Presbyterian Distinctives (3): Covenant
- Rev Norman Cameron

We continue to look at some of the beliefs which we as a Presbyterian church would emphasise. Let me again say that many of these beliefs and doctrines are believed by other branches of the Christian church, especially the Reformed parts of the church, but as Presbyterians we especially emphasise them. Last week we looked at the sovereignty of God, he not only foreknows but he foreordains, he plans, proposes and disposes. In grace he calls, in grace he chooses, in grace he regenerates and converts and saves. It is all of God from first to last. We worship a God who is in control – this is an emphasis in our theology for we believe that it is a strong emphasis in scripture.

WHAT IS A COVENANT

Another key theme that runs throughout scripture and which we emphasise as Presbyterians is the idea of covenant. What is a covenant? Here are some definitions of covenant: “It is a promise made binding by an oath”; “it is a sovereign administration of grace and promise; “covenant describes God’s voluntary condescension to cross the divide between Creator and creature, to relate graciously with finite human beings, and to enter into a relationship with them.”

In the ancient near east covenants were common – they could be entered into between equal parties, or between a king and his people or between a victorious sovereign and those he has conquered. Promises were made usually with an oath and it may have been marked by a sacrifice. For example in one of the best known covenants in the OT between Abraham and God it was marked by circumcision but also in Gen15 we see that animals are killed, cut in half and a smoking brazier passes down between the middle of these divided carcasses. In effect it was saying we mark this promise with sacrifice and if I break this promise may what happened to these animals happen to me. A covenant was serious. It was a promise to enter into a relationship and vows were taken. Today a marriage is a covenant and vows are taken.

Now in the OT we find that there are 5 covenants made between God and certain individuals, and then in the NT we have a new covenant in Jesus, or perhaps more accurately a newer covenant for it really fulfils and confirms the earlier covenants made between God and mankind.

What are these covenants and why are they relevant to us today? As we look at them I want you to notice recurring patterns and ideas in them that still apply to Christians today. We will see that these covenants are made between God and a representative individual. The covenant does not just relate to that person but to their family, to their tribe and nation and maybe even to the world. Secondly we see that a sign of the covenant was usually given, something that would remind them of the promise that had been made. Thirdly something is expected of the person God makes the covenant with, usually some response of obedience or faith in God.

1. Adamic covenant. There is some debate among scholars as to whether God made a covenant as such with Adam and Eve. Although there are differences with the other covenants many say that in effect this was a covenant. God chose to have a relationship with Adam and Eve and they were representative of humankind. The requirement was that Adam and Eve would look after the Garden and not eat of one tree, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The Westminster Confession calls this covenant a covenant of works, (7:2) it was dependent on Adam and Eve obeying. If they obeyed they would enjoy long life.

But they disobeyed, they broke the covenant and mankind fell and ever since we have been rebels in our hearts against God.

2. Noahic covenant. In Gen.6 we reach a kind of low point in early human history where God gets fed up with men and women’s selfishness and sinfulness and he sends a flood (Gen.6:5). In Gen.6:18 God establishes a covenant with Noah and vows to keep Noah and his family safe. But they need to respond to this covenant and they do this by building an ark and entering it – so they show faith. They are saved and then when they come out of the ark God renews his covenant with Noah and with the whole of creation (Gen.98-12). He vows not to destroy the earth with a flood again and he gives Noah the rainbow as the sign of the covenant.

Now in this covenant with Noah we start to see the pattern that will emerge. a) a promise made to an individual who is a representative of a wider grouping - in this case the world); b) a response required - in this case obedience and faith in building the ark on dry land and amongst ridicule); c) a sign confirming or sealing the covenant – a rainbow.

3.Abrahamic covenant. But the story continues for God in his grace decides to continue to pursue mankind and have a relationship with mankind. And so he goes after some obscure character called Abram living in a middle eastern backwater. In Gen.12 God calls Abram to leave where he lives and go elsewhere and he promises that he will father a great nation, but of course Abram was already old – 75 years old at this stage and without any children. In Gen.15 Abram still has no children and God confirms the covenant and it is marked by the cutting of animals and the passing of the brazier between them. In Gen.17 Abram is 99 years old and seriously worried that God is not going to fulfil his side of the bargain so God give him another reminder of the covenant and he gives a sign – all male children will be circumcised at 8 days old. Note the pattern again – Abram is a representative individual representing the many descendants he will have, not only physical children but spiritual children which will last down to this day, his response is one of faith as he does what God asks of him and it is marked by the sign of circumcision.

