Old Testament Fellowship with God Part 1 -- By: James F. Rand

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 108:430 (Apr 1951)
Article: Old Testament Fellowship with God Part 1
Author: James F. Rand


Old Testament Fellowship with God
Part 1

James F. Rand

Many Bible students see little if any difference between the status of an Old Testament believer and that of a New Testament saint. Others see a great difference, claiming that the Old Testament believer was in covenant relationship with God while the New Testament saint was in Christ, relatioiaships which are entirely different both in their origin and the blessings which result from them. It is the precise definition of the former term, covenant relationship, which we seek to determine. This term, we believe, is determinative in Biblical interpretation.

The importance of this term is attested by Lewis Sperry Chafer. “Since all human life is lived under some qualifying conditions belonging to the covenants of Jehovah, and since every passage of Scripture draws its color to some degree from the covenant under which it belongs, the importance to the Bible student of a clear understanding of these age-characterizing, world-transforming declarations of Jehovah cannot be estimated.”1 In another place Chafer has also said: “When it is once comprehended that God has an elect nation unto whom He has made irrevocable covenants, which covenants are eternal in character, there will be a readiness of mind to follow the divine plan for this people through time and into eternity.”2

As indicated above, the problem is basically to define the term, covenant relationship. There appears to be a veritable paucity of written material upon this subject. This very lack

of material justifies the investigation. The scarcity of extra-Biblical material does not indicate in any manner that it is not a subject of importance.

It would seem evident that the setting forth of a precise Biblical definition of this terminology would do much to determine whether the position of the Israelite under the covenant relationship was different from the position of the individual New Testament believer in Christ, and consequently whether there is a vital difference between Israel and the church. The lack of this precise definition has been responsible at least in part for a great deal of confusion concerning this difference between Israel and the church. Until it is clearly seen that one cannot think of the Israelite in his covenant relationship as occupying the same position before God as the New Testament believer, there will continue to exist a failure to comprehend the distinction between the two entities.

It also seems evident that the lack of this definition is at least partially responsible fo...

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