Continuity vs. Discontinuity – Fighting for Real Estate – Part #28

“When I Became An Adult, I Put Away Childish Things” (1 Corinthians 13:11)

By Richard Allen – March 2, 2026

Approximately 30 years ago I was given a book by a local pastor entitled: “Continuity vs. Discontinuity – Perspectives on the Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments (Essays in Honor of S. Lewis Johnson, Jr.).”  The Editor for this work was John Feinberg. So, let me note that the subject, Dr. Johnson, had been an esteemed professor at Dallas Theological Seminary from 1950-1977. He later taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield from 1999-2023. This book, “Continuity vs. Discontinuity,” was a scholarly work from a decidedly Dispensational viewpoint. Even though Dr. Johnson’s conclusions were mostly wrong, the book pushed me to study and answer some nagging questions about the relationship of the Old and New Covenants. This is not a recent question for the Church. I would venture that the Church has been struggling with this debate for two millennia! Let me admit at the start, there are Continuities, things which are alike under both the Old and New Covenants – and Discontinuities, which are things that are not alike, or ways in which these two covenants are very different.  In the Evangelical Church this has produced two camps: The Covenant Theology Camp which sees great Continuity in how God deals with His Children in both the Old and New Covenants, and The Dispensational Camp – which teaches a temporary shift from Law to Grace – with different Salvation Plans for Two Distinct People: Israel and the Church! 

Let me observe that both camps have areas where they are right, and areas where they are totally wrong. Covenant Theologians, mostly Reformed denominations like Presbyterian and Christian Reformed, see so much continuity between the Old and New Covenants, that you might imagine Abraham sitting in his tent, reading Martin Luther’s commentary on the Book of Romans. While I’m exaggerating, I’m not exaggerating much. Covenant Theologians see so much Continuity that they have brought the Decalogue – that is, the Ten Commandments – full force into the Gospel of Jesus. Often, Reformed groups give homage to New Covenant Grace by acknowledging that “the law cannot Justify anyone,” BUT,  “the law is used by the Holy Spirit to Sanctify Believers” – that is, to make them “holy like Jesus.” This is just not right.  If we as Christians began by “Grace through faith to be justified,"  there is no way we can later be “Sanctified” by obedience to the works of the Law!  Paul the Apostle warned the Church of the Galatians:

“Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun your new life by faith with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh – that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law?” (Galatians 3:3)

Reformed Dogmatika online – a Reformed website explains:  “There is one Covenant of Grace, One promise, One Savior, but Two Administrations.” Space does not allow for a more thorough investigation. So, let me also observe that many distinctives from Covenant Theology are correct and do glorify the Gospel of Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ.  But Dispensationalism is another story.  While there are points that can be agreed upon, many of their future doctrinal beliefs are regressive and contrary to Grace and God’s Redemptive purposes through His Son, Jesus.  For many years this has led me to worry that Dispensationalists just don’t understand the purposes of God in Christ – especially if those purposes can be so easily set aside, all to turn back to Judaism in the Millennial Age. If you remember from my Blog on December 29, 2025,” “Why Is The Dispensational Vision of the Kingdom So Infantile?” – I mentioned that there are at least five hermeneutical tenets that are doctrinally wrong with this system. We covered the first two tenets: 1.) A hyper-literal interpretation of Scripture, and 2.) Dispensationalism teaches that Apostolic Authority does not extend to Interpretation of the Old Testament. This week, we’ll cover Dispensationalism’s next tenet: 3.) Israel and the Church of Jesus Christ are two distinct entities, each having different Salvations. On this point it should be easy to see why understanding the Continuity and Discontinuity of the Covenants is critical. There is no Salvation apart from Jesus Christ!

