabbaths". The Greek word is plural. This is referring to the ceremonial sabbath days (as seen in the context which is discussing the feast days or sabbaths of the ceremonial law), but not to the Lord's Day Sabbath established at creation which, as one of the 10 commandments which summarizes the moral law of God, has not been abrogated.-my comments]

Mark 2:27-28 (New King James Version)

27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
[Notice that the Sabbath was made for all mankind, not just the Israelites. Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, it is the "Lord's Day"-my comments]

Revelation 1:10 (New King James Version)

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
[The Apostle John was worshiping the Lord on the Lord's Day. The following passages demonstrate that the Lord's Day for Christians is the first day of the week-my comments]

Mark 16:1-7 (New King James Version)

1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
[Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week. This event transformed the Sabbath or Lord's Day for Christians from the 7th day of the week to the first day of the week-my comments]

Acts 20:7 (New King James Version)

7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

[Since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which occurred on the first day of the week, the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath when believers meet to worship (breaking bread is a description of the Lord's Supper) has been changed from the 7th day of the week to the first day of the week-my comments]

1 Corinthians 16:2 (New King James Version)

A Critical Introduction to New Covenant Theology (PDFs) by Sam Waldron
- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

"Covenant Theology Versus New Covenant Theology" Trinity Baptist Church Discipleship Training (May 2006)
"The Law and New Covenant Theology" by Sam Waldron (link to audio file)
"New Covenant Theology" by Jim Renihan ( link to audio file)

"The Law Has Not Been Replaced" part 1 of the series "The Moral Law" by Arden Hodgins, pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California (link to audio file)
"The Moral Law Distinguished" part 2 of the series "The Moral Law" by Arden Hodgins (link to audio file)
"The Holy Spirit & the Law of God" part 3 of the series "The Moral Law" by Arden Hodgins (link to audio file)
Series of 10 audio sermons on the Decalogue (Moral Law of God) by Pastor Harold Chase of Minnesota Valley Baptist Church

"Moral Law and the Gospel" a series of 3 audio sermons by Pastor Walter Chantry
purchase "God's Righteous Kingdom" by Walter Chantry. This book deals with the relationship between the law of God and the Gospel.

"Application and Practicality of Biblical Law". A five part audio series by Pastor John Weaver

The Antinomian Gospel of Dispensationalism
Podcast Guest Dr. Gary Crampton on the Nicene Council podcast (audio file)

"The Problem with Radical Discontinuity" by David Wendt
The Doctrine of Law and Grace Unfolded by John Bunyan

"The Lord's Day Lecture Notes" by Samuel Waldron

Christian Sabbath Section 1 : "Its Presuppositions" by Sam Waldron
Christian Sabbath Section 2 : "Its Proofs" by Sam Waldron Not available online
Christian Sabbath Section 2b : "Its Proofs" by Sam Waldron
Christian Sabbath Section 2-3 : "Its Continuation in the New Testament : The New Creation Sabbath" by Sam Waldron
Christian Sabbath Section 3 "Its Precedents" by Sam Waldron
Christian Sabbath Section 4 : "Its Practice" by Sam Waldron

series of 9 audio messages on the Christian Sabbath by Albert N. Martin

"The Christian Sabbath" by A.W. Pink
"The Holy Sabbath" by A.W. Pink
"A Day to Keep" by J.C. Ryle
"The Perpetuity and Change of the Sabbath" by Jonathan Edwards

"Remember the Sabbath Day" by John Calvin

"The Sabbath --Part 1" by John Calvin

"The Sabbath--Part 2" by John Calvin

"Excercitations Concerning the Name, Original, Nature, Use and Continuance, of a Day of Sacred Rest" by John Owen

"The Foundations of the Sabbath in the Word of God" by B.B. Warfield

"The Sabbath" by John Murray
"Sabbath, The Day Changed: The Sabbath Preserved" by A.A. Hodge
"The Fourth Commandment" by Dr. Charles Hodge
"The Fourth Commandment" by Thomas Watson

