Three Systems
Three Systems
Transcript
JY: Welcome to GearTalk, a podcast on Biblical Theology. Today, Jason and Tom talk about three different ways Christians think about the people of God.
TK: Welcome to GearTalk. Tom and Jason here. And today, our topic is, how do we understand the people of God? Jason, this is going to be fun.
JD: I hope so. It relates to a lot of the church, different perspectives within the true Christian church on how to understand God’s people throughout salvation history. So specifically, before Jesus and after Jesus, and different views on that question actually impact a lot of different elements about how we think about church and missions, the past and the future, how we think about ethics and so many different factors. So I am excited about the talk.
TK: All right. And for a lot of us, we’re probably going to use some words today. You’d say, I’ve never heard that word before, I’ve never thought about that. Why does it matter? Well, these things matter because we love God’s Word. And we actually are already, all of us probably, fellowshipping with believers who hold some beliefs that differ from us in certain ways. And it’s nice to be able to know, oh, that’s why so-and-so believes like they do in this area.
JD: Right, I think so. So two of those key definitions that we want to just get out on the table right away, old covenant, new covenant. So new covenant is associated directly with Jesus. And Jeremiah 31 is the only place in the Old Testament where the new covenant is actually called the new covenant. And in that text, it explicitly stands in contrast to the covenant that God made with his people when he brought them out of Egypt, the Mosaic covenant, or the covenant God made with Israel. Those are the two key covenants, the old covenant associated with Moses, the new covenant associated with Jesus. And so we want to keep those two frameworks in mind as we’re talking about the people of God. How does Scripture talk about the people of God in Moses’ day? How does Scripture talk about the people of God in Jesus’ day? Not only in relation to his first coming, but also in relation to his second. So that’s the first set of definitions.
TK: So a big question would be, when we went from old covenant to new covenant, did anything significant change at that point or did things mostly continue as they had been? It’s a big question.
JD: Yeah, so it’s the question of continuity between the old covenant and new covenant or discontinuity. When Jesus came, how much did he change in relation to the people of God? And with that, it would include things like the inheritance rights that the people of God enjoy. It also relates to—in the old covenant, we know there was both unbelieving rebels that were part of the old covenant and they received God’s judgment. The covenant curses. But then there was also a remnant of imperfect but forgiven faithful. They were the believing remnant. People like Moses or Rahab, Ruth, Hannah, David, Isaiah. They were the remnant, but they were a minority amidst a sea of rebellious Israelites. Well, how do we understand the new covenant? Is everyone in the new covenant regenerated, saved, or—
TK: Are we mixed?
JD: Yeah, is there still a mixed community? So should we be using the sign of the covenant, baptism, and applying it to babies who haven’t yet exerted faith for themselves? That’s the kind of questions we’re asking today.
TK: I love it. So where do we start, Jason, in talking about this? Where would you start in the question of how do we understand the people of God?
JD: I really would want to, right up front, just clarify some of the reasons why these questions are important for our listeners. So we created a list. Why don’t you start and I can add to it.
TK: All right. First one is how do I see three quarters of the Bible? Or I think we said in another podcast, 75.55%. So three quarters of my Bible pertains to not a time before the time of the New Covenant, even though it talked about it.
JD: Right, it anticipated it, but what was dominating the Old Testament was the Old Covenant.
TK: Right, so how do I think about that time period?
JD: And we’re talking about three-fourths of our Bible. And we as New Covenant Christian pastors are wanting to preach from the whole Council of God. And we’re also wanting to help our people be able to encounter God throughout the entire Scriptures. But it leads us into things like ethics. How much of Old Covenant law relates to Christians? So that’s part of our question. In understanding the people of God before and after Christ, we’re talking about how do these Testaments relate? How do the Covenants relate? We already mentioned issues of baptism. That’s a question. Do we only baptize believers today, or should we be baptizing infants if they’re born into a family that has at least one believing parent? In the Old Covenant, they circumcised babies before they could have ever believed. And a large part of the Church would say baptism today is actually parallel to circumcision in the Old Covenant. How should we think about that?
TK: Promises in the Old Testament would be a good example. Promises we would find to the people of God as they were traveling through the wilderness, for instance. Can I claim that for myself as a New Covenant believer?
