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Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored
"People often ask me for a basic or introductory book on covenant theology. Now we've got one--Sacred Bond. Brown and Keele explain covenant theology in basic and readable terms. Better yet, they do so without succumbing to the tendency to talk down to the reader or make the complicated too simplistic--a common problem with introductory texts. This book does many things well, but perhaps the most important thing it does is that it will help people to better understand their Bibles. That, it seems to me, is what makes this book so valuable. And that is why you should buy it, read it, and digest it. To understand covenant theology is to understand the Bible." ---Dr. Kim Riddlebarger, pastor of Christ Reformed Church (URCNA) in Anaheim, CA, and author of A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
97 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Michael G. Brown
6 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Michael Brown is pastor of Christ United Reformed Church in Santee, California. He is co-editor and contributing author of Called to Serve: Essays for Elders and Deacons, and has published articles in several Reformed and Evangelical periodicals.
Michael Brown is pastor of Christ United Reformed Church in Santee, California. He is co-editor and contributing author of Called to Serve: Essays for Elders and Deacons, and has published articles in several Reformed and Evangelical periodicals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 9, 2021
I've been on the search for a long time to find a book that beautifully sums up covenant theology and until now have struggled with that task. This book covers all the major covenants in Scripture and details the theology, the biblical basis and the relationship to practical life. They've done a wonderful job to provide a good base to get into good covenant theology. 100% recommend to anyone wanting to make more sense of the law and Gospel and how the story of Scripture fits together in relation to how God relates to His people.
November 29, 2015
Covenant theology is what makes the whole story of redemption make sense. I never realized how shallow dispensationalism is until reading this book. It is brief and really just an overview of the various covenants but a great starter book for getting exposure to the ways of God.
April 2, 2022
**edit, took me a hot min but shortly after I read this my views were solidified and I abandoned Baptist views.
Still a Baptist but I really don’t want to be and I don’t know why this is so hard 😂 legit agree with 99.9% of everything expect the baptizing babies part. It gets me man, and the mental hump is too much 😂
Way better read than the last covenant theology book I read which was by a baptist and made zero sense to me.
This book makes sense, I just need time lol somebody pray for me 😂
Still a Baptist but I really don’t want to be and I don’t know why this is so hard 😂 legit agree with 99.9% of everything expect the baptizing babies part. It gets me man, and the mental hump is too much 😂
Way better read than the last covenant theology book I read which was by a baptist and made zero sense to me.
This book makes sense, I just need time lol somebody pray for me 😂
May 8, 2022
Absolutely amazing book, loved it through and through, definitely has taught me a lot about Covenant and made things so much clearer!
December 31, 2021
Clear and straightforward and concise discussion of such a deeply comforting and beautiful theology. (And any lingering uncertainty I had abt covenant theology was eradicated when the authors started talking about Tolkien’s concept of Eucatastrophe. They used the term wrong, but they tried and it made me very happy.)
June 25, 2022
Truly excellent! Essential reading for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of God’s Word and the glory of the Gospel.
Even though as a baptist, I disagree with some of their conclusions regarding the Abrahamic covenant for infant baptism, the book as a whole was stellar. Deep without being too technical.
The biggest assist: You will understand your Bible better and that is a priceless gift.
Even though as a baptist, I disagree with some of their conclusions regarding the Abrahamic covenant for infant baptism, the book as a whole was stellar. Deep without being too technical.
The biggest assist: You will understand your Bible better and that is a priceless gift.
August 19, 2021
A good overview of the major covenants in Scripture, from the covenant of redemption to the covenant of grace. This is a fine introduction for high school students and older. I am not persuaded of the republication view re: the mosaic economy, but that should not dissuade the reader from engaging with this work. Given its depth in a reasonably sized book, there is not a better book to recommend the layperson when they ask about what they might read to learn more about covenant theology.
January 14, 2025
Favorite chapter was probably the one on the Noahic Covenant because I rarely ever hear anyone talk about it.
March 21, 2015
Very helpful introduction to Covenant Theology!
I really appreciated the way the book walks the reader through the different biblical covenants and illustrates their meaning using analogies from everyday life. I would warmly recommend this book as a helpful tool for all those who are exploring the Reformed faith.
One thing I thought the book could have done better is flesh out a bit more the relationship between the Abrahamic covenant and the Mosaic. The distinction between the two is clear to me but as they run parallel to each other for a time in redemptive history I would have appreciated more clarity as to how both operate simultaneously from Moses until Christ. That distinction, I believe, is crucial for understanding that there has always been one people of God saved by one Gospel which is promise and not law.
I really appreciated the way the book walks the reader through the different biblical covenants and illustrates their meaning using analogies from everyday life. I would warmly recommend this book as a helpful tool for all those who are exploring the Reformed faith.
