Covenant Basics
- Why was it necessary for God and humans to have a covenant? What makes covenants binding?
- Did Adam agree to anything in Eden or was the covenant one-sided?
- Was it necessary for Adam and Eve to agree to God's terms and conditions or was it mandatory?
The Abrahamic Covenant
- What had Abraham done that God chose him to make a covenant with?
- Were God's promises to Abraham conditional?
- What would be the equivalent of the ancient practice of walking between halves of slaughtered animals to signify ratification of a treaty by the parties? Why did God accede to this?
Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar
- How much was Hagar at fault in the fiasco of the relationship with Abraham?
- How was Hagar an apt illustration of being "under the law" as used by Paul?
- How important was it that Abraham's and Sarah's child be born in a somewhat miraculous manner? How much faith did Abraham and Sarah demonstrate in the promise?
Hagar and Mt Sinai
- Why did the Israelites respond at Mt Sinai with the assurance "All that the Lord hath said, we will do?" Were they required to give a response? If they had not responded would that have changed anything?
- What, if anything, should the Israelites have said to indicate they had a proper relationship to the law?
- How much grace is on display in the Old Testament?
Ishmael and Isaac Today
- Was it totally fair for Paul to state that the Jewish Christians who insisted on retaining adherence to circumcision and other ceremonial laws were descendants of Ishmael, and that the Gentile Christians who were liberated from the law were the heirs of Isaac?
- Is it just the ceremonial law that was done away with at the cross or Salvation through the Decalogue too?
- Are Adventists closer to the Jewish or the Gentile position of Paul's day?