"Of the Fourth Commandment" by Thomas Boston

"The Covenantal Sabbath" by Nigel Lee

"From the Seventh Day to the First: A Brief Look at the History of the Sabbath Day vs. Lord's Day" by Robert Lewis Dabney

"The Change of the Sabbath" (an excerpt) by Thomas Shepherd

"The Lord's Day" by Dr. Archibald Alexander

"The Lord's Day" by Francis Turretin

"Why on Sunday?" by O. Palmer Robertson

"The Christian Sabbath: Its Nature, Design, and Proper Observance" by Robert Lewis Dabney

"The Command (Blessing) We Love to Hate [on Exodus 20:8] by Ligon Duncan

6 part audio sermon series on the Christian Sabbath by Arden Hodgins, pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California

7 audio sermons on the Christian Sabbath by Walter Chantry

purchase "Call the Sabbath a Delight" by Walter Chantry

The First Sabbath (Audio)
Joseph Pipa - Providence Presbyterian Church
The Grand Promise (Audio)
Joseph Pipa - Providence Presbyterian Church
Practical Helps for Keeping the Sabbath (Audio)
Joseph Pipa - Providence Presbyterian Church
A New Day (Audio)
Joseph Pipa - Providence Presbyterian Church

purchase "The Lord's Day" by Joseph Pipa

"The Law of God Pt.6 : The 4th Commandment Pt.1 by Jim Savastio, pastor of Reformed Baptist Church in Louisville, KY (audio sermon)

"The Law of God Pt.6 : The 4th Commandment Pt.2 by Jim Savastio, pastor of Reformed Baptist Church in Louisville, KY (audio sermon)

"The Law of God Pt.6 : The 4th Commandment Pt.3 by Jim Savastio, pastor of Reformed Baptist Church in Louisville, KY (audio sermon)

"4th Commandment : Creation Ordinance" by Jeffrey Smith, pastor of Covenant Reformed Baptist Church in Easley, SC. This is the first in an 8 part series of audio sermons on the 4th Commandment. Go to the drop down menu under "Other Sermon Info Sermon Series :" to see the complete list of sermons on the 4th Commandment or observance of the Sabbath or Lord's Day

"A Perpetual Worship Day" a series of audio sermons on the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath by Daniel Urroz, pastor of Mountain Reformed Church (Baptist) in Lake Arrowhead, CA

A series of 5 audio sermons on the Christian Lord's Day Sabbath by Harold Chase , pastor of Minnesota Valley Baptist Church

"The Christian Sabbath Examined, Proved, Applied" by Brian Schwertley, pastor of
Westminster Presbyterian Church of Waupaca County, Wisconsin

"The Christian Sabbath" a 5 part audio sermon series by Brian Schwertley

From the BCF CH 7 Of God's Covenant:

Chapter 7: God's Covenant

7.1 The distance between God and the creature is so great, that (although reasonable creatures owe obedience to him as their Creator) they could never have attained the reward of life except by an act of voluntary condescension on God's part. This he has been pleased to express by way of a covenant. [1]

Job 35:7-8 Psalms 113:5-6 Isaiah 40:13-16 Luke 17:5-10 Acts 17:24-25

7.2 Moreover, as Adam had brought himself and his posterity under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace. [1] In this covenant he freely offers to sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring from them faith in him that they may be saved, [2] and promising to give his Holy Spirit to all who are elected to eternal life, to make them willing and able to believe. [3]

Genesis 3:15 Psalms 110:4 with Hebrews 7:18-22 and Hebrews 10:12-18 Ephesians 2:12 with Romans 4:13-17 and Galatians 3:18-22 Hebrews 9:15
John 3:16 Romans 10:6,9 Galatians 3:11
Ezekiel 36:26-27 John 6:44-45

