The Mosaic Covenant Of Grace
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The word Covenant comes from the Hebrew word The Mosaic Covenant of Grace
{ber-eeth'} which means, "a cutting". Its etymology is uncertain but it has been proposed that it is related to the Akkadian word birtu which means "to establish a legal situation with an oath". Some also believe it to be related to the Akkadian word birtu which means "a fetter". Others tie it again to the word
{baw-raw'} which has to do with the food and eating of the covenant meal. It is never used as a verb in the Old Testament but is always associated with the act of covenant making, employing the Hebrew idiom "to cut a covenant", which includes the eating of the animal after it has been broken up and divided among the participants. We have within this Hebrew word then a revelation which implies that the covenant must contain a certain cutting of the flesh in one's body, together with a necessary out-flowing of blood from that covenant incision.
In Greek the equivalent word used for covenant is
which finds its most common usage in Hell. Gk. when used to refer to a "last will and testament". In the Greek it is debatable whether this is to be considered as a one sided or two sided transaction. This is because in the Hellenistic period the testator is known to have had full power over the disposition of his will. In the sense of a treaty or agreement, we only find one such reference found in Aristoph. There we find a treaty between two parties but the binding of the covenant is to be found only upon the one, according to the fixed terms of the other. In
We find in the Vulgate the equivalent uses of the Latin foedus meaning "compact, treaty, league, alliance, agreement, stipulation, and promise," as well as constituo meaning "to place or put together, to appoint, to settle, and to fix by agreement."
A covenant might generally be thought of as a compact between different men, tribes, or nations. Especially in the Hebrew, it appears to be somewhat of a mutual agreement, also commonly called an oath, in which each party binds himself to the other, hence the suggestion or similarity with the Akkadian word meaning "a fetter". It is similar to a treaty between two peoples, however, the oath or covenant would often accompany a curse upon those who would willingly break the sworn promise. In the sense of the Greek word we might think of the word covenant as a cutting up or dividing of the testator's estate. In such a case, there is no obligation on the part of the recipient of that testament, but only to choose to accept or reject the conditions as outlined within the testament.
The covenant might well be equated with the terms and conditions we find within an oath or promise of marriage between a husband and his wife. We shall examine this more fully within the pages to follow.
Covenant Theology might be defined as "a system of interpreting the scriptures on the basis of two covenants: The Covenant of Works and The Covenant of Grace." The foundation that covenant theology is built upon is the initial covenant which God made with the first man Adam, his failure to keep the terms or conditions of God's covenant, and God's responding to that man's failure by the addition of a second or new covenant to supersede that which has been broken and made void by man's failure.
The initial covenant made with that first man is referred to as the Covenant of Works. The covenant of works is said to be a covenant of life for life is the reward which man receives for his obedience to the terms of the covenant. On the other hand, the covenant might also be said to be a covenant of death for the reward of that man who willfully disobeys the terms of the covenant will result in the absence of life. As a cup of water may be either half full of water or half empty, depending upon ones own perspective, likewise we might conclude that the covenant of works might be to one a covenant of life while to another it becomes a covenant of death.
In every covenant there is usually two individuals that are referred to as the "representatives" of the covenant. When a covenant is made between two families, tribes or nations, one individual is chosen to represent the entire party on either side. Although the covenant ceremony is administered to or involves just these two men, each man is said to be representing every other member of their party. Understanding this one great foundational principle will greatly assist us in our overall understanding of the bible, for the bible is merely the record of a covenant between God and man.
Along this way of thinking then, Adam might easily be said to represent the "prince of the whole human race". The debate of Adam's head ship over the entire human race, together with the concept of the imputed sin of Adam upon the entire human race is among one of the hottest issues within the Christian Church. The solution to this debated issue however seems to be all too simple if we but ask ourselves whether the curse or affliction of Adam's sin is universal to all of mankind before any of them might be born to commit any such evil which might bring a consequence of their own sin upon them. The best illustration for argument might be found in the case of the innocent infant for it was because of such an argument that the Church most certainly began the well-known practice of infant baptism.
