I currently am reading a book titled Redeeming Singleness by John Piper and Barry Danylak.
Far from being a self-help book or a “how to be single” book, it is a fascinating theology of singleness as based upon scripture. I’m only about 1/2 through it, but it has raised some interesting issues regarding God and Covenant.
I will admit that I still struggle to this day reconciling in my finite, small mind the differences between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. I believe they are one and the same, and yet the differences seem so striking. The God of the Old Testament seems so big and large, fearsome and law-giving. He annihilated Sodom and Gomorroh. He struck down the man who mistakenly reached out his hand to steady the ark of the covenant. He is God, He is Big. He is overwhelming.
And he is covenantal. This book, “Redeeming Singleness” basis it’s premise off of thorough and complete examination of the covenants of the Old Testament as opposed to the Covenants of the New Testament.
In the New Testament, I see a God of love. A God much more passionate. And I guess, most of all I see a God who is personal. He is God and I call Him my God, because he has adopted me to be His child. But He is also a God of Covenant in the New Testament as well.
The Old Testament covenants centered out some very basic things–offspring, land and the preservation of one’s name. These three would be granted as blessings if God’s covenant was not violated. However it was violated in many ways–through breaking the laws that God had set forth.
But is God a God who changes His mind? Because through His son Jesus, He entered the world as a human, sacrificing His Son to pay the debt of our sins. Forever. And all of this is wrapped up in a New Covenant that God has with those he calls His own–Gentile and Jews alike . But this covenant is very different from the Old Testament Covenant, for it is not offspring, land and preservation of one’s name that lies at the center of the covenant, but rather the adoption of those who believe in faith to be co-heirs with Jesus Christ. Co-heir with Christ. I don’t think anyone can truly get their mind wrapped around such a thing. I know I certainly can not.
It’s fascinating to me that the dictionary refers to the Old Testament Covenant and does not directly touch on the New Testament covenant: