Covenant Theology Intro

What is a Covenant?

The most basic definition: a conditional promise

to fill that out a bit more, we can add to that:

A kind of relationship

Conditions with blessings and curses

Signs

In what ways do we experience “covenant” in our world today?

Marriage

Work contracts

Purchase agreements

What is Covenant Theology?

Covenant Theology is a study of how we came to be in relationship with God. It is a recognition that the entire Bible is one cohesive, continuous story that details the history of our redemption. Covenant theology highlights the important role that covenant plays in how God has chosen to redeem us, and how he has entered into relationship with us.

Like the structure of a building which is often hidden, covenant is always working in the background of the Scriptures.

Ultimately, the study of covenants in the Scriptures leads us to consider Jesus Christ, our only redeemer and savior. Jesus is the content and fulfilment of every covenant. Through this, we will see that the entire Bible is progressively revealing Jesus to us, and covenant is a very important part of that process.

Think of a furnished room poorly lit, dimmer switch

This will be a series that focuses mainly on getting the fundamentals of covenant theology down. For that reason, we won’t be able to get into the weeds on all the variations that different people have believed or written about; we will focus on what is “mainstream” covenant theology, or what has been taught by the most people for the longest amount of time.

This will lead us to recognize three categories of covenants:

The covenant of Works

The Covenant of Grace

The Covenant of Redemption

What are some benefits from being able to see the Bible as one continuous story?

Covenant of Works

The first covenant that we see in the Scriptures is the Covenant of Works. This is the title found in the WCF, and it has also been called Life, Creation, etc.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Relationship

God condescends to enter into covenant with Adam. Nothing forced him to do this, he did it of his own will.

There is a great grace displayed here

Conditions

Positive - Cultural commandment

(implied) Blessing - Life

People

Paradise

Presence

Negative - Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Punishment - Death

Signs

Tree of Life

IF NEEDED

Hosea 6:7 “But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.”

Now of course Adam broke the covenant and brough cursing upon himself and also upon all of creation. The curses that he receives can be seen as a reversal of the promised blessings

English Standard Version Chapter 3

To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bring forth children.

Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,

but he shall rule over you.”

17 And to Adam he said,

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife

and have eaten of the tree

of which I commanded you,

‘You shall not eat of it,’

cursed is the ground because of you;

in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

18  thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

19  By the sweat of your face

you shall eat bread,

till you return to the ground,

for out of it you were taken;

for you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.”

The people of God are cursed with great pains for reproduction, difficulty rearing children, and enmity between one another

The paradise is cursed with weeds

They are sent out of the presence of God, lest they be destroyed

In what ways can we see the curse for Adam’s disobedience in our lives today?

Covenant of Grace Prefigured: Protoeuangelion

English Standard Version Chapter 3

“Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all livestock

and above all beasts of the field;

on your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

15  I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”