Continued from Part 7

Part 8: Covenant & the Church

Finally, as we have already mentioned, the Son fulfilled the eternal covenant as a means of redeeming not only individuals but a people for himself under his headship. Peter invokes covenantal language to make the point that believers are being brought together: “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Pet 2:4-5). Paul also forcefully asserts that the work of the Spirit in the believers’ lives is not only for them individually, but for them to build each other up as one body (1Cor 12 – 14; Eph 4:1-17). Here the biblical vision of the church is seen as an expression of the covenant – growing up into likeness of our federal head.

 

To put it differently, for the Great King to be a king he needs a kingdom – a people. Therefore, while contemporary American evangelicals have a hard time understanding the importance of the church, the ancient world would have understood that a king must have a people – formed in solidarity before their king. The New Testament authors knew that the church was essential to Christ’s kingship because as a king he would certainly gather a people to himself.

 

Additionally, the “marks of the church” make the most sense together only within the covenantal paradigm. The Word of God – as clearly belonging to the people of God (Jn 8:31-32; Acts 2:42; 6:7; 12:24; 19:20; Eph 4:11) – is the record of God’s covenant with his people. The sacraments as signs and seals of the covenant operate as effectual signs of covenant initiation (in baptism, cf. Mt 28:19) and covenantal renewal (at the Lord’s Supper, cf. 1Cor 11:23-26). Finally discipline operates within the church to organize the people of God in their ongoing covenantal devotion to the Lord – in rebuke and censure (Mt 18:15-20; 1Cor 5), as well as leadership and shepherding (Eph 4:11-14; 1Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-16). The three marks of the church form the covenantal record, rituals, and regulation of the people of God.

 

Covenantal theology teaches us to value the church as an essential aspect of our relationship with God. We are not alone; we are together in Christ.