Re-Publication of the Covenant of Works (1)

I’m so committed to the doctrine of republication that I’m republishing a series of posts from the old HB from Jan ’07 beginning with this one. — As Mike Horton acknowledges in his recent work on covenant theology, one of the more . . . Continue reading →

WCF vs NCT: Which is More "Spiritual"?

One of the most persistent caricatures of Reformed orthodoxy is that it was (and remains) a lifeless, dead orthodoxy. Apparently some enthusiastic supporters of the so-called (self-described) “New Covenant” theology have taken up this view as a way of contrasting the piety . . . Continue reading →

Gordon Essay Online: Abraham and Sinai Contrasted

“Abraham and Sinai Contrasted in Galatians 3:6-14” in The Law is Not of Faith:  Essays on Works and Grace in the Mosaic Covenant, ed. Bryan Estelle, J. V. Fesko, and David VanDrunen (P&R, 2009), pp. 240–58. The book is available through the . . . Continue reading →

Augustine on Republication

Thanks to Brandon for publishing some very interesting and provocative (in the best sense) excerpts from an anti-Pelagian treatise by Augustine in which he accounted for the uniqueness of the Mosaic, national, covenant in a way that sounds quite like the later . . . Continue reading →

The Context of the Republication Debate

Why is Such An Old Doctrine So Controversial Now?

A few correspondents have contacted me to ask about the continuing controversy over the doctrine of republication. It seems as if it might be useful to try to put this discussion in some context. In its most basic form, the doctrine of . . . Continue reading →

Amandus Polanus On Republication

“God repeated the same covenant (of works) with the people of Israel through Moses . . . it is called the covenant of Moses, the covenant of law, and commonly the old covenant.” [“Idem fedus [sic]  repetivit Deus cum populo Israelitico per . . . Continue reading →

The Law Might Be Called A Covenant Of Works

The Law—considered as a national covenant, by which their continued possession of the land of Canaan, and of all their privileges under the Theocracy, was left to depend on their external obedience to it,— might be called a national Covenant of Works, . . . Continue reading →

More Questions From Ginger: Why Is Republication So Controversial?

As a follow-on to the post on the covenant of works, Ginger asks, You said: “Several have said that their status as a national people and their tenure in the land was affected by their obedience or disobedience. This view, however, has . . . Continue reading →

Seven Short Points About Republication

The (re)republication of a book on the question of the republication of the covenant of works under Moses has hit the Reformed interwebs. Follow the link above for quotes from Reformed sources, audio, and posts explaining the history, the current controversy, and . . . Continue reading →

Boston: WCF 19 Teaches Republication

That the conditional promise (Lev 18:5, to which agrees Exodus 19:8) and the dreadful threatening (Deut 27:26), were both given to the Israelites, as well as the ten commands, is beyond question; and that according to the apostle (Rom. 10:5, Gal. 3:10), . . . Continue reading →

Buchanan: The Law Was Not Relaxed But Republished

If the original law required perfect obedience, could it be abrogated, or even relaxed, otherwise than by God’s authority? If it was not abrogated, but republished, at Sinai, was it relaxed by Christ, when He repeated it, saying, ‘Thou shalt love the . . . Continue reading →