New Covenant Theology and the Decalogue, Part I

I have begun reading Richard Barcellos’ In Defense of the Decalogue. The book is a critique of New Covenant Theology. I first came across New Covenant Theology (NCT) in my third year of college. In those days I was transitioning from Dispensationalism. I was uncertain about what was next. Paedobaptism seemed an odd leap, and I was not prepared to accept Moses into my heart. Hence, NCT came to me in the on-line articles of Fred Zaspel and others. NCT offered the proper balance and a perfect spot to rest. It avoided the rapture craze of Dispensationalism, while avoiding the unfortunate conclusions that Covenant Theology offered. It all seemed so reasonable: no Sabbath, no Paedobaptism, and plenty of Jesus.

Suffice to say, six months later I decided to abandon the parking lot and move into a Covenant Theology home. I have remained there for the last seven years. Although CT has its nuances, and is far from a monolithic position, it offers the safest and purest picture of God’s redemptive work.

In these next few posts, I would like to review Barcellos’ book and consequently, offer some thoughts.