It may be noticed in this place also, that the death of infants is a striking proof of the infliction of penal evil, prior to personal or actual sin. Their tender bodies are assailed in a multitude of instances by acute and violent
diseases, that call for our sympathy the more that the sufferers cannot disclose or communicate the source of their agony. They labour with death and struggle hard in his hands, till they resign the gift of life they had retained for so short a while ... Perhaps it will be said that though they
have committed no actual sin, yet they have a depraved nature; but this cedes the whole question, for that depraved nature is just a part of the penal evil, formerly noticed. Why are innocent infants visited with that which entails death on them? One answer only can be given, and no ingenuity can evade the conclusion, - "in Adam all die." The wonder is, that this doctrine should ever have been denied.When God made the covenant of works with this first man, we might easily say that Adam was entering, both a covenant of life and a covenant of death. As prince of the entire human race then, the effects of these covenants would be enjoyed upon all members of that party of which Adam himself was merely the covenant representative. It doesn't matter what we might think or believe about it. The fact stands that this choice was made before any other man came into existence, as such, our own thoughts are irrelevant. Perhaps this is why it seems so crucial for many to desire to convince us that this first man never really existed. If evolutionists can convince us that there was no such prince or father of all mankind, then none of us in under the effect of either of these covenants. In such a case, the arguments of many might become valid. It seems that God would have to examine each one of our own lives independently and then speak to each one of us individually. He would have to reveal himself and make known his covenant to every man individually, but according to the biblical record, this is simply not the case. Should we reject this one foundational principal of the scriptures, the whole must be rejected as well. There is no value to be gained in treasuring a copy of a covenant which has no relevance to our lives either way. As a pact between Russia and China truly has nothing at all to do with America, or any other country throughout the world for that matter, a covenant made to Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or Jesus have absolutely nothing at all to do with us. It becomes totally irrelevant. That we call this holy book the Old and New
(Testament), is proof enough that every man recognizes that this is indeed a record of such a covenant between God and man.
Now the covenant of works which God had made with Adam was a good thing. Within that covenant, man's creator had promised exceedingly great and precious promises. The reward included a happy and holy immortal existence, which included both man's soul and body. The human race would be raised to its "highest development of perennial bliss and glory," by merely fulfilling the conditions of that covenant. The covenant of death on the other hand, included a terrible reward or perhaps it would be better to refer to it as the consequences. This covenant of death, being the absence or loss of the covenant of life, must include all the "miseries of this life" as well as the "dissolution of the body". It most certainly must include by contrast with the first, all sickness, disease, and poverty, for each of these are merely manifestations or outward expressions of what we might refer to as the miseries of this life.
What does all this mean to us today? The choice which God had presented to Adam was for him to choose to enter into one of the two covenants presented before him. By choosing the covenant of life, his creator would become his God, for God is life. By choosing the covenant of death, Adam would become separated by his creator by the ushering in of death into his existence, Satan being the very personification of death itself (Heb. 2:14 KJV). The covenant of death might well be considered as a covenant made with Satan rather than with God.
Unfortunately for the entire human race, the covenant of works which had been established in the garden, long before the fall of Adam from grace, must continue even until this day. This is due to the "universal scope" of that covenant. It matters little what we personally might think about it. When Adam had chosen the covenant of death over the covenant of life, he made that choice for every man, woman, and child who are born into the family known as the human race. This leaves man without any hope whatsoever, but God, being rich in mercy, offers to man a new covenant which we refer to as the Covenant of Grace. Man must realize his unfortunate condition for God will not show any partiality when it comes to the judgment of man (Rom. 2:11 KJV). There is evidence throughout the ancient religions of the world that mankind has been forewarned of the judgment to come. Such judgment is therefore not a matter of Christian Theology, but is a universal concept that cannot be denied, and should not be ignored.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it,
from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away;
and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book of life:
and the dead were judged out of those things which were
written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it;
and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:
and they were judged every man according to their works.(Rev 20:11-13 KJV)
Due to Adam's inability to keep the first covenant, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, due to his rejection of the covenant of life which his creator had offered to him, God set forth to establish a second covenant, which we call The Covenant of Grace. As ancient covenants were often administered by an impartial mediator between the two parties, so God chooses certain angel's to be the administrators and messengers of this second covenant with man. The function of the administrator is to declare forth the terms or conditions of the covenant or agreement between those two parties. This agreement is properly called the "terms of the covenant." These administrators were completely impartial as concerns the men who were under this covenant, which is revealed to us in the words of the mediator of this covenant, who is identified within the Old Testament as the "captain of the host of the Lord", whom we generally understand to be a theophany of Christ himself. Their concern therefore was not man, but rather was upon the words of the covenant between God and man.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho,
that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold,
there stood a man over against him
with his sword drawn in his hand:
and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him,
Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
And he said, Nay;
but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship,
and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua,
Loose thy shoe from off thy foot;
for the place whereon thou standest is holy.