To make my case, let me use myself as an example to show the Biblical model that explains the “relationship” between the Old and New Covenants, or more specifically, Israel and the Church of Jesus Christ. You may have wondered why I have two pictures at the left. And you may be tempted to ask: “Which One is Rich Allen?” The answer is – both! The baby picture at the far left is yours truly, probably when I was 12 to 18 months old.  And the picture at the right is me as a full-grown adult. So, imagine that instead of these being two pictures of me, let’s pretend they each represent a picture of “the man of God” in each Covenant, one under Judaism and one under the Church. Baby Rich represents the “man of God”” during Old Covenant times, and Adult Rich represents the “One New Man" (Ephesians 2:15) under the New Covenant. This parallels the example of my Infancy-Childhood stage and my Maturity stage of life. The Biblical model as pictured above, would explain that both Baby Rich and Adult Rich are the same person, with many physical, and a few psychological, similarities. But there are also some huge differences. Baby Rich is not completely verbal; his understanding is limited to brief life experiences. He doesn’t have any facial hair, and he doesn’t walk very well. Baby Rich also cannot work, drive a car, operate machinery, read, write or be a father and husband. I could go on, but I’m sure you grasp the difference between the Infancy-Childhood Stage and Maturity. Be aware, the Old Covenant was the Infancy-Childhood, a time when the heirs, “the people of God” saw things afar off (Hebrews 11:39-40), BUT NEVER POSSESSED THEM!  Like Israel and the Church, the relationship of the two pictures above is: “They are the same people of God,” with many similarities (Continuities). But the many differences (Discontinuities), are the result of growth and maturity that happens over Time. Paul makes full use of this mode of explanation in the New Testament in passages such as Galatians 3:20-24. I love the way a recent translation (“The Message”), phrases how the Promise of Faith in Christ had never been abandoned – even while under the Law:

“But the original promise is the direct blessing of God, received by faith. If such is the case, is the law, then, an anti-promise, a negation of God’s will for us? Not at all. Its purpose was to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with God, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. For if any kind of rule-keeping had power to create life in us, we would certainly have gotten it by this time. Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for” (Galatians 3:20-24).

And here’s Galatians 4:1 from this same translation:

“Let me show you the implications of this. As long as the heir is a minor, he has no advantage over the slave. Though legally he owns the entire inheritance, he is subject to tutors and administrators until whatever date the father has set for emancipation. That is the way it is with us: When we were minors, we were just like slaves ordered around by simple instructions (the tutors and administrators of this world), with no say in the conduct of our own lives” (Galatians 4:1).

Under The Covenantal view of The Old and New Testaments, the pictures would be almost identical. The picture may look a bit darker of the “man of God” under the Old Testament, as Covenant Theologians acknowledge that the Old Testament Church didn’t have all Grace and Understanding.  So, the “man of God” under the New Covenant is just clearer, but still under the same Law – only now the Law only applies to our Sanctification.

There is so much Continuity which Covenant Theologians teach, that Salvation had always been “Grace through Faith.”  This is why it’s OK to reaffirm the Law (Decalogue) under the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Be aware, the whole book of Galatians was written to prevent anyone from teaching that the Law written on Tables of Stone would somehow be perpetuated for any reason under the New Covenant!  In Acts Peter said that the Law “was a burden which neither we nor our fathers could bear” (Acts 15:10).

But the Dispensational system teaches, that after the Old Covenant failed to accomplish all of God’s really important purposes, Jesus turned to “Plan B” – that He was forced to save men by Grace through Faith. This wasn’t God’s first choice, but it would have to do. It would only be temporary – for the “Church Age.” Then, after the Church is “Raptured Away,” Jesus will come again and finally bring to pass the really important promises that God has always longed for:  1.) To secure “all of Israel’s Promised Land,”  2.) To “Rule the nations with an iron fist,” as the Law went forth from Zion into all the earth, 3.) Reinaugurate Bloody Temple Sacrifices to slaughter millions of animals in a “rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem,” 4.) All this, while Jesus reigns for only 1,000 years on David’s Throne! This is the picture of the “man of God” in the short-lived Kingdom Age. Under Dispensationalism, the  Millennial Kingdom will revert once again to the Infancy-Childhood stage – finally accomplishing all of the “earthly-natural-carnal” promises they somehow believe are “most important to God.”  Talk about a “second childhood,” this scheme should have a whole team of psychiatrists and psychologists lined up to understand the motivation and confusion behind the men who created such an Unbiblical Plan for the Ages.

In my next Blog, we’ll look at key New Testament passages that reveal how the Apostles and New Covenant Prophets – whom Dispensationalists often ignore – are key to the New Testament Church rejecting a repeat of infancy, and moving on to “real spiritual manhood in Jesus!”                                        

Soli Deo Gloria!