7.3 This covenant is revealed through the Gospel; first of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the seed of the woman, and afterwards step by step until the full revelation of it was completed in the New Testament. [1] This salvation rests on that eternal covenant transaction between the Father and the Son which concerns the redemption of the elect. [2] It is by the grace of this covenant alone that all the descendants of fallen Adam who have ever been saved have obtained life and blessed immortality. Human beings are now utterly incapable of gaining acceptance with God on those terms by which Adam stood in his state of innocency. [3]

"The Newness of the New Covenant : Better Covenant, Better Mediator, Better Sacrifice, Better Ministry, Better Hope, Better Promises (Part II)" by James R. White

"The Hermeneutics of Baptist Covenant Theology" by Fred Malone (mp3 audio file)

Audio Messages by Dr. Fred Malone

Audio Series on God's Covenants:

God's Covenants (Part 1): "The Key to Understanding Scripture"

(Part 2 of this series is temporarily unavailable)

God's Covenants (Part 3): "Baptist & Presbyterian Views"

God's Covenants (Part 4): "An Overview of Galatians 3"

God's Covenants (Part 5): "The Abrahamic Covenant -- Baptist Distinctives"

God's Covenants (Part 6): "The Sinaitic Covenant -Part I"

God's Covenants (Part 7): "The Sinaitic Covenant -Part II"

God's Covenants (Part 8): "The Davidic Covenant"

God's Covenants (Part 9) : The New Covenant Part I-Theological Considerations"

God's Covenants (Part 10): "The New Covenant Part II--Its Elements"

God's Covenants (Part 11): "Believer's Children and The New Covenant"

Audios (mp3 format) on Reformed Baptist Covenant theology from the Southern Baptist Founders Conference SW 2005 Sermons

"The Divine Covenants" by A.W. Pink

"Kingdom Prologue : Genesis Foundations for a Covenantal Worldview" by Meredith Kline

"Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism Debate." Pastor Brian Tallman debated John Pullman. (mp3 audio files)

Blog posts from FIDE-O on Covenant Theology from a Covenantal Reformed Baptist perspective

Blog posts from FIDE-O on Dispensational Theology from a Covenantal Reformed Baptist perspective

"Dispensationalism: A Reformed Evaluation" by Ligon Duncan

"Covenant Theology : A Traditional, Reformed Perspective" a collection of articles from the website of Ligon Duncan's church

"Covenant Theology Resources" from R. Scott Clark

"The Covenant of Works and of Grace" by Walter J. Chantry

"Covenant of Promise: Abraham" a transcript of a sermon by O. Palmer Robertson

"Covenant of Law: Moses" a transcript of a sermon by O. Palmer Robertson

"An Examination of Dispensationalism" by William E. Cox

"Understanding Dispensationalists" by Vern S. Poythress

"Scofield or the Scriptures: A Comparison of Certain Notes by C.I. Scofield with the Holy Bible" by Paul Sisco

"Darby Brethrenism (Plymouth)" by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"The Application of the Scriptures : A Biblical Refutation of Dispensationalism" by Arthur W. Pink

"Dispensationalism" by Arthur W. Pink

AgainstDispensationalism.com

"Dispensationalism in Transition" a series of online articles from the Institute for Christian Economics

"House Divided : The Break-up of Dispensational Theology" by Greg Bahnsen and Ken Gentry

Book review of "Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth : A Critique of Dispensationalism" by John Gerstner written by Stanford Murrell, Pastor Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Apollo, Pennsylvania

here

"What is Literal Interpretation?" by Vern Pothress

"The Myth of Consistent Literalism" by Jack Van Deventer

"Realistic Literal Interpretation" from FIDE-O, Jason Robertson's blog

"Prophetic Fulfillment in the New Testament" by Lewis Neilson

The Relationship Between the Old and the New Covenant by Nico van der Walt

"John Owen and New Covenant Theology: Owen on the Old and New Covenants and the Functions of the Decalogue in Redemptive History in Historical and Contemporary Perspective" by Richard Barcellos

"A Response to Mike Adam's 'In Defense of the New Covenant' " by Greg Welty

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

"The Law and New Covenant Theology"