And Joshua did so.(Josh 5:13-15 KJV)
The Old Testament does not merely contain a law decreed by God, but also incorporates within it a covenant of grace. Whether we study God's relationship between men under the New Testament or men under the Old, one common element jumps to the forefront and cannot be denied, in either case people were delivered because of their faith in God's promises alone, irrespective of their genealogy or human behavior.
When we speak of the Old Testament or the Law of Moses, we usually think of it as a covenant of works, and so were those ten commandments, or decalogue, which Moses had brought down from the mountain. Few realize that the law, the decalogue, was not the main purpose of the ministry of Moses. That law had not even been given to the nation of Israel by Moses in the way that it had been delivered to him by God. Because of their great sinfulness, they were not worthy of the sacred law. He took those tablets and broke them into pieces.
And it came to pass,
as soon as he came nigh unto the camp,
that he saw the calf, and the dancing:
and Moses' anger waxed hot,
and he cast the tables out of his hands,
and brake them beneath the mount.(Exo 32:19 KJV)
The plans concerning the ark, the tabernacle, the priesthood, the blood sacrifices, this was all delivered by Moses without the Law. The Law is to be included with the covenant mediated through Moses as an addendum so to speak. The covenant of Moses was a new covenant of grace to be added an already existing, yet somewhat undefined or vague, covenant of life and death, which had once been delivered to Adam of long ago. Moses shows us in the breaking of the tablets that the nation of Israel is immediately condemned by that law of God. The law therefore cannot save them for they are unable to keep the letter of that law. As their father Adam, it is by this very law that they are to be condemned. The law of Moses then was never meant to be their salvation or their covenant of life. Life is only possible through the covenant of grace which we see revealed within the ark, tabernacle, the priesthood, and the sacrificial rites declared to be acceptable to God. The covenant of grace which Moses delivered, is the same gospel that the church is to declare today. The difference is that we know have a greater revelation of that gospel, but the message is the same.
For unto us was the gospel preached,
as well as unto them:
but the word preached did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.(Heb 4:2 KJV)
While the New Testament gospel might be said to be the same as the Old Testament gospel, it is also true that Jesus brings us not the same old covenant which Moses brought, but an entirely new and greater covenant. As Jesus is far greater than Moses, so is his covenant that he brings far greater than that which Moses brought.
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry,
by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant,
which was established upon better promises.(Heb 8:6 KJV)
His new covenant supersedes the covenant of grace which Moses brought, adding to the older, much greater promises, along with a much more accurate representation of spiritual truth, that we might better understand all that he desires us to know. If the covenant offered by Moses is to be superseded, of course, not one benefit which Moses offered could be retracted in the new. We can be rest assured that every good thing which Moses gave, Jesus has included. This new covenant does not consist of only the writings of the apostles, but incorporates every living word of God within it. The old was added to, but nothing good, needful, or beneficial has been taken away.But he answered and said, It is written,
Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.( Mat 4:4 KJV)
The law was meant to be merely a school master to help and instruct the Israelites, that they might learn to discern or distinguish holiness and righteousness from their own sinfulness.
Wherefore then serveth the law?
It was added because of transgressions,
till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;
and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.(Gal 3:19 KJV)
The original covenant of works made with Adam, as we have shown already, included a covenant of life and a covenant of death. Of the two, Adam as the representative of the entire human race had chosen the covenant of death. If we will allow Satan to be the personification of death and God to be the personification of life, we can easily see that the covenant of power will rules over the entire human race is the Covenant of Satan rather than the Covenant of God. Now the bible declares that by the power of this covenant of Satan, death or Satan reigned over the entire human race. That reign had begun with Adam, continuing on even through the days of Moses.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over them that had not sinned after
the similitude of Adam's transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come.(Rom 5:14 KJV)
During the days of Moses something happened to restrain or annul the covenant of death. It was not the law for the law was merely a rehearsal of that same covenant of works once delivered to Adam that contained the covenant of life or covenant of God and the covenant of death or covenant of Satan. Moses brings forth the law to better define the two personages God and Satan, and their corresponding covenants, life and death. The power of the covenant of life is made void by Adam's decision unless the sin of man can be atoned for. The covenant of grace allows man to be set free from the power of sin and therefore the covenant of death. Without sin then, man automatically falls under the power and protection of the power of the covenant of life.
The covenant of grace was given only to those of the stock of Israel. In order for the rest of the world to be covered by that covenant of grace, they must be adopted in the family of Israel. This mystery is also written by Moses.
