The Threat and Fear of NCT
In documents like “Affirmation” and in statements made from some the best of our “Reformed” men, here in the U.K., I think I detect a strong element of fear when challenged by George Ella in New Focus magazine and by those who are exploring “New Covenant Theology”.
After all, if for example you are a convinced Presbyterian, the basis by which you may judge a Presbyterian Church to be ’sound’. will be whether it holds fully to the “Westminster Standards” – and especially to the Westminster Confession of Faith. Any presbyterian church deviating from this confession would not be regarded as orthodox.
Similarly, among “Reformed Baptists” or “Grace Baptists” who hold to the 2nd London Baptist Confession, we find the same basis and judgement. As is easily recognised, this Confession simply took the major part of the Westminster Confession, adapted the sections on Baptism, the Lord’s Table and some other small changes and that was it!
The sections on the Sabbath and the insistence that the Ten Commandments comprise the Rule of Life for Christians now, are two of the obvious stumbling blocks.
Whilst I discern a very charitable spirit coming from the NCT men in answering criticisms, sadly the same cannot often be said of the reverse. I am persuaded that this is largely due to the fear that their Confessions are under attack. Further, unconsciously perhaps, it exposes the fact that they value the authority of their Confessions over and above and constraining their understanding of the Holy Scriptures on which they purport to be based.
George Ella, is probably the most knowlegeable man alive today of the history and personalities of the Reformation. (Read any of his biographies. They exhibit a great wealth of study.) However, I must admit that in debate and dialog he is sometimes prone to use excessive language in his defence of the truth. However, the same might be said of the Apostle Paul!
(see Galatians 1:8,9)
To attack their (reformation) Confessions is tatamount to destroying their denominational structures and certainties. Hence their fear.
Anyone who does this, will be labelled a heretic at worst, or an Antinomian or Hypercavinist at best.
