What Is Covenant Theology?
More than once I have been asked a simple question: “How do you remember names?” Recalling a name is more of a science than an art, and the science behind it is very simple. We do not remember disconnected pieces of information well. Researchers depict synapses in the brain as roots or tiny, interconnected networks. When someone gives me their name, the more connections that I can make (such as family, occupation, recreation, and dreams - or FORD, for short), the more likely I am to remember their name. But what about Bible reading? How many times have we read our Bible as a loosely-connected series of stories? Much like the Reader’s Digest, their only connection seems to be that they are bound in the same volume. None of us may explicitly say that, but we all wonder how Leviticus, 1 Chronicles, and Revelation can all be connected.
For me personally, this is important. My early Christian life could be defined by “exegetical frustration.” Why? Imagine watching the Lord of the Rings series and seeing only the forging of the Fellowship and the destruction of the ring, but only seeing snippets of everything else in between. Could you enjoy the movie? Would you ever watch it again? Of course not! We should not shocked that the majority of Christians fail to read through the Bible. When we do not understand where we are or where we are going, we stop.
At this point, Ryan McGraw speaks to us a helpful word in What is Covenant Theology? Dr. McGraw demonstrates for us how covenant theology serves to bind the Bible together. In fact, we should expect it to be so. The word “testament” is a covenant resting on Christ’s death. The terms “Old Testament” and “New Testament” signal that the Bible as a whole is based upon Christ and His covenant. This volume spends the first chapter discussing the Covenant of Works with Adam and the Covenant of Grace with Christ. In the Covenant of Works, Adam served as our representative, tasked with earning a blessed life upon the condition of perfect, personal, and perpetual obedience. Obviously, Adam failed. Christ, however, engages on our behalf in the Covenant of Grace. He fulfills the law and pays the penalty on our behalf, as our representative. Only by understanding what Adam lost do we begin to understand what Christ gained for us. But even more so, we only understand how all the Old and New Testament point to Christ once we understand their united message on this front.
The second chapter displays the unfolding of God’s gracious covenant from Noah to Christ, stopping along the way to show how each section of Scripture is looking forward to Christ’s completed work for us. He states: “In fact, it is not a stretch to say the everything from Genesis 3:16 to Revelation 22:21 is a detailed exposition of Genesis 3:15.” (31) From this point, the remaining chapters apply these truths of covenant theology to our Bible reading, to our fellowship with God, and to our Christian life. Dr. McGraw ensures that covenant theology becomes concrete for us. Quite frankly, if we do not see its usefulness, we will not use it.
If I had a time machine, I would give this book to young Zach. I missed out on so much joy and peace by not understanding how to put the Bible together. That said, this book could say more, much more. However, this short volume whets your appetite to “take up and read.” I would encourage everyone to purchase a copy here. OR, I have two copies in my office. I would love to read it with you!