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee,
and will keep the Passover to the LORD,
let all his males be circumcised,
and then let him come near and keep it;
and he shall be as one that is born in the land:
for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
One law shall be to him that is homeborn,
and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.(Exo 12:48-49 KJV)
God's shows the power of this covenant of grace being applied to the gentile by the story of Ruth, the Moabite. Ruth becomes an Israelite, and Jesus Christ is born from her lineage (Mat. 1:5 KJV). The covenant of grace that was brought forth by Moses is the only power that is able to annul the claim of Satan over the descendants of Adam. The plain truth therefore, is that all peoples, if they are to be awarded life and escape the one who has the power of death and legitimate claim over their souls, must be grafted into the root or stock of Israel. This is not Old Testament teaching only but is dynamically proclaimed throughout the New Testament.
And if some of the branches be broken off,
and thou, being a wild olive tree,
wert grafted in among them,
and with them partakest of the root
and fatness of the olive tree;
Boast not against the branches.
But if thou boast,
thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.(Rom 11:17-18 KJV)
This covenant of grace, although brought by Moses, is originally offered to the patriarch Abraham, and later, ratified through Isaac, Jacob (Israel), and finally to the twelve sons of Israel. They were able to enter the benefits of this covenant by faith, long before Moses had brought it forth. Even before Abraham we find Enoch and Noah, and even Adam himself walking in a covenant of grace which had not yet been delivered through Moses. The central element common to all these men was that ingredient of a faith in the word and promises of the living God. It is that same faith by which we must be saved today. In recognition of this one and only requirement for salvation, we find these words written within the Westminister Confession of 1647.
By his fall, man made himself incapable of life under that covenant, and so the Lord made a second, the covenant of grace. In it he freely offers sinners
life and salvation through Jesus Christ. In order to be saved He requires faith in Jesus and promises to give His Holy Spirit to everyone who is ordained to life so that they might be willing and able to believe.The bible clearly teaches us that Adam was the representative of the entire human race and as such, the choice that he made in his day, concerning the choosing of the covenant of death over the covenant of life, unfortunately applies to us as his descendants. This great truth has nothing at all to do with a persons individual belief. It does not matter whether a person chooses to believe this or disregards this warning. The fact is that Adam did exist, and just as the bible declares, he did make the choice that he made. There is nothing that anyone can do, including God Almighty himself, to change that Adam chose death over life, which is to say, Satan over God. Because of this fact, Satan has become the god of this world. The fact is indisputable.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
unto them.(2 Cor 4:3-4 KJV)
It matters little what this or that religious philosophy of man declares to us concerning these things. God himself has clearly revealed the facts. If a light is red, and four hundred thousand people decide to call it green, it doesn't change that it is still red. The same is true of these great spiritual truths. God really doesn't care what your opinion is any more than he cares about my opinion. We are speaking about truths rather than opinions, and no man on earth can alter what has already taken place.
According to the scriptures, we are all born in a state of what some theologians have labeled, "original sin" as is expressed by St. Augustin in an excerpt from the well-known "City of God".
When it is said, "The male who is not circumcised in the flesh
of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people, because
he hath broken my covenant," some may be troubled how that
ought to be understood, since it can be no fault of the infant
whose life it is said must perish; nor has the covenant of God
been broken by him, but by his parents, who have not taken care
to circumcise him. But even the infants, not personally in their own
life, but according to the common origin of the human race, have
all broken God's covenant in that one in whom all have sinned.
As for the scriptures, it seems very clear that such original sin enters into the human race through Adam, and is even till this day, despite the blessed work of Christ, imputed upon all mankind by the same. As such, in the flesh we are as damned before God as Adam was, but in Christ, we are as righteous before God as Jesus is.
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: (For until the law sin was
in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of
Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if
through the offence of one many be dead, much more the
grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man,
Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift:
for the judgment was by one to condemnation,
but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one;
much more they which receive abundance of grace and of
the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon
all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one
the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners,
so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.(Rom 5:12-9 KJV)
As Adam was the head of the human race, likewise is Jesus the head of a new race of man. We might say that in Jesus, God has created a new species of man. Although he may appear on the outside to be similar to Adam, the natural man, the new man is the spiritual man of the heart. That man cannot be seen with the physical eyes. The cloak of flesh that surrounds his spirit man is equal to the cloak that surrounds the first man. But the two natures of the first Adam and the second Adam are entirely different. The first is dead, but the second is alive. The first is of death, but the last is of life.
