From Dispensational to Covenantal: Part I

Ten years ago had I written a blog titled "Why I am Dispensational" I may have used carefully selected Bible verses to prove why I was convinced that Dispensational Theology was absolutely true, climaxing (naturally, considering pop cultural views of eschatology), in the various Tribulation theories that dominate our pop christian culture.

Contrary to the approach I would have taken above, the truth of the matter is that I knew of no alternative views to Dispensational Theology. So again: had I written a blog ten years ago titled "Why I am Dispensational", and had I of been honest with myself and others while doing it, I would have said that Dispensational Theology was "the tradition I was raised in, therefore this was the truth I believed". Not much of a foundation for coming up with an objective reason for being Dispensational, but it works for most people (cf. why is a Pentecostal a Pentecostal or a why is a Baptist a Baptist etc.; probably because it was the tradition they were raised in, therefore the "truth" they believe), and it worked for me.

The road travelled from Dispensational Theology to Covenantal Theology was not a short one. I did not wake up one day and decided to be Covenantal. I did not read books written by Covenantalists, indeed all the books I read where by Dispensationalists. I had few friends who were Covenantal (I didn't even know it at the time), while almost all my other friends, churches I've attended, family members and acquaintances were Dispensational. I did not choose to be Covenantal for convenience sake, indeed this position has been a most inconvenient one for me. As a matter of fact, I had travelled this road from Dispensationalism to Covenantalism for years without even knowing it; and one day I picked up a book by a Covenantal Theologian and after I finished it, sat back in my chair and thought "Wow! That's me. That's what I believe!".

This journey began, like all my other theological journeys, the year I became a Christian. I'll spare you the boring details and just hit the highlights of what happened to me one night when I was eleven and a new believer:

Travelling home that night on the city bus from a friends house, the only passenger on board, I sat near the front and played my Christian Music (Ray Boltz if I remember correctly) in a single speaker ghetto blaster. The bus driver, who could hear my music, asked if I was a Christian. She then began pelting me with questions; questions such as "Don't Christians believe in three Gods? How can Jesus be God if there is a distinct person called 'God the Father' and another distinct person called 'God the Holy Spirit'? It seems to me" she said, "that you Christians believe in three gods not one!"

How can an eleven year old new christian be expected to understand or explain the complex relationship of the Triune Godhead particularly in reference to the 'hyperstatic union' of the Father and the Son?

I stepped off the bus that night with a serious dilemma; I knew what I had experienced, but did I know what I knew? In other words, what if this new found faith of mine was a giant hoax or a mystical cult of some kind and I got lured in by my emotions! When I got home I called a friend who took the time over the phone to explain to me as much as he could about the trinity. But I resolved that day to probe deeper into the things I've been taught; to think critically, and whenever something didn't add up or make sense, rather then saying 'oh well, everyone else (in a particular circle) believes this so my thinking must be wrong', I would ask lots and lots of questions until I obtained some type of certitude on whatever it is that was the current subject, or else I would remain skeptical.

What does all this have to do with my journey from Dispensationalism to Covenantalism? Everything. As I probed into the things which I have heard and read I found the Dispensational system to be an inadaquate approach to major biblical motifs such as the Covenants, Election, Soteriology, Eschatology and others.

NOTE: As I follow these thoughts through it is important to keep something in mind: I never took a course on "Dispensationalism" (I don't even know if there is one per se). Like the great majority, we learned about end times or about covenants of Law and Grace or about Old Testament systems etc. without realizing that we are either Dispensational or Covenantal. In other words, we are naturally indoctrinated into systems of belief without necessarily being able to articulate what that system actually is. Therefore, when I talk about what I believed, or what I was told or read, some (but not all) of it could be classified as 'folk', or what I learned from common assumptions of Dispensationalism. So therefore, I make no pretense of claiming that everything that follows is perfectly accurate to what Dispensationalism as a professional theological system actually teaches. Having said that, I believe most of what I'll say on this subject is indeed accurate, and what may be less accurate still nonetheless accurately depicts what I learned from friends, books and even bible college.

Until next time, remain faithful to the Covenant God who has always been faithful to you.

Derek