The Covenant Context of Salvation

[synergy]

Got scripture for any of that?

Sure do. I've got entire chapters. Ephesians Chapters 1 and 2 go into details on how being chosen in Christ (Eph 1:4) is to be made alive with Christ (Eph 2:5).

Here is the logical flow from Eph 1 to Eph 2:

• Eph 1:4 → Chosen in Christ.
• Eph 1:5 → Predestined for adoption as sons
• Eph 2:1-3 → Before salvation (being chosen in Christ), we were dead in sin
• Eph 2:4-5 → Because of God’s mercy and love, those chosen in Christ are made alive with Christ

As for still being dead in one's sins because one has not yet believed in Christ, Eph 2:1-3 explains that clearly in line with what I wrote in my previous paragraphs. And John 8:24 drives it home.

(John 8:24) "I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I AM you will die in your sins."

Therefore, a person who is chosen in Christ (made alive in Christ) but not yet called to believe in Christ (still dead in his sins) is a Living Dead person, a zombie monstrocity that is an impossibility and proves my answer to your question.

 

[synergy]

Let's take it line by line.

Covenantally speaking, there are no such people. You, apparently, think to create some sort of dispute or dissent based on the single verse, Matthew 22:14. The problem with that is that Jesus is not speaking to a covenant people about a covenant relationship. He is, in fact, indicting his audience because they incorrectly imagined themselves to be covenant participants when they, in fact, were not. The man without wedding attire was rejected, bound and tossed out.

I would like all the readers, the participants and lurkers of this thread, to examine this Matthew 22 verse. Start at Matthew 21:18 and read all the way through to Matthew 26:5. Why? Because Matthew was recording the events of a single day, a day that began with Jesus' return to the city after his celebrated entrance and continued until that evening when - while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives talking to his disciples - the Sadducees and Pharisees were plotting his death. Five+ chapters accounting for a single day. Two days later Jesus would be dead. Once you all have read that five-chapter narrative examine what preceded it because in Matthew's gospels Jesus' parables being to shift away from the kingdom on to the subject of judgment as he approaches Jerusalem.

That is true. That is a point completely consistent with everything I have posted and if that is not understood in what I have posted then go back and re-read my posts. Those chosen by God to be participant members in God's God-initiated Christological covenant of salvation are all alive in Christ.

That too is correct. Covenantally speaking, who is it that repents? Those in the covenant God initiated, or those outside the covenant God initiated? So, once again, that's a valid point and it reconciles with what I have posted.

No, Post 131 is incoherent. It proof-texts a single verse, ignoring the multiple contexts in which it was originally spoken and abjectly fails to consider the explicitly specified stipulation of this op. I told you before: If you want to post about irrelevancies than go muck up someone else's op or expect me to ignore your posts. You made what I took as a goodwill effort to recapture your own involvement in the thread, but you've only sabotaged the effort with a red herring and false equivalence.

What is the specified topic of this thread? The covenant context of salvation.

You have eight posts in this thread. Three of them (56, 72, & 80) contain the word "covenant" and two of those three posts repeat themselves. None of them contain any scripture to support their position and at least two of them are contextually wrong because you have failed to correctly discriminate who does what, in or out of the covenant relationship. We have one point of agreement: Post 72's "All salvific covenants between God and man have been initiated by God. Man cannot offer himself that which he has no power over (i.e.: the ability to save himself)." Post 80's claim, "God's gift of salvation is conditionally offered to all," is wrong and it contradicts itself. "Conditional gift" is an oxymoron. I have purposefully taken the time and put in the effort to take this thread through one question and one answer at a time. All attempts to run ahead and assert other agendas has been refused (I am not singling you out).

So please do not do this again. Matthew 22:4 has been misapplied by neglecting its covenantal context and if you're patient we'll all get to who does what and when in the Christological covenant of salvation God alone initiates when He calls and chooses its participants without asking their opinion.

Never did I say that my answer to your latest question was based solely on Matt 22;14. You rightly asked for scripture and I supplied that in Post 141.

As for you taking exception to my "conditional gift" phrase, here are some Bible verses that show God’s gift of salvation is offered to all but comes with conditions such as faith, repentance, and obedience:

1. John 3:16 (ESV) – "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
   
   • Salvation is available to all, but the condition is believing in Christ.
2. Acts 2:38 (ESV) – "And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’"
   
   • Repentance and baptism are conditions for receiving forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.
3. Romans 10:9-10 (ESV) – "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."
   
   • Salvation is offered to all, but it requires confession and belief in Christ.
4. Hebrews 5:9 (ESV) – "And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him."
   
   • Jesus provides salvation, but only to those who obey Him.
5. Matthew 7:21 (ESV) – "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
   
   • Calling Jesus "Lord" is not enough; doing God's will is a condition for entering heaven.
6. Mark 16:16 (ESV) – "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
   
   • Faith and baptism are required for salvation, and rejection leads to condemnation.
7. Revelation 22:17 (ESV) – "The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
   
   • Salvation is freely offered, but it must be accepted by those who desire it.

