The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Covenantal Succession

Eleanor,

Ron did a good job in explaining things to you, IMHO. Perhaps I could put it another way, just in case you are still a bit hazy on this matter? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

"Election" is eternal and immutable. It is God's choice (decree) among the race of mankind to save a remnant for Himself by the atoning sacrifice of Christ in their behalf and to bring them to Christ by the inner working of the Holy Spirit. The election to salvation must be realized in time, by regeneration and conversion. Thus, being "elect", although guarantees salvation, doesn't actually save in and of itself. Election to grace must also be accompanied by salvation by grace, i.e., through the means also decreed to that end.

God also decreed to enter into a covenant with mankind with the end that those whom He covenanted with would be infallibly saved. To the "elect", He made a promise to save them by grace. Those who have had the atoning work of Christ applied are said to be "in Christ" and thus "adopted sons" and thus they may then be said to be "children of the covenant". To be "in covenant" with God, speaking specifically now of the Covenant of Grace, means to be in a saving relationship with God; i.e., reconciled to Him in Christ.

No, you are confusing a "decree" of God with a "relationship" with God. Even the "elect" are not "in covenant" until they come to faith in Christ; having been reconciled to God having been at enmity with Him up until that time. Faith and repentance are prerequisites for entering into covenant with God, even though the covenant itself is unconditional. In other words, faith and repentance do not create the covenant, for God alone has established the covenant unilaterally. And since repentance and faith are gifts of God, they cannot be said to be "conditions", i.e., something which the recipient brings of himself. All is of God (gifts of grace). But it is necessary for one to exhibit those gifts before membership in that covenant can be affirmed. To put it very simply, the covenant is made with believers. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Lastly, Ron has also rightly explained our differences. Where he would presume that "Christ has atoned for the sins of all covenant children. He then finds warrant to tell any and all covenant children, "Christ died for your sins.". Whereas I believe that Christ died for only for the elect, of whom I have no specific knowledge as to their identity prior to a profession of faith, I cannot say to anyone until that time of their making profession that Christ died for their sins.

Okay... is all that clear as mud now? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

In His Grace,