Particular History
History of the Faith · Path One

Revelation

God justly relates to sinners through The Covenant of Grace, which is one covenant, revealed progressively through Scripture — by farther steps, promise upon promise — until its full disclosure in the New Testament as the New Covenant. This page will trace that unfolding as revealed in the Christian scriptures.

The Covenant Framework

The Bible is God's revelation about salvation. While every covenant in the scriptures serves to advance and reveal the way of salvation, there are three covenants that deal directly with the question of eternal life.

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Defining a Covenant

An agreement between two or more parties containing terms, blessings, and curses.

Classifying Covenants

Covenants can be understood along two axes: who the covenant is made with, and what its terms are.

By Parties
  • Particular — made with a specific people or group.
  • Creation — made with the whole of creation.
By Terms
  • Works — “Do this and live.”
  • Gracious — “Live and do this.”
Parties Particular Covenants Made with a specific people or group, not all of creation. Parties Covenants with Creation Made with the whole of creation, not a particular people. Terms · “Do this and live” Works Covenant Blessings are granted based on obedience. Terms · “Live and do this” Gracious Covenants Blessings are granted even if the human parties disobey.

The Covenants of Scripture

The Covenant with Adam

The covenant of works.

Parties: All of creation Terms: Works Promise: Eternal life Role: Establishes federal headship, creates framework for imputation, ushers initial promise of The Covenant of Grace.
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The Noahic Covenant

God's covenant preservation of the created order.

Parties: All of creation Terms: Gracious Promise: God will never destroy the earth again by a flood Role: Reveals The Covenant of Grace by types and shadows. Provides a moral framework for post-fall humanity.
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The Old Covenant

The Abrahamic Covenant

The promise of a people, a land, and a seed through whom all nations would be blessed.

Parties: Abraham's offspring Terms: Works Promises: Offspring, Land, a King, Blessing to the nations Role: Establishes and preserves the people from whom the promised Messiah would be born, and promises that through the Messiah the nations would be blessed.
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The Mosaic Covenant

Law given to a redeemed people, and its relationship to the promise already made to Abraham.

Parties: Israel Terms: Works Promises: Fulfills, typologically, the Abrahamic promises of a national offspring and the land Role: Reveals The Covenant of Grace by types and shadows. Establishes the law and temple system defining Israel's terms for inhabiting the promised land.
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The Davidic Covenant

A promised king and an everlasting throne.

Parties: Israel Terms: Works Promises: Fulfills, typologically, the Abrahamic promise of a king from Abraham's line Role: Reveals The Covenant of Grace by types and shadows. Establishes and preserves the Messianic line.
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The New Covenant

The covenant of grace fully disclosed in Christ — the point the Church path traces forward from Nicaea to 1689.

Parties: The church Terms: Grace Promise: Eternal life Role: The Covenant of Grace formally enacted in history
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