Conclusion: These verses show that while God’s gift of salvation is extended to all, it comes with conditions like faith, repentance, obedience, and baptism.

 

[GodsGrace]

I so much enjoy the perspectives you bring to the discussions Pancho. I have long since believed and also argued that a "covenant" is an agreement between two or more entities. In this discussion, we are talking about God's Covenants. God initiates the Agreement, "If you do so and so, I will do so and so". God initiates this agreement of His own free will, AKA "Grace". And we choose to either accept or reject the Agreement, also of our own free will.

God initiates every Covenant...but not all of them are agreements, as you call them.
They are not all: IF YOU DO SO AND SO, I WILL DO SO AND SO....
Which is called a Bilateral or Conditional Covenant.

Some are carried out solely by God.
This is a Unilateral or Unconditional Covenant.
For instance the Adamic Covenant is Unilateral,
The Abrahamic Covenant is Unilateral.

I would only add one important part of God's Covenant that the Pharisees omitted from their preaching. And that is the part about who God offered His agreement to.

Ex. 12: 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and "unto the stranger" that sojourneth among you.

Lev. 19: 33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; "for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt": I am the LORD your God.

So in the analogy you made concerning the agreement to do the dishes, if a stranger wanted to hang out with your son and partake of the covenant you made with him to wash dishes for $5 a day, the stranger would not be turned away, rather, he would be treated as if he were also your son.

Great discussion.

I don't know what Covenants you're referring to in the above statements...
so I'll make no comment.
I'll just say that the New Covenant is for everyone.
In a way every Covenant is for everyone except the Mosaic which were
directly and specifically for the Israelites.

 

[GodsGrace]

Never did I say that my answer to your latest question was based solely on Matt 22;14. You rightly asked for scripture and I supplied that in Post 141.

As for you taking exception to my "conditional gift" phrase, here are some Bible verses that show God’s gift of salvation is offered to all but comes with conditions such as faith, repentance, and obedience:

1. John 3:16 (ESV) – "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
   • Salvation is available to all, but the condition is believing in Christ.
2. Acts 2:38 (ESV) – "And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’"
   • Repentance and baptism are conditions for receiving forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.
3. Romans 10:9-10 (ESV) – "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."
   • Salvation is offered to all, but it requires confession and belief in Christ.
4. Hebrews 5:9 (ESV) – "And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him."
   • Jesus provides salvation, but only to those who obey Him.
5. Matthew 7:21 (ESV) – "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
   • Calling Jesus "Lord" is not enough; doing God's will is a condition for entering heaven.
6. Mark 16:16 (ESV) – "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
   • Faith and baptism are required for salvation, and rejection leads to condemnation.
7. Revelation 22:17 (ESV) – "The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
   • Salvation is freely offered, but it must be accepted by those who desire it.

Conclusion: These verses show that while God’s gift of salvation is extended to all, it comes with conditions like faith, repentance, obedience, and baptism.

I guess you believe in synergism!

 

[GodsGrace]

Let's take it line by line.

Covenantally speaking, there are no such people. You, apparently, think to create some sort of dispute or dissent based on the single verse, Matthew 22:14. The problem with that is that Jesus is not speaking to a covenant people about a covenant relationship. He is, in fact, indicting his audience because they incorrectly imagined themselves to be covenant participants when they, in fact, were not. The man without wedding attire was rejected, bound and tossed out.

I would like all the readers, the participants and lurkers of this thread, to examine this Matthew 22 verse. Start at Matthew 21:18 and read all the way through to Matthew 26:5. Why? Because Matthew was recording the events of a single day, a day that began with Jesus' return to the city after his celebrated entrance and continued until that evening when - while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives talking to his disciples - the Sadducees and Pharisees were plotting his death. Five+ chapters accounting for a single day. Two days later Jesus would be dead. Once you all have read that five-chapter narrative examine what preceded it because in Matthew's gospels Jesus' parables being to shift away from the kingdom on to the subject of judgment as he approaches Jerusalem.

That is true. That is a point completely consistent with everything I have posted and if that is not understood in what I have posted then go back and re-read my posts. Those chosen by God to be participant members in God's God-initiated Christological covenant of salvation are all alive in Christ.

That too is correct. Covenantally speaking, who is it that repents? Those in the covenant God initiated, or those outside the covenant God initiated? So, once again, that's a valid point and it reconciles with what I have posted.

No, Post 131 is incoherent. It proof-texts a single verse, ignoring the multiple contexts in which it was originally spoken and abjectly fails to consider the explicitly specified stipulation of this op. I told you before: If you want to post about irrelevancies than go muck up someone else's op or expect me to ignore your posts. You made what I took as a goodwill effort to recapture your own involvement in the thread, but you've only sabotaged the effort with a red herring and false equivalence.

What is the specified topic of this thread? The covenant context of salvation.

