National Covenant Blessings?

While I was reading Dr. Valerie Hobbs’ latest excellent book (No Love in War), I was reminded of an aberrant theology that I had heard in my childhood.

(Of course, now might be a good time to plug this book. Please get it. It will help you understand some of what is happening in the Reformed world. So much of what she writes was an echo of my childhood church in the 60s and 70s, with the same damage, the same theological errors and the same teachers. I had left them behind years ago, but this theology was part of what drove me out of my denomination. Like bad milk, it has a way of coming up again and again. Back in the day, it was called postmillennial reconstruction, or theonomy, or both. Today, it is nationalism, or dominionism, or all of the above).

But- moving on. The theology that was impressed on us was that the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 27 have come upon this nation (the United States) because of sin (which they give the fancy name of “covenant disobedience”. The corollary is that if we as a nation want the covenant blessings of Deuteronomy 28, then we need to obey, which is given the fancy name of “Covenant faithfulness”.

I had forgotten this. I know that I had (and still do) frequently hear “We don’t deserve God’s blessing”. The anthem of my childhood is “God Bless America”, which has the connotations in Christian circles of covenant faithfulness.

Covenant faithfulness is generally defined as minorities and women know their place, liberals stay out of everything, white old men rule everything, the poor deserve it anyway, and empathy is sinful. I am not making this stuff up. Please read what the dominionists are writing.

What makes it so powerful is fear. We are afraid that if we are compassionate to the poor, give dignity to the LGBTQ community, listen to the black experience, acknowledge the brutality of slavery and own up to it, allow women to vote, of, God forbid, vote for the other party – then God will curse the nation because of covenant disobedience. The alternative to this is covenant faithfulness, which will be defined by me. Covenant disobedience is communist, feminist, woke, social justice, and socialist. It doesn’t matter what those words mean. We all know it when we see it.

It surprises me that the Reformed world has fallen so quickly for such basic theological errors. I think that there is a strange separation in the minds of those who follow these things. On the one hand, they talk about the gospel, free grace, the person and work of Christ. And on the other hand, they talk about national covenant blessings. But these two things cannot exist together.

This was the same error of the Pharisees. They believed that in order to have God’s covenant blessings, they must put a stop to sinners. The Sabbath breakers and the tax collectors and the prostitutes and everyone who isn’t us. “You were altogether born in sin, and you would teach us??” (John 9)

They knew he was born in sin, because he was born blind. Blind people are not blessed. Therefore, they broke the covenant, otherwise they would be enjoying the blessings of the covenant, and wouldn’t be born blind.

The formula is very simple. Those people, who are not like me – they are minorities, foreigners, women, children, disabled, woke, LGBTQ – they are the ones who are blocking God’s covenant blessings from coming on America like they used to.

In 2016, I was astounded that the whole seeming evangelical world welcomed Donald Trump. A foul mouthed, reviling, abusive, crooked, racist thug – as the savior of America.

But then I remembered that the crowds shouted for Barabbas while crying out for Jesus to be crucified. At least Barabbas tried to do something about all of those Romans getting in the way of God’s covenant blessings.

So let’s look at the very, very basic theological errors.

First, the blessings and cursings of Deuteronomy were given to the nation of Israel, which was the visible church in the world. The nation was where God chose to place his name and reveal himself. But God cannot dwell with sin. Any sin.

Second – the nation of Israel failed. Over and over and over. There was NEVER a time when they were faithful to the covenant. NEVER. Seriously, this is the point of the whole Old Testament. How can you read through Genesis to Malachi and come to the conclusion that America will do better?? Even if they had the option.

If you read the Old Testament and come to the conclusion that you will do better, if only a powerful leader would get rid of the libtards, then all you are doing is adding pride to your multitude of sins.

The Pharisees taught the exact same thing, and God did not tolerate it in them either.

The point of the whole Old Testament is this. God cannot be at peace with anyone who breaks his covenant, any more than a husband can live with an adulterous wife. And after centuries of playing the whore against God, God cast them off (Hosea – the whole book).

The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) is different. If God simply established another covenant like the first one, mankind would fail again – because that is what we inherited from Adam. Sin, misery and death.

We need a covenant mediator.

So Jesus, the True Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16) , took all of the covenant curses upon himself, as it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” – Deuteronomy again…

He was crucified so that we might all know that these covenant curses are taken away in him. The old has passed away.

And now, for the new. His righteousness (His covenant faithfulness, his chesed) merited the promises of covenant blessings, for God cannot lie.

Not one nation, not one people, not one congregation, not one person, has ever, ever, ever earned God’s covenant blessings. There is none, no not one.

And the corollary – not one person, not one has escaped the judgment of God by their merit. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed.

If Jesus had done what the Pharisees insisted, and brought fire and brimstone down on the sinners, not one person would be left.

Not one.

And so it is today. When we call for God’s judgment on the sinners, how far back will YOU have to stand. Remember that God sees the heart.

To put this practically – has there EVER been a time when the United States earned God’s blessing? Has there ever been a time when justice rolled down like water? Where the poor and the needy were relieved? Where justice was given to men AND women, white AND black, old AND young?

If God came in judgment, none of us would stand.

Except in Christ. By faith we flee to him and cling to him alone. HE is our covenant mediator.

In HIM was have all of the blessings that are possible. EVERY spiritual blessing, Paul tells the Ephesians.

And the curse is taken far from us. There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. None.

And no one merited it, except for Jesus. There has never been a covenantally faithful nation. Never. Not one.

There has never been a covenantally faithful person. Not one. No, not even you.

Only Jesus. Only Jesus.

We used to believe “Sola Christus” (Christ alone). I wonder what happened.

Keep proclaiming the gospel. The good news. If we still have to earn covenant blessings, that isn’t good news at all. That is bad, bad news.

The good news is that Jesus has already finished all of that. It is finished. Done.

Now go rest. The day will come when this world, with the remnants of sin and death and misery will be wiped clean, as will my heart, and we will walk with God forever in the New Heavens and the New Earth. No politician can give you that. Don’t aim too low.