"NewCovenant Theology" by Jim Renihan ( link to audio file)

The Antinomian Gospel of Dispensationalism Podcast Guest Dr. Gary Crampton on the Nicene Council podcast (audio file)

"The Problem with Radical Discontinuity" by David Wendt

"Notes on Eschatology-The Church Israel Distinction" by Sam Waldron

"An Open Letter to Evangelicals and Other Interested Parties:The People of God, the Land of Israel, and the Impartiality of the Gospel" by Knox Seminary faculty

"A Comparison/Contrast of Older Premillennialism to Dispensationalism"

"What About Israel" by George Eldon Ladd [a critique of the dispensational view by one of the foremost advocates of historic pre-millennialism]

"How to Interpret the Prophetic Scriptures" by George Eldon Ladd

"What's a Thousand Years Among Friends? - The Millennial Debate" by Kim Riddlebarger (audio)

"Interpreting Biblical Prophecy : A Christ-Centered Approach" by Kim Riddlebarger (audio)

"The Superiority of the Amillennial/Postmillennial Hermeneutic" by Puritan Lad

"Eschatology Q and A: What About Ezekiel's Vision of the Temple (Ezekiel 40-48) by Kim Riddlebarger

Dr. Samuel Waldron wrote the book

MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response

published by Reformed Baptist Academic Press. The "Millennial Manifesto" in question is John MacArthur's opening sermon at the 2007 Shepherd's Conference entitled, "Why Every Self-respecting Calvinist is a Premillennialist.” Waldron critiques MacArthur's dispensational distinction between Israel and the Church.

Transcript of John Macarthur's opening sermon at the 2007 Shepherd's Conference [April 27, 2007]

audio interview with Dr. Sam Waldron on "Iron Sharpens Iron" radio program regarding Dr. Waldron's book "MacArthur's Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response"

Calling for Truth radio program on MacArthur's opening sermon at the 2007 Shepherd's Conference

"John MacArthur on Calvinism, Dispensationalism, Israel and Hermeneutics: A Few Comments”" by Kim Riddlebarger (one of today's most prominent Amillenialists replies to MacArthur's 2007 Shepherd's Conference opening address) [August 16, 2007]

Macarthur's Millennial Manifeso : links to blog posts by pastor Jason Robertson on this issue

"A Friendly Reponse to Macarthur's Millennial Manifesto" a review of Sam Waldron's book by Jason Robertson

"A Response to John MacArthur on 'Dispensationalism and God's Plan for Israel'" by Steve Lehrer

"John MacArthur's Defense of Dispensationalism" by Gary DeMar

audio interview with Dr. Sam Waldron on "Iron Sharpens Iron" radio program in which Dr. Waldron discusses his book "The End Times Made Simple" AND also responds to

an interview on "Iron Sharpens Iron" with Dr. Barry Horner on his latest book:

FUTURE ISRAEL: Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challenged"

Introduction Saturday's Speakers - Listen | Download

Presentation: Dr. Gary DeMar - Replacement Theology, Promises Fulfilled, or Future Israel? - Listen |Download | Watch Video
Presentation: Dr. Barry Horner - Replacement Theology, Promises Fulfilled, or Future Israel? - Listen |Download | Watch Video
Closing Thoughts: Ron Poarch - Wise Thoughts for Unity - Listen | Download | Watch Video

"The Two Olive Trees" by Doyle D. Dewberry

"The Church, Israel, and Replacement Theology-Pt.1" by Sam Storms

"The Church, Israel, and Replacement Theology-Pt.2" by Sam Storms

"The Church, Israel, and Replacement Theology-Pt.3" by Sam Storms

"Replacing 'Replacement' Theology (Pt.1) by Joel McDurmon

"Replacing 'Replacement Theology (Pt.2) by Joel McDurmon

"Replacing 'Replacement Theology (Pt.3) by Joel McDurmon

"Covenant Theology is not Replacement Theology" by R. Scott Clark

John Gill on the Covenant of Grace

"The Covenant of Grace" by Robert Lewis Dabney

John Owen and the Covenant of Redemption by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon

