The Development of the Covenant
Doctrine
Although the early church fathers
mentioned the doctrine of the covenants, none of them such as, Irenaeus,
Clement of Alexandria, nor Augustine, really emphasized it.4
There was not much consideration given to the idea until the Protestant
Reformation.5
This change was based upon the switch of emphasis from the
"mechanical theories" of the Catholic church, such as the
sacraments as a means of salvation, to the "organic and spiritual
relation in which man stood to God by virtue of creation."6
This opened the way for the clarification of the covenantal relationship
between God and man, and how man is to live from day to day.
De Jong states that Luther and
Melanchthon believed in the covenantal base for man's relationship to
God, but neither developed it to any great degree because of their
strong Christological emphasis.7
Two streams of thought on the subject emerged out of the Reformation,
those that followed Calvin, and those that followed the Anabaptist line
of belief.8
These two views represent the different approaches that have struggled
to apply the commands of God into the practical realm of daily life. The
settlers that came to America arrived with elements of these divergent
views.9 Thus,
one might suggest that the conflict over practical Christian living has
been with America from its very beginning. And due to the unique
opportunities in the New World, such as the braking with the old ways
and beginning with the new, the conflict could take on a new
perspective.
The Reformed-Calvinist position that
came with the Puritans understood the covenant concept as a tool for
stressing conformity and Christian conduct.10
Due to its doctrines of double predestination, limited atonement,
unconditional election, and the perseverance of the saints, the Reformed
position of the covenants stressed the, "sovereignty of God in the
work of salvation."11
God made all the decisions and man was only to respond as he was
elected. There was a strong emphasis upon forensic or legal aspect of
salvation. Salvation was understood as being a continuum from the fall
to the time God restores man to original perfection. This salvation
history was connected to the covenant concept by way of the promises
made to Abraham. The establishment of the nation of Israel as God's
people represents how God still seeks His elected people and how He
expects them to live. Thus there was taught a theocratic ideal based
upon the covenant made at Sinai that all elected people should become
covenantors with God.
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