You have eight posts in this thread. Three of them (56, 72, & 80) contain the word "covenant" and two of those three posts repeat themselves. None of them contain any scripture to support their position and at least two of them are contextually wrong because you have failed to correctly discriminate who does what, in or out of the covenant relationship. We have one point of agreement: Post 72's "All salvific covenants between God and man have been initiated by God. Man cannot offer himself that which he has no power over (i.e.: the ability to save himself)." Post 80's claim, "God's gift of salvation is conditionally offered to all," is wrong and it contradicts itself. "Conditional gift" is an oxymoron. I have purposefully taken the time and put in the effort to take this thread through one question and one answer at a time. All attempts to run ahead and assert other agendas has been refused (I am not singling you out).

So please do not do this again. Matthew 22:4 has been misapplied by neglecting its covenantal context and if you're patient we'll all get to who does what and when in the Christological covenant of salvation God alone initiates when He calls and chooses its participants without asking their opinion.

Which Covenant would you be discussing in your last line?
I used to teach the Covenants and I have no idea...

In NO Covenant does God choose the participants in the manner in which you mean it.

 

[synergy]

Which Covenant would you be discussing in your last line?
I used to teach the Covenants and I have no idea...

In NO Covenant does God choose the participants in the manner in which you mean it.

Correct. The New Covenant is not monergistic nor unilateral by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Studyman]

God initiates every Covenant...but not all of them are agreements, as you call them.
They are not all: IF YOU DO SO AND SO, I WILL DO SO AND SO....
Which is called a Bilateral or Conditional Covenant.

Some are carried out solely by God.
This is a Unilateral or Unconditional Covenant.
For instance the Adamic Covenant is Unilateral,
The Abrahamic Covenant is Unilateral.

I am speaking to what is actually written.

Gen. 2: 15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

How is this not telling Adam, "if you do so and so, you shall live, but if you do so and so, you shall surely die"?

A unilateral covenant is an agreement where only one party has responsibility to act. This is clearly not a unilateral agreement. Adam has a responsibility to abstain from a certain behavior, in order to live. There are 2 entities, God and Adam.

God made an agreement with Adam here, an agreement Adam accepted when he entered the garden, an agreement he broke.

Gen. 12: 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;

Again, this was an agreement between God and Abram. Abram had a responsibly to act, in this agreement. "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee". And if Abram did so and so, God promised to make of him a great nation. If Abram chose not to do so and so, where then is the promise to make of him a great nation? But we can see that Abram entered into the agreement with God. "So Abram departed", as the LORD had spoken unto him".

And again;

Gen. 17: 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

How is this a unilateral agreement? Abram was responsible to act in a certain way, and if he did, God would fulfil HIS part of the agreement.

This would be no different that if I said to you, "Depart from your house and stand in your driveway at 4:30, And I will pick you up and take you fishing. If I drive by your house, and you are standing in your driveway, I can know that you accepted my offer to take you fishing. A Bilateral agreement. If I said to myself, I'm taking you fishing. I come to your house, drag you out of your house, and take you fishing, this is an example of a Unilateral agreement.

I don't know what Covenants you're referring to in the above statements...
so I'll make no comment.
I'll just say that the New Covenant is for everyone.
In a way every Covenant is for everyone except the Mosaic which were
directly and specifically for the Israelites.

Again, it is what is actually written in scriptures that matters, in my view. God's Laws, the same as God's New Covenant, was given to the exact same people, according to what is written.

Lev. 26: 46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

Jer. 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

I realize this world's religious system promotes that we ignore God's Words given to Jeremiah as to who His New Covenant was given to, and promote God's Words written in Leviticus as to who God's Laws were given to, and it seems they promote this philosophy to justify their disobedience to God's Laws they don't like. I promote that a man turns away from this world's religious system, and "live by" the Word's the Jesus "of the Bible" teaches we should Live by.

 

[GodsGrace]

Correct. The New Covenant is not monergistic nor unilateral by any stretch of the imagination.

LOL
The New Covenant is Unilateral.
It means that God has established this Covenant WITHOUT the approval of mankind.

I'm not sure what you mean by a covenant being unilateral...
The New Covenant was established by God ALONE.

 

[Johann]

Again, it is what is actually written in scriptures that matters, in my view. God's Laws, the same as God's New Covenant, was given to the exact same people, according to what is written.

Leviticus 26:46 — The Old Covenant with Israel
Leviticus 26:46 states:

"These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between Him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses." (KJV)

Context and Meaning:
This verse is found at the conclusion of the book of Leviticus, in which God outlines the blessings and curses associated with the covenant made at Mount Sinai. The Sinai covenant is based on the law (Torah), which includes a set of statutes, commandments, and ordinances that the people of Israel must follow to enjoy God's favor. It was a conditional covenant: the people's obedience would result in blessings, but their disobedience would bring curses.

The covenant in Leviticus 26 is therefore defined by law and works. The people of Israel must obey God's commandments for their relationship to remain intact. However, this covenant was temporary and could not fully reconcile sinful humanity with a holy God because it was based on external law and human effort.

