November 2007 - Protestant Reformed Churches in America

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Calvin’s Integrated Covenant Theology (2) This is how Anglican J. I. Packer defines “the life-embracing bedrock reality of the covenant relationship between the Creator and Christians” : “A covenant relationship is a voluntary mutual commitment that binds each party to the other.” 25 Packer roots this bond between God and us in the inter-Trinitarian communion of the Godhead. In answer to his own question, “Why does God … desire covenantal fellowship with rational beings” he answers, ...the nature of such fellowship observably corresponds to the relationships of mutual honor and love between Father, Son and Holy Spirit within the unity of the divine being, so that the divine purpose appears to be, so to speak, an enlarging of this circle of eternal love and joy. In highlighting the thought that covenantal communion is the inner life of God, covenant theology makes the truth of the Trinity more meaningful than it can otherwise be. 26 In the Protestant Reformed Churches the truth of the covenant as a bond of friendship and fellowship between God and His elect in Jesus Christ has been developed and maintained most fully, consistently, antithetically, and systematically. This has resulted in increased insight into and/or practical help regarding, for example, the living fellowship within the Holy Trinity, the covenant with Adam, Old Testament history, sovereign grace, infant baptism, Reformed worship, the unbreakable bond of marriage, Christian schooling, and the Christian life as one of God’s friend-servants keeping His covenant. 27 This development in the understanding of the nature of the 25. J. I. Packer in his “Introduction” to Herman Witsius, The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man: Comprehending a Complete Body of Divinity, 2 vols. (Escondido, CA: The den Dulk Christian Foundation, repr. 1990), vol. 1. There is no pagination for Packer’s “Introduction.” 26. Witsius, The Economy of the Covenants. 27. See, e.g., Herman Hanko, God’s Everlasting Covenant of Grace (Grandville, MI: RFPA, 1988); Herman Hoeksema, Believers and Their Seed: Children in the Covenant (Grandville, MI: RFPA, rev. 1997); November 2007 41
Protestant Reformed Theological Journal covenant since Calvin’s day ought not surprise us. It is now almost half a millennium since the Reformer’s birth. Many have been the debates and disputes concerning the covenant. Through the centuries and the controversies, the Spirit of truth has led the church into a greater understanding of the nature of God’s gracious covenant with us in Jesus Christ. Next time, Lord willing, we shall consider Calvin’s teaching on the blessings of the covenant. ● David J. Engelsma, Marriage, the Mystery of Christ and the Church: The Covenant Bond in Scripture and History (Grandville, MI: RFPA, rev. 1998); Herman Hanko, For Thy Truth’s Sake: A Doctrinal History of the Protestant Reformed Churches (Grandville, MI: RFPA, 2000); David J. Engelsma, Reformed Education: The Christian School as the Demand of the Covenant (Grandville, MI: RFPA, rev. 2000); Homer C. Hoeksema and David J. Engelsma, Unfolding Covenant History, 5 vols. (Grandville, MI: RFPA, 2000-2005); Henry Danhof and Herman Hoeksema, Sin and Grace, trans. Cornelius Hanko, ed. Herman Hanko (Grandville, MI: RFPA, 2003); David J. Engelsma, Barry Gritters, and Charles Terpstra, Reformed Worship (Grandville, MI: RFPA, 2004); Ronald Hanko, Doctrine According to Godliness (Grandville, MI: RFPA, 2004); Herman Hanko, We and Our Children: The Reformed Doctrine of Infant Baptism (Grandville, MI: RFPA, rev. 2004); Herman Hoeksema, Reformed Dogmatics, 2 vols. (Grandville, MI: RFPA, rev. 2004-2005); David J. Engelsma, The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers: Sovereign Grace in the Covenant (Jenison, MI: RFPA, 2005); Herman Hanko and David J. Engelsma, Keeping God’s Covenant (USA: British Reformed Fellowship, 2006); David J. Engelsma, Trinity and Covenant: God as Holy Family (Jenison, MI: RFPA, 2006). 42 Vol. 41, No. 1
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November 2007 - Protestant Reformed Churches in America

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