Dual-Covenant Theology Is Just Plain Wrong
Table of Contents
Dual-Covenant Theology Is Unbiblical
Dual-covenant theology is erroneous and anti-Biblical.
This “theology” maintains that while gentile Christians are saved by Grace through Faith in Christ, Jews are still saved by the Mosaic Law, without Christ.
These people actually believe that there are 2 paths to Salvation: a Christian one, and a Jewish one.
Obviously, this is a bunch of baloney! The New Testament refutes this error several times.
Sacred Scripture On Dual-Covenant Theology
Let’s look at Sacred Scripture passages that prove this “theology” is erroneous, so we can shut the door on it forever!
John 3:5
Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:5
These words were spoken by Christ to St. Nicodemus, a Jew, and clarified that everyone must be baptized to go to Heaven!
He never made an exception for the Jews, nor said circumcision was good enough. No.
He made it clear that all must be baptized!
John 14:6
Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.
John 14:6
Thus, Christ said it Himself: You have to go through Him to get to the Father.
Christ never said “all gentiles go through me”. No, He said “No man…“. And that includes Jews!
Jews who reject Christ certainly don’t go to the Father through Him.
That is to say, they believe they can go to God through the Mosaic Law, alone.
This is a grave error that will certainly lead to their Damnation, if they don’t accept Christ as their Messiah by the moment of death!
Honestly, this is all we need, and we can probably just end this article here.
But let’s look at other passages anyways, to drive the point home!
Acts of Apostles 4:10-12
Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him this man standeth here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts of Apostles 4:10-12
Thus, St. Peter is clarifying to the Jews that Salvation comes through Jesus Christ, alone.
Acts of Apostles 13:38
Be it known therefore to you, men, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is preached to you: and from all the things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Acts of Apostles 13:38
St. Paul is preaching to the Jews, and thus, clarifies that they cannot be justified by the Mosaic Law!
Acts of Apostles 15:6-11
And the apostles and ancients assembled to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter, rising up, said to them: Men, brethren, you know, that in former days God made choice among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, who knoweth the hearts, gave testimony, giving unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as to us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, in like manner as they also.
Acts of Apostles 15:6-11
Thus, St. Peter says that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and to the Greek.
Romans 1:16
In this passage, St. Paul clarifies that the Gospel is the same for everyone, Jew or Gentile.
Moreover, St. Paul will continue to repeat this message of both Jew and Gentile being under the same Covenant throughout his Letter to the Romans.
Romans 2:7-12
To them indeed, who according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life: But to them that are contentious, and who obey not the truth, but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. But glory, and honour, and peace to every one that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For there is no respect of persons with God.
For whosoever have sinned without the law, shall perish without the law; and whosoever have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law.
Romans 2:7-12
In other words, the Mosaic Law will not help anyone in the eyes of God.
Romans 3:9-31
What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews, and Greeks, that they are all under sin. As it is written: There is not any man just. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. All have turned out of the way; they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery in their ways: And the way of peace they have not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Now we know, that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be made subject to God. Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now without the law the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction: For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God.
Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption, that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins, Through the forbearance of God, for the shewing of his justice in this time; that he himself may be just, and the justifier of him, who is of the faith of Jesus Christ. Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.
Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. For it is one God, that justifieth circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we, then, destroy the law through faith? God forbid: but we establish the law.
Romans 3:9-31
In other words, God is God of both Jews and Gentiles, and Faith in Christ Jesus justifies, not the Mosaic Law.
Romans 4:9-12
This blessedness then, doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice. How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith, which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice: And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.
Romans 4:9-12
In other words, Abraham was justified by Grace and Faith, and both Jews and Gentiles can be justified by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:12-19
Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned. For until the law sin was in the world; but sin was not imputed, when the law was not. But death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who is a figure of him who was to come. But not as the offence, so also the gift. For if by the offence of one, many died; much more the grace of God, and the gift, by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one sin, so also is the gift. For judgment indeed was by one unto condemnation; but grace is of many offences, unto justification.
For if by one man’s offence death reigned through one; much more they who receive abundance of grace, and of the gift, and of justice, shall reign in life through one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offence of one, unto all men to condemnation; so also by the justice of one, unto all men to justification of life. For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just.
Romans 5:12-19
In other words, it’s only through Jesus Christ can we have Eternal Life.
Romans 7:4
Therefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ; that you may belong to another, who is risen again from the dead, that we may bring forth fruit to God.
Romans 7:4
In other words, the Old Covenant Mosaic Law is dead.
Romans 9:24
Even us, whom also he hath called, nor only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles.
Romans 9:24
In other words, God calls both Jews and Gentiles into His One Covenant.
Romans 10:12-13
For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
Romans 10:12-13
Thus, St. Paul says that there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles in His New Covenant.
Romans 11:30-32
For as you also in times past did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy, through their unbelief; So these also now have not believed, for your mercy, that they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded all in unbelief, that he may have mercy on all.
