This post is just a few notes I made while reading “Abraham’s Four Seeds†by John G. Reisinger. It's not ment to convince anyone of Reisinger's position, I just thought it would be good to discuss some of his points. Forgive spelling mistakes, etc. these are just personal notes.
“Logic is a good mistress, but a very bad master.â€Â
Introduction
- The point is made in the introduction, about the logical fallacy of ‘ether or’ your either a dispensationalist or a covenantalist.
- Reisinger makes a good point about Romanish teaching still remaining in the teachers of the Reformation, Sacralism being one.
- Makes mention about the on going problem in the PCA with Theonomy because the WCF and the Puritan legacy remains on there side.
- Baptists can’t look to the Anabaptists for the doctrines of Grace, they can’t accept dispensationalism as taught in the Scofield Bible and yet they can’t deny the WCF in total.
- The modern Covenant view professed by Covenant theologians are the heirs of the Puritans and therefore Theonomy.
- Pionts JGR makes and I agree with, no system is total consistent with many texts in Scripture, and the same texts force me to accept things offered by other systems.
- It’s a good thing when people examine their presuppositions and admit when they assumed ideas to be truth when in fact there not.
Chapter 1
- Abraham’s justification was used by Paul in Romans 4 to illustrate God’s pattern for saving all believers in all ages.
- From Gen. 12 to Rev. we find the story of Abraham’s seed in the world.
- “5. Christ came into this world "to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham." (Luke l:72,73)â€Â
- The Gospel is the fulfillment of the Covenant made with Abraham.
- Galatians 3:7 = all who have faith are Abraham’s children, we are blessed with Abraham v.9 because of this faith and Christ died so this blessing might come onto the gentiles v. 14.
- Abraham experienced the justification of faith in the promise of the Gospel (Gal. 3:6-9, 18), we experience the same justification because we are Abraham’s true seed (Gal. 3:29).
- The idea of historic redemption is related to “Abraham and his seed,†only Christ is found in both the Old and New Testaments linking salvation to the seed.
- The major differences between dispensational and covenant approach is related to the idea of Abraham’s seed and what that means, JGR gives a list of questions that help identify the presuppositions of each school.
- When the term dispensationalism is use it means that found in the Scofield Bible, when Covenantalism is used it means the Westminster Confession of Faith.
- Huh, never thought about it but if JGR is correct, both dispey’s and covey’s believe the physical seed are Abraham’s seed. The dispey claims Israel is still in existence but set aside, the covey claims their children are Abraham’s seed. Both make the physical children the heirs.
- “It is rather amazing (and to a Reformed Baptist, amusing as well) to hear a Dispensationalist plead the "unconditional covenant made with Abraham and his seed" as the foundation of his belief in a separate and future purpose for the Nation of Israel, and then hear a Paedobaptist plead the VERY SAME "unconditional covenant made with Abraham and his seed" as the foundation for his infant baptism.â€Â
- Both systems are based upon previous ideas, both systems assume they’re true and then set about defending them and everything seems to fit until you try to prove the presuppositions. That’s when it seems to fall apart.
- In Gal. 3:16 Paul argues for ‘seed’ and not ‘seeds’ and that one seed is Christ.
- “If our theological view holds that the "promise to Abraham and his seed" (singular) involves either the Jews and their physical children or Christian parents and their children, then we are contradicting Paul's statement in Gal 3:16.â€Â
- If we apply Gal. 3:16 to Christian parents or Jews, it voids Paul’s argument, and contradicts the promise to the seed of Abraham because it has nothing to do with physical birth…but faith.
- True faith and not birthright determined salvation.
- Renewal by the Holy Ghost due to electing work of Grace is the only way one can access the promise made by Abraham (Romans 9:11, 23-24; Hebrews 6:13-15).
- Thing Promised: seed, nation, land / Physical Fulfillment: Isaac, Israel, Palestine / Spiritual Fulfillment: Christ as the true seed, Church as the true nation, Salvation rest as the true land.
Chapter 2
- Abraham has four distinct seeds listed by the author: 1. natural seed/progeny, 2. special seed/Jacob chosen not Esau for God’s purposes in redemption, 3. spiritual seed, 4. unique seed which is Christ.
