A COVENANT GOD

The Bible teaches us that God relates to his people by covenant (a binding commitment initiated by God), by which he promises to be the God of those whom he calls and makes his people (Genesis 17:7). After the Fall of man, and in face of man's total inability to save himself, God enacted what is termed the Covenant of Grace, freely offering life and salvation to all who would believe in him and his promises. This covenant underwent different administrations – the covenant with Abraham, with Israel at Mt. Sinai (Mosaic), and with David- but its essential promise remained the same throughout. ‘I will be your God and you shall be my people’ (Jeremiah 31:33). It was fulfilled in the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20). The Covenant of Grace is the unifying theme which runs through both Old and New Testaments.

As covenant Head of his people, Christ lived and died to fulfill Scripture and make the only once-for-all sacrifice sufficient to merit life everlasting (Luke 22:20, Hebrews 9:15-28). He fulfilled all righteousness to save those given to him by the Father, and to secure, not merely make possible, their salvation (John 6:37-40, 44; 17:9, 10, 24). We come to Christ empty-handed and undeserving of the free gift of everlasting life, but happily owning that:

Upon a life I did not live,
Upon a death I did not die,
Another's life, another's death,
I stake my whole eternity.