Chapter 2: The Covenant of Works

Many treatments start with the covenant of redemption. This makes sense given that chronologically the covenant of redemption is the first covenant—it resides in eternity, before time. But for pedagogical purposes, we will address the covenant of redemption in the next chapter, after we have already established the doctrine of the covenant of works. The reason is because the covenant of redemption is also a covenant of works with Christ as the second Adam.

Biblical Covenants and Theological Covenants

In the previous chapter, I explained the distinction between the biblical covenants and the theological covenants. The biblical covenants are the ones that you can turn in your Bible and you can see an account where it says that God made this covenant—the covenant that God made with Noah in Genesis 9 for example, or the covenant that God made with Abraham. You can turn to where it says, in Genesis 15:18: “On that day God made a covenant with Abraham.” So it’s there in the text those are the biblical covenants. But there are also theological covenants that you can’t just turn to a verse explicitly identifying the moment of covenant making.

The theological covenants arise from scripture but they arise from looking at all that scripture has to say through the process of exegesis then biblical theology and then systematic theology. Systematic theology is taking the fruits of biblical theology and systematizing things—looking at how all of scripture teaches us about these theological covenants. There is no single verse that says, “Here is when God established the covenant of grace,” for example. Take the concept of one covenant of grace that begins after the fall in the first promise of the gospel to Adam and Eve after they sinned (Genesis 3:15) and that continues all the way to our relationship with God through Christ the mediator. There is no one verse that says, “Here is the moment when God made that covenant.” It is a theological covenant that is taught in scripture; but it is taught in a different way than just simply a verse that says it. It is taught throughout the whole warp and woof of scripture, the entire outworking of redemptive history.

Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology

In the previous chapter I sought to explain the discipline of biblical theology and how that discipline differs from systematic theology. Biblical theology and systematic theology are very closely related to one another—they are not in conflict with one another. But they provide us with different lenses for reading scripture. Systematic theology looks at scripture in a timeless way. It is as if we are stepping back and looking at what is the system of teaching about God and man and Christ and salvation, and so on. Biblical theology, on the other hand, is

“The exhibition of the organic progress of supernatural revelation in its historic continuity and multiformity” (Vos).

There are a lot of words there, but Vos also gave us a nice crisp definition which may be easier to grasp:

“The history of special revelation.”

I think that’s the best way of looking at this discipline of biblical theology. We are looking at the history of God’s process of revealing his plan of salvation in scripture from the beginning to the end. Biblical theology may be pictured as a line, showing us the progress and the organic development of special revelation. Systematic theology is more like a circle looking at the all the logical relationships between God and man and the doctrine of the Trinity and so on. And these two ways of looking at scripture are completely compatible and consistent with one another the results are the same. But biblical theology is a different way of getting there.

Now you might think that sounds good so then why am I starting off with the theological covenants you would expect that I would start off with the biblical covenants and do the biblical theology and. At the end of the class we would then step back and from there we would develop the three theological covenants the covenant of works the covenant of redemption and the covenant of grace the reason I’m doing that is because have you ever read a book where the author decides not to tell you upfront what he’s arguing for but he wants to have an inductive process where he takes you along step by step and builds the case one little piece at a time and.

Finally at the very end he says this is what I’m trying to say here’s the conclusion and that’s very frustrating because the whole time you’re reading you’re like where is he going with this what’s the point and. Usually what authors do is in addition to having a conclusion where they say here’s the point that I’ve been driving at they also have an introduction where they state up front what their thesis is and I think it’s good for us to do that to start off with the three theological covenants that is U here’s the answer Here’s the final result here’s the circle after we go through that whole process of the line the covenant of works with Adam in the garden is the first covenant.

That we want to look at tonight that’ll be the main topic tonight next week we’ll look at the covenant of redemption between the Father and the Son the Holy Spirit is also a part of that covenant; but it’s really a covenant with Christ as the second. Adam and then the covenant of grace is how that covenant between the Father and the Son and the work of redemption relates to us now you might be wondering which of those three covenants is the most important.

And it’s an it’s a easy question to ask and it’s one that a lot of people want to just in our culture today people want to know the bottom line how does this affect me how does this help me become a better Christian if we’re thinking. In those terms we would say the covenant of grace because that’s the covenant that we are in we as Believers and our children of course that’s our Reformed paedobaptist view of it; but we are part of the covenant of grace and that is our relationship with God fundamentally the covenant of grace is the most important covenant in terms of that practical outworking of how do we live the Christian life what does it mean to be a Christian.

What does it mean to be in covenant relationship with God in the covenant of grace but interestingly even though the covenant of grace may be the most important in that sense in terms of how does it affect me as a Christian it’s actually very difficult to. Understand the covenant of grace in its true nature unless you understand these other two covenants that are more distant from us the covenant of works with Adam in the garden was very distant because that covenant was broken a long time ago; and it doesn’t seem directly relevant to me I don’t have to beware of eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that’s not my concern that’s not part of my practical Christian life.

But understanding that covenant the covenant with Adam in the garden (the covenant of works) is crucial for understanding the covenant of grace. The reason why it’s crucial for understanding the covenant of grace is because the covenant that Adam failed to keep was broken; but God in his grace made a plan of salvation to achieve what Adam failed to achieve through Christ and that is the second covenant—the covenant of redemption, and the covenant of redemption is all about the work of Christ as the second Adam, and from that we can see how it does relate to us in terms of our covenant the covenant of grace. Even though the covenant of grace is the most important in the practical sense, it is not the most important in the logical sense. To really understand the covenant of grace in its proper nature. We also have to understand these other two covenants—the covenant of works and the covenant of redemption. The covenant of redemption (which is the focus of the next chapter) is all about what Christ has done for us in his work as the second Adam. And that is precisely what makes him the mediator of the covenant of grace so that we have a relationship with God through Christ.

Various Names for the Covenant of Works

The Covenant of Nature

There are different names for this covenant in theology. Some have called it the covenant of nature. That terminology is used by the authors of the Heidelberg Catechism Ursinus and Olevianus. It is not used in the Heidelberg Catechism itself but in their other writings they talk about this covenant as the covenant of nature. Turretin also uses this language; and the reason for this makes sense because this covenant with Adam in the garden is rooted in man’s nature as created by God at the beginning. It makes sense to call it that, although that label has not really stuck. It is a minority label that most theologians don’t use anymore, but it is certainly legitimate.

The Covenant of Life

Another term that you sometimes find is the phrase the covenant of life that’s the terminology used in the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. A similar title is used in the Belgic Confession where it refers to this covenant as “the commandment of life.” This title makes sense as well because the promise of life was given to Adam in the garden the tree of life one of the two trees the tree of life stood there in the garden as a pledge that if Adam obeyed.

That he would be able to eat of that tree and have eternal life so calling it a covenant of life is also legitimate but that title too has fallen by the wayside; and is not as commonly used as the title the covenant of works.

The Covenant of Works

This is the preferred name. It is the terminology is used in the Westminster Confession 7.2:

The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works wherein life was promised to Adam and in him to his posterity upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.

So not only do we see that label covenant of works used there in the Westminster Confession. But we also have a nice little definition of it very simple very easy that life was promised to. Adam upon condition of perfect and personal obedience the reason why this title covenant of works is the preferred title and the one that seems to have stuck in the history of Reformed theology is because it allows for a nice contrast between the covenant of works with Adam and the covenant of grace with us after the fall you have that contrast between works and grace which is a very biblical contrast it’s a very Pauline contrast.

