The Covenant of Grace

What is it? What does the Bible say about it?

Since Adam's fall, man has been unable to achieve salvation by works. In light of this, the Lord was pleased to make a second covenant, commonly called the Covenant of Grace: whereby he freely offers sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ. To obtain eternal life under this covenant, man must trust in Christ alone. Consider the following Scriptures:

• he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will (Ephesians 1:4-5)
  --- The Covenant of Grace was ordained before the fall of man even occurred. (Also see 1 Peter 1:20.)

• "and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)
  --- Here, God gives man the first promise regarding the Covenant of Grace. God says that the seed of the serpent will be at emnity with the "seed of the woman" (Jesus), and that the serpent would bruise the heel of Jesus (symbolic reference to the crucifixion), while Jesus would bruise the head of the serpent (by defeating death in His resurrection).

• I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles (Is. 42:6)
  --- This passage reminds us that the Covenant of Grace flows naturally from the Covenant of Redemption. God the Father made a covenant with God the Son. And in fulfillment of the terms of the Covenant of Redemption, Jesus made the Covenant of Grace legally possible. As this passage says, Jesus was "called . . . in righteousness", and became the "light of the Gentiles".

• But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (Galatians 3:11)
  --- Faith alone in Christ alone is man's requirement in the Covenant of Grace.

• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
  --- This verse sums up the heart of the Covenant of Grace.

• Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:10-12)
  --- The Covenant of Grace is founded upon the sacrificial death of Christ. There never has been any way of salvation other than through Christ, and there will never be another way. Old Testament saints were saved through faith in Christ, just as we are (cf. Hebrews 11:26). Thus, there is only one Covenant of Grace. There is no other way of salvation.

• And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)

• For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3)

• A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
  --- God reveals His Sovereign administration of grace. Because man failed under the Covenant of Works, God puts all stipulations upon Himself, and unilaterally promises to shower His grace upon people, and to cause them to meet His requirements. He repeatedly says "I will" do this and that, instead of saying that man must do this or that.

• All that the Father gives me [Jesus] shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out . . . No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes unto me. (John 6:37,44-45)
  --- Those who the Father "gives" to Christ (under the Covenant of Redemption) will certainly come to Christ (under the Covenant of Grace), and Christ will certainly resurrect them on the last day.

Now let's take a look at the various administrations of the Covenant of Grace.

Or, go back to the Covenant of Redemption page.

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