Session 24: WCF Chapter VII - Of God’s Covenant with Man, Sections 3&4

A Few Words About Bible Doctrine... Our salvation does not depend on “getting our doctrine right.” New believers start in a doctrinal vacuum. Many long-time believers hold to some doctrinal error. I believe nobody has all of his doctrine correct. We all hold to some false doctrine. Glorification includes straightening out our doctrine. However, there’s a huge difference between being ignorant of true doctrine and being hostile to true doctrine. Be humble. Submit yourself to correction in the Word from legitimate teachers.

Galatians 3:21 Romans 8:3 Romans 3:20,21 Genesis 3:15 Isaiah 42:6

Mark 16:15,16 John 3:16 Romans 10:6,9 Galatians 3:11 Ezekiel 36:26,27 John 6:44,45

CHAPTER VII - Of God’s Covenant with Man 3. Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein 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.

The Arminian View Adam lost the promise and incurred the penalty of the old covenant that demanded perfect obedience.† God, for Christ’s sake, introduced a new covenant, offering to all men the eternal life forfeited by Adam, conditioned on their showing faith and evangelical obedience. The new covenant is just as much a covenant of works as the old one was, but the new one demands far easier works, and God gives us grace to help us accomplish them. Therefore, faith and evangelical obedience secure eternal life in the new covenant in the same way that perfect obedience did in the old covenant. † Arminians merge the Covenant of Works and the Old Testament Covenant of Grace – the Law

The Arminian View One enormous problem: the new covenant cannot be a weaker form of the old covenant, because weakening the old covenant would compromise God’s righteousness. Instead, Christ fulfilled the old covenant absolutely. Then, on the foundation of His fulfillment, we exercise faith or trust, and through that trust we are made sharers in His righteousness and beneficiaries of His grace

The Calvinist View God the Father, having determined to save the elect out of the mass of the race fallen in Adam, appointed his Son to become incarnate in our nature, the second Adam and representative head of redeemed humanity. A new covenant is thus made among the Father, the Son and the Elect in Him. The Mediator assumes on behalf of his elect seed the broken conditions of the Covenant of Works precisely as Adam left them.

The Calvinist View Adam had failed to obey, and therefore forfeited life. Adam had sinned, and therefore incurred the endless penalty of death. Christ suffered the penalty and extinguished in behalf of all whom he represented the claims of the old covenant. At the same time, Christ rendered a perfect vicarious obedience, which was the very condition upon which eternal life had been originally offered.

It Is a Covenant of Grace Because... God initiates the covenant (Genesis 17:1-2; Romans 5:8). The fulfillment of the covenant depends not on what we do, but on what Christ has done (Genesis 15:6; Titus 3:5). Another term for the covenant of grace is the gospel. God enables us to acknowledge our sin and turn to Christ (John 6:44).

A “Covenant of Redemption?” Some theologians purport an eternal “Covenant of Redemption.” The Covenant of Redemption is supposed to be between the Father and the Son and provided for the Son’s sacrifice to redeem to the Father a people for God. The Westminster Confession does not separately state a Covenant of Redemption, but assumes it to be part of the Covenant of Grace.

Hebrews 9:15-17 Hebrews 7:22 Luke 22:20 1 Corinthians 11:25

CHAPTER VII - Of God’s Covenant with Man 4. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.

Law School Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr., Harvard Law School

Wills and Estates 101 A last will and testament determines the disposition of a testator’s estate to heirs upon the testator’s death. The covenant of grace is often called a testament, because Jesus’ death puts the covenant into effect granting His estate (His righteousness) to his heirs (the Elect). (Hebrews 9:15-17)

Works (7.2) Grace (7.3) Covenant Testament/ Dispensation Old New The Lord Jesus Christ Testator

Controversy of the Week

Statement I Made Last Sunday The Covenant of Works is still in force (in fact, for most of mankind). Is this true?

Personal Personal Focus Focus

How would you answer someone who believes that Jesus did away with the Law?