And so it is written,
The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.(1 Cor 15:45 KJV)
What must we conclude then? If all who were born of Adam are born into death, death reigning over them, regardless of whether they themselves have committed any sin, the antithesis must likewise be true. All who are born in Christ are born into life and death has no authority over them. This is in spite of any works or sin which they themselves have done. As the innocent child is born guilty because of Adam's sin, the newborn infant created in Christ is innocent and righteous because he is born of Christ. The works of his flesh do not add or take away anything from this new nature.
The world despises these simplistic teachings of Christianity because of its claim that there is only one way, one path, one road, one faith, one God, and ultimately one savior. We care little what the world may say. The truth of God is not something that may be debated, it is something that must rather be revealed. Man must be born from above in Christ, a new spiritual creature, there is no other access to God. Natural man is made up of flesh and blood, there is nothing he can change about his nature. That nature cannot enter into heaven, it must be recreated of a different substance.
The first man Adam could never have entered into heaven. He was never created to make that journey. Even if that man had never sinned, he was not suitable for a celestial dwelling. His body is made of a material terrestrial substance. This is not even a sin issue. According to the scriptures, Jesus himself, although he was without sin, even he could not inherit the kingdom of God. Even he had to be born again of a new celestial substance. Again, this leaves those out side of Christ in a no win situation. For God declares to the Muslim, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, etc., "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 15:50 KJV).
Adam was never intended to inherit the kingdom of God for he is flesh and blood. Adam was rather, destined to live forever in his fleshly natural body, inheriting the earth forever. This is revealed in the fact that in the garden of Eden grew a tree of life that would have enabled Adam to live forever in that natural body. If he remained flesh and blood, he could never have inherited the kingdom of God.
And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden;
and there he put the man whom he had formed.
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow
every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food;
the tree of life also in the midst of the garden,
and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.(Gen 2:8-9 KJV)
Now it isn't really clear from this scripture alone exactly what this tree of life was. When we add the further revelation which John has given us however, we immediately see that the tree of life produced twelve different kinds of fruit.
This combination of twelve fruits somehow contained all the elements necessary to sustain Adam's physical body forever. As long as Adam's body remained healthy, his life upon this life was secure. Because of this food source Adam was an immortal. That immortality depended upon a continual refreshing of the body with the fruit of this which could only be found upon this tree of life.
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river,
was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits,
and yielded her fruit every month:
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.(Rev 22:2 KJV)
Adam was also continually protected from all sickness simply because the leaves of the tree contained a healing medicinal element within. This is revealed more clearly in the scripture given to us by Ezekiel.
And by the river upon the bank thereof,
on this side and on that side,
shall grow all trees for meat,
whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall
the fruit thereof be consumed:
it shall bring forth new fruit according
to his months, because their waters
they issued out of the sanctuary:
and the fruit thereof shall be for meat,
and the leaf thereof for medicine.(Ezek 47:12 KJV)
We learn from this that sickness and disease did not come upon man as a result of the curse, but because he had loss access to the tree of life, which might have cured his body of every sickness and disease which attempted to attack his physical body. It is the same reason that the man dies. It has nothing at all to do with the sin that he has committed, but rather the loss of access to the tree. Man's physical body was dependent upon that tree for its continual sustenance. Now if this is not the case, then the following scripture makes no sense at all. If on the other hand this is the truth, then we see a most marvelous confirmation of our conclusion within the following scripture.
And the LORD God said,
Behold, the man is become as one of us,
to know good and evil: and now,
lest he put forth his hand,
and take also of the tree of life, and eat,
and live for ever:
Therefore the LORD God sent him forth
from the garden of Eden,
to till the ground from whence he was taken.
So he drove out the man;
and he placed at the east of
the garden of Eden Cherubims,
and a flaming sword which turned every way,
to keep the way of the tree of life.(Gen 3:22-24 KJV)
So we can clearly see that the physical man became subject to the powers of both sickness and death as a direct result of losing access to the tree of life. This however had nothing at all to do with the death of his spirit and soul. As man's physical body had been created to be dependent upon that physical tree, his spirit had been created to be physically dependent upon God. It is with the spirit that man enjoys his sacred fellowship with God. It is with his spirit, not his mind, emotions, or physical senses, that the man might know and understand his creator. The tree of knowledge of good and evil was not poisonous in the natural sense. If it had been poisonous, his physical body would have died shortly thereafter. The poison that emanated from that tree was poisonous to man's spirit. The poison had nothing at all to do with the tree, but rather issued forth from the venomous mouth of the serpent. Man chose Satan to educate his soul rather than to allow God to do so. Man desired not only knowledge of good, which poured forth from the mouth of God, but knowledge of evil as well which issued forth from the mouth of the Devil. Man's spirit became corrupt and immediately the Holy Spirit of God's presence had fled from the presence of this evil. This is the meaning of the following scripture.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
thou shalt not eat of it:
for in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die.(Gen 2:16-17 KJV)
That first man Adam could produce an offspring that possessed a living soul. This nature he would naturally pass on to his sons and daughters. He had no power to pass on a living spirit to his children for he himself possessed the spirit of a dead man. His own spirit's eyes had been blinded so it could no longer see God. His spirit's ears had become stopped so that he could no longer hear God. So it was with his children after him. The soul became enslaved by the prince of the kingdom of darkness who would learn to rule over him by the manipulation of his senses and the power of hypnotic or subliminal suggestion.