"Dr. Jonathan Edwards Miscellanies on 'Covenant'

The Idea of Covenant in Edward's Writings by Dr. John Gerstner

"The Doctrine of Covenant in Reformed Theology" by Geerdhardus Vos

"Outline of the Covenant of Grace" by James Henley Thornwell

The Covenant of Redemption Between the Father and the Redeemer by Rev. John Flavel

"Covenant of Grace" by J.L. Dagg

"The Agreement of the Old and New Testament" by John Gill

"The Covenants" by R.B.C. Howell, one of the best Historic Baptist treatments on God's covenants

"The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man" by Herman Witsius, a classic work on Covenant Theology

A Summary of Witsius' Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon

"The Decalogue: Covenant of Works or Covenant of Grace?" by Herman Witsius (1636-1708)

The Doctrine of Baptism and the Distinction of the Covenants by Thomas Patient (1654)

Probably the best book that has been written on the subject of classical Dispensationalism is

"Prophecy and the Church" by Oswald T. Allis

"Modern Dispensationalism and the Doctrine of the Unity of Scripture" by Oswald T. Allis

"The Dispensational vs. Covenanatal Approach" by O. Palmer Robertson (audio sermon)

"Which Divides Scripture, Covenants or Dispensations?" by O. Palmer Robertson (audio sermon)

A 4 part audio series on Covenant Theology by O. Palmer Robertson

A 6 part audio series on the Covenants by O. Palmer Robertson (includes written transcripts!)

"The Covenant of the Seventieth Week" by Meredith Kline [article on Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9]

Daniel's 70 Weeks by Sam Storms

Appendix 1: Romans 11 - What about the future of physical Israel? by Sam Waldron from his book published by Reformed Baptist Academic Press: MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response which can be ordered here

Another extremely well written book on the subject of who is the Israel of God is "The Israel of God : Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow" by O. Palmer Robertson
A review of this book by Sam Storms is found here
A short online article by O. Palmer Robertson is "The Future of the Jews"

"Did God Reject His People? Romans 11:1-15" by Kim Riddlebarger

"And All Israel Shall Be Saved Romans 11:16-36" by Kim Riddlebarger

"Eschatological Israel : Political or Spiritual" by Kim Riddlebarger (audio)

"Romans 11 and the Future of Israel-Part 1" by Sam Storms

"Romans 11 and the Future of Israel-Part 2" by Sam Storms

"Who is Israel?" a 6 part audio series by Pastor John Weaver

"What is Meant by Israel?" by William Hendriksen

"Are Restoration Prophecies [of Israel to the land] Being Fulfilled Today?" by William Hendriksen

"Who is Israel?" an audio sermon by Dr. Hal Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church of Parker (Dallas), Texas

The Church and Israel Part 1
Podcast Guest David Lutzweiler on the Nicence Council podcast (audio file)

The Church and Israel Part 2
Podcast Guest David Lutzweiler on the Nicene Council podcast (audio file)

"A Review of 'In Defense of Israel' by John Hagee" by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

"The Israel of God" by Dr. R. Scott Clark

"The True Israel of God" by L.R. Shelton, Jr.

"Peace and Mercy Upon the Israel of God: The Old Testament Background of Galatians 6:16" by G.K. Beale

"An Exposition of Romans Chapter 11" by Tony Warren

John Calvin's Commentary on Romans 11 (use the red <> Page to go backwards and forwards)

audio sermons on Romans 11 by Harold Chase, pastor of Minnesota Valley Baptist Church

For those who would like to read and/or hear the best expositor of dispensational premillennial views, S. Lewis Johnson Jr., I have provided a link to the SLJ Institute website for Johnson's works on Eschatology , Divine Purpose in History and Prophecy, the book of Revelation and the The Future of Ethnic Israel. There are many other topics covered on the website, which is a comprehensive collection of Johnson's works, both in print and in audio.

