Covenant Theology

Dear Church Family,

In the adult Sunday school class, we just concluded our study of the first vow of church membership in which we confess that we are “sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy.” One of the best ways to perceive and understand this Biblical truth, indeed one of the best ways to perceive and understand the overarching outline and teaching of Scripture, is by understanding the difference and relationship between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace.

The Covenant of Works

The Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) defines the first, pre-fall, covenant in this way:

WCF 7.2  The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.

This first covenant is called the “covenant of works” because Adam was required to maintain person, perfect, and perpetual obedience to the Lord (Galatians 3:12; Romans 10:5). In other words, Adam had to work – do works of righteousness in obedience to God’s law – or incur God’s judgement (Gensis 2:17). Elsewhere in the Westminster Standards, this covenant which the Lord entered into with Adam in the garden is called a “covenant of life” (WLC 20; WSC 12) because the promise for Adam’s obedience was the tree of life (Genesis 2:9). Though we do not know how long this probationary period could have lasted, it would seem that if Adam had not sinned, he would have been granted access to the tree of life. 

The Covenant of Grace

The Westminster Confession of Faith defines this second, post-fall, covenant in this way:

WCF 7.3  Man, by his fall, having made himself uncapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the Covenant of Grace, whereby He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved; and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.

Adam fell by disobeying the Lord and thus broke the covenant of works (Genesis 3:6-8). And, since the fall, man is unable to fulfill the requirements of the covenant of works (Romans 3:20-21; Galatians 3:21). Thus, God made a second covenant, which we call the “covenant of grace,” requiring faith in Jesus Christ to be saved (John 3:16-18, 36). Romans 5:12-21 is an important passage in understanding the two covenant heads of each of these covenants. A good summary verse of this passage is found in verse 19, “For as through the one man's [Adam’s] disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One [Jesus Christ] the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

The Essence of Covenant Theology

This, then, is the essence of covenant theology. By the works of the Law no flesh is justified in God’s sight (Romans 3:20); in Adam all die (1 Corinthians 15:22a). Yet, apart from the Law, through faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21-22); in Christ, all will be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22b). 

Below are two graphics that may help to better understand the similarities and differences between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. In this first chart, we consider the expression (the place or context of each covenant), the promise given by God in each covenant, the covenant head in each covenant, and what is required for us to fulfill the obligations of each covenant. 

In this second graphic, we have a timeline showing how these two covenants are revealed to us in Scripture. As the graph illustrates, the covenant of grace is not confined to the New Testament. The covenant of grace is God’s provision of salvation for His people in both the old and new covenants. We may trace the expression of this covenant of grace beginning in the garden of Eden in Genesis 3:15, continuing throughout redemptive history, fulfilled in the new covenant through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8), and culminating in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-18). 

Conclusion & Application 

Understanding the covenant of works is of the utmost importance for understanding the gospel. In the covenant of works, righteousness is based on Adam’s – and our – ability to perfectly keep the Law of God, but we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The Scripture has condemned everyone under sin, but we have the promise of forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:21-22). In the covenant of works, the Lord demands perfect obedience.

In the covenant of grace, the Lord promises: “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). All those who belong to Christ, the second Adam, receive the forgiveness of sins and inherit eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:47-49).

The Apostle Paul summarizes this good news of the gospel in this way: “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:17-19) .

The Lord be with you! 

Pastor Peter M. Dietsch