The new man is not like him. The man newly created in Christ has a new living spirit which shares the nature of Christ for they are made from the same substance. His spirit has ears to ear, his eyes are able to see God in ways that the natural man cannot see. The second Adam who is himself the Christ was made to be a life giving spirit and he imparts his own nature into his children as Adam had imparted into his own.
And so it is written,
The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.(1 Cor 15:45 KJV)
What seems to cause the world confusion then is a thorough misunderstanding of the difference between the offspring of this wicked one, in comparison to the holy offspring of Christ. It is not a matter of this sinful flesh. When the natural man is raised from the dead, he will be raise up in a natural body. When the sons of Christ are raised from the dead, their corrupted bodies will have been transformed into glorious heavenly bodies. Then the eyes shall be able to behold the difference. Then it shall be all too plain to see. While it is true that now in this dispensation, the sons of God appear very much similar to the sons of Satan, this is only because both are clothed in the same corruptible flesh. What the world does not see however, is that their spirit man is indeed made from a different substance.
Behold, I show you a mystery;
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.(1 Cor 15:51-52 KJV)
The scriptures teach that there is a certain glory of the natural terrestrial man, but it is not equal to that of the celestial man. The Christ child will be raised up to inherit a celestial body, but the natural man will remain a terrestrial body. Even if God chooses to forgive him in the judgment to come, he would remain forever terrestrial for he has not been born of the same nature and spirit of Christ.
There are also celestial bodies,
and bodies terrestrial:
but the glory of the celestial is one,
and the glory of the terrestrial is another.(1 Cor 15:40 KJV)
Then, and not until that time, it will become exceedingly clear to the physical eyes that there is indeed a difference. For the children of God exist even now as a completely different species living upon this earth, only he who looks upon the outward man simply cannot behold this with his eyes, but he who looks upon the inward man of the heart, to him the difference is made visible.
Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.(2 Cor 5:17 KJV)
If a seed remains in a sack with others of the same seed, it continues to remain a seed. When that seed however, is planted in the soil of the ground, or the womb which God had originally intended, a glorious new creation sprouts to life.
Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die,
it abideth alone:
but if it die,
it bringeth forth much fruit.(John 12:24 KJV)
Though the natural man would be saved from the destructive fires of destruction, he would continue forever to remain in that state that he is now. It is only when that natural man is planted within the womb of the Spirit of God, that a new glorious creature is born. In order for the creature to be born, the seed must itself die. If not, it remains but a seed. But if it is sown as the creator has intended, it loses its first identity. It becomes something altogether different. Such is the child who is born into new life in Christ.
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened,
except it die: And that which thou sowest,
thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain,
it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:(1 Cor 15:36-37 KJV)
There is yet a third covenant that some theologians have suggested exists. They have named this The Covenant of Redemption. This is not really another distinct covenant, but rather, it is the covenant of grace redefined from the standpoint of God. What we have considered up till now as concerns the covenant of grace, we see from man's perspective. There is yet another rich treasure to behold when we turn this thing around to look at it from God's own perspective.
The covenant of redemption is defined not as a covenant between God and man, but rather, it is a covenant between God the Father and Jesus his Son, administered through the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is a covenant that is made between the two of them, long before the man Adam had even been created.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life
of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.(Rev 13:8 KJV)
Ages before creation itself had existed, the Father and Son had covenanted together for the sake and redemption of the human race. At that time the Father had appointed the Son to be the mediator of a new covenant to the human race. The conditions of this covenant decreed that the Son would become a Second Adam, who would also give his own life for the salvation of the entire world. Being proposed by the Father, these conditions were afterward accepted by the Son. He would willingly surrender up his own will to do the will of his Father in heaven, whose will had been the total of the terms and conditions of this covenant. The Son pledged that he would willingly fulfill all righteousness by completely obeying the sacred Law of God.