JD: Right. That is extremely tangible. Knowing that every promise is yes in Jesus, does that include the Old Covenant promises that were given to a different people at a different time even before Jesus came? That’s the kind of question. That’s why it’s important to think about these issues because we’re talking about the very means of grace that keeps us enduring even amidst deep suffering, holding on to the promises of God. Well, how much of the promises in the Bible are for us? That’s the kind of question that we’re asking today. So, that’s where I would start. I think it’s really important for listeners, not only pastors, but Bible study leaders, just moms wanting to shepherd their kids, dads wanting to lead their families well, to think about these kind of issues.
TK: I think, and we were talking about it earlier, but things like, how do we think about the Jewish state right now? Because there is a state of Israel. Where, theologically, do I put that?
JD: Right, do I think about Israel today, is that equated to the Israel of the Bible simply because ethnically a bloodline ties them to Israel. And how do we think about the role of Jesus in relation to Israel? As he represented them, and as we think about texts like Galatians chapter 4, where both Jew and Gentile, both have to be adopted into the family by faith. So that simply because you’re Jewish doesn’t mean you get an inheritance in Christ. You have to believe by faith, just like Gentiles do. And then what’s the relationship between a Jewish Christian and a Gentile Christian? How should we think about the blessings they enjoy in Jesus as part of the New Covenant, as part of his church?
TK: So there would obviously be lots of ways we could talk about this, Jason. You could just say, here’s what I think. That’s not the way we’re going down the road in this podcast, though. We’re going to talk about at least three options that we might see in churches in the West.
JD: Yes, in all these options, it doesn’t mean pick the one you like most. What’s really at stake is which option best represents what the Bible teaches. That’s what we want. That’s what we want. And what’s important also to know for the listeners is that we’re only giving three generally stated options on a long spectrum, a big spectrum. So evangelicals might say, well, yes, I do hold that view, but I have a little bit of a different view from someone else who might use the same title, for example. Or a certain sect within this larger category that has a little bit of different perspective. But for the sake of this podcast, we just want to offer three general perspectives that are probably represented within your own community in Jesus-loving churches that are underneath the authority of Scripture, here in the West. So we’re going to start with, within this spectrum, I’m going to go to two different sides of a pole. We’re going to start with greater discontinuity on one side. That is, when Jesus comes, greater things change. And then I’m going to offer an alternative perspective that highlights greater continuity. And then I’m going to offer a mediating position between the two.
TK: So would it be fair to say it’s like we’ve got a line drawn and you have something on the far left and then you have something on the far right and then you’ve got one in the middle?
JD: In the middle, it’s going to have some characteristics, some beliefs that look like each side of the pole. That’s right. That’s right. So why don’t we start with discontinuity? That is, when Jesus comes, greater changes happen. And the view, the title that we’re going to give this is Dispensationalism. It’s a view that’s been around for hundreds of years. And the general idea that, at the most base level, is this question: how does Old Covenant Israel relate to the New Covenant Church? God made lots of promises to Old Covenant Israel. He gave them a land. How does Old Covenant Israel and the promises God made that people relate to the promises, the church of Jesus made up of Jew and Gentile in Christ, how do the two groups relate? That’s the major question that’s at stake in Dispensationalism.
TK: And what would they say? you said there’s discontinuity here. So how would they relate? When I’m thinking of a passage like Paul saying, I bring you good news. This is Acts chapter 13, I think, that what God promised the fathers, this he has fulfilled in sending the Christ. It seems like there’s a connection between the old and new, but you’re saying this one’s saying no more discontinuity.
JD: Right, so the church is really seen as a brand new entity. And different types of dispensationalists will say that at different levels the church was expected or unexpected in the Old Testament. But regardless, there’s a difference, so that Israel was made up of believers and nonbelievers as part of the community, whereas the church, dispensationalists affirm, is made up of only the remnant. Everyone in the church is believers, Jews and Gentiles. But dispensationalism sees a distinction in the future. At the very least, every dispensationalist will affirm that in the future there’s going to be a distinction, because God made certain promises to Old Covenant Israel that are always for Israelites. And so as we look ahead, every dispensationalist will affirm the idea of a future millennial reign, millennium meaning a thousand years, and it may be exactly a thousand or a symbolic figure for a very long time. But in this future age, when Jesus is reigning on earth, every dispensationalist will affirm that Jews who are united to Christ will enjoy certain inheritance rights that Gentile Christians will not enjoy.
