The Covenant of Redemption
By the FATHER, The SON and the HOLY SPIRIT
By G. A. Williams
When we look at the role that Christ played in the covenant of redemption we must ask these questions.
The questions at the head of this article are of vital importance to the right understanding of the Covenant of Redemption and Word of God, and deserve our prayerful and unprejudiced examination.
Did Christ undertake to save all the lost and perishing under the curse of God’s broken law, angels and men? Universalists alone believe that he did, and that he will ultimately save all, without the loss of one; because all, both angels and men, were given him by the Father.
If his atonement was limited, and to Adam’s race only, did it include all or only a part, of the human family? All denominations, with the above exception, hold and teach that only a part, and comparatively a small part, of Adam’s race will be saved; and if not, then must it not be because they were not included in the Covenant of Redemption, and given to Christ to save?
It is quite impossible to bring an unprejudiced mind and balanced reason to the examination of these questions. All Bible readers have taken a position; and the verdict of the world is made up and how difficult to reverse or modify it. They involve the sovereignty of God in the bestowment of favors. All men are by nature Armenians; and the sovereignty of God is a doctrine hateful to the natural and depraved heart. False teachers have taken the advantage of this natural feeling, and they have for ages, inflamed the prejudices of Christian men and women against any exercise of sovereignty on the part of God in this Covenant, either as to his determinate counsels, his right to choose or not choose, his love for his elect, or his distinguishing grace. They presumptuously and impiously assert, that, unless God extended the same grace to all the lost that he did to all the saved, he is justly chargeable with partiality and injustice, and, if he saw fit, in the dispensation of his grace, when none would, if left to themselves, accept or desire it, and indeed, all have rejected it, to so influence the wills of some that they would seek his grace, he is guilty of forcing some men to be saved, and others to be lost. But we know that the Omniscient God is incapable of doing wrong; and if it is plainly revealed that he passed by all the fallen angels, who will charge him with wrong if he passed by all of Adam’s race? How then, can he be charged with injustice, if he saw fit to save a portion of it?
A clear conception of the Covenant of Redemption will, like the breaking forth of the morning, dispel the difficulties, which, like mists and fog, darken and becloud so much of God’s revealed Word. The right key will easily unlock the loaded treasure house of Revelation, and save us the crime of attempting to demolish it’s symmetrical structure, in hope of reaching it’s riches of knowledge.
Now, will not, must not, all unprejudiced Bible reading Christians agree to the following propositions?
In proof of these three statements, we submit Christ’s own expressed words:
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." John 6:37-39.
"That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none." John 17:12
"As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. John 17:2"
"I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word." John 17:6.
"I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me: for they are thine. John 17:9"
" And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one, as we are. John 17:11."
" Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)"
In the face of these statements of the Lord Jesus, can anyone deny that the Father gave the Son a people to save?
Jesus called himself the "Shepherd of Israel" the "Good Shepherd". One rule governed the shepherds of Palestine and other places, which was that he must pay for all he lost.
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep," (John 10:11) "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14) "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:16)
What sheep and what fold are two important questions. All Bible students that I know teach that the "Sheep" are the gentiles. The fold is Israel, and the combined fold is Jew and Gentile, the one Shepherd is the Great Shepherd of the sheep, Jesus Christ.
When Jesus made this statement, were the Gentiles saved? No. But does Christ own lost people? It is obvious that he does. They were his possession. They already belonged to him. His audience was divided that day and it is still divided today. Jesus knew why they did not believe and here is his answer, John 10:25-26, "Jesus answered them, "I told you, and ye believed not: …But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you."
Where did Jesus get the sheep? Vs. 29 "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand."
Those whom the Father gave the Son, the Son will save. His honor is engaged to save the weakest of his sheep, i.e. all the Father gave him.
The Fallen angels were not given to the Son neither were they included in the Covenant of Redemption.
"For verily he took not on him the nature of angels: but he took on his the seed of Abraham." (Heb. 2:16)". Here we have the sovereignty and discriminating love of God at work. Moses give proof that God does as he please, (Ex.33:19).
"And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." If you object to Old Testament scriptures being used here, I invite you to read from Romans 9:15 where Paul quotes Ex.33:19. Then in vs. 21-24 where Paul quotes from Jer. 18: the story of the potter and the clay; and vs. 25-26 he quotes Hosea in the story of the harlot wife and children of whoredom. Does not God do as it pleases him? If that is not enough evidence to prove the Sovereignty of God in all things, read Dan. 4:34-37.
Since Christ took not upon himself to save angels, is God guilty of discriminating against angels? The fallen angels are forever lost to spend eternity without God. Is it all right for God to pass by angels but it is a sin for God to pass by some men?
Whom did the apostle say that Christ agreed to save? " The Seed of Abraham." It is not stated of inferred that the seed of Adam were included in this agreement. Who is Included? " The Seed of Abraham."
We must all admit that not all of Adam’s race were given to the Son by the Father, if so, all would be saved. Please re-read John. 6:39 and add Luke 19:10. Jesus always does what he comes to do. Man’s will cannot change the Sovereign Will of God. If Christ set out to save all of Adam’s race, the Universalists, (those that believe all will eventuality be saved) would be right in their Theology. No saved student of the Bible will agree with the Universalists.
Let us note some of the designations given to the "Seed of Abraham" such as, "The Seed of Woman;" "The Seed of Abraham;" "The Elect of God;" "The Election;" "Israel;" "The Seed of Jacob;" "My People;" "My Sheep;" "Body of Christ;" "Lamb’s Wife:" "Peculiar People;" "Holy Nation;" I Will list the Scripture reference in the order of the names.
Gen.3:15; Col.3:12; I Th.1:4; Isa.41:8; Isa.65:9; Ex.3:7; John 10:27; Rom. 7:4; Rev.21:9; Titus 2:14; I Peter 2:9.
These are those Christ represents in the Covenant of Redemption. Refer to Rom. 11:25 "Fullness" is the key word and Vine say it means, "the completion of the number of Gentiles who receive blessing through the Gospel." It is true, however, that Christ died for all and gave himself a ransom for all men, in the sense that he removed all legal barriers, so that, in good faith, salvation by grace could be freely offered to all; so that the only obstruction in the way of the sinner’s salvation is his own perverse will and depraved nature, and a heart of enmity against God.
The Articles of Faith that a majority of Baptist churches, in California and elsewhere, adopted when they were organized, say the same things that the last paragraph of page five states. The Articles of Faith can be found in Bogard’s Way Book, Pendleton’s Church Manuel, and Hiscox Manuel for Baptist Churches.
OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION
"We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith, and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection involves him in a aggravated condemnation."
While it is true that God knows them that are his, (II Tim. 2:19) men do not know who will be saved, therefore, we are to offer Christ as saviour to all men, because "God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked". He is "Not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance" so Christ is freely offered to all to whom the gospel is preached or the Bible is sent.
The foregoing statements are convictions concerning the Covenant of Redemption. The Covenant was made between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
G. A. Williams