One thing I thought the book could have done better is flesh out a bit more the relationship between the Abrahamic covenant and the Mosaic. The distinction between the two is clear to me but as they run parallel to each other for a time in redemptive history I would have appreciated more clarity as to how both operate simultaneously from Moses until Christ. That distinction, I believe, is crucial for understanding that there has always been one people of God saved by one Gospel which is promise and not law.
March 31, 2013
This is by far the most easily understandable resource for Covenant Theology. For anyone who has ever been interested in Covenant Theology, but is frustrated with the teachings out there because it only adds to the confusion, this book will make it all clear.
August 3, 2012
This is an excellent introduction to covenant theology.
November 24, 2012
Best introduction to covenant theology that I've read so far. Excellent!
November 12, 2014
About a week ago, my three sons and I set out on a quest. We had spotted some tadpoles swimming in the little creek in the city park and we were determined to go and to catch a few. What we learned was rather simple, but profound. Those things are fast. Beyond their speed it was apparent that they do not want to be caught. We fished with a bucket for a good forty-five minutes, most of which was an epic failure and we were feeling not the least bit mocked by those little creatures who defied every effort of ours to take them home in our trusty bucket.
Now I am not writing this about tadpoles or our inability to catch an animal that we dwarf in development, I am rather writing about Theology. Covenant Theology to be specific. I have been trying to understand Covenant Theology for a while now. I believe I understand the basic premise, that the covenant is the framework for God's revelation and the manner in which He “administers His kingdom”, even if I am not able to state it in a succinct manner that fully does the topic justice. While I feel I have a firm, mostly, grasp on the basic premise of Covenant Theology, and a significant disdain for its common opponent, dispensationalism, the more complex aspects of CT remain rather elusive to my comprehension, like a tadpole jettisoning away as my hand/bucket/tears fall towards the water.
I read and reviewed Dr. Horton's Introduction to Covenant Theology, and I will read it again now. But I needed a more basic, introductiory work. Dr. Horton is a blessing to me and the greater Chrisitan community as a whole, but introductory is not his style. Thanks to the great people at Monergism.com, I was made aware of the book Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored by Michael Brown and Zach Keele with a foreword by Michael Horton. This is truly an introductory level look at Covenant Theology and it is worth its price and the time reading it. I have become accustomed to reading a book and giving it away in preparation for our future move to Brazil, but this book will stick around my house until we leave and if I am unable to find an electronic version by then, it may just have to hideaway in my carry-on.
“The gospel message falters without its covenantal foundation.” This is a bold claim made by the authors of the book and if you did not agree with this statement before reading, you will be substantially closer to agreement after being led on a tour of Holy Scripture by the authors. Each chapter of Sacred Bond is set up in a basic format of (1) a brief theological description of the covenant examined, (2) biblical evidence for the covenant and biblical evidence of its theological implications, (3)looking at how the covenant being examined has been explained by historic confessions and theologians, and (4) The practical impact of the specific covenant on the Christian's daily life.
To whet your appetite for this book, I will list the covenants and the definition given by the authors. If you want to see a defense of their definition and see how the covenants interrelate you will have to read the book...or possibly give me a chance to read it one or two more times and we can talk about it then. :-D
Covenant of Redemption- Covenant established in eternity between the Father, who gives the Son to be the Redeemer of His elect and requires of Him the conditions for their redemption; and the Son, who voluntarily agrees to fulfill these conditions; and the Spirit, who voluntarily applies the work of the Son to the Elect.
Covenant of Works-God's commitment to give Adam and his posterity in him, eternal life for obedience or eternal death for disobedience.
Covenant of Grace-Covenant between God and believers with their children, in which He promises salvation through faith in Christ who merited their salvation by obedience in the covenant of Redemption.
Covenant of Common Grace-Noahic Covenant; God's covenant of common grace with the earth, despite mankind's depravity, to sustain its oder until the consumation
Abrahamic Covenant-Covenant of grace established with Abraham and his offspring; wherein God promised the entire future of his covenant kingdom, in both its old covenant and new covenant stages
Mosaic Covenant-God's law covenant with Israel wherein He graciously leads them to Christ by showing them the perfect righteousness that only Christ could fulfill to redeem sinners
Davidic Covenant-God's promise to David that, when his righteous son bulds a house for God's name, God will grant him an eternal kingdom.
New Covenant-God bringing forth the new creation in His people through the finished work of Christ, in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Sacred Bond is an excellent primer on Covenant Theology. In an Evangelical sub-culture that is so saturated with Dispensational Lahayeism, it is important to become familiar with a framework for understanding Scripture that is more indebted to Biblical fidelity and a historic understanding of theology and Scripture than it is to breaking news headlines and patriotism-gone-awry. Also, with much of the Young, Restless, and Reformed coming out of traditionally Dispensational and Baptist church backgrounds and seemingly middle ground works like Kingdom through Covenant* being published, an understanding of traditional Covenant Theology is imperative, even if agreement on every point is not.