TK: And these were promises from the Old Testament.
JD: That’s right, because they’re direct promises from the Old Testament. So, there is priority given to Jewish Christians because of the promises made for them, and it especially relates to the land of Canaan. So, a tangible, very physical location on our earth today, which in 1948 was reclaimed by Jews, but most of whom have no relationship with Jesus, but the idea that when Jesus returns, he will reign in Jerusalem, and he’ll be reigning over Gentiles, he’ll be reigning over Jews, but that the Jews will enjoy the land promised to them, and it will not be enjoyed by Gentiles who are related to Jesus. So, the Jews get special, distinctive inheritance rights within a dispensational model.
TK: And I think just in reading different things, it would be fair to say they’re not saying that this would be a disadvantage, like Gentiles will be in a state of sadness or something like that. They’re not saying that. Not at all. They’re just saying for the Jewish people, promises were made, and God will keep his promises in this future age.
JD: To ethnic Israel, and usually it’s associated with national Israel, so that nation states will still be distinguished, not just ethnic people groups and languages, but nation states such that Israel will be at the center and they will have their nation under King Jesus, and then there will be other nation states that are in some way in submission to King Jesus, but the main people will be the Jews.
TK: And this is, dispensationalism has had different flavors to it, but as far as the main approach here, that’s what we’d have. Jason, how prevalent would you say this is?
JD: In the West, it’s very prevalent. In fact, there was a time where it was the dominant view in the West. And because of that, missionaries have taken Dispensationalism throughout the world. And so you’ll find Christians on all the continents who would be embracing, all the continents that have people on them, embracing this view of how the testaments relate.
TK: What would you say as far as the early church through the time of the Reformation, that period, when would you say this really, this became a known thing?
JD: I mean, the Dispensationalists are going to say it is the view of the New Testament, but we don’t see substantive evidence of this kind of discontinuity, where the church is a brand new reality that is completely separate from Old Covenant Israel. We don’t see substantial evidence of that until the mid-1800s. That doesn’t mean it’s not right, it’s just part of church historical reality.
TK: Right, right. Okay, so if that’s on our line, if that’s on the discontinuity side, then should we go to the far right?
JD: Yeah, I think so. Here we’re going to talk about, we’re going to use this word “covenant,” which is the Bible’s special word for relationship. Classic covenant theology. Now, all the views that we’re presenting today talk about covenants because it’s a biblical term. But the title of this is specifically classic covenant theology, and they have a certain understanding of the relationship of the covenants and a system. What’s really at stake here is this question. How do we understand the new covenant community? What’s the makeup of the new covenant community, and how does it relate to the old covenant community? So, what’s important to see here is that in the old covenant, there are believers and unbelievers.
TK: So if I have a family I am circumcising—
JD: You’re circumcising your eight-day-old male baby in every family, regardless of whether they were idol worshipers or not. If they were a part of Israel, the community, part of the cultural makeup underneath Yahweh as their king, even if their hearts were dark and wanted nothing to do with God’s ways, they’re part of the community. And so we have a mixed community, most of which is actually unbelieving, but there is a believing remnant. And what a classic covenant theologian will say is that in the New Covenant today, there is continuity, not discontinuity. Meaning that the New Covenant community today also includes a mixed reality. There may be more believers than unbelievers, but they are consciously baptizing babies today into families that have at least one believing parent, knowing, convictionally, not believing they are yet saved. So their understanding of the church’s makeup does not align perfectly with their understanding of who’s actually eternally saved in relationship to God. It’s like two circles that don’t completely overlap, whereas in Dispensationalism, everyone who’s part of the church is believed to have been saved. And so they restrict in Dispensationalism— Dispensationalism by nature only baptize professing believers. Classic covenant theologians say, no, in the Old Covenant, many people that didn’t have regenerated hearts were circumcised. And if you happen to be a foreigner who wants to participate in Israel and identify with Israel, Exodus 12 says you’ve got to be circumcised. So too today. So you have—
TK: With baptism.
JD: With baptism. If you’re an adult and you accept Jesus, you will be baptized into the community of faith. But if you are an infant born into a family of at least one believer, you’re already part of the community. So they’re not thinking about baptism in the same way as dispensationalists are.
TK: And how common would you say this belief is?
