In Granite or Ingrained? What the Old and New Covenant Reveal about the Gospel, the Law, and the Sabbath

273 Pages·2007·1.886 MB·English

by  Skip MacCarty

IN GRANITE OR INGRAINED?
What the Old and New Covenants Reveal about the Gospel, the
Law, and the Sabbath
Skip MacCarty
Andrews University Press
Sutherland House
8360 W. Campus Circle Dr.
Berrien Springs, MI 49104–1700
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Email: [email protected]
Website: http://universitypress.andrews.edu
Copyright © 2007 by Andrews University Press
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner or translated into
other languages without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in critical articles and reviews.
ISBN 978–1–883925–57–4
ISBN 978–1–883925–82–6 (e-book)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
MacCarty, Skip.
In granite or ingrained? : what the Old and New Covenants reveal about the Gospel, the Law, and
the Sabbath / Skip MacCarty.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–1–883925–57–4 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Covenant theology. 2. Sabbath—Biblical
teaching. 3. Covenants—Religious aspects—Seventh-day Adventists. 4. Seventh-day Adventists—
Doctrines. I. Title.
BT155.M23 2007
231.7’6—dc22
2006038830
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
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Scripture quotations marked “ASV” are taken from the American Standard Version.
Scripture quotations marked “ESV” are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version,
copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are taken from the King James Version.
Scripture quotations marked “NASB” are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright
© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used
by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked “NJPS” are taken from the Jewish Study Bible. Jewish Publication
Society Tanakh Translation, © Copyright 1985, 1999.
Scripture quotations marked “NKJV” are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©
1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “NRSV” are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Project Director Ronald Alan Knott
Project Editor Deborah L. Everhart
Line Editor Kenneth Wade
Copy Editor Denise McAllister
Typesetter Thomas Toews
Text and Cover Designer Robert N. Mason
Dedicated to
Dwight K. Nelson
Boss, Colleague, Mentor, Friend
for twenty years and counting
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
What Drew Me to This Study
A Preview of What I Found
Chapter 1: The Core Truth of the Covenant(s)
The Definition and Nature of the Covenant(s)
The Everlasting Covenant
“An Everlasting Covenant”
“The Everlasting Covenant”
The Everlasting Gospel
Summary
Chapter 2: The Universality of the Covenant(s)
The Universality and Mission-Directed Purpose of the Covenant(s)
The Universality and Mission-Directed Purpose of God’s Covenant(s) Throughout the Old
Testament Era
The Universality and Mission-Directed Purpose of God’s Covenant in the New Testament Era
God’s Universal Covenant of Redemption Encompasses All Creation
Summary
Chapter 3: How God Defined the New Covenant
The DNA of the Everlasting Gospel Expressed in the New Covenant
Why This Particular Order?
Tracing the New Covenant DNA Through Salvation History
Summary
Chapter 4: New Covenant DNA in the Old Covenant
New Covenant DNA Marker 1—Sanctification
New Covenant DNA Marker 2—Reconciliation
New Covenant DNA Marker 3—Mission
New Covenant DNA Marker 4—Justification
Summary
Chapter 5: How the Old and New Covenants Differ
A Different Response Anticipated
Like the New Commandment to Love, which Wasn’t New
A New and More Powerful Revelation
Making It New and Real to Us
New Ceremonies
Jesus Came in the Middle
Caveat
Summary
Chapter 6: The Two Covenants in History and Experience
The Historical Old and New Covenants
The Experiential Old and New Covenants
Summary
Chapter 7: Historical and Experiential Applications
The First Covenant is Obsolete
Personal and National Examples of Old Covenant / New Covenant Experiences
Not Under the Law’s (Schoolmaster’s) Supervision
Not Under Law but Under Grace
Died to the Law
Law Not Based on Faith
The End of the Law
The Power of Sin is the Law
The Ministry of Death Versus the Ministry of the Spirit
Law for Sinners Only
Perfection Demanded by the Covenant(s) Supplied in New Covenant Experience
New Covenant Experience in Old Covenant History
Old Covenant Experience in New Covenant History
Covenant Love in Focus
Summary
Chapter 8: Love and Law in the Covenant(s)
The Nature of Biblical Law
The Covenant Book—Love As the Basis of Law
Obedience—the Service and Allegiance of Love
New Testament Commands
Meant to Be Taken Seriously
Moral Bar Raised to the Heavens
A Righteousness Revealed Apart from Law
New Covenant Freedom vs. the Yoke that Neither We nor Our Fathers Could Bear
The Unbearable Yoke
Summary
Chapter 9: Covenant Signs
Rainbow
Circumcision
The Sabbath
The Sabbath and the New Covenant
Summary
Chapter 10: Covenant Rest
The Spiritual Rest Offered God’s Covenant People
The Sabbath—Sign of Covenant Rest
The “Rest” Israel Did Experience, and the “Rest” They Didn’t
The Sabbath-Rest That Remains for the People of God
Summary
Chapter 11: Ten Timeless Truths
Chapter 12: Living the Covenants
Promise/Provision 1 (Sanctification)
Promise/Provision 2 (Reconciliation)
Promise/Provision 3 (Mission)
Promise/Provision 4 (Justification)
Benediction
Appendix A: Comparisons of the Old and New Covenants as Presented in Hebrews 7–10
Appendix B: “Under Law” vs. “Under Grace”
The “Under Law” / “Under Grace” Texts
A Suggested Model of the Plan of Salvation from an Experiential “Under Law” / “Under Grace”
Perspective
Appendix C: Scholars’ Comments on Colossians 2:16–17
Appendix D: Tables and Charts
Table 1: The Covenant(s)
Table 2: Historical Old and New Covenants
Table 3: Old and New Covenant Experiences
Table 4: New Testament Commands
Endnotes
Acknowledgments
I prayed early in my study that God would guide me to the resources that
could give me a depth of understanding about the covenants. At the time, I
primarily had in mind written resources. But the help God provided
primarily came through people. At critical times in my study, He sent
people into my life who encouraged me, challenged me, and directed me to
further resources at just the time they were needed.
My boss and senior pastor, Dwight K. Nelson, both encouraged me in
this study and provided me with the title of this book. Professor Woodrow
Whidden heard of my interest in the covenants and asked me to teach a
two-hour session on the covenants for one of his religion classes at
Andrews University, and later became a reader and constructive critic of an
edited copy of the manuscript.
In the spring of 2003, I was asked to make a one-hour presentation on my
study of the covenants to an ad hoc group, the “Gospel Study Committee”
that, unknown to me, had been studying this subject for two years.1 Its
members subsequently asked me to write the opening chapter of a
manuscript they were jointly writing on the covenants. When I submitted
my first edition of a proposed chapter, they suggested that I expand it into a
book manuscript in its own right. Their detailed critiques of that manuscript
and its subsequent editions proved invaluable. Written critiques by Fred
Bischoff and Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary professors Jon
Paulien, Jerry Moon, and Roy Gane proved especially helpful. Dr. Gane’s
syllabus on “The Covenants, Law and Sabbath” also gave me great help
early in my study. Jerry Finneman helped me with a critical point in
appendix B, “‘Under Law’ vs. ‘Under Grace.’”
One member of that committee took me under his wing and gave me
invaluable encouragement, guidance, and support throughout the
preparation of this manuscript—Richard Davidson, chair of the Seventh-
day Adventist Theological Seminary Old Testament Department. Without
his help, this book would never have gotten published.
George Knight gave me valuable help by critiquing an early edition of
this manuscript and then rereading it after I had worked on his suggestions.
Bruce Wrenn, professor of marketing at the South Bend, Indiana, campus of
Indiana University, and a member of a small group I have been in for