Old Testament Fellowship with God Part 6 -- By: James F. Rand

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 109:435 (Jul 1952)
Article: Old Testament Fellowship with God Part 6
Author: James F. Rand


Old Testament Fellowship with God
Part 6

James F. Rand

(Concluded from the April-June Number, 1952)

{Editor’s note: Footnotes in the original printed edition were numbered 54–58, but in this electronic edition are numbered 1–5 respectively.}

The New Testament Testimony

With the Old Testament definition of the covenant relationship examined, it remains only to study the several pertinent portions of the New Testament to determine what light they shed upon the believing Israelite’s relationship to God during the Old Testament period. The New Testament devotes but few of its verses to this subject. This is altogether fitting; for the one who has established a new and more glorious relationship for both Jew and Gentile fills its pages with His glorious message of salvation for all men and union in His body, the Church. Still, we do find several extended passages in the epistles of Paul to the Romans and to the Galatians and several other verses in other portions of the New Testament. This material shall now be examined.

I. The Epistle to the Romans

One of Paul’s greatest contributions to the understanding of the covenant relationship is his use of Abraham as the supreme example of justification by faith in the fourth chapter of Romans. In addition, several other important truths are taught in this epistle. They will be summarized in orderly progression through the epistle.

True circumcision is of the heart. In our examination of the Abrahamic Covenant we promised that we would deal with the problem of Abrahamic circumcision in our consideration of the New Testament. Paul in Romans 2:17–29 emphatically stresses the inward relation to God in contrast to outward ceremonialism. The passage demonstrates the utter emptiness of false profession as the following

quotations will testify: “But if thou art called a Jew, and restest upon the law, and makest thy boast in God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law…thou that boastest in the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? …For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou fulfillest the law: but if thou art a lawbreaker, thy circumcision hath become uncircumcision…. For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is one in the flesh; but he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Rom 2:17, 18, You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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