A Chart on the Covenant Between God and Adam known as What is a “covenant?

What is a “covenant?” "A covenant of God with man, is an agreement between God and man, about the way of obtaining consummate
happiness; including a threatening of eternal destruction, with which the contemner of the happiness, offered in that way, is to be punished."

The Covenant of Works Herman Witsius, The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man.

?God created Adam and placed him in the
midst of the garden (Genesis 1:26-28). God
entered into a covenant with Adam, and in-
structed him to tend the garden. The Adamic
Covenant, better known as the Covenant of
Works, is a covenant based on the promise of
eternal life.
?God manifests Himself as supreme Law-
giver and chief Good desiring to make man a
partaker of His eternal happiness.
?In this covenant is: 1) the prescription of the
conditions for obtaining the promise, 2) the
penal sanction against transgressors of the
conditions of the covenant, and 3) the require-
ment of the complete sanctification of the par-
ties involved in the covenant. If man does not
uphold this covenant, God threatens punish-
ment. The substance of the Law and its rela-
tion to the Covenant of Works is “Do this and
live…”
?In the Covenant of Works Adam obtains the
?The Promise: The covenant with Adam was not established with-
out promises (i.e. eternal life). God prohibited Adam from eating of
the tree because something ultimately good would occur from his
obedience. The very act of threatening infers a promise. God prom-
ised Adam eternal life, that is, the most perfect fruition of Himself
forever, after finishing the course of his obedience.
?Christ actually fulfilled what Adam failed to do. Jesus did what the
law could not do because man sinned (Rom. 8:3). Had it not been
for sin, that law would have brought men to eternal life (Rom 7:10).
Jesus procured eternal life, therefore it was promised to man from
the beginning. The Law itself was ordained to life (Gal. 3:21).
Christ, the second Adam, earned eternal life for His people.
?It is critical to have promises in a “covenant” for if there was no
reward, what kind of covenant would it have been? God rewards
those who diligently seek Him.
?It is not sure whether Paradise would have been “made heaven,”
however, Adam would have received a greater reward, and a
greater manifestation of God’s character to him in keeping covenant
with God.
?Punishment for sin is in accord with
God's authority and justice, and is
joined to these words, “dying, thou shalt
die (Gen. 2:17).” What is death? Death
is the consequence of sin and therefore
not natural (Genesis 2:17). 1) A sepa-
ration of body and soul (Genesis 3:19);
2) A frustration of this life along with its
pain and miseries (Genesis 3:16-19); 3)
It is spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1;
4:18); 4) It is the eternal death of body
and soul (1 Tim. 5:6; Matthew 25:46;
Mark 9:44; Rom. 2:16).
?Sacraments are a visible proclamation of the ?Original sin is imputed to all the progeny of Adam due
covenant. “It pleased God in every economy of His to the Fall; Rom. 5:12, “Therefore, just as through one
covenants, to confirm, by some sacred symbols, the man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and
certainty of His promises, and, at the same time, to thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” "All"
remind man in covenant with Him of his duty includes those who did not personally sin. Therefore
(Witsius, 1:104-105)” Daily he beholds the sacra- Adam's sin was imputed to them. Through Adam's one
ment with his eyes, and remembers the promises sin death came to all, and sin is imputed to all.
given to him, and the threats (Heb. 6:17-18).
?The Sacraments: 1) Paradise (which signified
?All men are under the Covenant of Works unless they
heaven (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Gen 3:10; Rev.
are saved by the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace.
22:1; Gen 2:12; Rev. 21:27). 2) The tree of life was
?The Fall did not abrogate the duty of men to keep the
a sign of the covenant, promising eternal life (Rev.
Law. Perfect obedience is still required before God.
22:2; Gen. 3:6; Proverbs 11:30). 3) The tree of the
God’s character (the Law) does not change, and He
knowledge of good and evil signified the promise of
still speaks to mankind as if men are not fallen (James
the covenant and the threats. When a man par-
1:17; Romans 8:4). Perfect obedience is still neces-
takes of the sacraments, he comes under an oath
sary to obtain eternal life (Galatians 5:3). Disobedi-
and curse, and makes himself liable to punishment
ence is still punished by death. The obligation to obey
if he deals treacherously. 4) The Sabbath (Genesis
the Law is founded principally upon God, not “a cove-
2:2-3). As a creation sacrament, it is binding upon
nant.” Men are unable to keep the Law as sinners, but
all men for all time (Eph. 5:1).
inability does not negate their responsibility to obey.

