Very interesting thoughts, David -- thanks! I'm just beginning to explore covenant theology myself. It's helpful to see that God's covenant people is not coterminus with those who are "saved," that is, who will spend eternity in the Kingdom of God.

What I'm nervous about, though, is simply writing off some passages that seem to indicate that the doctrine of eternal security may not be right on the money as, "That one refers to the covenant people (some of whom are unsaved), this one refers to just those who are saved." At the very least, it is a hermeneutically slippery slope.
Darren | Homepage | 05.06.04 - 3:27 pm | #

Good questions David, keep reading the Bible in context, you're getting closer.
Mike Gallaugher | Homepage | 05.07.04 - 4:30 pm | #

Hi David, interesting and thought-provoking line of posts.

I suppose where the "rubber meets the road" for me is: what happens on Judgment Day? Do the unbelievers within the Covenant find out on the Last Day, to their surprise, that they are actually redeemed after all although they never believed? (I suppose the "sheep" and "goats" were both surprised!).

Children of believers is less conceptually difficult because it fits within the "that not all who die in infancy are lost" proviso of mainstream Calvinist/ Reformed thought.
Tom R | 05.10.04 - 7:08 am | #

There seems to be a fundamental error here when describing the "church" as composed of regenerates and unregenerates.

I think "church" means only those who are saints, saved, truly born again Christians.

The institutionalized denominational "churches" have made some of us think a "church" is a building calling itself such, and there can thus be a mix of saved and unsaved in it.

But the Body of Christ, the real Kingdom of God Within, the true ekklesia church of called out ones is 100% born again regenerated believers.

Olive tree = Israel, grafted in = Gentiles offered opportunity to be saved, cut off = this opportunity withdrawn.

Born again is a spiritual birth, how can you lose it? If it's born inside you, it's there by spiritual regeneration, not a loan or temporary fix that can be lost, IMHO.
Sunday school teacher | 05.31.04 - 1:38 am | #