It is believed by some that there are certain scriptures where a reference is clearly made to the existence of this third covenant. One of these such scriptures has been labeled below.
Who hath saved us,
and called us with an holy calling,
not according to our works,
(Covenant of Works)
but according to his own purpose
(Covenant of Redemption)
and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus
(Covenant of Grace)
before the world began,(2 Tim 1:9 KJV)
We would suggest that this covenant of redemption was in reality a covenant of blood that had been decreed of old by the Father and Son, but was not officially completed until the blood of God could be shed, by means of the covenant incision made within the flesh of the Son of God. Although the agreement had been made before the world began, the covenant was not "cut" until Christ poured his blood out upon the altar of his cross. We believe that we see hints of such a covenant within the following scripture.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through sanctification of the Spirit,
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:
Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.(1 Pet 1:2 KJV)
Notice that God declares that he had foreknowledge of who the elect children would be, before they ever choose him. This is a wonderful truth that we would do good to internalize within our souls. The Church has been purchased by the very blood of God. Traditionally the Church has maintained that the blood of Jesus Christ, being the only begotten Son of God, was the highest price which God could possibly pay. It is important to stress that Jesus shed his blood. This is done, complete, finished. He shed his blood as a man for you, for me, for us. It is as if we ourselves had shed our own blood, thereby entering into this covenant with the other person, that person being God. The blood Jesus shed, he shed as the head of the human race. This was part of the covenant transaction. As such, the blood of Christ is considered to be very valuable, which reflects the great love which God has for all the saints. In blood covenant terminology however, this shedding of blood is not so much a price that is paid, but rather that which causes the fetter between the two parties to be permanently locked together. The blood of the covenant is the seal that binds the before agreed upon contract. Once the blood is shed, the work is finished and the thing is now accomplished. From that time forth it is no longer the question of doing this or doing that for another. It is now a living reality, for the two have now become one. We must strive to understand the reality that God himself has shed his own blood in a blood covenant transaction. The New Testament is a copy of his will, the terms and conditions of that covenant. The Word of God is a contract between God and the recipients of that contract.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,
to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased
with his own blood.(Acts 20:28 KJV)
Note that God also shed his own blood in this covenant transaction. This seems somewhat confusing. When did God Almighty shed his blood? We know when Jesus as representative of the human race shed his blood, but when did God shed his blood? We conclude that Jesus, being fully man, and fully God, shed God's blood upon his cross at the precise moment that he shed humanity's blood. We recall those precious powerful words which Jesus rehearsed in the ears of Philip.
Jesus saith unto him,
Have I been so long time with you,
and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?
he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;
and how sayest thou then,
Show us the Father?(John 14:9 KJV)
From the man's perspective, Jesus was God and man cutting the blood (covenant)
The word
means to make empty, or to deprive of content or possession. Kittel uses an example of a wealthy man losing his possessions. Within the scriptures we are given a situation where the inherent power of faith could be neutralized or become keno,w as it were.
For if they which are of the law be heirs,
faith is made void (
and the promise made of none effect:(Rom 4:14 KJV)
If the promise would come as a direct result of something we might be able to do, then our faith would be made void or
For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the gospel:
not with wisdom of words,
lest the cross of Christ should be made
(
of none effect.(1 Cor 1:17 KJV)
Paul is saying that if he came in the power of the wisdom or power of a man, there would be no power of God. If he could convince the people by some ability within himself as a man, the power of the cross of Christ would have no effect or become
Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God:(Phil 2:5-6 KJV)
While upon this earth, Jesus was here in the form of God. As such, he did not think it taking away from God to be considered as God's equal. Yet the bible declares that Jesus had emptied himself of his divine power (
But made himself (
and took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men:(Phil 2:7 KJV)
He made himself of no reputation or rather, he emptied himself, depriving himself of using any divine power that he had possessed as God. Jesus was God, but he made himself void. As God, Jesus had power to do anything he might choose to do. As creator of the entire universe, Jesus had power to cause everything that is, to come forth from that which was not. His power, based upon his equality with God, was limitless. Yet, he came down to this earth, God made a covenant with the Son who was equally God. The Son was as much God as the Father. They were equal. Part of the blood covenant between the Father and the Son, was that the Son would willing give everything that he had, including right, ownership, and privilege, to his Father. By doing so, he would willingly surrender himself to the Father, thereby making his own godhood void of power. Jesus himself now had NO POWER. When he walked upon this earth, he was powerless in and of himself. He had become completely dependent upon the Father. He had willingly emptied himself, becoming completely and totally void of any power, so that he could do no thing by his self under the authority of his position in the godhood. Jesus was as powerless as you or I. He became man, as much so as you or me. This is not to say that he had ever ceased to be God, but rather, why retaining his divinity, he surrendered up his right and privilege to act in that capacity.