Paul over and over again talks about how we are not saved by works but by grace. Paul’s works grace contrast in Romans and Galatians and Ephesians and so on stands behind behind the choice of this term the covenant of works is distinct from the covenant of grace precisely because of that issue that the covenant of works is promising life on condition of perfect obedience on the condition of works whereas the covenant of grace although it does call us to good works as the evidence of the genuineness of our faith does not offer life on the basis of works. It’s on the basis of grace on the basis of God’s free grace shown to us in Christ so I’m going to stick with that traditional terminology and call it the covenant of works and by the way when we get to next week and we talk about the covenant of redemption we could even call that also a covenant of works to show the parallel between the covenant with Adam and the garden and the covenant with Christ we can speak in these terms we could say that the covenant of works with.

Adam is the Creator’s covenant of works with the first Adam and then when we get to the covenant of redemption even though chronologically it’s actually before it because it goes back to Eternity and the eternal councils of God; but in terms of How It’s revealed to us historically after the fall it is the Father’s covenant of works with Christ as the second. Adam and so we can see those two covenants as being very parallel to one another Adam and Christ the first Adam the second Adam, but they are both covenants of works.

Why the Pre-Fall Arrangement Is a Covenant

Now you might be asking why we refer to God’s relationship with Adam before the fall why do we refer to that relationship or that Arrangement whatever you want to call it why do we refer to it specifically as a covenant and how do we know that it should be called a covenant after all the word covenant is not used in Genesis 1 and 2 in fact the first time the. Word covenant in Hebrew it’s the word berith we looked at that last week berith it does the word berith doesn’t occur in the Hebrew Bible until Genesis chapter 6 when you get to the story of Noah that word does not occur in Genesis 1 and 2.

Why do we call it a covenant? There are two main reasons.

First, the Features of a Covenant Are Present

The features of a covenant are present and so this is part of what biblical theology is doing biblical theology; and also leading towards as it moves towards systematic theology is the discipline of observing the things that are in the text even though the words might not be there; but observing what is being said what is being spoken you see this all the time in the Bible just think about all of the narratives in the Old Testament where you’re not told one way or the other whether What’s Happening Here is a good thing or.

A bad thing you’re just supposed to discern that as the reader you’re not the text doesn’t always tell you that what Samson did was sinful in God’s eyes and it was. Terrible it just tells you what happened and you go wow that’s pretty odd that’s weird and your gut instinct is to say. Yeah probably not a good thing so you need to be a Biblical Theologian you need to look at the text and see what the text is telling you it’s it’s narrating for you certain things that you have to observe ve and be a Biblical Theologian.

And make connections and see what’s going on you have to be a good investigator you have to be a good scientist and take observ be be an observant person look at all the different Clues. Look at some of the clues in Genesis 1 and 2 the features of a covenant are present there binding commitments are being made God commands Adam to do certain things for example Genesis chapter 2: 6; and the Lord God 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 in addition.

God adds what are called sanctions sanctions is simply a generic term for whether there’s good things or bad things depending on how the person does in obeying or disobeying. Sanctions would cover two types of outcomes either blessings for obedience or curses for disobedience and we see that in our text we just read it there’s the threat of death if Adam disobeys there’s also the promise of life if Adam obeys that’s given in the text. In reference to the tree of life there were two trees in the garden one is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that he may not eat of.

But there’s also the tree of life implication being that if he OB obeys the Lord by not eating of the tree then he would be able to eat of the tree of life later on after the fall when God saw that. Adam had now broken the covenant in Genesis 3:22 it says behold the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil now lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat; and live forever therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden but notice that phrase there live forever so that’s what the tree of life was symbolizing it was symbolizing that he would be able to eat of that tree and live forever.

Just looking at the text even though the word covenant isn’t there in Genesis 1 and 2 just looking at these things we see commitments being made we see commands we see sanctions blessings and curses clearly it’s a solemn commitment being made; and it’s also a binding commitment because of these sanctions that are added to it the threat of death if Adam disobeys the promise of life if he obeys.

Where Is the Oath?

“People swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.”
—Hebrews 6:16

One little footnote here just pause for a second if you recall last week I gave a definition of a covenant I said a covenant is a oath-bound commitment. The question might be coming in your mind here: Where is the oath? Where do we see the Adam here is taking an oath and agreeing to these things well we have to acknowledge the oath is not literally mentioned here in our text; but I believe it is present by implication because of those sanctions the threat of death if he disobeys the offer of life if he obeys literally swearing an actual oath is actually a post-fall human cultural practice the author of Hebrews mentions that in Hebrews 6:16 people swear by something greater than themselves and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation the author of Hebrews is just simply observing this is what people do forget about the theological covenants just in society people do this they use.

Oaths to confirm things to make binding commitments and so the actual practice of swearing a literal oath is a post-fall human cultural practice a similar example would be the fact that. Adam in our text is clearly describ cried as both a king and a priest even though the term king and priest is not used but those ideas of Kings and Priests that’s a very human thing even in all the cultures of the world they had Kings; and they had priests for their religions those roles are like post-fall cultural things that people know about and the Bible is simply using those ideas to communicate by analogy biblical and Theological Concepts and.

The same thing here just as there’s not a literal oath ceremony where Adam swears an oath we do have the idea present the roles are functionally present even though the titles are not literally present because remember we’re here in Genesis 1 and 2 we are at the dawn of human history and human culture hasn’t yet had a chance to develop and so later cultural practices like swearing Oaths are not yet literally in effect even though the concept is because of the sanctions death for disobedience life for obedience because that’s what an oath is saying may I die if I don’t keep my promise may I be under a curse if I don’t keep my promise.

So that is the first thing that helps us to see that we should refer to this relationship as a covenant, that is, we simply observe the clues in the text that indicate that covenantal things are happening in the text. But there is another reason we should call the pre-fall relationship a covenant.

Second, Later Scripture Calls It a Covenant

A second reason to call it a covenant is the fact that there are later passages in the Bible that look back upon it; and call it a covenant this is the same thing we saw last week with the Davidic covenant when the Davidic covenant was transacted initially when Nathan the prophet came to king David and told him that God has making this covenant with him.

That he would never lack a man to sit on his throne in 2 Samuel 7 the word covenant is not used in 2 Samuel 7 itself but. Later on in 2 Samuel 23 where David is looking back upon it he refers to it as a covenant and there are other passages as well in 2 Chronicles and Jeremiah and. On that look back upon that covenant as a covenant and specifically use the word so we have the same thing here the word itself isn’t found in Genesis 1 and 2.

But we have two passages later that do use the word covenant

Isaiah 24:4–6

The first is Isaiah 24:5 it refers to the ancient covenant the context is the earth mourns and withers the world languishes; and withers the highest people of the earth languish the earth lies defiled under its inhabitants sounds like the fall sounds like the curse that came into the world after the fall for they have transgressed the laws violated the statutes broken the ancient covenant. Some of your translations may say the everlasting covenant I think it’s better to translate it as ancient the word Olam in Hebrew has a number of different meanings sometimes it means everlasting like the new covenant is an everlasting covenant because it will never be replaced.

But in this particular verse I think it should be translated as the ancient covenant and then it even says verse six therefore a curse devours the earth and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt this seems to be looking back upon the creation account in Genesis 3; and the curse that came into the world because of Adam’s violation of the covenant of works

Hosea 6:7 and the Adam–Israel Parallel

The second passage that looks back upon Genesis 3 and calls it a covenant is Hosea 6:7 where the author where Hosea is speaking about. Israel and their their idolatry and their breaking of the covenant and he says like ad they transgressed the covenant there they dealt faithlessly with me like Adam they transgress the covenant.