Jeremiah 31:31 — The Promise of a New Covenant
In Jeremiah 31:31, the prophet Jeremiah foretells the establishment of a new covenant:

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.(KJV)

Context and Meaning:
This verse is part of God's promise of a future, transformative covenant with Israel and Judah, a covenant unlike the one made with their ancestors when they were brought out of Egypt. This covenant would be internal and personal, written on the heart of the people, and no longer would it be merely an external set of rules or laws to follow. God promises to forgive their iniquities and to restore the relationship between Him and His people.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 provides additional detail:

"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers... which they broke... but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the LORD; I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:32-33 KJV)

This new covenant is characterized by internal transformation, forgiveness of sin, and direct relationship with God through the indwelling of His law in the hearts of His people.

Jesus and the New Covenant
Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection inaugurated the new covenant as prophesied in Jeremiah 31. His role in establishing this covenant is most notably reflected in the Last Supper narrative and the book of Hebrews.

Luke 22:20 — Jesus’ Institution of the New Covenant
"In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’"

Jesus, in these words, claims to inaugurate the new covenant through His sacrificial death. He contrasts His work with the old covenant, showing that His blood ratifies a new unconditional covenant of salvation. While the old covenant required the blood of animals (Heb. 9:22), Jesus' blood, shed on the cross, becomes the ultimate sacrifice that fulfills and supersedes the old system of sacrifices, signaling a new way of relating to God.

Historical Context- The Last Supper was a Passover meal, which itself was deeply connected to the old covenant established at Sinai (Ex. 12). But in this moment, Jesus declares that the new covenant is not based on the law (as in Leviticus), but on His atoning sacrifice, emphasizing that the basis of God's relationship with His people is now established through grace and faith in Jesus, not through works of the law.

Hebrews 8:6-13 — The New Covenant Better Than the Old
"But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6 KJV)


"He is also the mediator of a better covenant"All the verbs in Heb_8:6 are perfects. Like the previous one, this one is a perfect active indicative.
The term "mediator" is a legal term denoting an arbitrator. As a priest stands between a holy God and sinful mankind, so too, Jesus as a mediator (cf. Heb_9:15; Heb_12:24; 1Ti_2:5). This is another way of denoting the work of a High Priest.
"better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises" This is a perfect passive indicative. The author of Hebrews' presentation of Jesus' authority over the Mosaic covenant is revealed by his use of the term "better" (see note at Heb_7:7).

The author of Hebrews presents Jesus as the mediator of a better covenant, quoting from Jeremiah 31:31-34 to show that Jesus' ministry fulfills the promises of the new covenant. The focus is not on an external set of laws, but on internal transformation—God’s law written on hearts (Jer. 31:33). This is made possible through Jesus' sacrifice, which grants the forgiveness of sins and a new relationship with God (Heb. 8:12).

Contrast with the Old Covenant: Hebrews 8:7-13 compares the two covenants, emphasizing the imperfection of the old—which was based on a system of law and sacrifice—and the perfection of the new, which is based on a new heart and a relationship with God. The old covenant had limited power to cleanse and transform, while the new covenant brings permanent reconciliation and empowerment through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ Death Ratifies the New Covenant
In the ultimate sense, Jesus' death on the cross is the ratification of the new covenant, fulfilling the promises of Jeremiah 31 and introducing a new way of salvation and reconciliation with God. His sacrifice is sufficient and final—no longer will animal sacrifices or the obedience to a legal code be required to maintain a relationship with God. Instead, forgiveness and eternal life come through faith in Christ and His work on the cross (Matt. 26:28).

Conclusion
The new covenant, inaugurated by Jesus Christ, supersedes the old covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai, which was based on external law and works. Jesus, as the mediator of a better covenant, fulfills the Jeremiah 31 prophecy by offering an internal transformation, where God's law is written on the hearts of believers, not just externally imposed. The new covenant is based on grace, faith, and Christ’s atoning sacrifice rather than on human obedience to the law. The old covenant was conditional and could never bring ultimate salvation; the new covenant is unconditional in its offer, based on Christ's perfect obedience and sacrificial death.

J.

 

[GodsGrace]

I am speaking to what is actually written.

Gen. 2: 15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.


How is this not telling Adam, "if you do so and so, you shall live, but if you do so and so, you shall surely die"?

A unilateral covenant is an agreement where only one party has responsibility to act. This is clearly not a unilateral agreement. Adam has a responsibility to abstain from a certain behavior, in order to live. There are 2 entities, God and Adam.

I don't know what you're talking about Studyman.
The Covenants are established and each one must be studied individually.
The Adamic Covenant is a unilateral covenant.
It is God declaring what will happen due to Adam's disobedience.
It's unilateral because it has no conditions and man is not responsible for God's actions.
Genesis 3:16-20 declares the Adamic Covenant.