For those who would like some of the best presentations of the views of both sides, i.e. covenantal and dispensational, presented in one book, I have provided a link to a Google book preview of "Continuity and Discontinuity : Persepectives on the Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments Essays in Honor of S. Lewis Johnson Jr. edited by John S. Feinberg

The best "New Covenant Theology" advocate would be Douglas Moo. Read his "The Law of Moses or the Law of Christ" an essay which is taken from the above mentioned book, "Continuity and Discontinuity..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The following articles by Sam Waldron and Brian Schwertley deal with the issue of some in our day wrongly redefining saving faith and justification, and sanctification based on, among other things, a faulty view of covenant theology. These dangerous and heretical ideas are known as the "Federal Vision", "New Perspective on Paul", and "Auburn Avenue theology" movements.

Faith, Obedience, and Justification: Current Departures from Sola Fide, PhD Dissertation (PDFs)

Preface, Chapter 1

Dr. Waldron's full dissertation has been published by the Reformed Baptist Academic Press."

"Dr. Sam Waldron: Faith, Obedience, and Justification: Current Departures from Sola Fide" an audio interview with Dr. Sam Waldron concerning his book on "Iron Sharpens Iron" radio program

Does Justifying Faith Include Evangelical Obedience in John Calvin's Theology? (PDF) by Sam Waldron

John Calvin Versus Norman Shepherd on Sola Fide (PDF) by Sam Waldron

"A Defense of Reformed Orthodoxy Against the New Auburn Theology" by Brian Schwertley

"Auburn Avenue Theology's Rejection of Justification by Faith Alone" by Brian Schwertley

"Jesus' Active Obedience in the Justification of Sinners: Refuting Norman Shepherd by Brian Schwertley

"The Gospel Crisis in the OPC and PCA" (87 KB) by Brian Schwertley

Other articles and audios on this subject

"J. Ligon Duncan III: 'The New Perspective on Paul'" audio interview on radio program "Iron Sharpens Iron" with Dr. Duncan concerning the New Perspective on Paul

"Report on Justification: Presented to the Seventy-Third General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church"

"Report of the Special Committee to Study Justification in Light of the Current Justification Controversy Presented to the 258th Synod of the Reformed Church of the United States [RCUS] May 10-13, 2004"

Report of Ad Interim Study Committee on Federal Vision,

New Perspective, and Auburn Avenue Theologies Presented at the 35th General Assembly of the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America)

"Statement on Justification" by the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly denomination

The Covenant Presbytery [of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States denomination] Resolutions

Email by Greenville Reformed Theological Seminary professors regarding Louisiana Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America's Final Report and Recommendations on Federal Vision Theology and Rev. Steve Wilkins

"Our Testimony on Justification" by the Faculty of Westminster Seminary California May 2004

Excerpts from "The Current Justification Controversy" by O. Palmer Robertson

"Pied Piper" by John W. Robbins

"A Gentle Rebuke to Brother John [Piper] (Updated)" 12 October 2009 by R. Scott Clark

"RESOURCES FOR UNDERSTANDING THE NPP AND FEDERAL VISION" from R. Scott Clark

"Covenant Theology Under Attack" by Meredith Kline

"Of Works and Grace" by Meredith Kline

"Answering Objections to the Covenant of Works" by Meredith Kline (from Kingdom Prologue pp. 107-117

The Federal Vision -
The Theology of the Auburn Avenue Controversy, Modern Christian Reconstructionism, Dominion Theology, etal
Covenant Confusion Richard Phillips, Alliance of Confession Evangelicals, March 2004
Reformed is Not Enough, by Douglas Wilson Reviewed by C. Matthew McMahon
What's So Controversial About the New Controversy? Joe Morecraft
Covenantal Universalism, David Engelsma, The Standard Bearer, April 15, 2004
Review of Calvin Beisner's, Auburn Avenue Theology Banner of Truth, 2004
Review of Guy Waters', Justification and the NPP, New Horizons July 2005, Cornelis Venema

