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It is an agreement between parties that secures a relationship.
Does the fact that God is involved change the definition at all? i.e. how can man be a party in a covenant with almighty God?
Being in a covenant does not imply equality between the two parties in the covenant. In the past conquering Kings would enforce a covenant on the peoples that they were conquering.
Being in a covenant does not imply equality between the two parties in the covenant. In the past conquering Kings would enforce a covenant on the peoples that they were conquering.
This is what I can't get my head around How can someone be a party without equality being implied?
PS: Could you reference that please?
Outside of biblical literature the most important use of the covenant idea is found in some international treaty documents of the second millennium B.C. In recent years archeologists have unearthed a great number of these treaties, which were drawn up by the Hittite kings or suzerains. These suzerainty treaties were unilaterally drawn up by the Hittite conquerors and imposed on a subjugated vassal king. The vassal was obliged to swear allegiance, fidelity and exclusive loyalty to the suzerain. The suzerain pledged that he would help and protect his faithful vassal.
This is what I can't get my head around How can someone be a party without equality being implied?
Being in a covenant does not imply equality between the two parties in the covenant. In the past conquering Kings would enforce a covenant on the peoples that they were conquering.
This is what I can't get my head around How can someone be a party without equality being implied?
PS: Could you reference that please?
A covenant includes promise and command. The model provided in that blog requires Scripture to be moulded to fit the elements whereas it should be the other way around.
The model does include the promise (Sanctions) and command (Ethical Stipulations). It also includes the other items (or else we won't know who the Covenant is with, or how it will be continued.)
It is an agreement between parties that secures a relationship.
What Scripture would you use? Does the fact that God is involved change the definition at all? i.e. how can man be a party in a covenant with almighty God?
It is an agreement between parties that secures a relationship.
What Scripture would you use? Does the fact that God is involved change the definition at all? i.e. how can man be a party in a covenant with almighty God?
INDEX of covenant theology lectures
Here's a series of lectures on Covenant Theology by Ligon Duncan who I learned from here at RTS. The first lecture overviews the Scriptural use of "Covenant". Just scroll down past the syllabus part.
If that is the case, you have personal obedience as the condition of the covenant of grace in the same way as Adam's personal obedience was a condition of the covenant of works.
Let's see if I can write this clearly and carefully, without blurring justification by faith alone...
Personal obedience (through God's imputed righteous) is a condition of the Covenant of Grace. Without this, one will suffer the curses of the Covenant (ie., Judas Iscariot). This is why Paul gives us such a sobering warning concerning the Lord's Supper.
Granted, this is not perfect obedience (or else the Covenant would be unnecessary). But a child of the Covenant must be one who battles his sin until the death. Obedience is a requirement, as God's grace delivers us not only from the penalty of sin, but from it's dominion as well (Romans 6:14).
Anyways you get the gist of the four types of covenants he defines.1. Covenants in Ancient Society.
Contracts.... Example is in the book of Ruth where Boas purchases a field in Ruth Chapter 4.
It has 5 characteristics.
a. The parties involved v 7-9
b. Description of the transaction v 3
c. Specificaton of the Contract v 5
d. List of witnesses v 2,9-11
e. and the date the contract was completed. v 9
2 Parity Covenants
These are legal agreements by with a firm bond or union is established and maintained between two parties for their mutual benefit.
The form of this covenant followed
a. Preamble in which the initiator is identified.
b. Prologue which describes the prior relationship previously sustained between the two parties.
c. Terms, in which stipulations, obligations and promises, are set down.
d. Future provision, in which arrangements are made for the preservation of the document.....
e. Witnesses are noted......
f.Sanctions whereby blessings and cursings are attached....
in addition there usually takes place a solemn oath-taking ceremony which seals the covenant
Examples found are in Genesis 14:13, 21:27, 26:28f, 31:43-54, 1 Samuel 18:3, 1 Kings 5:12, 10:10,13.
3. Covenants of Grant
The distinctive feature of this type of covenant, so important a factor in the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants of the divine Covenant of Grace, is that far from being instituted between two parties more or less equal in status, 'they are freely and independently instituted by one powerful party entirely for the benefit of a lesser, weaker party'......
4. Suzerainty Covenants
These are covenants instituted by a great leader, usually a king (or suzerain), with a weaker party, a vassal, mainly for his own benefit.
The parties are generally the same in both Covenants of Grant and Suzerainty Covenants, but 'functionally, however, there is a vast difference between these two types of documents.......
portions taken from pages 67-69