Theology: E - God's Way of Salvation Flashcards
What is a covenant?
A sovereignly administered bond with stipulations and sanctions (Pipa)
What is the Covenant of Works (Life)?
**WSC 12 - **“When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; for-bidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.”
Who are the parties in the Covenant of Works?
God and Adam as representative of all man.
Prove that the Covenant of Works is a covenant.
- It was a; Promise: Eternal life; Stipulation: Not eat the fruit of the knowledge of God and evil; Sacrament: Garden
- It is called a Covenant in Hosea 6:7
- It was broken Job 31:33
- It does not have the name covenant like the Davidic covenant in 2 Sam7:23 ( It is called a covenant in Psalm 89:3)
- It had seals
- It has threats: The death has 3 aspects; Judicial, which places the subject under the wrath of God; Spiritual, Adam lost communion with God; Physical death, we would have to suffer physical death
- The parties of the Covenant: God and Adam are the parties of this covenant.
- It had conditions: Perfect obedience
- It had probation: Eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
- It had a promise: eternal life, the tree of life implies a promise of life
How do we know that Adam accepted the conditions of the Covenant of Works??
- He tried to hide himself form God after his sin. (Gen 3:13)
- A Law was imposed upon Adam, which necessarily implies a federal agreement and contract.
- Eve talked about God’s covenant (stipulation) to the serpent
- Adam was in the estate of innocence, so he loved whatever God required and prepared for Adam
- Adam’s shame proved his own violation against to the covenant
How do we know that Adam Acted in behalf of the human race?
- All that was said to Adam in punishment for his having broken the covenant applied to the whole race.
- The solidarity of the race, and the representative character of Adam is clearly taught in Romans 5:12 , 18 ; 1 Corinthians 15:22.
- The plan of salvation is based on the same representative principle. Christ is compared to Adam as the Second Adam, or the Last Man ( Romans 5:12-21 ; 1 Corinthians 15:22 , 45-58 ).
- This principle of representation is seen to be operative in many of the institutions of human society, such as family, church and state.
Is there a present validity to the Covenant of Works?
The present validity of the Covenant of Works is the federal headship of Adam. He is our representative, and his sin and the subsequent effects of the fall are passed down to his descendants. We have sinned, fallen, and reaped the consequences of disobedience in Adam.
What are the four names for the Covenant of Works?
- Nature; because it is founded on the nature of man (as it was at first created by God) and on his integrity or powers
- Legal; because the condition on man’s part was the observation of the law of nature engraved within him;
- Works; because it depended upon works or his proper obedience,
- Life: because it was promised eternal life.
What is the Covenant of Redemption?
WSC 20 - “God having out or hie mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a cov-enant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.”
Discuss the Covenant of Grace
- Gracious – God had no obligation to enter into covenant and his word is the insurance of its validity.
- Trinitarian – Father elects, Son justifies, Spirit applies effectually
- Eternal – Cannot be broken
- Particular – Only effectual for the elect, not universal in scope
- One covenant of grace with various administrations (dispensations)
- Both Conditional and Unconditional – Upon Jesus Christ and unmerited by man
How is the Covenant of Grace related to the Abrahamic Covenant?
One of the first stages in working out the promise of the seed. The promise of a redeemer was more specific. The grandeur of the purpose of God was more distinctly known. The Church was organized as a distinct visible or-ganization, separated for the world by the sign of circumcision.
How is the Covenant of Grace related to The Mosaic Covenant?
The simple theme of blood sacrifice was elaborately explained in the ritual of the tabernacle and temple services. The ethical provision of the covenant were expounded in the moral law.
How is the Covenant of Grace related to The Noahic Covenant?
Although sin has abounded God has promised to preserve Noah and his family, and the earth so that his cove-nant work may continue. But there was no change in the applicability of what had previously been revealed.
Discuss the relationship between the Old and New Covenants. Defend from Scripture.
- There is one covenant with different administrations.
**WCF 7.6 - **“There are not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dis-pensations.”
Galatians 3:14 - “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
- The Old and New covenants are distinct in that Scripture refers to them as Old and New.
**Hebrews 8:10 (Jeremiah 31:33) - ** “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.”
Hebrews 8:13 - “By calling this covenant ‘new’, he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disap-pear.”
- It is in this sense that the New covenant displaces the Old.
Explain and defend (with Scripture proofs} the orthodox doctrine of the person of Christ
**WSC 21 ** - Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
**Answer. **The only redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal son of God, became man, and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.
- Birth of Christ, fully man.
**Luke 1:35 - **“And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. - Fully God. Col. 2:9 - “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,”
- Union of both God and man **Hebrews 1:1-4 - **“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
Was Christ a human person?
Yes.
WSC 22 - “Christ, being the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being con-ceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.”
John 1:1,14 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…”
Does Christ have a soul?
Yes.
**WSC 22 - ** “Christ, being the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and bom of her, yet without sin.”
John 12:27 - “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.”
What is kenosis?
- Kenosis is a theological term from Philippians 2:5-11 which refers to the incarnation of Christ. He is described as having “emptied himself” and taken human form. In taking on human flesh, Christ is spoken of undergoing some manner of self-limitation.
The emptying has two aspects to it:
1. taking on the likeness of sinful humanity
2. and enduring death on the cross.
It is the humility of Christ in not exercising all the privileges of the godhead in the incarnation.
Did Christ lay aside any of His divine attributes at the incarnation?
No.
Col. 2:9 - “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,”
Briefly explain and defend against the challenges to orthodox Christianity posed by: Docetism
This was the view that said that the Son of God only “seemed” to become a man. The suffering and human aspects of Christ were imaginary or apparent instead of being part of a real incarnation.
John 20:24-28 - “Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Briefly explain and defend against the challenges to orthodox Christianity posed by: Arius
Christ is not the eternal son of God, the first created being. This doctrine states that Jesus was a heavenly being as an intermediary between God and man – but still a created being.
**John 1:1-14 - **“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 1He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
