The Unity of the Covenant
When I consider the covenant, my theology becomes doxology, and I exclaim, “Holy and awesome is His name!”
The Bible is one Story which unfolds through a series of interrelated covenants, giving a redemptive, historical perspective of the Bible and of life. The covenant is not just academic; it is intensely personal and practical. Covenant is a promise to believe, a story to be told, and a relationship that transforms.
Three major covenants outline the gospel:
The Covenant of Redemption: revealing God’s sovereign, electing love.
The Covenant of Works: revealing our sin and guilt.
The Covenant of Grace: Revealing God’s Provision. God still demands perfect obedience. We are still saved by works, but it is the work of Christ who perfectly obeyed and gave His life as payment for our disobedience.
The Covenant of Redemption
Ephesians 1 is a doxology praising the Triune God’s covenant to make Himself known.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world… In love he predestined us for adoption to himself… through Jesus Christ… to the praise of his glorious grace…
Eph. 1:3-6
And He knew what our adoption would cost Him—the death of His Son.
In him [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, . . . so that we . . . might be to the praise of his glory
Eph. 1: 7, 12
The Holy Spirit applies and guarantees what the Father purposed, and the Son accomplished.
In him you . . . were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Eph. 1: 13-14
The Covenant of Works
. . . the LORD God formed the man of dust . . . [He] commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”.
Gen. 2:7, 16-17 (ESV)
Adam represented all who would be born after him. He was a covenant-breaker. “Sin came into the world through one man . . . and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). Despite this cosmic treason, God was a covenant-keeper.
“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10
The Covenant of Grace
The pre-creation Covenant of Redemption between the Trinity bound God to an act of covenant loyalty. He came near. The man and woman heard Him speak words of death to the serpent, but a promise of life for them.
The LORD God said to the serpent… “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.
Gen. 3:14-15 NIV
This is a covenant of grace because Adam deserved death, but received life. This is a relationship based on the merit and mercy of Jesus.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
The Triune God’s shared purpose was to put His glory on display (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14). But why?
“In love he predestined us” (Eph. 1:4-5). The motive was God’s extravagant and eternal love. God does not need us to display His glory for Him to be glorious, but glorifying Him gives us eternal significance, dignity, purpose, and joy. Any other purpose would diminish us. The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with this brilliant question and answer:
Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.
Doesn’t this make your soul sing in doxology?
PRAYER
Father, thank You for choosing me before You created the world.
Jesus, thank You for redeeming me.
Holy Spirit, empower me to reflect Your glory in every situation and relationship You ordain for me today. Amen.
Susan Hunt with Stephen Estock and Karen Hodge, Heirs of the Covenant: A Framework for Discipleship in the Church
Additional resource: Heirs of the Covenant Hub
Susan Hunt is the widow of PCA pastor Gene Hunt, a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is the former PCA Coordinator for Women’s Ministry and author of several books, including Heirs of the Covenant and TRUE, the discipleship curriculum series on biblical womanhood for teen girls. She co-authored Transformed: Life-taker to Life-giver and Life-giving Leadership with Karen Hodge, as well as Aging with Grace with Sharon Betters. She has also written several books for children.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.