Why Is Covenant Eschatology A False and Dangerous Doctrine?
"Covenant Eschatology" is defined by one of its former advocates (Max King) as "that the second coming of Christ, including the establishment of the eternal kingdom, the day of judgment, the end of the world, and the resurrection of the dead occurred with the fall of Judaism in A.D. 70." Advocates of this doctrine claim they believe in the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ; but the logical end to their doctrine implicitly denies such. In the first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul addresses the resurrection from the dead and its relationship to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Notice what Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. He begins with the premise: "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen" (1 Corinthians 15:13). Paul has already proven that Jesus was raised bodily from the dead in the earlier verses, pointing to the over five hundred witnesses who "saw" the physical body of Jesus after He had been raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-11). Therefore, it is false to explicitly or implicitly teach that there is no resurrection of the dead.
What if Jesus had not been raised? What are the logical implications of saying there is no resurrection of the dead? What if Christ is not risen? For if there is no physical, bodily resurrection of the dead (whether it be good or evil persons who are in the graves- John 5:28, 29), then Christ is not risen .
In 1 Corinthians 15:13-19 Paul argues that if there is no physical, bodily resurrection of the dead, then the following conclusions/consequences must follow:
#1 Consequence: " not even Christ has been raised;"
Major Premise: If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been r aised from the dead.
Minor Premise: There is no resurrection from the dead.
Conclusion: Therefore, Christ has not been r aised from the dead.
#2 Consequence: " if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain,"
Major Premise: If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our preaching is vain.
Minor Premise: Christ has not been raised from the dead.
Conclusion: Therefore, our preaching is vain.
#3 Consequence: " your faith also is vain."
Major Premise: If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our faith is vain.
Minor Premise: Christ has not been raised from the dead.
Conclusion: Therefore, our faith is vain.
#4 Consequence: " Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised."
Major Premise: If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then Paul (and the other apostles) are false witnesses of God.
Minor Premise: Christ has not been raised from the dead.
Conclusion: Therefore, Paul (and the other apostles) are false witnesses of God.
#5 Consequence: " For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins."
Major Premise: If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then we are still in our sins
Minor Premise: Christ has not been raised from the dead.
Conclusion: Therefore, we are still in our sins.
#6 Consequence: " then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished."
Major Premise: If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
Minor Premise: Christ has not been raised from the dead.
Conclusion: Therefore, those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
#7 Consequence: " If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied."
Major Premise: If Christ has not been raised from the dead, we are of all men most to be pitied.
Minor Premise: Christ has not been raised from the dead.
Conclusion: Therefore, we are of all men most to be pitied.
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