The Reading Room

Our family loves to read. We know we should read more than we do.Sharing like this might help. It is helpful to share what we read with each other. This is a family blog, but if you have read what we are reading or if you are reading something that would be edifying and constructive for our Christian walk, please feel free to share!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

The Law and the Christian

Title: The Law and the Christian
Author: Ken Casillas
Publisher: Bob Jones University Press, 2007
Pages: 72
Begun: August 27, 2009
Completed: August 28, 2009

The BJ Seminary has recently undertaken a project to yearly publish a couple of short books by its own faculty. One of the first books published was this one by Ken Casillas, also pastor of Cleveland Park Bible Church, of which I and my family had the blessed privilege of being a part. This brief work is intended to be a survey of the relationship between the Old and New Covenants and how both covenants affect the Christian. This subject can easily take up a compendium of material, but Casillas has well distilled it to its essential elements.

He begins by introducing the competing historical views of the relationship between the Covenants: 1. Reformed Theology, 2. Theonomy, 3. Dispensationalism, and 4. Lutheranism. After evaluating each perspective, he argues through the end of the book that "because all the laws in the Torah are based on timeless truths regarding God's character and will.....we must continue to use the law paradigmatically as we seek to imitate and please God in the New Covenant age." (68) Giving examples in the NT (especially Christ's teaching and Paul's epistles), Casillas shows the connection of both Covenants, yet points out the significant distinctions and the glory of the New Covenant.

Casillas does a fair treatment of a important subject. If one wants to just "get his feet wet" into a study of the covenants, this is a good place to start.

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posted by Brian | 5:54 AM

3 Comments:

Blogger TimBix said...

Thanks Brian. I agree. Good book.

4:59 AM  
Blogger Bob Bixby said...

Does he deal with the New Covenant (as in the theological system)?

2:47 PM  
Blogger Brian said...

He briefly discusses it. He gives a good, general treatment of the system without committing to it or castigating it. He terms himself "mildly dispensational," distancing himself from hard-core, bid D, dispensationalists, yet recognizing the distinction between Israel and the Church. I appreciate his statements on the continuity of God's dealings with Israel and the Church.

6:18 AM  

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