Protestant definition of covenant?

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I heard that because Martin Luther studied law before entering the Catholic priesthood he mistakenly understood a covenant as a contract. I checked Protestant Bible dictionaries to verify this. I know that Catholic Tradition has always understood covenant as a kinship bond or as Scott Hahn teaches “a sacred family bond”. Obviously Protestant Bible interpretations will be affected by this error in understanding. Does anybody know how to prove this error to a Protestant?
thanks in advance
David
Peace
 
To be honest, when I was a protestant I never heard the word covenant. My pastors/preachers always taught about us being the Sons and Daughters of God, but never why or how that came about. Covenant theology was not a topic of conversation. (At least that was my experience. When I was introduced to the concept of it, my understanding of God and the cross became much more in depth.)
 
A very devout protestant once (20 years ago) told me that a covenant was a contract but between someone who has everything and someone who has nothing (which could not legally be a contract, because both parties must offer something in a legal contract).

I have never heard this again, and I have no idea where she was getting it from. But she went to a church where the pastor liked to make stuff up because it sounds good.
 
David said:
I heard that because Martin Luther studied law before entering the Catholic priesthood he mistakenly understood a covenant as a contract. I checked Protestant Bible dictionaries to verify this. I know that Catholic Tradition has always understood covenant as a kinship bond or as Scott Hahn teaches “a sacred family bond”. Obviously Protestant Bible interpretations will be affected by this error in understanding. Does anybody know how to prove this error to a Protestant?
thanks in advance
David
Peace
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M.L. King never entered the Catholic Priesthood. He was a Protestant minister.

I suspect the definition of Covenant differs amongst the various Protestant denominations. The original Covenant was between God and the Jewish people.
 
martininthefiel said:
M.L. King never entered the Catholic Priesthood. He was a Protestant minister.

I suspect the definition of Covenant differs amongst the various Protestant denominations. The original Covenant was between God and the Jewish people.
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Martin Luther King lived in the 20th century in the U.S.
Martin Luther lived in the 15th and 16th centuries in Germany. He was a Catholic priest who triggered the Protestant revolt, which is oftentimes referred to as the Reformation.

Here is some free online Bible study from Scott Hahn / St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
Covenant Love: Introducing the Biblical Worldview
salvationhistory.com/studies/courses/online/covenant_love
 
DavidFilmer said:
A very devout protestant once (20 years ago) told me that a covenant was a contract but between someone who has everything and someone who has nothing (which could not legally be a contract, because both parties must offer something in a legal contract)…
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Scott Hahn actually uses a similar analogy when speaking of covenants. He talks about how that a king would enter a covenant with a vassal. That it is an agreement between two parties of very unequal powers. One great and one small. Then he takes it further saying that to compare a covenant to a contract is like comparing marriage to prostitution. That in a contract you give something to someone for something in return, an item for an item, a tangible gift for a tangible return. (Money for work, etc) In a covenant, you give each other… I become yours and you become mine. A family bond.
 
David said:
I heard that because Martin Luther studied law before entering the Catholic priesthood he mistakenly understood a covenant as a contract. I checked Protestant Bible dictionaries to verify this. I know that Catholic Tradition has always understood covenant as a kinship bond or as Scott Hahn teaches “a sacred family bond”. Obviously Protestant Bible interpretations will be affected by this error in understanding. Does anybody know how to prove this error to a Protestant?
thanks in advance
David
Peace
Click to expand...
Robert Sungenis entire book called “Not by Faith Alone” is on the very topic you are opening for discussion. In his book he emphatically spells out the Catholic doctrine of justification and Exposes the errors of Luther, Calvin, Zwingili, Hodge, Wesley,R.C. Sproul, James White, Norman Giesler and a host of others when teaching on Justification say “THE BIBLE SAYS” and then go on to all sorts of different HETERODOX OPINIONS!!!

It is a must read for Catholics. I have loaned it or discussed it with some Evangelical/fundamentalist friends who now wholly accept the Catholic view of Justification, all because it was so clear and concise.👍
 
onemangang said:
Robert Sungenis entire book called “Not by Faith Alone” is on the very topic you are opening for discussion. In his book he emphatically spells out the Catholic doctrine of justification and Exposes the errors of Luther, Calvin, Zwingili, Hodge, Wesley,R.C. Sproul, James White, Norman Giesler and a host of others when teaching on Justification say “THE BIBLE SAYS” and then go on to all sorts of different HETERODOX OPINIONS!!!

It is a must read for Catholics. I have loaned it or discussed it with some Evangelical/fundamentalist friends who now wholly accept the Catholic view of Justification, all because it was so clear and concise.👍
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Thank you onemangang. I saw his book at the store before. I will check that out.

Peace
David
 
David said:
I heard that because Martin Luther studied law before entering the Catholic priesthood he mistakenly understood a covenant as a contract. I checked Protestant Bible dictionaries to verify this. I know that Catholic Tradition has always understood covenant as a kinship bond or as Scott Hahn teaches “a sacred family bond”. Obviously Protestant Bible interpretations will be affected by this error in understanding. Does anybody know how to prove this error to a Protestant?
thanks in advance
David
Peace
Click to expand...
I am a protestant and I WAS taught that is was a sacred bond that one was to keep even if it meant his own peril.
 
DavidFilmer said:
A very devout protestant once (20 years ago) told me that a covenant was a contract but between someone who has everything and someone who has nothing (which could not legally be a contract, because both parties must offer something in a legal contract).

I have never heard this again, and I have no idea where she was getting it from. But she went to a church where the pastor liked to make stuff up because it sounds good.
Click to expand...
Sounds like this individual was misinformed. As a Protestant (background) I was taught differently.
 
We consider ourselves a covenental faith rather than a creedal faith. We covenant, or contract, with each other to support our fellowship, etc.

But, since the Protestants have as hard a time with us as the Catholics do, and sometimes more, I don’t know that this would count as Protestant definition of covenant.

Peace,

Seeker
 
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