Works in Covenant Theology

[Sola1517]

Romans 2:6-7 says that it is indeed possible to be saved by works (in theory).

Hmmm. I agree for the most part.

 

[Soyeong]

That's exactly what the covenant of works is.

There is a difference between a covenant that requires good works by grace through faith and a covenant that requires good works in order to become righteous. God's covenants have only been the former.

The covenant of works is essentially - "obey and live; disobey and die".

The covenant of works was made with Adam in the garden and continues to this day. After Adam violated the terms of the covenant of works God graciously made a second covenant with Adam - the covenant of grace. Every person on the planet, being a descendant of Adam, is either in the covenant of works or the covenant of grace.

This is to say, all of us are either depending upon our own works and are thus in a violated covenant relationship with God; or we are depending on the works of Jesus Christ and thus are in a fulfilled covenant relationship with God. Jesus, being a descendant of Adam, was born under the covenant of works and he took the curse of that covenant and also fulfilled its terms of obedience.

Romans 2:6-7 says that it is indeed possible to be saved by works (in theory). The problem is that no one will be saved by works because we're all sinners.

Since the beginning with God walking with Adam in the Garden, God has always wanted a relationship with us, so saying that it is about "obey and live; disobey and die" without talking about our obedience building a relationship with God based on faith and love completely missed the whole point of God's commands. It is only through our relationship with God that we obey and live and through a lack of one that we disobey and die.

According to Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Law brings life and a blessing, while disobedience brings death and curse, so being set free from the curse is being set free from living a life of sin in disobedience to God's Law so that we can be free to live for God in obedience to His Law. In regard to Romans 2:6-7, that only happens by grace through faith. No one is saved by works because works were never commanded as a means of becoming saved in the first place.

 

[Soyeong]

Those are works.

Works are the mitzvots or good deeds, usually charity.

 

[Tree of Life]

There is a difference between a covenant that requires good works by grace through faith and a covenant that requires good works in order to become righteous. God's covenants have only been the former.

The broken covenant of works required good works (obedience) by grace through faith. Adam broke faith with God and disobeyed and thus merited the curse. As have all who are in this broken covenant.

Since the beginning with God walking with Adam in the Garden, God has always wanted a relationship with us, so saying that it is about "obey and live; disobey and die" without talking about our obedience building a relationship with God based on faith and love completely missed the whole point of God's commands. It is only through our relationship with God that we obey and live and through a lack of one that we disobey and die.

My summary of the covenant was certainly just a short summary. But obedience implies loving relationship. There is no obedience without a loving relationship of faith because God commands us to love him and to trust him.

According to Deuteronomy 30:15-20, obedience to the Law brings life and a blessing, while disobedience brings death and curse, so being set free from the curse is being set free from living a life of sin in disobedience to God's Law so that we can be free to live for God in obedience to His Law. In regard to Romans 2:6-7, that only happens by grace through faith. No one is saved by works because works were never commanded as a means of becoming saved in the first place.

Faith and works are not as distinct as you make them to be. If anyone is saved by their works, as Romans 2:6-7 describes, they will be full works of obedient, loving, faith. It is possible to be saved by perfect obedience to God's law, in theory. In fact, we are saved by Jesus' perfect obedience to God's law. If it were not possible to be saved by works then the works of Christ would merit us nothing. But as it is, we are saved by the work of Christ credited to our account.

 

[bloodygrace]

LOL is that a John C. Reilly avatar?

 

[msortwell]

First, all humans that are NOT in Christ remain in Adam - under the curse of the breaking of the Covenant of Works. All men descended from Adam, born only of flesh, are guilty before God and worthy of damnation, even at the time of their birth.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Rom 5:12)​

That is the result of the Covenant of Works made with Adam.

There is no escape from the condemnation due to all men under the Covenant of Work except the salvation that comes by God's free grace bestowed upon men by through the gospel - declared first in Gen 3:15, made clear in the gospels, and epistles of the Newer Testament.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

How is the covenant of works not a form of works-based righteousness?

We are actually saved by works....the works of Christ alone wherein He fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Covenant of works, in which all before Him, fell miserably short of the glory of God. One difference betwen the Covenant of works and grace, is in contractual parties. In the Covenant of grace, the contractual agreement is made in the Godhead between the Father and Son before the foundation of the world. In the Covenant of works, the agreement is between God and man after the foundation of the world. To be "in Christ" means that His works satisfy the wrath that our works so richly deserve, and that through faith in Christ the Holy Spirit works through us in sanctifying ways preparing us for redemption.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hey AW, WELCOME BACK Brother

In the Covenant of grace, the contractual agreement is made in the Godhead between the Father and Son before the foundation of the world.

Your words above reminded me of this devotional excerpt when I read them: "Everlasting love shall be the pillow for my head this night."