Romans 11:30-32
St. Paul here is talking about how at first, the Jews believed in God, but the Gentiles didn’t.
Then, the Gentiles accepted Jesus Christ and the Jews were hardened and rejected Him.
But the final goal is for both Jews and Gentiles to accept the Trinitarian God under One Covenant.
1 Corinthians 9:20-21
And I became to the Jews, a Jew, that I might gain the Jews: To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law,) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that were without the law.
1 Corinthians 9:20-21
Here St. Paul says he isn’t under the old law (because it is no more) and says he is in the law of Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:13-15
And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void. But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void). But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
2 Corinthians 3:13-15
In other words, the Jews are blind and hardened to the fact that the Old Law is made void, in Christ.
Galatians 2:11-16
But when Cephas was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that some came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them who were of the circumcision. And to his dissimulation the rest of the Jews consented, so that Barnabas also was led by them into that dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly unto the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all: If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as the Jews do, how dost thou compel the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We by nature are Jews, and not of the Gentiles sinners.
But knowing that man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; we also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Galatians 2:11-16
St. Paul also admonishes the first Pope, St. Peter, in Antioch, for treating Jewish and Gentile Christians differently, since nobody is justified in the Mosaic Law.
Galatians 3:26-29
For you are all the children of God by faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek: there is neither bond nor free: there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ’s, then are you the seed of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:26-29
Again, St. Paul makes it clear that there is One New Covenant open to both Jews and Gentiles.
Galatians 5:2-10
Behold, I Paul tell you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man circumcising himself, that he is a debtor to the whole law. You are made void of Christ, you who are justified in the law: you are fallen from grace. For we in spirit, by faith, wait for the hope of justice. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision: but faith that worketh by charity.
You did run well, who hath hindered you, that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion is not from him that calleth you. A little leaven corrupteth the whole lump. I have confidence in you in the Lord: that you will not be of another mind: but he that troubleth you, shall bear the judgment, whosoever he be.
Galatians 5:2-10
In other words, the Old Law is not Salvific. One must have Faith in Jesus Christ for Salvation.
Galatians 6:12-15
For as many as desire to please in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer the persecution of the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised, keep the law; but they will have you to be circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Galatians 6:12-15
Again, St. Paul makes it clear that circumcision is meaningless because only Jesus Christ Saves.
Ephesians 2:14-15
For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and breaking down the middle wall of partition, the enmities in his flesh: Making void the law of commandments contained in decrees; that He might make the two in himself into one new man, making peace;
Ephesians 2:14-15
Christ also made Jews and Gentiles one under the New Covenant, rending the Old Covenant obsolete.
Colossians 2:14
Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross:
Colossians 2:14
In other words, by His Crucifixion, Christ fulfilled the Old Law.
Hebrews 7:11-12, 18-19
If then perfection was by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchisedech, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being translated, it is necessary that a translation also be made of the law…
There is indeed a setting aside of the former commandment, because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof: (For the law brought nothing to perfection,) but a bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw nigh to God.
Hebrews 7:11-12, 18-19
St. Paul also says the new priesthood of Christ necessarily abrogates the old law and creates a new law of Christ.
Hebrews 8:6-7
But now he hath obtained a better ministry, by how much also he is a mediator of a better testament, which is established on better promises. For if that former had been faultless, there should not indeed a place have been sought for a second.
Hebrews 8:6-7
In other words, the New Testament is better than the first, for everyone.
Hebrews 9:15-17
And therefore He is the mediator of the new testament: that by means of his death, for the redemption of those transgressions, which were under the former testament, they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, the death of the testator must of necessity come in. For a testament is of force, after men are dead: otherwise it is as yet of no strength, whilst the testator liveth.
Hebrews 9:15-17
Again, Christ’s death abrogated the Old Testament and ushered in the New Testament.
Hebrews 10:9-18
Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O God: he taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth. In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once. And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God, From henceforth expecting, until his enemies be made his footstool. For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. And the Holy Ghost also doth testify this to us. For after that he said:
And this is the testament which I will make unto them after those days, saith the Lord. I will give my laws in their hearts, and on their minds will I write them: And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more. Now where there is a remission of these, there is no more an oblation for sin.
Hebrews 10:9-18
There is no need for the sacrifices of the old law of Moses because the Sacrifice of Christ began the New Testament and paid for all sins.
Thus, St. Paul makes it crystal clear in the New Testament that the Old Covenant is no more.
In other words, there can be no dual Covenants existing at the same time.
Church Fathers On Dual-Covenant Theology
A few Church Fathers had some things to say on dual-covenant theology too.
St. Justin Martyr said:
Now, law placed against law has abrogated that which is before it, and a covenant which comes after in like manner has put an end to the previous one; and an eternal and final law – namely, Christ – has been given to us, and the covenant is trustworthy…Have you not read…by Jeremiah, concerning this same new covenant, He thus speaks: ‘Behold, the days come,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…’.
Dialogue with Trypho, Ch 11
Moreover, St. Jerome said:
Instead of the grace of the law which has passed away, we have received the grace of the gospel which is abiding; and instead of the shadows and types of the old dispensation, the truth has come by Jesus Christ. Jeremiah also prophesied thus in God’s name: ‘Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah…’ Observe what the prophet says, not to Gentiles, who had not been partakers in any former covenant, but to the Jewish nation. He who has given them the law by Moses, promises in place of it the New Covenant of the gospel, that they might no longer live in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit.
From St. Jerome to Augustine, Chapter 4, Paragraph 14
Also, St. John Chrysostom said:
Yet surely Paul’s object everywhere is to annul this Law….And with much reason; for it was through a fear and a horror of this that the Jews obstinately opposed grace.
Chrysostom: Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Romans
And St. John Chrysostom also said:
And so while no one annuls a man’s covenant, the covenant of God after four hundred and thirty years is annulled; for if not that covenant but another instead of it bestows what is promised, then is it set aside, which is most unreasonable.
Homily 3 on Galatians
Thus, the Fathers clearly taught that the New Covenant superseded the Old Covenant.
In other words, there can be no dual Covenants existing at the same time.
The Magisterium On The Old Covenant
It is actually Catholic Dogma that the Mosaic Law came to an end in the First Century.
The Council of Florence definitively teaches:
It firmly believes, professes and teaches that the legal prescriptions of the old Testament or the Mosaic law, which are divided into ceremonies, holy sacrifices and sacraments, because they were instituted to signify something in the future, although they were adequate for the divine cult of that age, once our lord Jesus Christ who was signified by them had come, came to an end and the sacraments of the new Testament had their beginning. Whoever, after the passion, places his hope in the legal prescriptions and submits himself to them as necessary for salvation and as if faith in Christ without them could not save, sins mortally. It does not deny that from Christ’s passion until the promulgation of the gospel they could have been retained, provided they were in no way believed to be necessary for salvation. But it asserts that after the promulgation of the gospel they cannot be observed without loss of eternal salvation. Therefore it denounces all who after that time observe circumcision, the sabbath and other legal prescriptions as strangers to the faith of Christ and unable to share in eternal salvation, unless they recoil at some time from these errors. Therefore it strictly orders all who glory in the name of Christian, not to practise circumcision either before or after baptism, since whether or not they place their hope in it, it cannot possibly be observed without loss of eternal salvation.
The Council of Florence, Session 11
This means that all Catholics must assent to the Mosaic Law not being a thing anymore.
Thus, it is impossible to have dual Covenants that exist, simultaneously.
The Council of Trent also says this about the Justification of the Old Law:
The holy council declares first, that for a correct and clear understanding of the doctrine of justification, it is necessary that each one recognize and confess that since all men had lost innocence in the prevarication of Adam, having become unclean, and, as the Apostle says, by nature children of wrath, as has been set forth in the decree on original sin, they were so far the servants of sin and under the power of the devil and of death, that not only the Gentiles by the force of nature, but not even the Jews by the very letter of the law of Moses, were able to be liberated or to rise therefrom, though free will, weakened as it was in its powers and downward bent, was by no means extinguished in them.
The Council of Trent, Sixth Session
In other words, even if the Old Covenant wasn’t superseded, it still wouldn’t be Salvific for the Jews.
Moreover, Pope Pius XII wrote, while also quoting Pope St. Leo the Great:
And first of all, by the death of our Redeemer, the New Testament took the place of the Old Law which had been abolished; then the Law of Christ together with its mysteries, enactments, institutions, and sacred rites was ratified for the whole world in the blood of Jesus Christ. For, while our Divine Savior was preaching in a restricted area – He was not sent but to the sheep that were lost of the House of Israel – the Law and the Gospel were together in force; but on the gibbet of His death Jesus made void the Law with its decrees fastened the handwriting of the Old Testament to the Cross, establishing the New Testament in His blood shed for the whole human race. “To such an extent, then,” says St. Leo the Great, speaking of the Cross of our Lord, “was there effected a transfer from the Law to the Gospel, from the Synagogue to the Church, from the many sacrifices to one Victim, that, as Our Lord expired, that mystical veil which shut off the innermost part of the temple and its sacred secret was rent violently from top to bottom.”
Mystici Corporis
Therefore, the Old Law is abolished, and the New Covenant is the only one that remains for both Jews and Gentiles.
And because of this, dual-covenant theology is an error, since only One Covenant currently exists:
This is the New Covenant, where both Jews and Gentiles must, by the Grace of God, profess Faith in Christ Jesus, belong to His Holy Catholic Church, repent of sin, and persist in this Grace and Faith unto death, in order to be saved!