There are some who tried to say that doesn’t make sense let’s end the text and say at Adam because there is a city called Adam but nothing of importance happens in. Adam in that City in the Bible it’s clearly like Adam the preposition in Hebrew is definitely like not at so like Adam they transgressed the covenant that’s clearly what the text is saying the text is clearly making an analogy just as there was the Genesis 2:17. Commandment to Adam you shall not eat of this tree and the day that you eat of it you will surely die so also.

Israel had a commandment the whole Mosaic law just as Adam had these two options if he disobeyed he would die if he obeyed he would have life. Also. Israel was placed under the same situation remember Deuteronomy 30:15 and following where Moses is preaching to the people of.

Israel and he says see I’ve set before you today life and good death and evil if you obey the commandments of the Lord your. God that I command you today by loving the Lord and so on then God will bless you but if your heart turns away then you will surely perish and. On I call Heaven and earth to witness against you today that I’ve set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you and your Offspring may live that’s not talking about being pro-life that’s not I I know.

That verse is used a lot in the pro-life movement but that’s not what the verse is about it’s talking about choose life in the sense of be obedient to the commandments that you can receive the blessing of life as a result so couple of parallels here there was a commandment both Adam and. Israel had a commandment there’s the life and death options both.

Israel and Adam had life and death set before them and then the third parallel is this idea of transgression the transgression of Adam breaking the covenant is similar to. Israel’s transgression and then the fourth parallel is that just as. Adam was expelled from the garden so also.

Israel is about to be expelled from the land and be to be sent into captivity in Babylon so all this then was to answer the question why are we referring to it as a covenant one because we see the features of a covenant there in the text and two because these two later verses in Isaiah 24 and Hosea 6 refer to it as a covenant.

More Evidence for the Covenant of Works in Genesis 1–2

What I want to do is to go back to Genesis 1 and 2 and look at the text a little bit more carefully and see all of the evidence within the text that there is a covenant of works here in Genesis 1 and 2.

And most importantly to see this idea of the of the garden of Eden being a sanctuary being a place where God is dwelling with his people just like. Israel was in the land in a holy realm

The Framework of the Seven Days

Let’s begin by looking at Genesis chapter 1 I’m not going to read all of Genesis chapter 1; but the six days of creation on the first day.

God said let there be light and he separated the light from the darkness on the second day God said let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters to separate the waters below from the waters above the waters below would be like the oceans. The waters above would be the atmosphere then day three is the well day two also has the waters under the expans gathered together and the dry land appears. On day three the dry land Sprouts vegetation so that’s day three then day four is let there be light in the expanse of the heavens notice that day four is very similar to day one day one said let there be light day four God said let.

There be lights and the lights are the Sun the moon and the stars and they’re placed in the expanse of the heavens in order to give light upon the earth and to Rule the Day and the night the sun to Rule the Day; and the moon and the stars to rule over the night and so what we have here is the beginning of what’s called a framework there’s a framework in which the first three days create the first create the Three Kingdoms of creation light; and darkness the waters above and below and the dry land and then beginning with day four we have three created kings that rule over those three kingdoms.

Day four is parallel to day one we have the created Kings of the lights ruling over the light and the Darkness day five says let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures; and remember just day five is parallel to day two just as day two had Waters above and Waters below so also now there are creature Kings above and below the ones above are the birds that fly in the sky; and the ones below are the sea creatures and the fish that inhabit the waters below and they also are like the lights that rule the light in the darkness they also rule over their Kingdom of the waters above and the waters below that’s day five.

And then on day six we come to the creation of man day six God said let the earth bring forth living creatures and then. God said verse 26 let us make man in our image after our likeness and so these creatures here are created Kings who are ruling over the third Kingdom Realm of the dry land although man is unique because he has authority over everything that went before let them have a dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

You have three kingdoms day 1 2 and three then you have three created kings that rule over those kingdoms days 4 through6 man himself is the Pinnacle on the sixth day of creation created by God to be a king who has dominion over all of the. Lower Realms of creation that are below him man is therefore like a subordinate king under God who’s the great Creator king he’s the Creator king of all things all of creation is his kingdom and he rules over it; but he has established man in his own image to represent him to be a vice-regent to be a prime minister if you will to be a second in command under him the term.

That we use in the ancient near Eastern culture is a vassal king a vassal king is a king who’s a vassal who’s a servant who serves under the authority of the great king man as the image of God means that he is to exercise dominion like. God God has the ultimate dominion the ultimate sovereignty but man also has delegated dominion and delegated sovereignty over all of the creation below him what does this call to mind. It calls to mind this idea that there is a covenant relationship here the image of God in man is covenantal it’s a covenantal image that man is made in let us make man in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion verse 27.

God created man in his own image in the image of. God he created him male and female he created them there are covenantal obligations that are built in to man’s identity as the image of God and there are covenantal sanctions that are built in the covenantal obligations are even before we get to the command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil just the very fact that man man is made in the image of God means.

That he’s being called to be like God to imitate God isn’t that what ethics is isn’t that what it means to be an upright ethical person to be a moral person it means to be like. God the image of God the very fact that he’s made in the image of God contains within it an imperative it’s an indicative this is who you are Adam; but that indicative you are the image of.

God already contains within it built into it an imperative that he is to imitate God and being God God-like in his dominion his exercise of authority to do. In a way that is benevolent and caring for creation but at the same time reflecting God’s order and Justice and goodness the image of. God is covenantal Not only in the sense that covenantal obligations are built into the image of God but also covenantal sanctions are built in to the image of God being made in the image of God places within man a natural natural innate inbuilt desire for communion with God. And he doesn’t want to just have communion with God in the sense of being forever on probation not knowing whether or not God is going to accept him; he wants to have communion with God that is confirmed he wants to have communion with. God that is eternal and that can never be taken away and so built into his nature as the image of God is the desire for his relationship with God to be brought to the next level to escalate to a level of being confirmed.

And to have eternal everlasting unlosable communion with God that’s all built into man’s very nature as the image of. God so even though the word covenant is not used just this whole passage here has covenantal overtones to it particularly the emphasis on man being made in the image of God furthermore notice that there is this whole issue of the cultural mandate and the Sabbath.

The Cultural Mandate and the Sabbath

The cultural mandate and the Sabbath go together what is the cultural mandate well it’s there in verse 28 God blessed them and God said to them be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.

And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth and that whole idea there of the dominion mandate is continued in the rest of the passage. God saw everything that he had made and behold it was very good and there was evening and there was morning the sixth day and immediately after saying that we have this reference to the Sabbath it comes on the heels of the cultural mandate the dominion mandate. Chapter 2 thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them and on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation you see how. God is pictured as someone who works for six days doing the work of creation and then resting on the seventh and man who is made in the image of God is to reflect that same pattern; and he is also to work he is to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it exercising Creator-like authority over creation even though he’s not a Creator in the sense of being able to create out of nothing.

But he has that delegated vassal king authority to exercise that same authority that God has and he is then to follow in God’s pattern the implication being that man is to go about his work of doing the cultural mandate of being fruitful and multiplying; and subduing the earth all with the goal that one day he too and all of creation under him will be able to enter into. God’s eternal Sabbath rest so the cultural mandate and the Sabbath go together you can’t separate those two things in the text even though there’s a big two for chapter two there in a big white space that may in your mind think it’s a separate thing.

