Theological analysis of the new covenant and Seventh-day Adventist views on the everlasting covenant

Abstract

In Christian theology, the doctrine of the Covenant seems to attract the most opposing views. The divergent views relate to the OT and NT Covenants. The purpose of the study is to assess and compare the views of New Covenant Theology (NCT) and Seventh-day Adventist Theology (SDAT) on God’s covenant, the law, and the Sabbath in the light of biblical teachings about the redemption of humanity. The study demonstrates that there is a continuity of God’s covenants. The idea of an everlasting covenant began with the Father and the Son and the promise to humanity in Genesis 3:15. This was renewed to Abraham (Gen 17:7), given to Israel as the old covenant (Exod 2:24; Luke 1:67-77), and renewed to believers as the new covenant. There is continuity of the Ten Commandments in the new covenant period. However, there is some element of discontinuity, which is based on God’s perfect provision of obedience through the Holy Spirit in the new covenant vis a vis the human effort of obedience in the old covenant. In this vein, the study concludes that God’s plan of salvation, which was made in eternity past was about Christ. It is the same Christ, who is promised as “the seed” to the patriarchs. Also, God’s plan was for Christ to die for the sins of humanity. So God instituted temporal sacrifices pointing to the true sacrifice, which was Christ. Therefore, it could be said that there is continuity of God’s everlasting plan in relation to the salvation of humanity. Salvation always comes by grace and never by works. The OT is so intertwined and connected to the NT. God’s covenants are unified and function as phases of advancement in God’s general plan of salvation throughout the OT era and on into the NT. There is one covenant of salvation in the OT and NT, which is called the everlasting covenant.