# Fulfillment of covenants



## athanatos (Aug 8, 2011)

Feel free to improve upon this. I am trying to become more familiar with covenant terminology (since apart from ecclesiastical context, it is archaic), and try to understand how God has revealed himself through covenants.

When making a covenant, there are two parties and an agreement of action. In most cases, it is a contract that "if you do [x], then I'll do [y]". And in the ANE context, it is often given blessings and curses; "if you do [x], then I'll do [y]; but if you don't do [x], then I will do [z]." Is this a pretty good summary?

With contracts if one holds up to his side of the bargain and the other likewise, then the contract is complete. Nothing more is obligatory. Nothing more is demanded. Moreover, if the first one holds up to his side of the bargain again, the second is not obligated to do likewise unless the contract was renewed. Or rather, reinstated.

Pacts and covenants, it is my understanding, are synonyms without much of any important nuance. (Is this true?) ... And hence I am wondering if the covenants of God are ever fulfilled, or if they can be fulfilled.

For if Christ satisfied the Covenant of Works and imputes His righteousness to us by the CoG, then isn't the Covenant of Works no longer valid for us? It would no longer demand anything of us, since the covenant is effectively fulfilled on our end (and the eschatological consummation to be fulfilled according to God's side of the bargain).

I realize there may be differing views on the nuances, but since I am trying to understand the basic concepts, please avoid being nitpicky.

---------- Post added at 12:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 AM ----------

(on second thought, do the mods think this should be in the Wading Pool?)


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