Excuse me but you're conflating the Adamic with the Edenic Covenant.
The Edenic Covenant is BILATERAL.
It's a conditional covenant...it has conditions between God and Man.
The conditions are what you've stated:
EVERYTHING BELONGS TO YOU(MAN)...YOU HAVE DOMINION
BUT THERE IS ONE CONDITION: DO NOT EAT OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

God made an agreement with Adam here, an agreement Adam accepted when he entered the garden, an agreement he broke.

Replied to above.
You're talking about the Edenic Covenant.

Gen. 12: 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;

Again, this was an agreement between God and Abram. Abram had a responsibly to act, in this agreement. "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee". And if Abram did so and so, God promised to make of him a great nation. If Abram chose not to do so and so, where then is the promise to make of him a great nation? But we can see that Abram entered into the agreement with God. "So Abram departed", as the LORD had spoken unto him".

There actually is more than one Covenant with Abraham.
Genesis 15:9-21 is unconditional and unilateral....God is making a promise to give Abraham land.
Genesis 17 is a conditional and unilateral covenant between God and Abraham and includes the 2 parties...
see verse 4 and 9...God's part and Abraham's part.

And again;

Gen. 17: 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

How is this a unilateral agreement? Abram was responsible to act in a certain way, and if he did, God would fulfil HIS part of the agreement.

Right... That's why it's conditional and unilateral, because of your first paragraph.
God tells him to walk before God and be perfect...
God is giving A the condition.

This would be no different that if I said to you, "Depart from your house and stand in your driveway at 4:30, And I will pick you up and take you fishing. If I drive by your house, and you are standing in your driveway, I can know that you accepted my offer to take you fishing. A Bilateral agreement. If I said to myself, I'm taking you fishing. I come to your house, drag you out of your house, and take you fishing, this is an example of a Unilateral agreement.

I don't care for analogies...sorry.
The covenants can be easily studied these days on the internet.

Again, it is what is actually written in scriptures that matters, in my view. God's Laws, the same as God's New Covenant, was given to the exact same people, according to what is written.

As I said...Covenants are studied and it's not easy to take them directly out of scripture...
although they are based on scripture.

Lev. 26: 46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

This would be the Mosaic Covenant.
This is conditional and bilateral.
God gives conditions to the Israelites.

Jer. 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

I realize this world's religious system promotes that we ignore God's Words given to Jeremiah as to who His New Covenant was given to, and promote God's Words written in Leviticus as to who God's Laws were given to, and it seems they promote this philosophy to justify their disobedience to God's Laws they don't like. I promote that a man turns away from this world's religious system, and "live by" the Word's the Jesus "of the Bible" teaches we should Live by.

I'm not discussing who the words were given to...
I'm specifically speaking to the Covenants.
The New Covenant is Unilateral and Unconditional.
God has decreed that He wants to save mankind.
The only "condition" to the NC IF a person wants to be a part of it is to believe in the Son/God.
However, the actual Covenant did not RQUIRE man's assistance.
It was totally a work of God. (I mean the Covenant,,,not the cross - although that was too).

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

Not in all Covenants do both paries agree.
ONLY in Bilateral Covenants.
Some are Unilateral...only God makes the rules.

A unilateral covenant is not a covenant. A covenant implies the voluntary agreement of at least 2 parties.

What you are referring to is a promise, a personal commitment, a plan.
I can make a unilateral promise or draw a unilateral plan. For example, I can tell my wife: "If my son does the dishes today, honey, I will give him 5 dollars", without my son knowing anything about it, and therefore without the need to express any agreement/disagreement about it.
But that would not be a covenant, pact, contract or agreement with my son.

God has plans for us. We have been created from the foundation of the world, as @JoshebB has pointed out, for good works... works that are specific to our particular mission within God's plan. So He has given us special gifts and challenges, and placed us in special times, geographies and circumstances... nothing of which we chose.

However, it is my understanding that this thread is not dealing about God's plans for men, but about God's covenants with men.
Let me know, @JoshebB, if I am getting your intention right.

 

[Johann]

A unilateral covenant is an agreement where only one party has responsibility to act. This is clearly not a unilateral agreement. Adam has a responsibility to abstain from a certain behavior, in order to live. There are 2 entities, God and Adam.

God made an agreement with Adam here, an agreement Adam accepted when he entered the garden, an agreement he broke.

The Edenic Covenant (Unilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 1:26-30; 2:15-17

Nature: This covenant, established with Adam in the Garden of Eden, is often considered unilateral in its nature. God commands Adam to tend the garden and to abstain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). The consequences of disobedience (death) are clearly laid out, but the covenant itself was God’s promise of life, conditional upon obedience.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Unilateral: Though Adam had responsibilities, the covenant is initiated and enforced by God, making it unilateral in nature.

2. The Noahic Covenant (Unilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17
Nature: After the flood, God established a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature on earth. This covenant is a promise from God never to destroy the earth with a flood again.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Unilateral: The covenant is initiated and promised by God alone, without any conditions for Noah to fulfill. It is a promise of preservation and peace between God and all of creation.