- Dispy’s and Covey’s both mix #’s 2 and 3.
- The nature seed has no advantage over the true, spiritual seed of Abraham. The idea that one is born into covenant is false. Romans 3:1,2
- The Jew had many advantages according to the strict “preaching†of the Gospel, but their spiritual station before God didn’t change based upon this and just as a child of a believer today shares in the teaching of the Gospel the status remains the same until the spiritual rebirth happens.
- We find both “Esau’s†and “Jacobs†or unbelievers and believers born into covenant homes, one is loved and regenerated the other hated.
- It should be noted that God compares two nature seeds of Abraham with only one being an heir to the promise, covenant born means little in terms of salvation.
- “We must remember that the legal covenant at Sinai was not given to regenerated and justified believers to "aid them in sanctification." Most of those people were not regenerate. The law covenant was laid on the conscience of a generation of blind rebellious sinners to convict them of their unbelief and to kill their hope in their own righteousness! That covenant only ministered grace as it effected the knowledge of sin and spiritual death in an Israelite's heart and led him to faith in the gospel covenant given to Abraham.â€Â
- The Mosaic covenant was a death sentence (II. Cor 3:6-9 and Rom. 7:9,10) to the people described in Deut. 29:4 and Heb. 3:18 - 4:2. This covenant is Gracious but in purpose, to show this prideful people their sin and pride, and then to kill it.
- The one covenant with two administrations after Gen. 3:15 is then destroyed.
- Quote: “The nation of Israel is not the body of Christ, even though the body of Christ is the true Israel.†This statement helps to make sense of both the covey and dispey view of Israel in a much more Biblical manner, for the covenant theologian can’t accept the first part of the statement and the dispensationalist can’t aept the last. Humm…
- We can’t find one verse that teaches the “Covenant of Works†or the “Covenant of Grace,†not one. I find this troubling.
Chapter 3
- Ishmael, Esau and Jacob were all true sons according to the flesh and therefore circumcised.
- It was Jacob (who latter become Israel) that took hold of the promises by faith, Ishmael and Esau did not. Jacob held a unique place within redemptive history.
“Logic is a good mistress, but a very bad master.â€Â
Introduction
- The point is made in the introduction, about the logical fallacy of ‘ether or’ your either a dispensationalist or a covenantalist.
- Reisinger makes a good point about Romanish teaching still remaining in the teachers of the Reformation, Sacralism being one.
- Makes mention about the on going problem in the PCA with Theonomy because the WCF and the Puritan legacy remains on there side.
- Baptists can’t look to the Anabaptists for the doctrines of Grace, they can’t accept dispensationalism as taught in the Scofield Bible and yet they can’t deny the WCF in total.
- The modern Covenant view professed by Covenant theologians are the heirs of the Puritans and therefore Theonomy.
- Pionts JGR makes and I agree with, no system is total consistent with many texts in Scripture, and the same texts force me to accept things offered by other systems.
- It’s a good thing when people examine their presuppositions and admit when they assumed ideas to be truth when in fact there not.
Chapter 1
- Abraham’s justification was used by Paul in Romans 4 to illustrate God’s pattern for saving all believers in all ages.
- From Gen. 12 to Rev. we find the story of Abraham’s seed in the world.
- “5. Christ came into this world "to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham." (Luke l:72,73)â€Â
- The Gospel is the fulfillment of the Covenant made with Abraham.
- Galatians 3:7 = all who have faith are Abraham’s children, we are blessed with Abraham v.9 because of this faith and Christ died so this blessing might come onto the gentiles v. 14.
- Abraham experienced the justification of faith in the promise of the Gospel (Gal. 3:6-9, 18), we experience the same justification because we are Abraham’s true seed (Gal. 3:29).
- The idea of historic redemption is related to “Abraham and his seed,†only Christ is found in both the Old and New Testaments linking salvation to the seed.
- The major differences between dispensational and covenant approach is related to the idea of Abraham’s seed and what that means, JGR gives a list of questions that help identify the presuppositions of each school.
