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B. THE SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS.
The widespread denial of the covenant of works makes it imperative to examine its Scriptural
foundation with care.
1. THE ELEMENTS OF A COVENANT ARE PRESENT IN THE EARLY NARRATIVE.
It must be
admitted that the term “covenant” is not found in the first three chapters of Genesis, but this is
not tantamount to saying that they do not contain the necessary data for the construction of a
doctrine of the covenant. One would hardly infer from the absence of the term “trinity” that
the doctrine of the Trinity is not found in the Bible. All the elements of a covenant are indicated
in Scripture, and if the elements are present, we are not only warranted but, in a systematic
study of the doctrine, also in duty bound to relate them to one another, and to give the
doctrine so construed an appropriate name. In the case under consideration two parties are
named, a condition is laid down, a promise of reward for obedience is clearly implied, and a
penalty for transgression is threatened. It may still be objected that we do not read of the two
parties as coming to an agreement, nor of Adam as accepting the terms laid down, but this is
not an insuperable objection. We do not read of such an explicit agreement and acceptance on
the part of man either in the cases of Noah and Abraham. God and man do not appear as
equals in any of these covenants. All God’s covenants are of the nature of sovereign
dispositions imposed on man. God is absolutely sovereign in His dealings with man, and has the
perfect right to lay down the conditions which the latter must meet, in order to enjoy His favor.
Moreover Adam was, even in virtue of his natural relationship, in duty bound to obey God; and
when the covenant relation was established, this obedience also became a matter of self-
interest. When entering into covenant relations with men, it is always God who lays down the
terms, and they are very gracious terms, so that He has, also from that point of view, a perfect
right to expect that man will assent to them. In the case under consideration God had but to
announce the covenant, and the perfect state in which Adam lived was a sufficient guarantee
for his acceptance.
2. THERE WAS A PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
Some deny that there is any Scripture evidence
for such a promise. Now it is perfectly true that no such promise is explicitly recorded, but it is
clearly implied in the alternative of death as the result of disobedience. The clear implication of
the threatened punishment is that in the case of obedience death would not enter, and this can
only mean that life would continue. It has been objected that this would only mean a
continuation of Adam’s natural life, and not what Scripture calls life eternal. But the Scriptural
idea of life is life in communion with God; and this is the life which Adam possessed, though in
his case it was still amissible. If Adam stood the test, this life would be retained not only, but
would cease to be amissible, and would therefore be lifted to a higher plane. Paul tells us