Day 125

Of God’s Covenant.

Chapter 7, Paragraph 3.

“…and it is alone by the Grace of this Covenant, that all the posterity of fallen Adam, that ever were saved, did obtain life and blessed immortality; man being now utterly incapable of acceptance with God upon those terms, on which Adam stood in his state of innocency.“

Scripture Lookup

Hebrews 11;6,13

Romans 4:1,2, &c.

Acts 4:12

John 8:56

Reflection

All the elect, all who have ever been saved throughout history, all who have obtained everlasting life, have been saved through the covenant of grace. There is not one way of salvation for those before Christ and a different way after Christ. There is not another way to gain eternal life apart from this covenant. There is salvation in no one else, and no other name under heaven by which men must be saved. The covenant of grace, in which life and salvation are freely offered to sinners who believe in Jesus Christ, is our only hope at redemption.

Why is the covenant of grace the only way to be saved? Because the other option has become forever out of our reach, thanks to Adam. We can never obey God perfectly in our own strength. It is impossible. We are weak, fallen creatures. Some might try to excuse their imperfection, claiming that God is pleased with good intentions, but they forget that God is a holy and righteous God. He cannot abide in the presence of sin. Good intentions are not enough to fulfill the law. We need the righteousness of Christ Himself, the One who not only intended to fulfill the law, but actually did fulfill the law on behalf of his sheep. We need His atoning sacrifice. Only through belief in Him can there be any acceptance by God.

Therefore all who have been saved, have been saved through the covenant of grace. Those men and women of old who looked forward to the coming of the Savior – they were saved through the covenant of grace. Those disciples in the New Testament who believed in Jesus – they were saved through the covenant of grace. Those believers of a millennium ago, those who believe now, and those who will have faith in Christ in the future – all are saved through the beautiful covenant of grace. There is no room for boasting. There is no place for superiority. It is by grace we have been saved.

Questions to Consider

• Is it difficult to accept that the covenant of grace is the only way the elect are saved?

Day 123

Of God’s Covenant.

Chapter 7, Paragraph 3.

“...and afterwards by farther steps, until the full discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament;…“

Scripture Lookup

Hebrews 1:1

Reflection

The covenant of grace, revealed in the gospel, was first introduced in Genesis.  But over time, Scripture provided clues that shed more light on this savior. Eventually, in dazzling splendor, the covenant of grace was fully displayed in the New Testament.

In Genesis we learned there would be a seed of the woman who would bruise the head of the serpent. Other details were not given then, but further clues concerning the redemption of sinners peek out from the remaining pages of the Old Testament. The tabernacle pointed to the one who would dwell among His people. The sacrificial system showed that a sacrifice must be made for sin. The Psalms spoke of how God would not let His holy one see decay. Isaiah prophesied of this Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem, of whose government there would be no end.

Finally, the New Testament declares the fullness of the gospel. Jesus Christ, fully man and fully God, lived a life of perfect obedience to the law. Through His death, he atoned for the sins of His elect. Raising from the dead, He demonstrated His power over death, ensuring that those who believe in Him will have eternal life.

Thus step by step the covenant of grace was revealed in the gospel, first in prophecies and types and shadows, then in full splendor as the New Testament records the life and finished work of Jesus. Knowing this gospel, we can read the Old Testament not as a collection of interesting historical accounts, but as a foundation that supports the radiance of the New. We also can rejoice that the discovery of the covenant of grace was completed in the New Testament, and that we need not seek any more revelation.

Questions to Consider

• How is your view of the Old Testament affected by knowing the covenant of grace is revealed by steps in it? How is your view of the New Testament affected by knowing the covenant of grace is fully revealed in it?

Day 121

Of God’s Covenant.

Chapter 7, Paragraph 2.

“…and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal Life, His holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.“

Scripture Lookup

Ezekiel 36:26,27

John 6:44,45

Psalm 110:3

Reflection

In the Covenant of Grace, God freely offers life and salvation by Jesus Christ. In order to receive this salvation, however, there is a requirement: faith in Christ. Easy peasy, right? Make a decision today, get eternal life tomorrow? Some churches would have you think that if we simply mustered up our will, we could be saved.

There is a problem with the requirement of faith. We can’t do it on our own. Remember, Adam and Eve’s transgression resulted in our being utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to evil. Our very nature is corrupted. How can we have faith in Christ when we are unable to do good? If salvation was determined by our decision alone, the covenant would not be gracious. It would be a dangling, taunting opportunity ever out of our reach.

But God doesn’t just offer the covenant of grace with an outstretched hand, waiting to see who will take Him up on it. He raises those who are ordained to eternal life and regenerates them. The Holy Spirit makes them willing to believe. Not only that, the Holy Spirit makes them able to believe. You know what that means? Before the working of the Spirit, no one is able to believe. No one is willing to believe. The only reason why anyone trusts in Jesus is because the Holy Spirit has already done a work in them.

Salvation is all of Him! His covenant is not mostly grace, or 99.9% grace, but a covenant of grace, pure and simple.

At every point of the process of salvation this word is appropriate—“not of yourselves.” From the first desire after it to the full reception of it by faith, it is evermore of the Lord alone, and not of ourselves. The man believes, but that belief is only one result among many of the implantation of divine life within the man’s soul by God Himself.

-Charles Spurgeon, All of Grace

Questions to Consider

• Have you ever considered how the Spirit worked in you even before you believed in Christ?

Day 120

Of God’s Covenant.

Chapter 7, Paragraph 2.

“…life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved;…“

Scripture Lookup

Romans 8:3

Mark 16:15,16

John 3:16

Reflection

God was pleased to make a Covenant of Grace with sinners. Did you get that? He was pleased. This was not a decision made begrudgingly. Sometimes as parents we are frustrated at the foibles of our children. “Now to go and fix everything for them again!” we sigh. But not so with God. While Adam and Eve broke God’s law, and plunged mankind into a state of sin and misery, Jesus Christ willingly came to save the elect.

This covenant of grace was not also done hastily. Adam’s disobedience did not take God by surprise, so that He had to scramble to redeem a people. The omniscient, omnipotent God decreed in Himself from all eternity all things that come to pass; the covenant of grace is no exception. It has been His plan from the beginning. He knows what horrid sinners we are, yet still saves us, for His glory.

All who believe in Jesus receive life and salvation, freely and immediately. There is no waiting period, no trial to see if you deserve it. If you are in Christ, you do not have to sit on pins and needles anticipating His reaction, and you do not have to walk on eggshells around Him for fear of losing His love. Sam Waldron describes it aptly:

God does not need to make covenants of swear oaths to us. His promises need no confirmation, yet God condescends to swear an oath to confirm them to us. The fact that He does so shows that God is at pains to assure his people of the utter certainty of his promises, of his faithfulness, of their utter security in his love and grace. Some people always like to keep you guessing. God is not like that. He wants us to be utterly certain of the security of our relationship with him.

–1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition

Rest in the promise of His covenant of grace. Has He spoken, and will not make it good? “…so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.” (Hebrews 6:18)

Questions to Consider

• What are the requirements of the covenant of grace?