While he was on earth, Jesus had informed us that he could do nothing of himself. According to his
And this is the Father's will
(terms and conditions of the covenant)
which hath sent me,
that of all which he hath given me
(all that I had before entering into this covenant)
I should lose nothing,
(I shall lose nothing out of it)
but should raise it up again at the last day.
(I shall reclaim it all)
And this is the will of him that sent me,
(this is what I shall gain by obedience to this covenant)
that every one which seeth
the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life:
and I will raise him up at the last day.( John 6:39-40 KJV)
By initially choosing to write the New Testament in the Greek language and the Old Testament in the Hebrew language, God is able to show us a great revelation of truth that would not be fully comprehended otherwise. By making
In our society, if a man should sign a certain contract with another man, the first man knows clearly what his own responsibility is to that contract. This is because the terms and conditions of the contract are clearly written down. Once written, the words cannot be altered except perhaps by mutual agreement. When the first man complies with his responsibility, the second man becomes obligated by what is right and just to perform those things that he has agreed to. In other words, when God makes
When God supersedes the old
When Jesus cut the
Then said Jesus unto them,
When ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he,
and that I do nothing of myself;
but as my Father hath taught me,
I speak these things.(John 8:28 KJV)
By his own mouth Jesus had declared that he could not do anything except by the power of the Holy Spirit within. He chose to walk in the same power which he would make available to his Church. He chose this, it would seem, that by example, he might teach us how to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I can of mine own self do nothing:
as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just;
because I seek not mine own will,
but the will of the Father which hath sent me.(John 5:30 KJV)
One of the necessities or requirements to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit is that we cannot seek our will but the will of the Father who sends us. This describes the ministry of Christ from his beginning to completion. This is what the covenant of redemption required of him to do. The results or works which Christ wrought represent what the covenant of redemption required the Father to do.
Then answered Jesus and said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The Son can do nothing of himself,
but what he seeth the Father do:
for what things soever he doeth,
these also doeth the Son likewise.(John 5:19 KJV)
He took no glory at all for anything that he did while he walked upon the earth. When Jesus laid his hands upon the sick, he had no power to heal the sick. He relied upon the Holy Spirit within him to get the sick healed. He relied upon his covenant with the Father. He depended upon the Father to move based upon what had been declared of old and written down within the pages of the covenant. He was fulfilling his portion of the covenant, and he fully expected the Father, without question, to do what he said that he would do.
Believest thou not that I am in the Father,
and the Father in me?
the words that I speak unto you
I speak not of myself:
but the Father that dwelleth in me,
he doeth the works.(John 14:10 KJV)
Jesus couldn't raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus could not even raise himself from the dead. Jesus died, and went to hell, and three days later the Spirit of God came upon him to raise him up. It was the Father doing the work. When Jesus hung upon that cross, he looked up into the heavens and cried with a loud voice, "It is finished." What did he mean? What was finished? He was shouting out to the Father saying I have completed my part of this covenant. I am done, finished. The rest is up to you. He didn't worry about how he was going to raise himself up from the dead. It was the Father's responsibility to do the rest of the work.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God.(Heb 12:2 KJV)
When you finish something it is done, it requires no more thought or action on your part. But what could possibly be meant be the joy of enduring the cross. Certainly there was no joy to be experienced in the torture and pain. The joy was in his being able to deliver the power of the blood
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.(John 6:37 KJV)
There is no danger of our falling out of this
For I came down from heaven,
not to do mine own will,
but the will of him that sent me.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me,
that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing,
but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me,
that every one which seeth the Son,
and believeth on him, may have everlasting life:
and I will raise him up at the last day.(John 6:38-40 KJV)
Jesus came down from heaven, not to do his own will, but to do what was agreed to within the terms of the covenant of redemption, which is to say, the Father's will. Two things stand out. The first is that everything which Jesus has set aside to accomplish his part of this covenant, his divine right, authority, privilege, power, etc., he shall reclaim so that nothing shall be lost. Second, everyone who believes on the Son will be raised up in the last day to gain everlasting life.
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