Covenant Theology 03

Memorial OPC Adult Sunday School, Spring 2008
A Brief Overview of Covenant Theology

(Using as a guide - Covenants: God's Way with His People, by O. Palmer Robertson)

Part 3, March 23, 2008

The Breaking of the Covenant of Works and the Establishment of a Second Covenant

Review of the Covenant of Works.

Definition of Covenant: A sovereignly imposed binding relationship with the sanction of life or death.

Who imposed this relationship? How do you know?
Who were the parties in this relationship?
For which of the parties was the relationship binding^
What does Gen. 2:15-17 tell us about the terms or conditions of this relationship? What was forbidden and what was required?
What was the life that God promised?

We Broke the Covenant of Works (In Adam).

What happened to the condition of the covenant of works?
Within the covenant of works, Adam's sin was final.
Within the covenant of works, Adam's sin was final for you.
If there was to be any mercy, it had to be a double mercy.

God Has Enforced the Covenant of Works.

With sanctions for all in time.

What happened immediately to the blessings God had given to man?
Was it just misery, or also sinfulness, that was visited upon the whole race?

With everlasting sanctions for many.

God Established a Second Covenant After We Broke the Covenant of Works

The First Proclamation of the Good News: Genesis 3:15

"And I will put enmity
between you and the woman
and between your seed and her seed.
He will crush you on the head,
and you will crush him on the heel." (trans. BE)

God-appointed enmity between two groups within the human race.

(Who are the parties to this second covenant?) John 8:39-44.

A promise of 'seed'from the woman—is this singular or plural? Gal. 3:16.
A promise of a He who would be crushed. Isa. 53:10.
A promise of a He who would crush the serpent. Rom. 16:20.

What is the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace?

What is the reach in time of the covenant of grace?

Questions for Application

Compare these two Biblical prayers: "Blot out my transgressions" and "Forgive us our debts." Why should we pray the second one?
"In Adam's fall, we sinned all." What does our society today believe about man's natural condition? How does this view bear fruit?
Perhaps you've taken a step forward in knowledge by understanding that in the covenant of grace we have a double mercy. How should this affect you? Are you sometimes tempted to think stingy thoughts toward God?