But it’s not and you can see that because of the fact that it specifically says that God finished the work of creation on the seventh day and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done in the previous six days; and then it says that God blessed the seventh day and made it holy in order to be the pattern for man as well so that he would consecrate all of his cultural labors to that eternal Sabbath rest is not this eschatology before the fall is not this that Adam is being told that through his work if he obeys the Lord if he passes the test he if if he does this cultural mandate.

That he will have a glorious eschatological future ahead of him that he will eat of the tree of life he will bring all of Creation with him into. God’s eternal Sabbath rest this is all covenantal theology and covenantal language in our text

The Two Trees

We already mentioned that the tree of life is very significant so if you keep on reading down in verse 7 you have the creation of man being formed war from the dust. Of the ground and then it says in verse 8 the Lord God planted a garden in the East and there he put the man whom he had formed and out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree.

That is Pleasant to the sight and good for food the tree of life was in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil these two trees are very significant the tree of life of course we know it’s theologically significant. Pointing to this eschatology in addition to the Sabbath because when you turn all the way to the end of the Bible in Revelation 22 it shows up again Revelation 22:1–3. The angel showed me the river of the Water of life brightest Crystal flowing from the Throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city also on either side of the river the tree of life with its 12 kinds of.

Fruit yielding its fruit each month the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations to undo the effects of the curse and the fall no longer will there be anything accursed; but the Throne of. God and of the Lamb will be in it and his servants will worship him so as you’re reading through this whole narrative and you read it in sequence you see how everything is building image of God cultural mandate Sabbath rest these two trees it just builds.

And builds and builds and it’s full of eschatology it’s full of Hope it’s full of covenantal significance until we come to those key verses that we already looked at in verses 16 and 17 where God actually gives the command and the threat;

Adam as Priestly Guardian of the Sanctuary

But before we look at verse 16, we need to read verse 15 it’s very easy to ignore verse 15 and to view it as just being a throwaway line oh it just says that God put man in the garden to work it; and to keep it fine he’s just a Gardener He’s just just in the garden just making sure that the trees are trimmed and but oh it’s so much more powerful and significant than that verse 15 is before verses 16 and 17 the Lord.

God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and to guard it that is a better translation to work it and to guard it; and the Lord God commanded the man saying why is this command coming on the heels of this statement that he’s put in the garden to guard it you may surely eat of every tree of the garden; but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die this is already preparing us for chapter 3 where the serpent comes in.

And has a conversation with Eve about this very point and so this word guard that is used in verse 15 as the Prelude to verse 16 is very significant because it’s already preparing our minds for the fact that something bad might be coming into this garden Adam here in verse 15 when God took him and put him in the garden to work it and to guard it is being established as a priestly guardian of the Holy sanctuary of. God this word guard it’s the same word that’s used at the conclusion of the fall narrative in Genesis 3:24 he drove out the man at the east of the garden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword.

That turned every way to do what to guard the way to the tree of life that’s the same word the priestly task that was originally given to Adam of guarding the holiness of the sanctuary is taken away from him because he has failed and is. Being given to the cherubim and by the way when you turn to God’s dealings with. Israel in the temple and the land and so on you have that same function of the cherubim cherubim aren’t just ordinary Angels cherubim are Guardian Angels they’re the ones that guard the holiness of the holy of holies in the Tabernacle that’s why there are cherubim woven.

Into the veil that separates pictures of cherubim in the veil separating the holy place from the holy of holies there’s also two cherubim with their wings overshadowing the Ark of the covenant or in in images that we find in Ezekiel and in Revelation of. God’s Heavenly Throne it’s always surrounded by the Praetorian guard the Heavenly cherubim who are protecting the holiness of God’s presence this word guard is also used later on in reference to the priests in the time of. Israel who are called to guard the Tabernacle Numbers 3 the Levites shall keep guard over the Tabernacle Numbers 3:10 you shall appoint Aaron and his sons and they shall guard their priesthood.

And if any outsider comes near any Canaanite or Amorite or just an ordinary Israelite who’s not set apart as a holy priest if any outsider comes near he shall be put to death implied by the Guardians they’re the one the priestly Guardians who are going to. Do that Numbers 18:4 the Levites shall join you that is shall join Aaron and his sons and shall keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent and no outsider shall come near you; and you shall keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel.

The Divinely Appointed Test and Probation

What is that telling us? Verse 15 is the preface to verse 16 about the command not to eat of the tree this is telling us that this prohibition that. God gave to Adam is not just simply like a for all time prohibition just for the rest of your life Adam you just can’t touch that tree or eat of it no this prohibition is actually a very specific command that is already already has in God’s mind the idea that there’s going to be a test there’s going to be a decisive test that the serpent is going to come into the garden and he is going to try to tempt.

Adam away from his his task as the priestly guardian of the sanctuary and so that helps us to see something very important about the covenant of works which is that the covenant of works is not simply that Adam has to obey God forever and in. When that first sin happens that’s when everything is over the covenant of works isn’t just a Perpetual you have to obey me forever the covenant of works is actually a probation there is a specific time frame here and a specific moment that’s going to happen that has to be accomplished one way or the other the serpent is going to come into the garden and Adam has a job he has a task that is assigned to him he has to obey.

God in a specific accomplishment of a specific Mission a specific task to be the priestly guardian of the sanctuary and thereby to expel this Intruder who’s not supposed to be there exercising God’s judgment upon the serpent and. If he does that then he will have passed the test and then he will be confirmed in righteousness and then he will be able to eat of the tree of life and live forever. This idea of an implied coming confrontation with the serpent is already implied there in the text but not only does this tell us something about the covenant of works that there’s this test this probation this specific accomplishment or of a task that he needs to do.

Eden as Sanctuary and the Expansion of the Garden

It also tells us something about the garden that tells us that the garden is a holy place it is a sanctuary it is similar to what we would look upon later in biblical Revelation as a temple it’s the holy. Place where God dwells with his people and Adam is the priestly guardian of that Holy place that then helps us to illuminate even more what is implied by the cultural mandate when. God blessed Adam and told him in verse 28 of chapter 1 to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and to have dominion over everything that is a kingly task.

But it’s a kingly task that is tied to his priestly task of being the guardian of the sanctuary and that implies then that this cultural mandate is more than just simply having lots of children; and exercising dominion over creation by let’s say agriculture or technology or building cities is more than that it is ultimately a priestly task it’s a kingly task with a priestly goal and that is to bring about the expansion of the garden Sanctuary that it covers the whole earth so that the glory of God will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea so there is an eschatology that is already contained here in our text.

And in the Genesis account there’s a lot of profound things going on here it’s it’s a lot more than just simply what meets the eye when you just read through it and you just think in Earthly terms and oh. Yeah there’s a garden and there’s this it’s it’s a lot more there it’s a lot more theology that’s implied there and you see that because of the rest of the Bible the rest of the Bible looks back upon all of this; and draws out all of the significance of this for example in Genesis 13:10 in the Abraham narrative Abraham and lot are having that dispute over the where should their flocks go they’re not there’s they’re wealthy, and have so many flocks that they can’t stay in the same area and it says that Lot lifted up his eyes and he looked at the Valley of the Jordan River and he saw that it was well watered like the garden of the Lord; and so we already see that there’s this whole idea of an eschatology of what. God is trying to do through Adam and the garden and then it’s going to be picked up after the fall through the work of redemption through the covenant of grace God’s promises to Abraham. And it’s going to be fulfilled ultimately in Christ in the new creation.

Q&A

Would there have been a temporal limit to Adam’s probation?

