Week XIV we will be reading Chapters 10 and 11 of Book 2
Here are the Audio links
PREVIEW OF CHAPTER 10
The Covenant in the Old Testament is really the same as that of the New. All men adopted by God into the company of His people since the beginning of the world were covenanted to Him by the same law and by the bond of the same doctrine as obtains among us. The covenant made with the patriarchs is so much like ours in substance and reality that the two are actually one and the same.
In the Old Covenant justification derived its validity from grace alone, “and since the very heart of the gospel is the justification of sinners apart from the works of merit, and since the Jews are those to whom the doctrine of righteousness of faith was imparted, who dares separate the Jews from Christ?” Proof of this occurs with the covenant signs that are similar. The Israelites are equal to us not only in the grace of the covenant but also in the signification of the sacraments. For instance, there are similarities between our spiritual baptism and the Jews crossing the sea. The Jews ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink, that is, Christ.
The Old Testament saints had the hope of eternal life. God's Word quickened the soul. Since God bound the Jews to Himself by this bond, there is no doubt that he set them apart to the hope of eternal life. God gave His people fellowship with Him self and thus eternal life, for even in the Old Covenant, God's goodness was stronger than death. The blessedness of the ancient people was not earthly, for spiritual Abraham is the father of our faith. Such is also the case with the examples of Isaac and Jacob. And everywhere we find David as herald of hope, as well as Job, and the prophets.
PREVIEW OF CHAPTER 11
The Old Testament differs from the New in five respects: 1) there was a representation of spiritual blessings by temporal blessings. The earthly promises corresponded to the childhood of the church in the Old Covenant; but were not to chain hope to earthly things. 2) The truth housed in the Old Testament was conveyed by images and ceremonies. In the absence of the reality, it showed an image and shadow in place of the substance, where the New Testament reveals the very substance of truth as present. 3) The Old Testament is literal where the New Testament is spiritual. Here we see the Old Testament is the ministry of condemnation, for it accuses all the sons of Adam of unrighteousness, while the New Testament is the ministry of righteousness because it reveals God's mercy, through which we are justified. 4) There was the bondage of the Old Testament and in contrast to the proclaimed freedom of the New Testament. Scripture calls the Old Testament one of “bondage” because it produces fear in men's minds; but the New Testament, one of “freedom” because it lifts them to trust and assurance. 5) The Old Testament has reference to one Nation, and in the New Testament there is reference to all Nations. Until the advent of Christ, the Lord set apart one nation within which to confine the covenant of His grace, but in the fullness of time, God was revealed as the reconciler between Himself and all men and called the Gentiles as well.
CHECK OUT THE PURITANS MIND WEBSITE: HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment