Why is the Covenant of Grace Important?

Because it is a comprehensive category in Scripture, without which the Bible cannot be understood rightly. For example, because God administers his salvation through the covenant, and because there is but one Covenant of Grace, there is one salvation, one gracious promise (Christ) and people of God. Thus, the covenant of grace unifies all of Scripture. ³² God made a salvation promise to Adam and Eve. ³³ He repeated the promise to Abraham, whom Paul called "the father" of all believers. ³⁴ All believers are saved because of God's faithfulness to his covenant promise. ³⁵

The covenant of grace is important because it also explains the Christian life. The God we serve is he who graciously and sovereignly saved us. Just as the way of salvation for Adam was the same as for us (faith in the finished work of Christ), the moral standards of the Christian life are substantially the same from age to age.

The covenant of grace is central to our self-understanding as Christians. God is covenant making and keeping God, and we are his covenant people.

³² Compare Jeremiah 31.31-34 with Hebrews 7.22, chapter 8, 9:15, 10:24.

³³ See Genesis 3:14-16. Jesus fulfilled this promise by his death on the Cross.

³⁴ Romans 4:11,17.

³⁵ Ephesians 2:1-22, gentiles were brought into covenantal relationship with God by faith; compare Romans 11:17-24.

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