The question is the fact that we have the Sabbath and the tree of life which are the positive sanctions that if Adam obeys he will achieve those positive things those blessings that seems to require that. Adam’s obedience has to have some a probation limit to it it can’t just be Perpetual obedience just without any closure there has to be some a a triggering mechanism that will allow Adam to. Eat of the tree of life and to then enter into God’s Sabbath rest and.

I think you’re absolutely in seeing that we see that in a couple of ways like just focusing on the Sabbath for example the Sabbath idea is not unrelated to the first six days working for six days and. After you’ve done the work then you rest from that work work but also you’re not only resting from the work of the six days you’re also delighting in the result of the six days. God looked at all the work of creation Genesis 1:31 he saw everything he had made and behold it was very good and then he rested on the seventh day.

There’s this idea of working and then resting as a result of the work being done and so that already triggers this idea of a probation of a moment in time when Adam can say that his work is done so. Yeah it it may not be obvious but it does how does the idea of God’s resting or Sabbath an image of the eternal state or or Heaven how is the Sabbath a picture of Heaven of the eternal state because it’s this idea that it’s it’s a picture of Heaven because it’s rest it’s it’s the whole idea that we are in this place with God of eternal rest and communion with God that is unending the interesting thing about the seventh day is that unlike the other six which each of the six days it says at the end of the day and there was evening; and there was morning the day came to an end the sixth day the fifth day whatever but it doesn’t say that for the seventh day there is no morning and evening mention there on the seventh day that’s because for for Adam it may have ended; but for God his Sabbath rest never ends his Sabbath rest is eternal so that brings to mind this idea of eternal life of eternal Sabbath rest with God. And then we have other passages as well that would look back upon the Sabbath account in Genesis like Hebrews chapter 4 that would say that that Sabbath rest is continuing and it’s something that we as God’s people are looking forward to entering it’s Heaven itself with the Lord forever where there’s no more sorrow no more Struggle No More curse resting with him no more work. This life is it’s a tiring life you have to work and you get up in the morning and you’re tired you go to bed you’re tired it’s it’s hard and you don’t see the fruit of it and it’s characterized by all kinds of disappointments. But the there will come a day when we will rest forever.

Was Adam’s task of keeping the garden temporary work?

When we talk about the pattern of working for six days and resting on the seventh, the word “work” there is primarily focused on the cultural mandat—not on this specific crisis where he has to confront the serpent and do that’s part of the work that he has to do to pass the test.

But in terms of even after that even after he passed the test he would still need to do the cultural mandate fill the earth and subdue it that would have taken a long time we don’t know how long; but it would have taken a while to finish that work so that work is the cultural activity of verse 28 being fruitful and multiplying and filling the earth and subduing it and taking dominion over creation does that answer your question. Yeah so then in the eternal state that type of work will we still be doing that no no in the eternal state we will not be doing cultural activity of this type that doesn’t mean that there won’t be anything that we do.

But doesn’t mean we’re just going to be static sitting there in heaven there there will be opportunities to enjoy the fullness of. God’s creation even more in in that glorified state but there won’t be labor in that sense of first of all we know there’s no procreation Jesus said that in heaven they will not be given in marriage. Procreation is probably the most important aspect of the cultural mandate to be fruitful and to multiply so we know that part of it not there but also there won’t be any cultural activity in this sense of building things and creating things.

And advancing culture all of that will be completely done we can enjoy Jesus uses these metaphors of the marriage supper of the lamb and I will not eat of the fruit of the vine until I drink it with you again in in the Kingdom those those. Sound like cultural things enjoyable things but that’s not the same thing as cultural activity for the purpose of accomplishing the cultural man mandate so heaven will be well there will be no work in Heaven There Will Be eternal Union and communion with God; and enjoying the fullness of all the implications of Creation in all kinds of ways that we can’t even imagine now but there won’t be work in that sense.

Tree of Life in Rev 22 Literally the Same as the One in Genesis?

I would say no I don’t think so. I think that all of the language there in in Revelation 22 is symbolic so because it says things like there will be no sea is that literally true there will be no sea I don’t think. I think that’s metaphorical language meaning that the sea is the source of chaos and usually symbolizes the nations that they’ll be subdued so most of the language in Revelation 22 has to be interpreted symbolically and not literally. I don’t think it’s going to be the exact same tree what will it be exactly I don’t know I think I mean if you really think about it theologically what do we mean when we say eating of the tree of life.

And we’re talking about in the in the Revelation 22 sense what does it mean to eat of the tree of life that has all this wonderful healing fruit what what can that be other than Jesus himself I I can’t think of anything just theologically it’s Christ so no I don’t think it’s literally the same truth tree. Yeah.

Yes in regards to the tree of life know you got the two trees of life tree of good knowledge God said of any other tree you can eat up except the tree of. Yeah the knowledge and evil there’s there’s an implication there that the tree of life is included in any other other trees but then again in Genesis 3 starting at 22 says the Lord God become like one of us knowing good and evil. Lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life then there’s an implication there that the tree of life was never touched either along with the tree of knowledge.

During the probation, Adam and Eve eat of the Tree of Life?

I think and people have different interpretations of this. If you look at the commentaries some will say well it’s possible that he may have been allowed to eat of the tree of life although if he did he would have been doing. Only with a like a sacramental sense like looking forward to the day when he gets to eat of it after having passed the test because if he’s eating of it before the test. Clearly he hasn’t passed the test yet and he’s not really getting eternal life yet so if we wanted to speculate that maybe he did eat of it beforehand we would have to think of it in that sense.

That it would be purely like a a foretaste like remember this is what you’re hoping for sense but not in the actual sense of eating it and obtaining eternal life yet that’s one view that’s a minority view most commentators go with the other view which is that he did not eat of it yet and the reason is because of that word also because the word also is there it seems to imply very strongly that he hadn’t eaten of it and that therefore logically it would seem to imply that Adam realized that he wasn’t really supposed to eat of it yet because he hadn’t yet passed the test so I go with that second view that he hadn’t eaten of it yet because of the word also.

But either of you is as long as you just recognize that the symbolism there of the tree of life is clearly something beyond the initial stage of life that he had before he was alive before he sinned he was alive before he reached out; and ate of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil but he didn’t have life in this full sense of living forever that’s very interesting too that the text uses that word forever to clarify that’s what the life is that is being symbolized by the tree of life it’s eternal life so those are the two views I go with the second view because of the word also.

Yeah it does seem to imply that if what would have happened if Adam had eaten of the tree of life after after the fall the text implies that don’t let him eat of it because if he does. He’s going to be like permanently sealed in his state of death and there’s no hope of salvation for him I don’t think it’s quite like that because that makes that gives the implication that this tree of life is like some magical has magical power in it of itself and just eating of it like zaps you into this state or something I don’t think it’s quite like that I think that it’s simp symbolic it’s more like a Sacrament.

That symbolizes something than anything else so I think that the reason for this statement here where God says now lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever is more that. God wants to preserve the symbolism God wants to preserve the symbolism of what this tree of life stands for and so he expels man out of the garden station the cherubim to block the way and in incidentally that act itself of putting a cherubim there to block the way has a little bit of a hope in in it doesn’t it because it implies that maybe there’ll be a chance for Adam to get back and to eat of the tree of life and.

That’s already opening the possibility of the whole covenant of redemption and the covenant of grace and the fact that. Yes Revelation 22 we will eat again of the tree of life but it’s just it’s this whole narrative in Genesis 1 through3 it has to be interpreted carefully it’s not. I have to be careful here in how I explain this I’m not denying the historicity of anything in this text so I’m not like some a liberal who says what do you mean talking snakes stuff like that I’m I’m not saying.

