Marriage and salvation

[Doug Brents]

Salvation is like marriage in that it is a covenant relationship, as opposed to a consumer relationship.

What is a consumer relationship? It is a relationship in which we participate only so long as our needs are met. It is at our discretion. If another relationship comes along that meets our needs better, then we will change relationships immediately.

How does that differ from a covenant relationship?

A covenant relationship is a bonded relationship with the force of law. It is a legally enforceable agreement or contact between two or more parties, and includes the obligations, responsibilities, privileges, and rights of all parties involved.

God’s relationship with us is a covenant relationship. He, as the foremost law in existence, established a covenant with us. He set the conditions and the rewards for fulfillment of them, and the consequences for failure to fulfill them. He, as an unchanging, immutable God, cannot renege on His side of the covenant. Once we are in the covenant with Him, He cannot and will not kick us out.

However, WE can “divorce” Him. As with the Prophet Hosea (who represents God in that living parable), no matter how many times Gomer (his wife the prostitute, who represents the Church, and is individually) is unfaithful to him, he always takes her back if she comes back asking forgiveness. If she were to fail to come back, he would be under no obligation to go get her. But if she came back he was to accept her back and forgive her.

It is the same with us. God will never fail to keep his promises to us. But if we walk away from Him, if we divorce Him, then He will let us go. No force in the universe can force Him to kick us out or take us from Him, but if we ask to break the covenant, He will let us

 

[Clare73]

Salvation is like marriage in that it is a covenant relationship, as opposed to a consumer relationship.

What is a consumer relationship? It is a relationship in which we participate only so long as our needs are met. It is at our discretion. If another relationship comes along that meets our needs better, then we will change relationships immediately.

How does that differ from a covenant relationship?

A covenant relationship is a bonded relationship with the force of law. It is a legally enforceable agreement or contact between two or more parties, and includes the obligations, responsibilities, privileges, and rights of all parties involved.

God’s relationship with us is a covenant relationship. He, as the foremost law in existence, established a covenant with us. He set the conditions and the rewards for fulfillment of them, and the consequences for failure to fulfill them. He, as an unchanging, immutable God, cannot renege on His side of the covenant. Once we are in the covenant with Him, He cannot and will not kick us out.

However, WE can “divorce” Him. As with the Prophet Hosea (who represents God in that living parable), no matter how many times Gomer (his wife the prostitute, who represents the Church, and is individually) is unfaithful to him, he always takes her back if she comes back asking forgiveness. If she were to fail to come back, he would be under no obligation to go get her. But if she came back he was to accept her back and forgive her.

It is the same with us. God will never fail to keep his promises to us. But if we walk away from Him, if we divorce Him, then He will let us go. No force in the universe can force Him to kick us out or take us from Him, but if we ask to break the covenant, He will let us

But this is totally foreign to Scripture.
For covenant is not couched in terms of "relationship", it is couched in terms of "legal contract."
There is actually no such concept in the Bible as "asking God to break the covenant."
The purpose of a bilateral covenant is that it cannot be broken except by violation.

And a unilateral covenant is a promise on the part of God only, guaranteeing that it will never be broken, the recipient has no power to break it.

Scripture never refers to those in the unilateral covenant of Christ as asking to "let us go."
All that Scripture speaks of is the guarantee of the unilateral covenant of God that those in Christ will never be let go.

This really is all just speculation here.

 

[Doug Brents]

The is totally foreign to Scripture.
Covenant is not couched in terms of "relationship", it is couched in terms of "legal contract."
There is no such concept in the Bible as "asking God to break the covenant."
The purpose of a bilateral covenant is that it cannot be broken except by violation.

And a unilateral covenant is a promise on the part of God only, guaranteeing that it will never be broken, the recipient has no power to break it.

Scripture never refers to those in the unilateral covenant of Christ as asking to "let us go."
All that Scripture speaks of is the guarantee of the unilateral covenant of God that those in Christ will never be let go.

This is sll speculation here.

You mistake the covenant of God. It is NOT unilateral. God initiated the contract, but ALL of the contracts and covenants in Scripture are if/then covenants.

If you will be my people, then I will be your God.
If you obey, then you will be blessed.
If you don’t obey, then not only will you not be blessed, but you will be cursed.
All God’s commands are this way.

The Israelites failed to obey and went whoring with the Baals, so they were allowed to leave (divorced), and a new wife (the Church) was taken.

 

[Clare73]

A covenant relationship is a bonded relationship with the force of law. It is a legally enforceable agreement or contact between two or more parties, and includes the obligations, responsibilities, privileges, and rights of all parties involved.

You mistake the covenant of God. It is NOT unilateral. God initiated the contract, but ALL of the contracts and covenants in Scripture are if/then covenants.

Actually. . .the Covenant with Naoh, Abraham, Phinehas (Numbers 25:10-31), David and the New Covenant are not if/then covenants between two parties.
Only the Sinaitic Covenant is if/then between two parties.

All the other covenants are unilateral, made by God to a party, not between parties, with no obligation of performance on the part of the other party.

If you will be my people, then I will be your God.
If you obey, then you will be blessed.
If you don’t obey, then not only will you not be blessed, but you will be cursed.
All God’s commands are this way.

The Israelites failed to obey and went whoring with the Baals, so
they were allowed to leave (divorced), and a new wife (the Church) was taken.

It's not that they weren't "allowed" to leave, but that they broke the covenant, making it no longer in force.
God was no longer in that covenant with them.