- When the term dispensationalism is use it means that found in the Scofield Bible, when Covenantalism is used it means the Westminster Confession of Faith.
- Huh, never thought about it but if JGR is correct, both dispey’s and covey’s believe the physical seed are Abraham’s seed. The dispey claims Israel is still in existence but set aside, the covey claims their children are Abraham’s seed. Both make the physical children the heirs.
- “It is rather amazing (and to a Reformed Baptist, amusing as well) to hear a Dispensationalist plead the "unconditional covenant made with Abraham and his seed" as the foundation of his belief in a separate and future purpose for the Nation of Israel, and then hear a Paedobaptist plead the VERY SAME "unconditional covenant made with Abraham and his seed" as the foundation for his infant baptism.â€Â
- Both systems are based upon previous ideas, both systems assume they’re true and then set about defending them and everything seems to fit until you try to prove the presuppositions. That’s when it seems to fall apart.
- In Gal. 3:16 Paul argues for ‘seed’ and not ‘seeds’ and that one seed is Christ.
- “If our theological view holds that the "promise to Abraham and his seed" (singular) involves either the Jews and their physical children or Christian parents and their children, then we are contradicting Paul's statement in Gal 3:16.â€Â
- If we apply Gal. 3:16 to Christian parents or Jews, it voids Paul’s argument, and contradicts the promise to the seed of Abraham because it has nothing to do with physical birth…but faith.
- True faith and not birthright determined salvation.
- Renewal by the Holy Ghost due to electing work of Grace is the only way one can access the promise made by Abraham (Romans 9:11, 23-24; Hebrews 6:13-15).
- Thing Promised: seed, nation, land / Physical Fulfillment: Isaac, Israel, Palestine / Spiritual Fulfillment: Christ as the true seed, Church as the true nation, Salvation rest as the true land.
Chapter 2
- Abraham has four distinct seeds listed by the author: 1. natural seed/progeny, 2. special seed/Jacob chosen not Esau for God’s purposes in redemption, 3. spiritual seed, 4. unique seed which is Christ.
- Dispy’s and Covey’s both mix #’s 2 and 3.
- The nature seed has no advantage over the true, spiritual seed of Abraham. The idea that one is born into covenant is false. Romans 3:1,2
- The Jew had many advantages according to the strict “preaching†of the Gospel, but their spiritual station before God didn’t change based upon this and just as a child of a believer today shares in the teaching of the Gospel the status remains the same until the spiritual rebirth happens.
- We find both “Esau’s†and “Jacobs†or unbelievers and believers born into covenant homes, one is loved and regenerated the other hated.
- It should be noted that God compares two nature seeds of Abraham with only one being an heir to the promise, covenant born means little in terms of salvation.
- “We must remember that the legal covenant at Sinai was not given to regenerated and justified believers to "aid them in sanctification." Most of those people were not regenerate. The law covenant was laid on the conscience of a generation of blind rebellious sinners to convict them of their unbelief and to kill their hope in their own righteousness! That covenant only ministered grace as it effected the knowledge of sin and spiritual death in an Israelite's heart and led him to faith in the gospel covenant given to Abraham.â€Â
- The Mosaic covenant was a death sentence (II. Cor 3:6-9 and Rom. 7:9,10) to the people described in Deut. 29:4 and Heb. 3:18 - 4:2. This covenant is Gracious but in purpose, to show this prideful people their sin and pride, and then to kill it.
- The one covenant with two administrations after Gen. 3:15 is then destroyed.
- Quote: “The nation of Israel is not the body of Christ, even though the body of Christ is the true Israel.†This statement helps to make sense of both the covey and dispey view of Israel in a much more Biblical manner, for the covenant theologian can’t accept the first part of the statement and the dispensationalist can’t aept the last. Humm…
- We can’t find one verse that teaches the “Covenant of Works†or the “Covenant of Grace,†not one. I find this troubling.
Chapter 3
- Ishmael, Esau and Jacob were all true sons according to the flesh and therefore circumcised.
- It was Jacob (who latter become Israel) that took hold of the promises by faith, Ishmael and Esau did not. Jacob held a unique place within redemptive history.