Administration Of Covenant Of Grace Throughout History
The covenant of grace, a foundational concept in Reformed theology, describes God's voluntary condescension to humanity, offering salvation and fellowship despite the vast distance between Creator and creature [2]. This covenant is understood to have been administered throughout history in various forms, yet its essence remains constant.
The Westminster Confession of Faith defines this covenant as God's means of relating to humanity after the fall, contrasting it with the initial covenant of works made with Adam, which promised life upon perfect obedience [2]. The covenant of grace, by contrast, is established through God's initiative and is not dependent on human perfect obedience for its efficacy.
One significant administration of the covenant of grace is seen in the Abrahamic covenant. Matthew Henry describes this covenant as "established," "entailed," and "everlasting," extending not only to Abraham but also to his spiritual descendants [4]. John Gill further notes that the promises made to Abraham and his "seed" in Galatians 3:16 refer to the promises of the covenant of grace, which are primarily spiritual in nature, though they encompass temporal blessings as well [7]. These promises were confirmed by God in Christ even before the Mosaic Law was given, indicating the covenant's enduring nature [8].
The Mosaic covenant, given at Sinai, is also understood as an administration of the covenant of grace, albeit a typical one [3]. John Gill interprets the "first testament" in Hebrews 9:18 as the first administration of the covenant of grace under the law, which was dedicated with blood, foreshadowing the blood of Christ [3]. Similarly, Gill views the covenant made with Israel in Ezekiel 16:59 as the covenant of grace, referring to the "love of their espousals" and the "kindness of their youth" [6]. This demonstrates that even the legalistic aspects of the Old Covenant were understood within the broader framework of God's gracious covenant.
The New Testament dispensation represents the full and final administration of the covenant of grace. The blood of Christ is central to this administration, as it ratifies and confirms the covenant, bringing blessings such as peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life [1]. Gill explains that the covenant of grace, as administered under the Gospel, functions as a "testament or will," which is properly a covenant to Christ and a testament to his people [5]. This highlights the unchangeable and firm nature of the covenant, secured by Christ's sacrifice.
While the covenant of grace is administered differently across historical periods, its fundamental character as a divine initiative for salvation remains consistent. The various administrations, from Abraham to Moses to Christ, are seen not as distinct covenants but as progressive revelations and applications of the same overarching covenant of grace [4]. This continuity underscores the unity of God's redemptive plan throughout history.
Sources
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 26:27: For this is my blood of the New Testament,.... That is, the red wine in the cup, was an emblem and representation of his precious blood, whereby was exhibited a new dispensation, or administration of the covenant of grace; and by which it was ratified and confirmed; and whereby all the blessings of it, such as peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life, come to the people of God: the allusion is to the first covenant, and the book of it being sprinkled with the blood of bulls, and therefore called the blood of the covenant, Exo 24:8. But the second covenant, or ”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 7: CHAPTER 7 Of God’s Covenant with Man 1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant. 2. 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. 3.”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 9:18: Whereupon neither the first testament,.... Or the first administration of the covenant of grace under the law: was dedicated without blood; or "confirmed" without it, that dispensation being a typical one; and that blood was typical of the blood of Christ, by which the new covenant or testament is ratified; see Exo 24:7.”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 17:7: Here is, I. The continuance of the covenant, intimated in three things: - 1. It is established; not to be altered nor revoked. It is fixed, it is ratified, it is made as firm as the divine power and truth can make it. 2. It is entailed; it is a covenant, not with Abraham only (then it would die with him), but with his seed after him, not only his seed after the flesh, but his spiritual seed. 3. It is everlasting in the evangelical sense and meaning of it. The covenant of grace is everlasting. It is from everlasting in the counsels of it, and to everlasting in the”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 9:16: For where a testament is,.... The covenant of grace, as administered under the Gospel dispensation, is a testament or will. The Jews have adopted the Greek word, here used, into their language, and pronounce it and by it understand a dying man's last will and testament (d). Some of them make it to be of Hebrew derivation; as if it was said, , "this shall be to confirm" (e), or this shall be stable and firm; though others own it to be the same with this Greek word (f). The covenant of grace, is properly a covenant to Christ, and a testament or will to his people: it i”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 16:59: Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth,.... The covenant made with them at Sinai, quickly after they came out of Egypt, when they were, both as a body politic and ecclesiastical, in their infant state; for, as Kimchi says, all the while they were in Egypt, and until they, came into the land of Canaan, were called the days of their youth; and to this covenant, which had the nature of a matrimonial contract, the, prophet refers when he speaks of the "love" of their "espousals", and the "kindness" of their "youth", Jer 2:2; this cov”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 3:16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made,.... The promises design the promises of the covenant of grace mentioned in the next verse, which are exceeding great and precious, better than those of any other covenant; and which are all yea and amen in Christ, and are chiefly of a spiritual nature; though all the temporal blessings of God's people come to them in a covenant way, and by virtue of the promise; for godliness has the promise of this life, that God will verily feed them, withhold no good thing from them proper for them, sanctify all their afflictio”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 3:17: And this I say,.... Assert and affirm as a certain truth, that is not to be gainsaid; that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul; by "the covenant" is meant, not the covenant made with Adam, as the federal head of all his posterity; for this was made two thousand years before the law was given; nor that which was made with the Israelites at Mount Sinai, for that itself is the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after this covenant; nor the covenant of circumcision ”