4. The Mosaic covenant. God chooses a leader of the Israelites called Moses. Again he was an ordinary guy, indeed he had a troubled past – he was a murderer – through Moses God gives to the people the Law at Sinai and he renews his covenant. You will be my people and I will be your God and you are to obey these laws. When it comes to leaving Egypt God gives the people a sign that he is with them and will deliver them called the Passover. They sacrifice animals and mark their doors with blood and the angel of death does not visit those homes, they are protected by the sign.

Again we have the pattern - God makes a covenant with Moses as leader of the people of Israel, they are called to respond in faith and in obedience by obeying the Ten Commandments and other laws that are given and the sign they are given is Passover which they will celebrate once a year every year.

5. Davidic covenant. At the next, more settled stage of Israel’s history God confirms his covenant love (his hesed love) with his people through a king, David. Again he takes an obscure shepherd boy and gives him a promise and he calls for faith and obedience. It is summarised well in Psalm 89:3 “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.” The sign of the covenant will be a throne and through Solomon his son a temple. You can read of this covenant in more detail in 2 Samuel 7 where Nathan prophecies to David about this covenant.

These five covenants take us through the Old Testament. Apart from the one with Adam which is a covenant of works the rest are covenants of grace. God pursues his people in grace, he does not give up on them. But they are covenants of grace which do ask for a response from the people for them to be effective. This covenant of grace culminates in the coming of Jesus.

6. The new covenant in Jesus. With the coming of Jesus God’s relationship with people is affirmed. As Presbyterians we emphasise the continuity of the old and new testaments. Jesus’ covenant is a better covenant in that he fulfils all the other covenants and signs in himself. He is the fulfilment of the law, of circumcision, of Passover, of the sacrificial system, of the throne, of the temple. God shows his love to all mankind in the death of his Son and through this death our sins are covered and dealt with, past, present and future. But just as God expected a response of faith and obedience from his people in the OT dispensation so he does today and he calls us to trust in Jesus and follow him. He replaces the OT signs of the covenant with two – baptism and communion. As Presbyterians we see a direct replacement and co-relation of circumcision with baptism and the Passover with communion. As circumcision marked the entry of a person into Israel as a child of God so baptism is administered to those who believe in Jesus and their children. This marks our entry into the visible church – the people of God. We stress the continuity of Old and New Testament, it is one covenant of grace from Abraham onwards and if the children of believers were marked with a sign of being part of God’s people in the OT how much more should they be marked with the sign that Jesus gave us.

Also as Passover spoke of a deliverance from Egypt so Communion, the Lord’s Supper, marks a greater deliverance from sin. Jesus said “Drink from this cup. This is my blood of the covenant poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Mt.26:28 Presbyterians stress this idea of covenant running throughout the Bible, while we see differences between the covenant of grace under the OT and the NT we stress the continuity of Old and New Testament and we stress inclusiveness over individuality, thus our emphasis upon families.

While we believe that an individual must come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ personally that where that person is a parent God works through households (between husbands and wives and parents and children) and so we emphasise households more than other churches do and we highlight verses which speak of household baptisms in Acts 16:15,33 and 1 Cor.1:16, and Peter saying at Pentecost “Repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off…” Acts 2:38-39; and Paul saying in 1 Cor.7:14 “For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife…otherwise your children would be unclean but as it is they are holy”.

So as we come today to this sacrament that Jesus gave us let it be a reminder that we worship a God who pursues us in love - in his hesed love, a God who does not give up on us. We worship a God of great grace and forgiveness with whom failure is not final, for if you know their stories, you will know that Adam failed, Noah failed, Abraham failed, Moses made mistakes, and of course so dud David. They all failed at different times in their lives and as such were good representatives of us. They were not perfect and we are not perfect. All God asks is a repentant heart and a willingness for him to enter us by His Spirit and use us for his glory. This Table is for sinners. It is a Table of grace and as such may we eat and drink and rise from this Table continuing to learn how to treat each other with the grace and forgiveness that God has shown, and continues to show, to us.

As a Presbyterian church we emphasise that we worship a covenant keeping God and we are a covenant people, a covenant community under the blood, the precious blood of Christ, and God says through Jeremiah and repeated in Hebrews - “I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people”.

Heb.8:10