promise by merit. It is not simply a “sustaining
of life” but a reward based on performance.
?In the Covenant of Works Adam was the
sole representative of all his progeny - there is
no mediator (Hosea 6:7; Rom. 5:12).
?The contracting parties of the Covenant of
Works are God and man (God and Adam).
Adam sustained a two-fold relationship both
as man and as a representative. As a man he
was a rational creature, under the law of God,
innocent, created after the divine image and
endued with sufficient powers to fulfill all right-
eousness. As a representative he was the
head and root of mankind (Rom. 5:12-13).
Adam created Cultural
and placed in the Mandate
Garden. Enacted:
dominion
over the
Covenant whole earth.
With Creation
Gen. 2:26ff
Genesis 1
?Adam was bound by the Law Covenant in the Cove-
nant of Works, to sustain the image he had been cre-
ated in. The Law of the Covenant of Works is twofold;
1) As it is the law of nature implanted in Adam, the rule
of good and evil, inscribed by God on man's conscience
at his creation, and therefore binding upon him by di-
vine authority; 2) The symbolic law concerning the tree
of the knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2:26-17). The
Law, with respect to God, was used to try and test
man's obedience (2 Chron. 32:31). With respect to
man, it was a probatory law with reward of eternal life
and punishment of eternal death—for true happiness is
obtained by obedience (1 Timothy 1:5). The Law re-
quires perfect external and internal obedience.
?The universal precepts of the Law are founded upon
the nature of God, that is, the expression of His charac-
ter.
?A perfect three-fold keeping of the law was required:
1) Of parts with respect to subject and object: The
whole man, body and soul, had to keep the whole
law (Psalm 37:30).
2) Of degrees: Man had to keep the law with all dili-
gence and heart (Matthew 22:37; Deut. 6:5-6).
3) Of perseverance: Man had to persevere in keeping
the law without fault (Deut 27:26).
The Fall
?Does the coming of Christ and the Gospel abrogate
the duty to keep the law? No.
?Why is there a necessity for the penal ?The existence of the Covenant of Grace confirms the
sanction for sin? It rests on the charac- Covenant of Works.
ter of God (Exo. 34:14; 2 Tim. 2:13; 2 ?Perfect obedience is required to obtain eternal life
Matthew 7:17-18; 1 Cor. 12:3; John
Cor. 6:14). A holy God cannot be joined because Christ's life and death were necessary to re-
15:4-5; Romans 8:7-8; Acts 16:14;
with a sinner without satisfaction made to deem His people. The Covenant of Grace demonstrates
Ephesians 4:18; 2 Cor. 3:12-18; John
His justice (2 Cor. 6:14). A holy God the need to uphold the righteous character of God. The
1:11; John 8:43; Matthew 13:14; 1 Cor.
cannot look upon sin (Hab 1:13). A holy fruit of Christ's work does not change the law, but
1:18; 21; 1 Cor. 2:14; Matthew 7:18;
God hates sin and the sinner (Deut. changes the sinner. Jesus comes to fulfill the law
John 3:3; John 8:43; John 15:5; John
25:16; Ps. 5:4-6). God manifests His (Matthew 5:17; Colossians 1:13). The Law cannot
6:64-65; Ezek. 11:19; Ephesians 2:1; 5.
holiness when He punishes the wicked change because God does not change. This is critical
(Lev. 10:3). He must be “just” in this to understanding the Covenant of Works. Instead,
sense. Justice is an essential attribute of there remains a renewed statement of man’s miserable
God (Rom. 2:5). God's justice demands condition all through the Bible (Deuteronomy 30:9-10;
sin be punished by death (Rom. 1:32) John 7:19). ?James 2:10, “For whoever shall keep the
?Satan's temptation: Satan
whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of
doubts God's word, under-
mines the penalty of sin, in-
stills Heresy (Rev. 13:11),
The Fall, imputation of Original Sin,
and promised Adam greater curse upon the man, woman and
happiness upon obedience.
serpent, and the promise of
Satan tempted him to obtain it Salvation in the “Seed” to come.
through disobedience (1
Timothy 2:14).”

Covenant of Grace: Genesis 3:15 - protoevangelium

The Covenant of Works Time of Probation Covenant of Works

The Covenant of Redemption The coming of the Prophet, Priest and King to redeem a bride for Himself.

The LAW “The Law is the perfect reflection of the character and will of God which binds all rational creatures in perfect conformity in character and conduct.”
Men must still keep the Law.

© May, 2004 A Puritan’s Mind , www.apuritansmind.com