JD: In the West today, it is quite common. It’s associated especially with groups like the Reformed Church or the Presbyterian Church. And they have a very long history, grounded in significant doctrinal confessions that have affirmed this type of understanding, that they affirm that the New Covenant one day will be completely purified. But today, that New Covenant is mixed with believers and unbelievers. So baptism is not directly associated with salvation, but rather it’s a sign marking, some view it as a warning, that if you don’t live for Jesus, his death will not stand for yours. When you go under the water, you could stay there if you do not surrender your life to Jesus. So believe, but if you believe, the promises are for you. So that comparison between baptism and circumcision and an understanding of the makeup of the new and old covenant communities, there’s continuity between the two, there’s similarity, and Jesus’ coming doesn’t immediately alter that distinction.
TK: Just if we flip back to the other side now, the dispensationalism side, how would you say they compare baptism? Would they compare it to circumcision in the Old Testament?
JD: No, dispensationalists, because the church is a brand new reality, dispensationalists see the sign of that covenant as different. Whereas circumcision pointed ahead to circumcision of the heart that’s now realized in the new covenant, dispensationalists would say that baptism is not equal to circumcision in the way it’s pointing ahead to something, but rather dispensationalists would affirm that baptism is merely depicting the reality. It’s not in some way pointing to the reality, it’s just depicting it, that we are identified with Jesus. As you go down under the water and as you come out of the water, you’re identified with Jesus. So the sign, a dispensationalist would say the sign is operating in a very different way.
TK: Okay. This, one of the things that tells us is that if we have very quick rebuttals to people who have a belief and we just say, that’s so silly, how can you believe that? Generally, there’s more behind what they believe than just one quick statement would answer.
JD: That’s right. And even if that person may not understand fully the system, these are developed systems that are grounded in biblical texts. And it doesn’t mean they’re interpreting those biblical texts rightly, that’s why we have different perspectives on this. But you’re right to caution the quick response or that sense of, “well, that’s just stupid or that’s ridiculous,” because there have been faithful men and women who’ve been wrestling with these things and they’ve come to these convictions with a reason.
TK: So anything more you want to say about that classic covenant theology?
JD: A key part is, I mean, it’s just central to the whole system, is that a classic covenant theologian understands two main covenants in operating within history. A covenant of works and a covenant of grace. The covenant of works was given to Adam. Do this and you’ll live forever. He failed that covenant. And now the only hope that the rest of humanity has is to enjoy a covenant with God by grace. So all the other covenants that we read about in Scripture, the covenant that Noah is the mediator of, the covenant that Abraham is the mediator of, the covenant that Moses and David are mediators of, all of those other covenants, climaxing in the New Covenant, are part of within the system what’s called the covenant of grace. In Jesus, whereas Abraham failed the covenant of works, Jesus obeys and secures by grace all that the rest of the saints enjoy. Now all that might sound, that’s the gospel, that sounds right. And yet a dispensationalist, affirming what Jesus did and likely even seeing, affirming with Romans 5, Jesus stands in contrast to Adam and obeys where Adam failed and secures salvation for all. They wouldn’t talk about, because those categories of covenant of works, covenant of grace, you’ll never find them anywhere in the Bible. And a dispensationalist would say, that’s not the best way to talk about the system of how the Bible is relaying its relationship. It’s better to think about different dispensations, different ages, wherein God is interacting with his people in different ways, ultimately climaxing in the coming of Jesus. So, two different approaches, both affirming the Gospel, but understanding the relationship of the Testaments differently.
TK: All right, so can we move to the middle of our line here?
JD: We can. So, you’ll recall that this new category is also a covenantal category. It’s got that in the title. It’s called progressive covenantalism. And it stands between dispensationalism and covenant theology, affirming things that both systems affirm, but denying things that both systems affirm. So, let’s consider this. Progressive covenantalism says the land that God promised Israel was never viewed as supposed to simply remain with Israel, but it would expand. The kingdom turf of God was going to expand, and already to the patriarchs, God had promised that they would move from land to lands when Abraham became the father of a multitude of nations. And so progressive covenantalists say this idea of an eternal inheritance just for Israel misses the fact that Jesus representing Israel and all of humanity secures the inheritance, and that inheritance is not just the land but all the world. And so progressive covenantalists, in contrast to dispensationalists, say Jesus has secured the inheritance of the world, and everyone in Jesus gets to enjoy the world. That is the new earth. And when we look to the future and we’re considering inheritance rights, it’s not distinguished among the people of God, but rather Jesus, the ultimate Israelite, has now secured both the land of Canaan and all the world for all who are in him, namely the church made up of believing Jews and Gentiles.