3. The Abrahamic Covenant (Unilateral and Bilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-14
Nature: God promises Abraham land, descendants, and blessings in Genesis 12, and this promise is reaffirmed and expanded in Genesis 15 and 17. The covenant involves God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants, but Abraham and his descendants also have obligations, such as circumcision (Genesis 17:10-14).
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The covenant is unilateral in the sense that God makes promises to Abraham that He will fulfill regardless of Abraham’s actions. However, there are also bilateral aspects, such as Abraham's response in faith and the requirement of circumcision.

4. The Mosaic Covenant (Bilateral)
Scripture: Exodus 19:5-6; 24:3-8
Nature: This covenant was made between God and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Law (Torah), which included the Ten Commandments. In exchange for obeying the Law, God promises to bless Israel. If they disobey, they will face curses.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Bilateral: This covenant is conditional and dependent on Israel's obedience to God’s commandments. God promises blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

5. The Palestinian Covenant (Bilateral)
Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:1-10
Nature: Also called the "Covenant of the Land," this covenant reiterates God’s promise to give Israel the land of Canaan. It also includes blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, with an emphasis on the people returning to God and the land after being exiled.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Bilateral: This covenant is conditional on Israel's obedience to God. The fulfillment of the promise of the land is tied to Israel's faithfulness.

6. The Davidic Covenant (Unilateral with Bilateral Aspects)
Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:12-16; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14
Nature: God promises David that his descendants will rule over Israel forever, and the Messiah will come from his lineage. While God promises to establish David’s throne forever, there are conditional aspects relating to the behavior of David's descendants (e.g., 1 Kings 2:4).
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The covenant is unilateral in that God promises to establish David’s throne forever, regardless of the actions of David’s descendants. However, it has bilateral aspects where the kings of Israel are expected to follow God’s ways, and disobedience can lead to judgment.

7. The New Covenant (Unilateral and Bilateral)
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6-13
Nature: The New Covenant, promised in the Old Testament, was inaugurated by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper (Luke 22:20) and fully ratified through His death and resurrection. It promises the forgiveness of sins, a new heart, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for all who believe in Christ.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The unilateral aspect is God’s provision of grace through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, ensuring forgiveness and eternal life for believers. However, there is a bilateral aspect in that believers are called to faith in Christ and to live according to the New Covenant’s stipulations (e.g., the command to love one another as Christ loved us).

Summary:
Edenic Covenant – Unilateral
Noahic Covenant – Unilateral
Abrahamic Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral
Mosaic Covenant – Bilateral
Palestinian Covenant – Bilateral
Davidic Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral
New Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral

J.

 

[Studyman]

Leviticus 26:46 — The Old Covenant with Israel
Leviticus 26:46 states:

"These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between Him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses." (KJV)

Context and Meaning:
This verse is found at the conclusion of the book of Leviticus, in which God outlines the blessings and curses associated with the covenant made at Mount Sinai. The Sinai covenant is based on the law (Torah), which includes a set of statutes, commandments, and ordinances that the people of Israel must follow to enjoy God's favor. It was a conditional covenant: the people's obedience would result in blessings, but their disobedience would bring curses.

The covenant in Leviticus 26 is therefore defined by law and works. The people of Israel must obey God's commandments for their relationship to remain intact. However, this covenant was temporary and could not fully reconcile sinful humanity with a holy God because it was based on external law and human effort.

This is where you leave what is actually written and inject popular religious philosophy into your message. I mean no disrespect here, please just consider what is being shared with you by a nobody who only cares about what is written. Your preaching that "The people of Israel must obey God's commandments for their relationship to remain intact" is popular, but simply not true Johann, according to what is actually written. The very purpose of the Tabernacle of meeting, and the Mercy Seat, and the Priesthood "After the Order of Aaron", was to provide atonement for the sins of the Priests first, then for the sins of the people. Do you really believe that God didn't know His children would fall as they learned to walk before Him in perfection? And what is HIS Stated purpose for HIS Laws?

Duet. 4: 7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? 8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they "may learn to fear me" all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Consider Caleb as the perfect example of God's Mercy, and lovingkindness for those who "Learn obedience".

Num. 14: 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

24 But my servant Caleb, because "he had another spirit with him", "and hath followed me fully", him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Do you really believe that Caleb lived all this time having never sinned? Or was Caleb like Paul, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus". Did Caleb not "Yield himself" to God, and his body as instruments of God's Righteousness? Did Caleb not "Live By" Every Word that God instructed him to live by? And what was he taught? "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have "an advocate with the Father", the Levite Priest "after the order of Aaron".

Heb. 9: 6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered "for himself", and for the errors (Sins) of the people: 8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Johann, it wasn't the Laws of God that changed, it was the Priesthood, the Ministry, or as the Prophesied New Covenant teaches.

#1. the manner in which God's Laws are received by His People. "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) But "after those days, a New Ministry is prophesied " I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people". No more Levite Priest.

#2. The manner in which sins are forgiven.