I heard Ian Hamilton make reference to this reading of Spurgeon's in one of his lectures once, speaking about the everlasting nature and scope of God's love for His elect, that it, like Him, has no end, nor did it have a beginning, that He has 'always' loved us

In case you'd care to read the rest of it, here it is in its entirety:

"Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." — Micah 5:2​

The Lord Jesus had goings forth for His people as their representative before the throne, long before they appeared upon the stage of time. It was "from everlasting" that He signed the compact with His Father, that He would pay blood for blood, suffering for suffering, agony for agony, and death for death, in the behalf of His people; it was "from everlasting" that He gave Himself up without a murmuring word. That from the crown of His head to the sole of His foot He might sweat great drops of blood, that He might be spit upon, pierced, mocked, rent asunder, and crushed beneath the pains of death. His goings forth as our Surety were from everlasting. Pause, my soul, and wonder! Thou hast goings forth in the person of Jesus "from everlasting." Not only when thou wast born into the world did Christ love thee, but His delights were with the sons of men before there were any sons of men. Often did He think of them; from everlasting to everlasting He had set His affection upon them. What! my soul, has He been so long about thy salvation, and will not He accomplish it? Has he from everlasting been going forth to save me, and will He lose me now? What! has He carried me in His hand, as His precious jewel, and will He now let me slip from between His fingers? Did he choose me before the mountains were brought forth, or the channels of the deep were digged, and will He reject me now? Impossible! I am sure He would not have loved me so long if He had not been a changeless Lover. If He could grow weary of me, He would have been tired of me long before now. If He had not loved me with a love as deep as hell, and as strong as death, He would have turned from me long ago. Oh, joy above all joys, to know that I am His everlasting and inalienable inheritance, given to Him by His Father or ever the earth was! Everlasting love shall be the pillow for my head this night. ~Spurgeon, C. H. Evening, February 27th.​

--David

 

[Sola1517]

We are actually saved by works....the works of Christ alone wherein He fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Covenant of works, in which all before Him, fell miserably short of the glory of God. One difference betwen the Covenant of works and grace, is in contractual parties. In the Covenant of grace, the contractual agreement is made in the Godhead between the Father and Son before the foundation of the world. In the Covenant of works, the agreement is between God and man after the foundation of the world. To be "in Christ" means that His works satisfy the wrath that our works so richly deserve, and that through faith in Christ the Holy Spirit works through us in sanctifying ways preparing us for redemption.

So justification is not Sola fide?

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

So justification is not Sola fide?

Justification is Sola Fide, and Sola Fide is a free gift from God to those chosen by God before the foundation of the world.

 

[Sola1517]

Justification is Sola Fide, and Sola Fide is a free gift from God to those chosen by God before the foundation of the world.

So what I'm asking is; Is it my works + Christ's works that yield to salvation?

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

So what I'm asking is; Is it my works + Christ's works that yield to salvation?

If you had read my first post that you quoted, it would be clear what works I was referring to. The work of Christ alone! Nobody has any room to boast, none, zero, zilch.

 

[Sola1517]

If you had read my first post that you quoted, it would be clear what works I was referring to. The work of Christ alone! Nobody has any room to boast, none, zero, zilch.

K, I don't read very well sometimes. I digress.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

K, I don't read very well sometimes. I digress.

Np brother, I've done the same millions of times. Cheers!

 

[faroukfarouk]

So what I'm asking is; Is it my works + Christ's works that yield to salvation?

Paul to the Romans speaks of 'the obedience of faith' 'obedience to the faith' at the beginning and end of Romans; but to the Ephesians he most definitely says 'by grace have ye been saved through faith...not of works, least any man should boast' (Ephesians 2.8-9).

 

[Sola1517]

Paul to the Romans speaks of 'the obedience of faith' 'obedience to the faith' at the beginning and end of Romans; but to the Ephesians he most definitely says 'by grace have ye been saved through faith...not of works, least any man should boast' (Ephesians 2.8-9).

Yeah, I believe that covenant theologians are all Christians and that they mean well, I just humbly disagree. Do you remember the reference in Romans?

 

[faroukfarouk]

Yeah, I believe that covenant theologians are all Christians and that they mean well, I just humbly disagree. Do you remember the reference in Romans?

Romans 1.5; Romans 16.26

 

[ladodgers6]

How is the covenant of works not a form of works-based righteousness?

The Covenant of works is a work-based righteousness, that the first Adam failed to carry out. So through the Covenant of Grace, the Last Adam has fulfilled the Covenant of works for us!

 

[Sola1517]

Romans 1.5

I sort of think he's saying that we obey Christ by believing in that verse.

Romans 16.26

Same with that verse.

 

[Sola1517]

The Covenant of works is a work-based righteousness, that the first Adam failed to carry out. So through the Covenant of Grace, the Last has fulfilled the Covenant of works for us!

Okay so because Christ was a human he made it so grace makes up for where we cannot be perfect?