That I’m not saying anything critical of the text that way I believe this whole text Genesis 1–3 is historical fact but it’s also very early history we’re talking at the dawn of History and. Everything here in the story has symbolic overtones to it and so a lot of what’s happening in the text is based on the idea of biblical symbolism and biblical metaphors and. That’s how I would take verse 22 there that.

God doesn’t want Adam to eat of it not because the tree of life will automatically seal him in a state of death but because it would be inappropriate the symbolism would be messed up if he did that and. God wants to maintain the symbolism of what’s going on here in the in the narrative so let me see here U I think he had his hand up first I’ll get to you in a second go ahead Finn when you’re saying symbolism of the tree of. Life what does it what would it represent if like Adam went ate from it even though he sinful would that be similar to like the priests offering Strange Fire in the holy of holies and like profaning the name of God like that type of idea that’s a great idea.

Was Adam’s sin similar to Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 where they’re offering strange fire before the Lord?

That’s a possibility that’s that’s a great suggestion that I hadn’t thought of that could be something like that it’s violating the holiness of. God’s we’re talking about this whole thing being a sanctuary and Adam is this Guardian priest and he’s now become a sinful priest like Nadab and Abihu he has become a priest who has failed in his calling and it’s not appropriate for him to be in this this holy place where the tree of life is there in the center of it almost like the Ark of the covenant this holy place that symbolizes God’s own life himself it would be inappropriate for him to rush into the holy of holies and participate in this holy sacrament because he’s not worthy he’s a he’s a sinful priest reminds me of that passage in Zechariah that talks about Joshua the high priest and how he was clothed with filthy garments and the Lord came and took away the filthy garments and gave him clean garments so that he could be a genuine priest to stand before God so.

Those are great ideas that’s what you’re doing there by asking that question is you’re doing biblical theology and you’re making connections between this passage and then when you get to the stories with. Israel and the priests there and you’re seeing the symbolism and trying to like discern you’re trying to be a good detective and discern what’s happening what is the significance here great great suggestion yes pass.

How would Adam have merited eternal life?

I would say it would be just passing the test eating of the tree is the reward for passing the test. Yeah tree what is that the tree of life I should say. Yeah what is that exactly again it’s not like a magical tree that automatically gives eternal life it’s the symbolism that says the fact that you have passed the test.

You are able to receive the reward the promised reward. Yeah is any God showed him that if he did pass this test he would have eternal life so the question was is there anywhere in the text where it says these things I’m just saying you well I would say the question is what in what is. It in the text that gives us an indication that Adam was aware of this whole thing that he was aware that if he obeyed and passed the test that.

He would be able to eat of the tree of life I would say the text doesn’t really tell us that it doesn’t give us that information but I would go back to something I had said earlier remember when I was talking about this idea that man is made in the image of. God and being made in the image of God places within him a longing and a desire to have eternal fellowship with God so I would say that God didn’t have to reveal that to him just the very fact that he’s made in.

God’s image already makes him want eschatology makes him want to be in a confirmed relationship with God that we would call communion with God so I think it’s built in to man’s nature. Yeah. Yes would it be what you mentioned ear we were discussing thee of and it being magically zapping you and giving you eternal life or rather that the CH of them being placed there to guard the tree of life being more of symbolic for or.

But guarding the significance of what it be appro to make the connection that the tree the guarding of the tree of life of the CH by the CH after Adam’s fall is similar to the guarding of the communion from like someone who is a non-believer not. Being able to come to the table and then by extension going back to what we discussed earlier about U the tree of reation being Christ and not literally another the same physical tree; but rather it being Christ the ultimate end goal would that be an appropriate potential connection would it be an appropriate connection I’m trying to repeat the question to say that just as we would exclude someone from communion from the Lord’s Supper.

Because they’re It is not proper for them to partake if they don’t have a credible profession of faith in. Christ would it be legitimate to make that connection with with what’s going on here in Genesis 3:22 where God doesn’t let Adam eat of the tree and sends him out of the garden I think that there’s some similarity there there’s some similarity obviously there is; but I’m also a little bit uncomfortable with it because I want to preserve this distinction between works and grace or between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace this will come up when we talk about the doctrine of the covenant of grace, but there are passages in the New Testament that describe the covenant of grace in a way that sounds a little bit like a covenant of works like like that passage you’re quoting from from 1 Corinthians 11 you have to partake of the Lord’s Supper in. A worthy Manner and if you don’t. Paul even says some of you are getting sick and dying because of it so that sounds like a covenant curse almost like a covenant of works or even just the idea of church discipline of saying to somebody who’s a member of the covenant of grace or who was a member of the covenant of grace by profession that they are no longer included and that they are now put outside of the church excommunication it sounds a little bit like a covenant of works; but it doesn’t belong to this category of a covenant of works because in the category of covenant of works the obedience is the legal basis and ground for receiving the reward; and the punishment or the curse comes on any infraction of that whereas in the covenant of grace, there is discipline but it’s not a covenant of works discipline. It’s more that we’re saying to that person you don’t have a credible profession of Faith. You don’t belong in this but we’re not punishing them and putting covenant curses upon them because of their disobedience so we want to distinguish between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace even though superficially it seems similar.

Is there a parallel between the Tree of Life and the Lord’s Supper?

I think so. We obviously don’t want to go down the path of making the tree of life this magical potion. So is it fair to say that it’s actually more like the way we view sacraments in the Reformed tradition. In Reformed theology we say the sacraments are “signs that seal.” They have a sign aspect where they symbolize something, but they also have a sealing aspect which is that when we receive the sacrament in faith it confirms our faith in the thing signified. It assures us of the reality of the things signified. Based on that analogy, could we say the same thing about the tree of life, that it was like a sacrament? I would say, Yes, absolutely. In fact if you look at some of the reformed covenant theologians from the 17th century like Cocceius and Witsius and all those guys the 17th century Reformed covenant theologians, they actually use that language. They explicitly speak of “the sacraments of the covenant of works,” namely, the tree of life and the Sabbath. So yes, there is definitely a parallel there.

The Covenant of Works in Systematic Theology

What I want to do now is so we’ve looked at the text and there’s so much more we could look at and there’s all kinds of little interesting details and it’s great that you guys are probing these details and trying to figure them out; and all of them are important but we really want to step back since we’re really doing remember we’re talking about covenant theology from the point of view of systematic theology. We’ve been doing a little bit of biblical theology as well but we really want to focus on the systematic significance of the covenant of works the covenant of works is very important in systematic theology because of what.

Paul’s Two-Adams Construct

Paul teaches about Adam and Christ in in Romans 5:12-21. Paul makes this this major structuring of the entire story of the Bible in light of these two-Adams the first Adam Who sinned and the second Adam Christ in fact he even calls Christ the last Adam in 1 Corinthians 15:45 and in Romans 5:14 he says that Adam was a type of the one who is to come that is he was a symbolic picture of Christ and so.

Paul then makes this big what we call two-Adams construct this two-Adams view of the whole story of the Bible we can’t even say redemptive history because redemptive history implies after the fall Redemption only happens after the fall we’re talking about even bigger we’re talking about. History we’re talking about everything because we’re talking about Adam before the fall as well so the whole history of God’s dealings with humanity and creation can be summarized under this two-Adams construct Adam and Christ are what we call Federal heads; and if you remember last week we said that the one of the Latin words for covenant is the word foedus and that’s where we get this word Federal from Adam and Christ are federal heads.