Sacred Bond will leave you with a solid, basic understanding of Covenant Theology and a desire to go to greater depths with the Hortons, Klines, Robertsons, Berkhofs, Owens, etc... Not only will it help spark a desire to go deeper, it will equip you to be able to interact with and accept or reject whatever you find there. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
*I have not read Kingdom through Covenant. I bought it and decided to read Sacred Bond first as a primer, at the urging of the Monergism.com staff. I am certainly glad that I did and look forward to starting Kingdom through Covenent soon.
Now I am not writing this about tadpoles or our inability to catch an animal that we dwarf in development, I am rather writing about Theology. Covenant Theology to be specific. I have been trying to understand Covenant Theology for a while now. I believe I understand the basic premise, that the covenant is the framework for God's revelation and the manner in which He “administers His kingdom”, even if I am not able to state it in a succinct manner that fully does the topic justice. While I feel I have a firm, mostly, grasp on the basic premise of Covenant Theology, and a significant disdain for its common opponent, dispensationalism, the more complex aspects of CT remain rather elusive to my comprehension, like a tadpole jettisoning away as my hand/bucket/tears fall towards the water.
I read and reviewed Dr. Horton's Introduction to Covenant Theology, and I will read it again now. But I needed a more basic, introductiory work. Dr. Horton is a blessing to me and the greater Chrisitan community as a whole, but introductory is not his style. Thanks to the great people at Monergism.com, I was made aware of the book Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored by Michael Brown and Zach Keele with a foreword by Michael Horton. This is truly an introductory level look at Covenant Theology and it is worth its price and the time reading it. I have become accustomed to reading a book and giving it away in preparation for our future move to Brazil, but this book will stick around my house until we leave and if I am unable to find an electronic version by then, it may just have to hideaway in my carry-on.
“The gospel message falters without its covenantal foundation.” This is a bold claim made by the authors of the book and if you did not agree with this statement before reading, you will be substantially closer to agreement after being led on a tour of Holy Scripture by the authors. Each chapter of Sacred Bond is set up in a basic format of (1) a brief theological description of the covenant examined, (2) biblical evidence for the covenant and biblical evidence of its theological implications, (3)looking at how the covenant being examined has been explained by historic confessions and theologians, and (4) The practical impact of the specific covenant on the Christian's daily life.
To whet your appetite for this book, I will list the covenants and the definition given by the authors. If you want to see a defense of their definition and see how the covenants interrelate you will have to read the book...or possibly give me a chance to read it one or two more times and we can talk about it then. :-D
Covenant of Redemption- Covenant established in eternity between the Father, who gives the Son to be the Redeemer of His elect and requires of Him the conditions for their redemption; and the Son, who voluntarily agrees to fulfill these conditions; and the Spirit, who voluntarily applies the work of the Son to the Elect.
Covenant of Works-God's commitment to give Adam and his posterity in him, eternal life for obedience or eternal death for disobedience.
Covenant of Grace-Covenant between God and believers with their children, in which He promises salvation through faith in Christ who merited their salvation by obedience in the covenant of Redemption.
Covenant of Common Grace-Noahic Covenant; God's covenant of common grace with the earth, despite mankind's depravity, to sustain its oder until the consumation
Abrahamic Covenant-Covenant of grace established with Abraham and his offspring; wherein God promised the entire future of his covenant kingdom, in both its old covenant and new covenant stages
Mosaic Covenant-God's law covenant with Israel wherein He graciously leads them to Christ by showing them the perfect righteousness that only Christ could fulfill to redeem sinners
Davidic Covenant-God's promise to David that, when his righteous son bulds a house for God's name, God will grant him an eternal kingdom.
New Covenant-God bringing forth the new creation in His people through the finished work of Christ, in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Sacred Bond is an excellent primer on Covenant Theology. In an Evangelical sub-culture that is so saturated with Dispensational Lahayeism, it is important to become familiar with a framework for understanding Scripture that is more indebted to Biblical fidelity and a historic understanding of theology and Scripture than it is to breaking news headlines and patriotism-gone-awry. Also, with much of the Young, Restless, and Reformed coming out of traditionally Dispensational and Baptist church backgrounds and seemingly middle ground works like Kingdom through Covenant* being published, an understanding of traditional Covenant Theology is imperative, even if agreement on every point is not.
