Compositions of Covenant Theology

The background and development of Covenant Theology (CT hereafter) is almost as old as pre-millennialism. Associated with it are some giants of the faith such as Louis Berkohf, Charles Hodge, W. G. T. Shedd, and O. T. Allis to name a few of my favorite Covenant Theologians (here after CTs). The Earnest Contender’s aim for this and subsequent posts is to give the reader a tour through the museum of CT and highlight the three basic compositions that make CT so attractive to many. CT is famous for these three compositions; the covenant of works; the covenant of redemption; and the covenant of grace. I will then turn the corner and explain that while I respect the masters and their work in these compositions in some (not all) of their conclusions, I do not agree with the path it follows to reach those ends, if there is an end. Before we get started allow me to brief you on some of the history of the museum of CT.

The Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter VII, Sections II and III sums up the ideas of those who have gone before each man building upon the other man’s work. It states,

II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.

III. Man by his fall having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace: wherein he freely offered unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life, his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.

The earliest theologians to begin to craft and espouse CT principles were; Hyperius of Marburg, Olivianus, and Eglinus, who were possibly the first to make the idea of the covenant a determinative principle. These men laid the ground work on which to raise a superstructure.

Then Cocceius, building on the foundation of a determinative covenant added the floorboards of a covenant of works between Adam and God. Putting the walls up and elaborating on the entire covenant theory was Francis Turretin who gave rise and growing support to this developing structure. The Westminster Assembly of 1646 roofed the covenant principle by including the concept in the Westminster Confession of Faith as seen above. However, Herman Witsius put on some finishing touches when he emphasized that the covenant began between the Father and the Son and was made in eternity past.

With the new museum of CT complete Reformed theologians (here after RTs) and CTs continue to engage in home improvements, developing additions and maintaining and clarifying the design of CT.

The General Scheme of Covenant Theology

The general scheme of this way of thinking follows something like this: God’s eternal decree is that which in eternity past God made a covenant of redemption, which bound Him to redeem the elect by providing the incarnation of the Son, including His vicarious death and His victorious resurrection. God obligated Himself to efficaciously draw the elect to Christ by regeneration so that the elect would appropriate by faith the salvation that God provided. All of the covenants of the Bible are aspects of this one covenant.

First of Three Compositions - The Covenant of Works

There is the covenant of works. This is the covenant God made with Adam, life for obedience; death for disobedience. God tested Adam as the representative head of the human race (this is known as federal headship, more on this later), and therefore passed judgment on all mankind because of Adams failure to obey. Therefore God’s purpose is essentially Soteriological. God is saving the elect. His dealings with man kind are to be viewed with this pervading purpose. That is why CTs must see Christ, salvation, or the church in every text of Scripture.

“According[ly] (1.) God entered into a covenant with Adam. (2.) The promise annexed to that covenant was life. (3.) The condition was perfect obedience. (4.) Its penalty was death.”1

Does anyone else find it odd that after developing this idea Charles Hodge admits, “This statement does not rest upon any express declaration of the Scriptures.”2

The covenant of works in CT is a deduction, it seems, based on elements which are thought to be present in the Genesis record rather than clear teaching of the Bible.

Here is where CT is tied to the “federal headship” of Adam. Foedus (Lat.) means a compact, league or treaty. Adam did not sin as an individual, but as the “federal head” of all mankind. In all fairness some CTs have recognized in some way both the natural and the federal headship of Adam, holding to both the federal view and the Augustinian view which, “…concludes that original sin is innate in human beings, even though the responsibility for that sin does, quite fairly, inhere in each individual. The paradox here is clear: original sin comes from Adam, but is the responsibility of each individual.” 3 (emphasis mine).

Thus far we have touched on some background and development of CT, giving special attention to the first of three compositions, the covenant of works including the federal headship theory.

Next we will move to the second tenet, the covenant of redemption.