The New Perspective-
The New Perspective - on Paul and Justification by Faith - a biblical, Reformed critique
The New Perspective on Justification Richard D. Phillips, October 19, 2004
Déjà Vu All Over Again Michael Horton, Modern Reformation, July/August, 2004
The Current Justification Controversy O. Palmer Robertson
The New Perspective on Paul: Calvin and N. T. Wright J. V. Fesko
The Attraction of the New Perspective(s) on Paul Ligon Duncan
Reformed Confessionalism & The New Perspective on Paul Kim Riddlebarger
Not the New Perspective Francis Watson
A Critique of the New Perspective on Justification - pt 3 John G. Reisinger
Tom Wright's View of Justification Sidney D. Dyer
N.T. Wright on Justification Charles E. Hill

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another website recently came up with a list of Reformed Baptist distinctives (link updated 02-10-09)

which I did not see until after I had posted my list of distinctives.

Book	Chapter	Verse Range
		All Verses	Or	Start:	End:
Show Strongs Numbers:

Reformed Baptist Apologetics

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Reformed Baptist Distinctives

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Reformed Baptist Distinctives Part IV-God's New Covenant is With His Elect Only . God has written His moral law on their hearts.

Exodus 31:18 (New King James Version)

Deuteronomy 9:10 (New King James Version)

Deuteronomy 5:22 (New King James Version)

Deuteronomy 10:2-5 (New King James Version)

2 Corinthians 3:2-11 (New King James Version)

The Spirit, Not the Letter

Glory of the New Covenant

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (New King James Version)

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (New King James Version)

A New Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-13 (New King James Version)

The New Priestly Service

A New Covenant

Hebrews 9:1-28 (New King James Version)

The Earthly Sanctuary

Limitations of the Earthly Service

The Heavenly Sanctuary

The Mediator’s Death Necessary

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

Hebrews 10:1-22 (New King James Version)

Animal Sacrifices Insufficient

Christ’s Death Fulfills God’s Will

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified

Hold Fast Your Confession

Acts 20:28 (New King James Version)

Jeremiah 32:37-40 (New American Standard Bible)

John 6:37-39 (New American Standard Bible)

Luke 22:19-20 (New King James Version)

Matthew 26:27-28 (New King James Version)

Matthew 26:27-28 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (New King James Version)

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

Acts 2:41-47 (New King James Version)

Galatians 3:6-25 (New King James Version)

The Law Brings a Curse

The Changeless Promise

Purpose of the Law

Galatians 3:26-29 (New King James Version)

Sons and Heirs

Romans 4:1-18 (New King James Version)

Abraham Justified by Faith

David Celebrates the Same Truth

Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

The Promise Granted Through Faith

Luke 3:7-9 (New King James Version)

John Preaches to the People

John 8:33-44 (New King James Version)

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s

Romans 9:6-8 (New King James Version)

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (New King James Version)

1 Corinthians 10

Old Testament Examples

John 1:11-13 (New King James Version)

Romans 2:28-29 (New King James Version)

Revelation 3:9 (New King James Version)

Philippians 3:3 (New American Standard Bible)

Colossians 2:11-13 (New King James Version)

Romans 11:14-24 (New American Standard Bible)

Romans 10:12 (New King James Version)

Galatians 5:6 (New American Standard Bible)

Galatians 6:15-16 (New King James Version)

Blessing and a Plea

Corinthians 12:2 (New King James Version)

Ephesians 2:11-22 (New King James Version)

Brought Near by His Blood

Christ Our Peace

Christ Our Cornerstone

Romans 10:16-21 (New King James Version)

1 Peter 2:7-10 (New King James Version)

Matthew 21:42-43 (New King James Version)

John 3:3 (New King James Version)

Romans 14:17 (New King James Version)

Chapter 19: The Law of God

Romans 2:14-15 (New King James Version)