TK: So would a progressive covenantalist view, for instance, the Great Commission, Matthew 28, where Jesus says, all authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me that wide birth of land, place, and say that’s what we’re talking about here?
JD: That’s right. God has, through his perfect obedience, given Jesus the world. All authority over the earth is his. And what that means is everyone who’s identified with him by faith through adoption enjoys that same inheritance, and that when we look to the future, we shouldn’t be distinguishing certain inheritance rights among a certain portion of those identified with Jesus because all only benefit through him who is the ultimate Israelite. And classic covenant theologians would affirm that fact, but dispensationalists would deny it. So there’s where progressive covenantalists in relation to the future would say, as we look to the future, everyone in Jesus enjoys the same inheritance rights, whereas dispensationalists would say no, especially the land promise has a narrow focus just for one people. And progressive covenantalists would say no, Jesus has secured all of it for everyone in him. Okay, so that is a key difference with the dispensationalists and progressives. Now I want to mention a key difference between progressive covenantalists and covenant theologians. That would be who are the people of God. The progressive covenantalists affirming and agreeing with dispensationalists would be saying everyone in the church is a believer, or that is, everyone who is part of the new covenant community is indeed regenerated. That already, because of Jesus’ coming, he’s already inaugurated, initiated the new covenant.
TK: It’s not a mixed company.
JD: It’s not a mixed company. Everyone who’s attached—and here’s the idea, Jesus was a high priestly mediator. We can’t understand the new covenant apart from Jesus’ making it happen. But when he made it happen, he made it happen as a priestly mediator. That is, he came to save. And so a progressive covenantalist would be affirming that you cannot be part of the new covenant community apart from a personal relationship with the priestly mediator by faith. So everyone who’s in the covenant has enjoyed the salvation the covenant mediator came to secure. There’s no one who is a part of that covenant who isn’t also forgiven and enjoying right standing before God through the precious blood of Christ. So that’s a distinction. Whereas the covenant theologian would be affirming a mixed community, the covenant, the progressive covenantalist is saying, no, there’s only one community, and it’s Jews and Gentiles who by faith are united with Christ the perfect one. Our sins have been transferred to him, and everyone who’s part of the new covenant community enjoys his declared righteousness. There’s none who are a part of the community who have not been, who have not already been transformed and forgiven.
TK: So we’re already getting up to 34 minutes here. Jason, give us a little thought of what do you find compelling here as you consider these options? What, for you, as you think about them, what stirs your heart?
JD: It is absolutely imperative to consider Jesus at the center of all salvation history. When we consider the relationship of the testaments, we have to do it in light of who Jesus is. And Jesus is portrayed as the ultimate Israelite. And there is who perfectly obeys all that the Old Covenant commanded him to obey. But he is also the perfect human, who perfectly does and is what Adam was supposed to do and be. And we have to recognize that he comes as a new covenant mediator to establish a new relationship with God. And I don’t believe you can have any relationship be a part of that covenant apart from faith in him. And so that does put me into the side that says, the new covenant community is not mixed. It is only a community that is only created by faith in the priestly mediator. But with that—
TK: So this would say though, while you have brothers that you know and love who would affirm—
JD: Presbyterian brothers?
TK: Yep, you just say, I disagree with you on this fact.
JD: I disagree with you on this fact that the makeup of the new covenant community only in the future will include all regenerate people, but right now it’s mixed. I would say no. The way the New Testament talks about Jesus already having established the new covenant indicates that the new covenant has fully been inaugurated today. Fully, not partially, but fully. So while we’re still waiting, final consummation, completion, it has fully been initiated in every soul by faith that’s connected to Christ. But on the flip side, what that also means to me is that if all of us are equally needy, and Jesus is the one who secures every promise, then those who are in Christ are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise, heirs in every way. Jews and Gentiles believing in Jesus enjoy equal inheritance rights because Jesus is the firstborn Son of God. And because we’re in him, we enjoy all that he has secured. So that really does, it puts me in the middle in this progressive covenantalist camp, having similarities with both sides but also differences.