Lev. 4: 27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.

But "after those days" a New ministry is prophesied. The manner in which sins are forgiven, having grown old, and ready to vanish, is replaced by a New and Better Ministry.

Heb. 9: 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer" sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (As it did for Caleb) 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to "serve the living God"?

The entire purpose of the Exodus, written specifically for our admonition, is to "Learn Obedience", to Put on the New Man, which after God is created in righteousness and true Holiness. To learn to "Go and Sin no more". As it is written:

1 John 2: 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate "with the Father", Jesus Christ the righteous:

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

So in the analogy you made concerning the agreement to do the dishes, if a stranger wanted to hang out with your son and partake of the covenant you made with him to wash dishes for $5 a day, the stranger would not be turned away, rather, he would be treated as if he were also your son.

Not necessarily, my friend. That covenant was specific to my son. I may have another covenant to offer that stranger. My son required to learn to do the dishes and I required the dishes to be done. The stranger may require a different thing and I may require from the stranger a different thing.

Certainly, I get your point that God offers, in essence, the same thing for mankind (forgiveness, a fresh start) and demands from mankind the same things (repentance, obedience). God would not reject a broken, contrite heart of any person at any time in history, from any religion, race or culture.
What I mean is that the specific terms of the covenant can vary according to God's plans, which include the ability for men to understand, at least to some extent, the terms He proposes.

The Ninevites, for example, were not required to keep the Sabbath. That was a requirement for the children of Israel.
The covenant that God presented to the Ninevites should have been as simple as this: "If you turn away from your evil ways, I will save you"
They did their part, and God did His.

 

[GodsGrace]

A unilateral covenant is not a covenant. A covenant implies the voluntary agreement of at least 2 parties.

What you are referring to is a promise, a personal commitment, a plan.

No Pancho.
What I'm referring to is A COVENANT.
An agreement made with God is not referred to as an AGREEMENT...
It's referred to as A COVENANT.

Also,,there are no PROMISES with God.
A promise is with man...
with God it's called AN OATH.

I can make a unilateral promise or draw a unilateral plan. For example, I can tell my wife: "If my son does the dishes today, honey, I will give him 5 dollars", without my son knowing anything about it, and therefore without the need to express any agreement/disagreement about it.
But that would not be a covenant, pact, contract or agreement with my son.

God has plans for us. We have been created from the foundation of the world, as @JoshebB has pointed out, for good works... works that are specific to our particular mission within God's plan. So He has given us special gifts and challenges, and placed us in special times, geographies and circumstances... nothing of which we chose.

However, it is my understanding that this thread is not dealing about God's plans for men, but about God's covenants with men.
Let me know, @JoshebB, if I am getting your intention right

And I indeed addressed Covenants.
You could take the information or leave it.
I'm not going to debate this.

It's like debating if water is wet.

 

[Johann]

This is where you leave what is actually written and inject popular religious philosophy into your message. I mean no disrespect here, please just consider what is being shared with you by a nobody who only cares about what is written. Your preaching that "The people of Israel must obey God's commandments for their relationship to remain intact" is popular, but simply not true Johann, according to what is actually written. The very purpose of the Tabernacle of meeting, and the Mercy Seat, and the Priesthood "After the Order of Aaron", was to provide atonement for the sins of the Priests first, then for the sins of the people. Do you really believe that God didn't know His children would fall as they learned to walk before Him in perfection? And what is HIS Stated purpose for HIS Laws?

Thank you for your reflection. I appreciate your desire to emphasize the role of mercy and atonement within the Old Covenant. However, I believe it’s crucial to address the specific theological points made in your message, particularly regarding the purpose of the Law and the relationship between the Old and New Covenants.

Leviticus 26:46 — The Old Covenant with Israel:
In Leviticus 26:46, the covenant God established with Israel through Moses is indeed rooted in law and works. The blessings and curses of Leviticus 26 show the conditional nature of this covenant, based on Israel's obedience to God's commands. While this covenant could not fully reconcile humanity with God (due to the imperfection of human obedience and the temporary nature of the sacrifices), it was not devoid of God’s mercy. As you rightly pointed out, the sacrificial system, the Mercy Seat, and the Levitical priesthood were all provisions for atonement and reconciliation in light of sin. The sacrificial system, particularly the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16), was designed to cover the sins of the people, pointing forward to the ultimate atonement through Christ.

However, the Mosaic Covenant was conditional, and this is something that the New Testament emphasizes. In the New Covenant, Christ’s atoning work on the cross changes the nature of the relationship between God and humanity. As Hebrews 9:15 explains, Christ’s sacrifice ratified a better covenant (cf. Heb. 8:6) because it was unconditional in the sense that Christ’s blood covers all sin, past, present, and future, for all who believe in Him. This leads to the fulfillment of the law and the establishment of the New Covenant where grace and mercy are freely given.

