Understanding the Covenants of Grace and Sinai

It is a pleasure to help you explore the profound truths regarding the covenants and God's plan of redemption for humanity found on these pages.

The Covenant of Grace

The covenant of grace is the eternal arrangement for bringing human beings back into harmony with the divine willPP 370.2+1.

• Origin: This covenant was first established with man in Eden following the Fall, through the promise that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's headPP 370.2.

• Purpose: It offers pardon for sins and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in ChristPP 370.2.

• Condition: Eternal life is promised on the condition of fidelity to God's lawPP 370.2.

• The Law as a Basis: The law of God serves as the very basis of this covenant, providing the standard for those being restored to the ability to obey HimPP 370.4.

The Abrahamic Covenant

The Lord renewed this same covenant of grace to Abraham, emphasizing that all nations would be blessed through his seed Genesis 22:18PP 370.3.

• Faith in Christ: Abraham understood this promise pointed to Christ and trusted in Him for the forgiveness of sins, which was accounted to him for righteousness Galatians 3:8, 16PP 370.3.

• Authority of Law: This renewal maintained the authority of God's law, as evidenced by God's testimony that Abraham kept His commandments and statutes Genesis 26:5PP 370.3.

• Ratification: While this covenant existed by promise since the first intimation of redemption, it was officially ratified by the death and blood of ChristPP 370.4+1.

The "Old" Covenant at Sinai

Because the people had lost the knowledge of God's holiness and their own helplessness during their Egyptian bondage, a second compact—the "old" covenant—was formed at SinaiPP 371.2+1.

• Human Confidence: The people of Israel, not realizing the sinfulness of their hearts or their need for a Saviour, felt they could establish their own righteousnessPP 371.4.

• The Promise: They readily entered into the covenant, declaring they would do all the Lord had said Exodus 24:7PP 371.4.

• Breaking the Covenant: Within weeks, they broke this covenant by worshipping a graven image, demonstrating their inability to keep the law without ChristPP 371.4.

• The Result: Their failure led them to feel their need for the pardon and Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant, thus preparing them to appreciate the blessings of the new covenantPP 371.4.

Comparison of the Covenants

Feature	The New Covenant (Abrahamic)	The Old Covenant (Sinai)
Ratification	Ratified by the blood of ChristPP 371.1.	Ratified by the blood of a sacrificePP 371.1.
Foundation	Based on God's promise and oath Hebrews 6:18PP 371.1.	Based on the people's promise to obey Exodus 24:7PP 371.4.
Purpose	To bring men into harmony with God's law through faithPP 370.4.	To teach the holiness of God and the need for a SaviourPP 371.3+1.

I hope this overview provides a clear understanding of how God has worked throughout history to reveal His love and law to His people! 🌟