Is New Covenant Theology antinomian for denying the fourth commandment?

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J. M. - Baptist - Ontario, Canada - Feileadh Mor

"Nothing is more seductive for man than his freedom of conscience. But nothing is a greater cause of suffering."
The Brothers Karamazov

Antinomian would be agianst "law" or "lawless", NCT is not antinomian just says that the Law of Christ has succeeded the Law given by Moses.

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Bruce
PCUSA
Ocean City NJ

Just as there are different shades of Covenant Theology, so are there with NCT. For example, I would say that my Church (while myself being Covenantal) is more along the lines of Continental Reformed in that they say the 4th Commandment was mostly spiritual (with which I disagree); however, my church would still reconize the decalogue as being binding. However, there are other shades of NCT, such as espoused by Fred Zaspel and Tom Wells in their New Covenant Theology, which some would say tend towards antinomianism (i.e. a cross betwen CT and Dispensationalism). Here are some good thoughts from Covenantal Reformed Baptist Sam Waldron:

http://www.samwaldron.us/pdfs/NCTIntro1.pdf

http://www.samwaldron.us/pdfs/NCTIntro2.pdf

http://www.samwaldron.us/pdfs/NCTIntro3.pdf

http://www.samwaldron.us/pdfs/NCTIntro4.pdf

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
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This is really an old debate between 1689 subscribing Reformed Baptists and what used to be called "Sovereign Grace" Baptists, the latter of which denied that we are obligated to observe the sabbath. Many of the Sovereign Grace people have now adopted some form of NCT.

What I find curious is the number of those Baptists who say they hold to CT but are non Sabbatarian.

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Chris Poe--Attending Grace Community Baptist Church, Mandeville, LA

"There never was a man in the world without a creed. What is a creed? A creed is what you believe. What is a confession? It is a declaration of what you believe. That declaration may be oral or it may be committed to writing, but the creed is there either expressed or implied."—B.H. Carroll

Yeah. To quote O Brother, Where Art Thou?

THAT DON'T MAKE NO SENSE!

Isn't Baptist CT and Presbyterian CT different with Baptism being one demonstration of that difference? I'll have to go back to my Peter Masters sermons on this subject but I always thought they were different.

Are you simply disagreeing with your church or do you also disagree that there is as much disagreement with the Continental and British views as many suppose? If I'm not mistaken, I think there are a good many on this board and elsewhere who will argue that there is no essential difference between the Continental and British (WCF) views, although the Continental confessions do not spell things out quite as clearly as do the Westminster Standards.

They are, but they are agreed on one covenant of grace, two administrations and the continuance of the Moral Law. The London Confession is just as Sabbatarian as the WCF is. Reformed Baptists routinely denounce NCT and similar views as antinomian, and typically it comes down to an argument over the 4th Commandment since there is generally no argument about the others unless it is argued that there is a New Covenant legal code, as some NCTers have claimed.

I'm saying I disagree with the position my church takes on the Sabbath. Of course, I don't make this a bone of contention, so as to avoid making a stink in the church.

What I have a problem with, and what NCT (by implication) purports is that somehow Jesus brought a law that was new or better? The problem with that, though, is that God's Law can't get any better than perfect (Ps. 19, et al).

Do most Continental Reformed Churches hold to the spiritual view or have they imported the mostly imported the idea from Presbyterianism? Is the Continental view closer to Calvin's view then the Presbyterian view?

Thanks.

Would that be Baxter's view as well?

I have no idea. I have read little (if any) of Baxter.

See the link I posted above.

I don't think there is as much of a difference between the Continental view and the WCF, especially on a practical and historical level, as some want to think. I have known of people who claimed to take the Continental view but were practically as anti-sabbatarian as the average dispensationalist.

Waldron has a good message explaining where he would depart with NCT.
SermonAudio.com - New Covenant Theology

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1689 Baptist Confession

Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
James Farley, Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly.
Husband of Melissa and father of Ann.
www.wildernessroadbaptist.org

Neonomianism is the technical term for advocates of a 'New Law.' Baxter was neo-nomian. If he is in heaven, he knows better, now.

There are implications for the Christian life, as well. The third use of the Law is thrown out. They believe (generalization alert) that the Spirit guides believers to know intuitively what they ought to or ought not to do. As regards relationships, love is to govern.

However, the standard of love is the Law--towards God and towards neighbor. Anything in its place is 'anti' nomian. Anti means in the place of as well as against a thing.

Mike

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Mike Renihan
~Pastor, Heritage Baptist Church, Worcester, MA, ARBCA
~Executive Director, Mission::Ireland, "Bringing the Reformation to the Emerald Isle one book at a time."
~Professor, Worcester State College, Dept. of History & Political Science
~Publisher, B & R Press, Auburn, MA
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend; inside of a dog, its too dark to read." --Groucho

continental and puritan views of sabbath
What does a Continental Sabbath rest look like?
Is the observance of Sunday a matter of Christian Liberty?
Change of sabbath day
Continental reformed vs. Puritan reformed

Would it follow that Sabbatarian Baptists should give up their credo position and Baptist children of believers?

Just thinking...

That's probably a thought for another thread.

What I was referring to is those who say they hold to the Covenant Theology found in the 2nd London Baptist Confession and other similar statements yet are not sabbatarian. But you have those like some Klineans in Confessional Presbyterian churches that have similar views on the sabbath and who disagree with the WCF.

My lips are sealed AND that's for another forum!

Ok, I better step out and take a day or two to view the links/sermons posted.

Thanks folks.

j