Sacred Bond will leave you with a solid, basic understanding of Covenant Theology and a desire to go to greater depths with the Hortons, Klines, Robertsons, Berkhofs, Owens, etc... Not only will it help spark a desire to go deeper, it will equip you to be able to interact with and accept or reject whatever you find there. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
*I have not read Kingdom through Covenant. I bought it and decided to read Sacred Bond first as a primer, at the urging of the Monergism.com staff. I am certainly glad that I did and look forward to starting Kingdom through Covenent soon.
May 6, 2023
Sacred Bond is an appetizer. It will whet your appetite for the things of God. It shows a biblical theology of covenant theology. Though there are many covenants in the Old Testament, Brown and Keele emphasize that it is the Abrahamic covenant that is central. Even more than Adamic or Mosaic. I felt that the last chapter which combined the Davidic and New Covenants could have gone into greater deal. The focus of the book is to explain the basic tenets of covenant theology. It is a great resource for it, and for what they consider the sign of the covenant, infant baptism. It is not an exhaustive source but an introduction for an often glazed over topic .
December 13, 2021
This year has not been the best year for me reading all the books I had wanted to start. I got in a slow reading rut. This book has definitely helped me to get out of it. It is a very good introduction to covenant theology. I think the author does a fantastic job of taking the complicated nature of covenant theology and simplifying it for laymen.
This is the traditional reformed view of the covenant of works and covenant of grace.
If you buy books to hand to members of your church, I would definitely recommend this book.
This is the traditional reformed view of the covenant of works and covenant of grace.
If you buy books to hand to members of your church, I would definitely recommend this book.
March 21, 2021
This was a second read after the book was first released years ago. Still the best introductory book on Covenant Theology in the Reformed community. Writing and layout is clear. It serves the Church well as an inviting gateway into the beauties of Reformed Covenant Theology. The authors are consistent in their structure: covenants are defined, defended by Scripture, their use explained within the historical Reformed community, and its useful in edifying the believer. An excellent book.
July 3, 2022
This is a decent intro into covenant theology. I think O. Palmer Robertson is the gold standard but this good. It’s the only covenant theology book that is explicitly republication that I’ve read where I can understand why they argue for that position. I still don’t agree with it but have a better understanding of it.
November 28, 2016
We read this for fall quarter. It is a good introduction to covenant theology. Easy to read and well grounded in Scripture. Our pastors thought it didn't treat the Mosaic covenant quite right--thought it treated it too much as a departure from the covenant of grace. I think our pastors are correct, although the authors did seem a bit confused about what they think about the Mosaic covenant. (Some passages seemed contradictory.) Still, a good introduction for lay people. Like me.
May 8, 2017
Covenant Theology made easy.
A great introduction to Covenant Theology, as I walk closer and closer to it. Very easy and simple read. The chapter on the Abrahamic Covenant was the most helpful.
A great introduction to Covenant Theology, as I walk closer and closer to it. Very easy and simple read. The chapter on the Abrahamic Covenant was the most helpful.
January 11, 2021
Short and succinct view of the covenants
Gospel centered through each covenant. Encouraging and enlightening read. Great start for those just learning! Praise God, blessings on your reading!
Gospel centered through each covenant. Encouraging and enlightening read. Great start for those just learning! Praise God, blessings on your reading!
May 8, 2024
Lo definiria como "Teologia del pacto para Dummies" una magistral explicación basica de la teologica del pacto que arroja luz a aquellos que la desconocen, descomponiendo cada uno de los puntos y mostrando como los pactos establecen el hilo conductor del evangelio en las escrituras.
August 15, 2024
Simplemente hermoso, superó mis expectativas al tratarse de un libro introductorio. Me uno a lo dicho por Michael Horton: " Lee, marca, aprende y digiere esta guía maravillosa. Al hacerlo estarás equipado para conocer lo que crees y por qué lo crees".
June 29, 2017
The best book for the laymen on covenant theology. It is short and concise with scripture continuity. Highly recommend for anyone unclear about this theological position.
October 27, 2018
This book has encouraged me to continue studying covenant theology.
February 25, 2019
Great book
This book is a great intro to Covenant Theology. I strongly recommend it to anyone looking to understand Scripture as a whole.
This book is a great intro to Covenant Theology. I strongly recommend it to anyone looking to understand Scripture as a whole.
June 8, 2020
A solid introduction to covenant theology.
March 11, 2021
An encouraging, in-depth study of God's love that tie the Bible together.
November 22, 2022
Excelente libro
Aborda los pactos de Dios desde la eternidad pasada hasta el nuevo pacto, recomendado para conocer en detalle la teología bíblica.
Aborda los pactos de Dios desde la eternidad pasada hasta el nuevo pacto, recomendado para conocer en detalle la teología bíblica.
February 22, 2023
Absolutely wonderful intro to covenant theology. Helped me as a new presybterian to understand the framework for which this superior theology has found as its breeding ground.
July 12, 2024
A great introduction to covenant theology.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews