Three Covenants

In the past history of man, God has made many agreements or contracts with His creation; in Scripture they are called "covenants." The most important covenant in the Bible is the "covenant of redemption." I find it interesting however, when looking at the "covenant of redemption," that this particular one does not refer to a covenant God has made with man, although it is "for" man.

In the "covenant of redemption" God is not in a partnership agreement with man. But rather it is a covenant God makes with … Himself. It is the agreement between all three persons of the Godhead to be involved in the redemption of man. In looking at the act of redemption itself, we see the activity of the Trinity in the same manner as we see during creation.

God the Father calls for the creation of the universe which includes our material earth, and by His Word speaks them into existence as the Spirit hovers over the waters and brings these things into being. The New Testament also tells us that it was through Christ, who was the working agent that made all things that were made. Creation had the full involvement of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So when we look at the concept of redemption we see that it is also a work of the Trinity; all three persons of the Godhead being involved in the fulfillment of it.

It is the Father who initiates the plan of salvation; it is the Father who gives the eternal decrees of His will in all matters. It is the Father who sends the Son into the world to purchase our redemption for us.

After the Son has accomplished the act of redemption for us, there is still one thing left to do and that is … to have Christ's redemption applied to our personal lives. How will the work of redemption that Jesus purchased for us, do any good unless it is applied to our lives by the work of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the one who regenerates our human spirits and makes us alive in Christ. All three persons of the Trinity; the Father, Son and Holy Spirit has a role in our salvation; all three work in agreement, work in concert to plan, purchase and bring to fallen man redemption.

There are two more covenants involved in the "covenant of redemption" that I would like to quickly cover. The first is the "covenant of works" which was made between God and Adam before the fall. The second is the "covenant of grace" which God makes with Adam and his descendants after the fall.

The "covenant of works" refers to the fact that God places Adam and Eve in a state of probation and promises them everlasting life by eating the fruit from the tree of life … if … they can keep the one command that God requires of them; do not eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The destiny of the human race is dependent upon their obedience or disobedience according to the terms of this "covenant of works." If they pass their probation, if they are obedient, if their works are pleasing to God, then they may stay in the Garden and eat of the tree of life for all of eternity. But they fail miserably; and with that failure, they and their descendants fall into a state of ruin and are in need of redemption.

Once the "covenant of works" is broken, God did not just let the human race perish; but spared Adam and Eve and gave them a way to be redeemed. God does this on the basis of a new promise of grace in that they will be redeemed by another man, the second Adam so to speak, Jesus the Son of God.

Why couldn't the first Adam somehow "work" to redeem his and Eve's fallen state? Sinful man can never meet the requirement needed to satisfy a Holy God's justice. Only God Himself was equal to the task. This is why God had to make … "a covenant with Himself."

Keep in mind, for God to enter into any covenant with man, the creature that He made, to make any promises to that creature, under whatever conditions He chooses to place that creature under, is already … an act of grace.

Remember, God is not required to give, nor does He owe His creation anything; in fact everything He gives is from His grace. The point is … that even the "covenant of works" and its promises are founded on "the covenant of grace."

Now here is where I want to bring both "works" and "grace" together. God accepted both "works" and "grace" as equals only in His Son Jesus. Jesus becomes the second Adam; and as such God places Him back under the very same obligation of the "covenant of works" that the first Adam could not obey.

We are not just saved by the death of Christ, but also by His life of obedience that fulfilled all of the terms of the first Adam's "covenant of works." Adam could not keep the covenant, but the man Jesus did. So, in the final analysis, we are "saved by works" … not ours … but Christ's.

But I thought we are "justified by faith" alone? Justification by faith alone means … justification by putting our faith in Christ alone … because Christ alone has fulfilled the "covenant of works." You can say it this way … we will never be saved by our works; only by the "works" of Christ.

Therefore the "covenant of grace" does not nullify the "covenant of works" … but fulfills the "covenant of works." The works of Christ and the grace of God fit together as one like a hand in a glove to accomplish the "covenant of redemption" God made with Himself.