A Better Covenant … Part I

There are two covenants involved in the covenant of redemption. 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 original "covenant of works" refers to the fact that God places Adam and Eve in a state of probation (a trial period during which their character and abilities are tested; in other words … their works) and then promises them everlasting life by eating the fruit from the tree of life forever … 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 now dependent upon their obedience according to the terms of this original "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; which is "a covenant of grace" by which 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 become one of us … the Lamb of God in human form … His Son Jesus Christ.

Keep in mind, two things …

1.) 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; any dealings God has with man is already … an act of grace.

2.) God is not required to give, nor does He owe His creation anything; in fact everything He gives is always from His grace.

The point is … that even the "covenant of works" and its promises are founded upon "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 to fulfill the "covenant of works" that the first Adam could not obey.

Now stay with me here …

We are not saved by the death of Christ only, but also by His life of obedience that fulfilled all of the terms of the first Adam's original "covenant of works." Adam could not keep the original covenant, but the man Jesus did.

Therefore … since a man, the second Adam, kept all the requirements of the Law by fulfilling all the terms of the original "covenant of works" … the contract which meant trying to earn God's approval … was done away with when Jesus fulfilled it. Man can no longer work to earn his salvation.

So, in the final analysis, we were "saved by works" … not ours … but Christ's works, with-in "the covenant of grace."

But you may ask … "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 new "covenant of grace" does not nullify the "covenant of works," but rather, it 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 not only man, but also with His Son.

This is why Jesus is called "the second Adam." He fulfilled and completed what the first Adam couldn't.

And yet today, men by their own personal "works" are still trying to add to what Jesus completed and finalized forever.

Galatians 5:4 … "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

If you are trying to add to your salvation by works of any kind; which is the same as being justified by the Law of Works; Paul said you are "fallen from grace."

You have left the "Covenant of Grace" and went back to the "Covenant of Works" which Jesus fulfilled. It's no longer any good. We can't do anything to add to what Jesus has done; if we think we can, we have only deceived ourselves.

Justification is not a declaration on the part of God that we deserve salvation, or that we have any claim for what the Lord Jesus has done; it is a free gift. Justification is given only by God's mercy and grace.

It is not that we are innocent, or are declared to be innocent. We are not innocent; we never have been and we never shall be. It will always be true that the justified sinner has no claim to the mercy and grace of God.

Justification is a free gift.


To be continued …