That just means they are covenant heads if Christ as the second Adam obeyed and obtained eternal life for his people as the federal head under his covenant which we call the covenant of redemption. By implication the first Adam was of necessity also under a covenant and so we can speak then of the Creator’s covenant of works with the first Adam and the Father’s covenant of works with the second Adam also known as The covenant of redemption it’s interesting too. Paul doesn’t just simply assert this fact that in Romans 5 he says that through one man’s sin death came into the world and so all mankind became sinful became sinners in God’s eyes he doesn’t just assert that he’s actually doing biblical theology where does.

Paul get that idea from where does. Paul get this idea that it was because of one man’s sin as a federal head who represented the whole all of his posterity Christ Alone accepted where does he get that idea that Adam was a federal head and that everything hung on his obedience or disobedience and the reason why we’re all born Sinners the reason why we all die is because of Adam’s sin where does he get that is it just simply that he’s making it up he’s the Apostle.

Paul so he can make stuff up if he wants to he’s inspired no. Paul is a Biblical Theologian. Paul is actually reading Genesis The Narrative Genesis 1–3 and not only Genesis 1–3 but even after that keep reading Genesis 3–6 what are what are those chapters after the fall telling you well a after the fall.

You turn the page to Genesis 4 what happens Cain kills his brother Abel and then you see all this sin coming into the world and the sin just gets worse and worse the wickedness of mankind proliferates remember Genesis 6 the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and the Lord regretted this is interesting Genesis 6 the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth referring back to the creation account of the creation of man in Genesis chapter 1 and two so you got to keep reading the story and the rest of the story is telling you.

That the introduction of sin into the world because of Adam’s one sin has led to this reality that all mankind is apostate all mankind is wicked all mankind is living out the implications of Adam’s first sin. He’s te the Narrative itself is teaching you the doctrine of original sin that is that everyone after the fall everyone is born with a sinful nature you don’t you don’t have your own individual Falls it’s not as if everybody is born innocent and. At some point in their life they later on decide to follow Adam’s bad example and then they become Sinners and fall no we’re born already fallen that’s the doctrine of original sin.

And that’s what the narrative is telling you: Genesis 1–6 leading to the flood when God just wipes out all of humanity because of the sinfulness of; and the wickedness of mankind not only not only do you see the idea of original sin in the narrative you also see the idea of death being the wages of sin and that everyone dies because of Adam’s sin in fact that’s the main point that. Paul is making in Romans 5 in Romans 5 he does talk about original sin how we’re born with a sinful nature but his main point is that because of Adam’s sin we all die even infants die even even Christians die even the godly people for example.

In Genesis 5 Genesis 5 is the genealogy of Seth and all of The Godly ones down through Enoch all the way down to Noah and what does the text say over; and over again these are the quote unquote Christians of the Old Testament times these are the good people they’re not part of the line of Cain and the wicked ones they’re not part of that Wicked group that’s every intention of the thoughts of their heart is only evil but what does Genesis 5 tell you in that genealogy of The Godly line from Seth down to Noah everyone it says says and he died and he died he lived.

Many years had children lived number of years after that and then he died and he died and he died that’s where. Paul gets this idea that because of Adam’s one transgression everyone is subject to the power of death and everyone dies so you see then that. Paul is a Biblical Theologian he’s not just simply an inspired Apostle who can just tell us this is the truth he’s a Biblical Theologian who’s looking at the text and.

Drawing implications from it and that’s what helps us to see then this idea that Adam is a federal head he’s a unique individual he has a unique role to play We also see this in the fact that Eve sinned; but that’s not when everything went bad that’s not when the curse came Eve did Sin but it wasn’t her sin that plunged the human race under the curse it was when Adam took also an ate of the tree that shows us that Adam is a special he has a special role to play here he has this representative headship role as a federal or covenantal head in the creation account and that’s really important because.

That helps to illuminate the work of Christ as the second Adam Christ is also a federal head and so because of his obedience under his covenant of works also known as The covenant of redemption he has won the to eat of the tree of life life. Not just for himself because he was raised from the dead and exalted but for us so that we too in him and because of his work may have the to eat of the tree of life. This is a very important Doctrine in terms of systematic theology in systematic theology if you don’t understand the doctrine of the covenant of works then you’re not going to understand a lot of other things you’re not going to understand original sin you’re not going to understand.

The work of Christ as the second Adam you’re not going to understand that we’re saved by grace because of what Christ did you you also understand the doctrine of justification because what does justification mean it doesn’t just mean that our sins are forgiven it means that we are reckoned in God’s eyes as if we had passed the test as if we had earned eternal life not because we have but because Christ has and we are represented by him and he has done it for us; and that’s why can say maybe you’ve heard this before RC Sproul is famous for saying this and that is that we’re saved by works not our works.

But the works of Christ and that statement only makes sense if you believe in this doctrine of the covenant of works

Contemporary Errors Concerning the Covenant of Works

Unfortunately, in the last hundred years or so, there are many who have either denied or revised this doctrine of the covenant of works some deny it and they do so because they’re biblicists biblicists are people who say I don’t need fancy systematic theology all I need is just my Bible; and I don’t see the word covenant here it’s not here so therefore it doesn’t exist that’s one of the reasons why people deny the covenant of works because they’re biblicists.

And they have a very simplistic literalistic way of reading the Bible or they just read one verse at a time and they’re just looking for a verse that says it; and since it doesn’t say it therefore it must not be true others though are not biblicists but they are revising the doctrine of the covenant of works in a very dangerous Way by introducing grace into the pre-fall arrangement and this is very tempting for people because it’s very natural to say I don’t know if I really like this idea of talking about works and merit that just seems a little bit off don’t we believe in grace.

Maybe even before the fall God related to Adam on the basis of grace seems like a logical thing to say one Theologian named John Murray who used to teach at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia back in the early part of the 20th century he didn’t like. This concept of the covenant of works because for two reasons number one he didn’t like the word covenant in reference to the covenant of works not because he was a biblicist he acknowledged that there are plenty of other covenants in the Bible; but he didn’t like calling it a covenant because he defined a covenant as by definition a sovereign administration of grace that’s what a covenant is in his theology remember we defined a covenant differently as being an oathbound commitment and that allows for the possibility.

That some oathbound commitments might be promise covenants where God takes the oath but others might be law covenants where man takes the oath but Murray didn’t agree with that double or that bifurcation of covenants into those two types he thought that all covenants had to be gracious and so if a covenant is by definition an administration of grace then he thought that we shouldn’t call this covenant the covenant of works secondly he didn’t like the term works. He didn’t like the term covenant he didn’t like the term works as part of this title for this covenant covenant of works because he didn’t think that it accurately brought out the gracious aspects in the covenant of works or the adamic administration is the term he used for it and he wanted to see more grace there.

There are others as well for example his successor at Westminster was named Norman Shepherd and Norman Shepard also agreed with Murray he brought grace into the pre-fall arrangement and unfortunately because he did that he ended up also misunderstanding the work of Christ remember what I was saying before that you have to understand the two-Adams and if you mess up the first Adam and God’s relationship with him. It’s going to completely distort your understanding of what the second Adam did and sure enough Norman Shepherd denied the concept of the imputation of the active obedience of Christ because if the first Adam didn’t need to merit anything.

The second Adam doesn’t need to merit anything either and he just taught that we’re we simply get our sins forgiven but there’s no imputation of the active obedience of Christ that is his keeping of the law in our place. Affirming the doctrine of the covenant of works is crucial for getting the gospel right. There are others as well since that time Norman Shepherd was the first one who really made this a very significant deal as far as denying the imputation of the active obedience of. Christ and doing so because he was also reworking the doctrine of the adamic covenant he was the main one that really pushed that doctrine but it was picked up by others you may have heard of this movement called the Federal Vision with Doug Wilson.

