[6] As an example, Amos 9:11–12 is quoted by James in Acts 15 and is interpreted by him to associate rebuilding "David's fallen tent" with the Gentiles' salvation.
[7] The consistent Christocentric interpretation of the OT in light of the NT (Luke 24:27, 44; Rom.
1:20) results in the following theological distinctives:[8] One plan of redemption, centered in Jesus Christ (Eph.
19:5-6) treaty which God established with the ethnic descendants of Jacob at Mount Sinai – a covenant which formed the nation of Israel as a geopolitical entity, the sign of which was the Sabbath (Exod.
2:15), first formed as the body of Christ, which is the Church, at Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-41), not before (John 7:39; 17:21; Col. 1:26-27; Heb.
The ethnic descendants of Jacob (Gen. 28:13-15) formed into a geopolitical entity at Sinai via the Old Covenant (Exod.
22:36-40) – constitute God’s absolute or innate law, which is righteous, unchanging, and instinctively known by man (Rom.
2:14-15) created in God’s image (Gen. 1:27), and of which each system of covenantal law is a temporary, historical outworking (Heb.
The covenantal outworking of God’s absolute law under the Old Covenant – the exhaustive, indivisible (Jas.
2:20; Jude 1:17; 1 John 5:3), and all Scripture interpreted in light of Jesus Christ (Matt.
The everlasting reign of God over the universe and His people, progressively unfolded via the biblical covenants – ultimately realized in the messianic reign of Jesus Christ in heaven with His saints (Heb.
[11] On the issue of the law, dispensationalism is most similar to NCT but their core belief is that the age of the Old Covenant is in the past, not that it has simply been cancelled.
But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.
Christ's work on the cross is the New Covenant, by which people are reconciled to God sola gratia, and it includes various promises given in Old Testament times.
The New Testament, echoing Jeremiah 31:33, also states, This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.
Jesus purchased a people by his death on the cross so that all those for whom he died receive full forgiveness of sins and become incurable God-lovers by the Holy Spirit.
believe that the Abrahamic covenant reveals God's plan to save a people and take them into his land.
The fallen world, since the fall of Adam and Eve, can only increase in sin and guilt.
New Covenant theologians and advocates, such as Steve Lehrer of New Covenant Bible Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona; Peter Ditzel of Word of His Grace Ministries;[16] and John G. Reisinger of Sound of Grace Ministries, hold that since "the whole Old Covenant is obsolete", "none of the commands of the Mosaic Law are binding on believers today.
"[17] The version of law in the New Covenant era is the Law of Christ, which includes the commands of Christ that pertain to the New Covenant era and the commands of his Apostles, but contain the Apostolic Decree.
believe that at least portions of the Old Testament law is binding on Christians, although there is some variation on which parts and how they apply.
[citation needed] New Covenant Theology holds that circumcision was the physical picture of the changed heart promised to believers in Christ.
It signifies that someone has been spiritually born into the believing people of God (a new creation), the church.
[18] Critics claim NCT does not have any non-Biblical historical writings to help validate their system of theology.
Many critics such as Richard Barcellos in his book In Defense of the Decalogue : A Critique of New Covenant Theology find fault with NCT treatment of the Ten Commandments as having been abrogated.
Referring to Romans 1:2, the book states, "Paul looks on the gospel as 'promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures' plainly implying that it had not yet come in OT times."