TK: And what would you say to somebody who would say to you a statement like, you are taking blessing away from Israel?
JD: I would say that blessing is only realized for the obedient Israel. That’s how the Old Testament talks about it. The disobedient experience curse. Jesus is the only Israelite who perfectly obeys. He alone secures obedience. He is the Israel of God. As their king, their representative, and he alone secures the perfect, through his perfect obedience, he secures the blessing. And so now we can only define Israel’s enjoyment in relation to Jesus. And so the people of God include ethnic Israelites who were in Christ, like Paul, or like my friend Lisa, who were ethnic Jews who believe in Jesus, but then built into the midst of that restored people of God, filled with Jews and ever increasing who believe in Jesus, is this Gentile community that equally believes in Jesus and enjoys the inheritance. So it’s not restricted. Jesus owns it all as the ultimate Israelite, and now we in Christ get to enjoy it all forever.
TK: That’s really good. Because what you’re really ultimately saying is—Israel is, if you’re thinking, well, you’ve taken something from Israel in that view, Israel is—true Israel is receiving everything promised.
JD: Everything. True Israel, as Paul defines them, like Philippians 3, we are the circumcision, he says, the true circumcision. Or in Romans 2, a true Jew is one who by the Spirit has his heart transformed. That’s a true Jew. And I think Paul’s talking to the church at large, made up of Jews and Gentiles in Christ.
TK: So how does a pastor think about this as he preaches, teaches, and especially if he knows he’s kind of got a mixed, not mixed in terms of saved, unsaved, but a mixed group of beliefs with his people, how do you lead a mixed group like that?
JD: Well, the challenge, the goal is not to—
TK: You have the same thing with your students.
JD: I do, yeah. I teach at a school where there’s different perspectives. The students are coming from different perspectives, but I have faculty, colleagues who have different perspectives. So our convictions need to grow from the text, and our preaching and teaching needs to grow from the text. So we gain conviction from the biblical text, and that then informs our interpretation of other texts. But the key for me is not necessarily—I’m not big on using titles. We’re going to talk about dispensationalism today, or we’re going to talk about progressive covenantalism today. Instead, preach the text. Seek to be faithful to the text, and let the people… I mean, if our perspective on how the testaments relate is correct, it should be perfectly testified to in the biblical text. So as we’re preaching through, let the text guide our teaching. We don’t have to use big headings that might scare people. Simply teach the text and allow the text to reshape alternative perspectives that might be in front of you among your people. Just let the text speak. If they have trouble with what you said, call them to show you in the text. And honestly, I’ve learned from my students, all of a sudden I say something and they say, well, what about this passage? And I say, I don’t know how to fit that one in. And then I’ve got to go back to the text. We want our system ultimately to be conformed by the Word rather than to govern the Word. But we believe all three of these categories are here because these are Christians who have wrestled and believe their system represents what the Bible teaches the most. So my encouragement is preach the text and let that then guide the doctrinal statements and the views that your people have. And when they have questions, point them back to the text.
TK: That’s really good. Any final comment?
JD: For those that are interested more in this topic, well, if you’re just sitting in the pew or in a Bible study, just to see where these issues apply, just keep your ears open when teachings are about the promises of God or the law or when people are talking about Israel and the Church, our relationship to modern-day Israel, that’s where you’re seeing, oh, I remember that podcast that mentioned, this is that issue, this is what they were talking about. So that’s one thing I would say, keep that in mind. And then a tool like 40 Questions About Biblical Theology. In that book, we define all three of these systems and talk about them and evaluate them, and it may be a very helpful tool.
TK: We will put a link for that in the show notes, so you can find that.
JDL And we may even have some others that will throw up on the website.
TK: Perfect, perfect. Well, friends, this has been enough for now. I’m sure we’re going to revisit this in some way because we talked about things like, which we have to get to sometime, but like the Old Testament law and how it relates to believers.
JD: And Old Testament promises. Yep. Yes. All right. See you next time. Bye, friends.
JY: Thanks for joining us for GearTalk. We’ve included a link to the book Jason talked about, 40 Questions About Biblical Theology, and the show notes. We’ve also included links to two other books with additional information on this subject. If you have questions about biblical theology you would like us to address on future episodes, email us at [email protected]. Also, check out hands to the plow dot org for resources designed to help you understand the Bible and its teachings.