And those guys they are also influenced by Norman Shepherd and because they’re fidgeting with and changing the covenant of works and saying it’s not really a works covenant and there’s really no merit there it’s just grace that. Leads to fidgeting with and changing the covenant of grace and the covenant of redemption as well affirming the covenant of works is crucial for getting the gospel because the works principle that is enshrined in the covenant of works do this and live; and if you don’t do it you you are going to die The works principle that is enshrined in the covenant of works is the backbone of the gospel just think about how.

Paul presents the gospel in the first three chapters of Romans he begins with teaching that all mankind is in a state of sin and he first he charges the Gentiles with being in a state of sin and. He says but the Jews are no better off they have the advantage that they have the law but even they don’t keep the law and he even says in in Romans 2:13 not the hearers of the law are righteous before God. Just going to synagogue and hearing the law doesn’t make you righteous but the doers of the law will be justified and a lot of people have been puzzled by that statement.

Because it sounds like he’s saying we’re justified by works the doers of the law will be justified well he’s not saying that’s how we as Christians are justified he’s saying if you want to be justified by the law you have to do it you have to. Do the law perfectly in order to be justified then he clearly goes on immediately after that to say in chapter 3 remember verse 9 he says but. Now we know that there is no one who is righteous before God by keeping the law so that principle that he said in 213 the doers of the law will be justified is an empty set there’s nobody who has kept the law perfectly apart from Christ.

And so there is nobody who is justified that way because there is no one who is righteous and he even says in concluding that whole section in chapter 3:20 therefore by works of the law no one will be justified in God’s sight; but now then 3:21 the great transition. Whenever Paul uses those transitional butts but God in his Mercy but now the righteousness of God has been manifested in the gospel and he’s referring there to the righteousness of Christ.

The Works Principle as the Backbone of the Gospel

The works principle that is enshrined in the covenant of works is crucial for getting the gospel if there is no works principle at all even hypothetically even with Adam in the garden. There is no works for Christ to do on our behalf then there is no merit of Christ if Adam had obeyed God and one of the questions put it just like this if Adam had obeyed God he would have received the reward; and he would have received it as a matter of Justice he would have been able to go to God and say God I did my part now you owe me the reward to eat of the tree of life and live forever he would have been entitled to.

Enter God’s Sabbath rest upon the faithful completion of the work of probation so also the second Adam Christ he receives the reward his reward is being raised from the dead; and being exalted he receives the reward too not as a matter of grace God the Father wasn’t being gracious to his Son saying well you did pretty good; but I’m just going to be gracious and give you the reward anyway even though you don’t deserve it no he’s giving him the reward because he deserves it Christ deserves it as a matter of justice and.

Merit Defined: Romans 4:4

To the one who works, the reward is not credited
as a gift of grace
but as what is owed.
—Romans 4:4

Paul makes this very clear he defines what merit is in Romans 4:4 you might want to look at that Romans 4:4 this is. Paul’s definition of merit he says to the one who works the reward is not credited as a gift of grace but as what is owed to the one who works the reward is not credited as gift of grace; but as something that is owed to you and that would have been true of Adam if he had kept his probation and if he had passed the test there is another I’ve been mentioning these these names from the 17th century like Cocceius and Witsius.

Wilhelmus à Brakel

And all these guys there’s another one of those named Wilhelmus à Brakel these are all these Dutch reformed guys he wrote A A multivolume Treatise called The Christian’s Reasonable Service; and he has this great quote in there where he says what I’m trying to say he says acquaintance with this covenant referring specifically to the covenant of works with Adam acquaintance with this covenant is of the greatest importance for whoever errs here or denies the existence. Of the covenant of works will not understand the covenant of grace and will readily err concerning the mediatorship of the Lord Jesus such a person will readily deny that Christ by his active obedience.

That is his active fulfillment of the law such a person who denies the covenant of works will readily deny that Christ by his active obedience has merited a right to eternal life for the elect whoever denies the covenant of works must rightly be suspected to be in. Error concerning the covenant of grace as well so this goes back to what I was saying at the beginning when I said which of these three theological covenants is the most important; and our initial instinct is to say well it’s got to be the covenant of grace because that’s the one we’re in that’s that’s our covenant that’s our piety that’s our religion.

“The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.”
—Westminster Confession of Faith 7.2 and the Covenant of Redemption

But even though I agree with that I think you could also make a case that the covenant of works is just as important because it sets the framework and the context for understanding the covenant of grace it helps us understand the contrast between works; and grace it helps us to understand the covenant of redemption the Father’s covenant of works with Christ as the second Adam and that’s the basis for the covenant of grace the covenant of grace comes to us only because of that covenant the eternal covenant between the Father and the Son because Christ has won the reward he’s obeyed the Father remember that passage in John 17 the high priestly prayer of Christ he’s coming to the end of his earthly ministry.

Christ Pleads the Terms of the Covenant: John 17

“I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
—John 17:4–5

And you see him there going to the Father in prayer and pleading the terms of the covenant the terms of his covenant of redemption Redemption the covenant of works between the Father and the Son and he just. Amazingly boldly pleads on the basis of God’s justice he says John 17 Father the hour has come he’s about to go to the cross glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to. All whom you have given him and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent and.

Verses four and five I glorified you on earth having accomplished the work that you gave me to do and now Father glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. Wonderful to know that we are saved and justified not merely because of God’s mercy and grace that is of course true it’s God’s mercy that he elected us it’s God’s mercy and grace that he gave us Jesus to be our savior; but we’re also saved on the basis of God’s justice he is faithful and just to forgive us and to give us not only forgiveness of sins he doesn’t just bring us back to zero we had a big massive debt of sin he doesn’t just bring us.

Back to zero he gives us the positive right to eternal life it’s like when you go to Magic Mountain and you bring in your pass and you scan that pass you have a ticket in you are. In and you can go on all the rides you have a ticket to heaven and it’s not your righteousness because your righteousness is like filthy rags it’s not even your sanctification because even though it’s the work of the spirit in you it’s not perfect enough it’s Christ and what Christ has done that gives you that ticket to heaven.

The Eschatology of the Covenant of Works

The covenant of works is the eschatological engine of the biblical narrative. As Geerhardus Vos observed, “Eschatology is prior to soteriology.” Humanity was created not merely to remain forever in an unconfirmed state but to move through probation to confirmation and ultimately to glorification.

The Intended Course of History under Adam

Had Adam obeyed, the movement would have been:

1. Probation: Adam would undergo the divinely appointed test.
2. Confirmation: Upon successful obedience, he would be confirmed in righteousness.
3. Semi-eschatological expansion: Humanity would fulfill the cultural mandate, filling and subduing the earth and extending Eden to global fullness.
4. Glorification: With the cultural mandate complete, humanity would enter God’s Sabbath rest.

Meredith G. Kline summarizes the goal: “The cosmic-human temple was the ultimate objective in view in the cultural enterprise.” What Adam failed to accomplish is now being achieved by Christ, the second Adam.

The Prophetic Hope of New Creation

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth.”
—Isaiah 65:17

The Lord “comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord.”
—Isaiah 51:3

“This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden.”
—Ezekiel 36:35

The prophets describe salvation as the restoration and glorification of Eden on a worldwide scale.

The Kingdom of Glory

The final goal is that the whole earth should be filled with the glory of God (Num. 14:21; Ps. 72:19; Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14). Creation becomes the cosmic temple in which God rests enthroned.

“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?”
—Isaiah 66:1