Dual Covenant Theology
By Daymond Duck
Are the Jews saved under one covenant and the Gentiles saved under another or is Jesus the only way to be saved? Are the Jews saved under the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham or do they have to believe in Jesus (Genesis 17:7-8)? The answer seems clear to me, but some Christians have heard someone they respect say today’s Jews are saved even though they haven’t accepted Jesus as their Messiah. That confuses many people and the controversy just won’t go away.
In the past, I have been critical of people who won’t condemn homosexuality because they don’t want to offend the gays. Now, I will say that there are some people who won’t say the Jews must accept Jesus because they don’t want to offend them. Loving people doesn’t mean we should tell them what they want to hear. Even if we prefer to teach what we think is a kinder, gentler message, we must not turn away from the truth.
The Jews would not accept the verses below, but these verses should guide the Christian theology.
When Jesus was asked to heal the Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter He said,“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).If the Jews could be saved another way, why was Jesus sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel? Why was He sent to them, if they don’t need Him?
During a controversy with some of the Pharisees, Jesus said, “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).It sounds to me like He said their sins wouldn’t be forgiven, if they rejected Him.
When Thomas asked Jesus, “How can we know the way?” Jesus replied,“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
“No man” includes the Jews. It is not Jesus or the Law. It is Jesus or not at all.
In his sermon of the day of Pentecost, Peter specifically addressed some of the Jews like this, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:36-38).
These Jews needed to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.
When Peter and John were arrested and brought before the rulers and elders of Israel they said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name [the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth] under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
God’s covenant with Abraham is extremely important, but salvation in the name of Abraham does not exist.
When the apostles were arrested and brought before the Jewish council in Jerusalem, Peter and the other apostles said, “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:29-31).
God exalted Jesus by placing Him at His right hand as a Prince and Savior to give repentance and forgiveness to Israel. If Israel can be saved by keeping the Law, why does Israel a Savior?
When Paul appeared before the church council in Jerusalem to discuss whether Christians have to keep the Law of Moses to be saved Peter said, “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:8-11).
Peter was saying Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way.
Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). The gospel is for everyone, Jew or Greek (Gentile).
Paul said, “If anyman preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9). There is just one gospel.
Paul said, “For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16; also see v. 21). Israel cannot be saved by keeping the Law.
John said, “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (1 John 2:23; also see 1 Timothy 5-6). Israel cannot deny Jesus and be saved.
I love Israel and believe many Old Testament Jews were under the new covenant and were saved by faith in their coming Messiah (even though they didn’t know His name), but they were not saved by keeping the Law (Jeremiah 31:31). I also believe all Israel will be saved at the Second Coming because they will turn to Jesus (Romans 11:26; Zechariah 12:10-14). I love to study the Old Testament sacrifices because I believe they point to the Messiah, but they don’t replace the Messiah. Whatever we do, we must support Israel.
FYI: God Has Spoken (And We Know It) by Daymond Duck is available, (linked to my publisher @ http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book17.html). Books and a Kindle version are available at amazon.com. A Nook version is available at bn.com. Check out what it says about Syria, Russia, Iran, Egypt, natural disasters, the Two-State Solution, etc.
Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck
daymondduck@bellsouth.net
rachelduck@bellsouth.net
