Will Only Covenant Members Be Saved?

Frequently Asked Questions # 23

Will Only Covenant Members Saved?

(See also Posting # 17, “The Covenant line.)

In a post-graduate course Dr. John Murray ( Westminster Seminary) discussed with us every passage of the Scriptures where the concept of "covenant" was found. His conclusion was that a covenant, in the biblical sense of the word, “is an oath-bound commitment or promise usually accompanied with a sign.” Scripture, unlike modern legal codes, knows nothing of an unexpressed, non-verbal, or implied covenant. Expressing, verbalizing, clearly stating, belongs to the essence of the biblical idea of covenant.

Thus there are two distinct and essential elements in God's covenant of grace. First, there is the disposition or attitude of grace, that is, God granting favor and blessing (salvation) to those who are not deserving of his goodness. Secondly, there is the matter of making explicit, putting into words, expressing that attitude of grace to particular persons. It is only when both of these elements are present that God's covenant of grace is established.

God's Disposition of Favor and Blessing

God's disposition of favor and blessing (salvation) was not given exclusively to Abraham and his descendants. However, it was exclusively to Abraham and his descendants that God revealed, verbalized, his disposition of favor and blessing and through whom it would be accomplished. With this "word" from God the "Old Covenant" was first established with Abraham and his descendants.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). Jesus is "the mediator of a new covenant." Through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ God expressed, revealed and made explicit his attitude of favor and grace to mankind. The Hebrews (The Jews, the Old Covenant people of God) could say "In the past God spoke (i.e. established his covenant) with our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken (i.e. established his covenant) with us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1).

Paul says of Christ: "He came and preached peace to you who were far away [non-covenant persons] and peace to those who were near [members of the covenant community]. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Eph. 2:17, 18)

What Covenant Advantage?

If both non-covenant persons and covenant members "have access to the Father by one Spirit" then what advantage is there in being a member of the Covenant community (The Church)? The answer is not that only among covenant members (members of the Church) is there salvation any more than to claim that salvation was found exclusively among Abraham and his descendants. If salvation is a gift given exclusively to covenant members Paul would have certainly alluded to such a strategic advantage. Paul, however, alludes to something else as the distinguishing mark of the covenant community.

In Christ God's Favor May Be Made Explicit,

Expressed, Verbalized to all people

"What advantage, then, is there in being" a member of the covenant community? "Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God" Rom. 3:2. They are not only the recipients of God's redeeming grace, they may also receive God's expressed oath and commitment concerning that grace sealed with a sign (“in the past”circumcision; “in these last days” baptism). That is the covenant "advantage."

The "very words of God" "ought to be announced and declared without differentiating or discriminating, to all nations and people, to whom God in his good pleasure sends the gospel" (Canons of Dort ). Paul preached "to the Gentiles [non-covenant people] the unsearchable riches of Christ, and [made] plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things." He did so because God's "intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known . . ." (Eph. 3:8-10).

Covenant members have the assignment of bringing “the very words of God" to those who have been “chosen in him before the foundation of the world.” God is not, and the church ought not to be, pleased to leave people in their despair (living apart from the verbalized, explicit, “the very words of God”) expressing God's favor and blessing to them.

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people" (Luke 2:10). The only exception among “all the people” is the person who willingly, purposely and finally rejects or remains indifferent to the revelation of himself that God has given to him or her.

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Contact the Author, Neal Punt at: whenindoubt1@charter.net

EVANGELICAL INCLUSIVISM is the teaching that all persons are elect in Christ except those who the Bible expressly declares will be finally lost, namely, those who ultimately reject or remain indifferent to whatever revelation God has given of himself to them whether in nature/conscience or in gospel presentation.

Evangelical Inclusivism is based upon these three biblical facts:

1) The so-called "universalistic" texts speak of a certain-to-be-realized salvation as Calvinist have consistently maintained and they do so in terms of all persons as Arminians have always affirmed (Posting No. 2).

2) We must accept the so-called "universalistic" texts as written. We may allow only those exceptions that are necessarily imposed upon these passages from the broader context of the Scriptures as a whole (Posting No. 3).

3) All persons, except Jesus Christ, are liable for and polluted by the imputed sin of Adam (original sin). However, the Scriptures do not teach or imply that anyone is consigned to eternal damnation solely on the basis of their sin in Adam APART FROM actual, willful and persistent sin on the part of the person so consigned (Posting No. 4).