Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
The names of the two covenants, one of works and one of grace, may be misleading. The names may give the idea that the original covenant lacks any element of grace. That God creates us and gives us the gift of life is already an act of grace. God was under no obligation to create anyone. Once created, we had no claim on God to enter into a covenant with us. God’s promise of life on the condition of obedience has its origin in his grace. Even in the covenant of works the reward promised for obedience is de pactio.
The reward is given, not because the works themselves, due to their intrinsic value, impose an obligation on God to reward them, but because God in his grace offered such a reward as part of an agreement. Theoretically God could have justly and righteously imposed an obligation on his creatures to obey his law without any promise of reward whatsoever. It is the creature’s intrinsic duty to obey his Creator, with or without the prospect of reward.
For the reference, see:
The reward is given, not because the works themselves, due to their intrinsic value, impose an obligation on God to reward them, but because God in his grace offered such a reward as part of an agreement. Theoretically God could have justly and righteously imposed an obligation on his creatures to obey his law without any promise of reward whatsoever. It is the creature’s intrinsic duty to obey his Creator, with or without the prospect of reward.
For the reference, see:
R. C. Sproul on reward in the covenant of works
The names of the two covenants, one of works and one of grace, may be misleading. The names may give the idea that the original covenant lacks any element of grace. That God creates us and gives us…
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