Deuteronomy 4:7-10 — Israel’s Special Calling:
The passage you referenced from Deuteronomy emphasizes that Israel was to be a nation that draws near to God. God’s law was intended to bring them closer to Him, showing the world that Israel was special and unique in receiving God's revelation. In verse 10, God’s intent was to make them learn to fear Him, teaching them obedience to His commands so that the covenant relationship would be continually reinforced.

However, while Israel was called to obey, it’s crucial to note that the law itself was never designed as the ultimate means of salvation. The law could not justify; it only pointed to the need for grace. This is clearly articulated in Romans 3:20, which states, “For by the works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight.” The law pointed to sin (Rom. 7:7), showing humanity their inability to perfectly obey.

Caleb’s Faithfulness and Obedience:
I agree with your example of Caleb and how his obedience was acknowledged by God (Num. 14:24). Caleb demonstrated a spirit of faithfulness to God, trusting in His promises. However, I would caution against equating Caleb’s obedience with perfect sinlessness. The Bible recognizes that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The key difference between Caleb and others was his response to God's call, his faith and obedience, and his trust in God’s power over the circumstances (cf. Num. 13:30). While Caleb was faithful, he still needed the atoning work provided through the priesthood and sacrifices for sins (Heb. 9:7).

The Role of the Priesthood:
You raise an important point about the priesthood and its role in the Old Covenant. The priests, after the order of Aaron, served as intermediaries, offering sacrifices for sin on behalf of the people. The atonement they provided was temporary and insufficient for permanent reconciliation. This is why Hebrews 9:6-10 emphasizes that the Old Covenant priesthood could not bring the people into the true presence of God- it pointed forward to something greater.

The New Covenant establishes a better priesthood through Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest (Heb. 7:24-25), who offered Himself once for all (Heb. 9:26-28). The work of Jesus as the ultimate high priest fulfills the Old Covenant sacrifices and establishes a permanent reconciliation between God and humanity.


In conclusion, while I recognize your emphasis on God's mercy and the role of obedience under the Old Covenant, the key difference in the New Covenant is that it is not based on works of the law but on grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The New Covenant is God’s gift of salvation, fulfilled in Christ, which goes beyond the law and works-based righteousness, offering eternal atonement for all who believe.

The Old Covenant indeed pointed to the need for atonement and obedience, but it also highlighted the need for God’s grace, which would ultimately be fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

We can go deeper should you wish.

J.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

The Edenic Covenant (Unilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 1:26-30; 2:15-17

Nature: This covenant, established with Adam in the Garden of Eden, is often considered unilateral in its nature. God commands Adam to tend the garden and to abstain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). The consequences of disobedience (death) are clearly laid out, but the covenant itself was God’s promise of life, conditional upon obedience.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Unilateral: Though Adam had responsibilities, the covenant is initiated and enforced by God, making it unilateral in nature.

2. The Noahic Covenant (Unilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17
Nature: After the flood, God established a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature on earth. This covenant is a promise from God never to destroy the earth with a flood again.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Unilateral: The covenant is initiated and promised by God alone, without any conditions for Noah to fulfill. It is a promise of preservation and peace between God and all of creation.

3. The Abrahamic Covenant (Unilateral and Bilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-14
Nature: God promises Abraham land, descendants, and blessings in Genesis 12, and this promise is reaffirmed and expanded in Genesis 15 and 17. The covenant involves God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants, but Abraham and his descendants also have obligations, such as circumcision (Genesis 17:10-14).
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The covenant is unilateral in the sense that God makes promises to Abraham that He will fulfill regardless of Abraham’s actions. However, there are also bilateral aspects, such as Abraham's response in faith and the requirement of circumcision.

4. The Mosaic Covenant (Bilateral)
Scripture: Exodus 19:5-6; 24:3-8
Nature: This covenant was made between God and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Law (Torah), which included the Ten Commandments. In exchange for obeying the Law, God promises to bless Israel. If they disobey, they will face curses.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Bilateral: This covenant is conditional and dependent on Israel's obedience to God’s commandments. God promises blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

5. The Palestinian Covenant (Bilateral)
Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:1-10
Nature: Also called the "Covenant of the Land," this covenant reiterates God’s promise to give Israel the land of Canaan. It also includes blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, with an emphasis on the people returning to God and the land after being exiled.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Bilateral: This covenant is conditional on Israel's obedience to God. The fulfillment of the promise of the land is tied to Israel's faithfulness.

6. The Davidic Covenant (Unilateral with Bilateral Aspects)
Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:12-16; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14
Nature: God promises David that his descendants will rule over Israel forever, and the Messiah will come from his lineage. While God promises to establish David’s throne forever, there are conditional aspects relating to the behavior of David's descendants (e.g., 1 Kings 2:4).
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The covenant is unilateral in that God promises to establish David’s throne forever, regardless of the actions of David’s descendants. However, it has bilateral aspects where the kings of Israel are expected to follow God’s ways, and disobedience can lead to judgment.

7. The New Covenant (Unilateral and Bilateral)
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6-13
Nature: The New Covenant, promised in the Old Testament, was inaugurated by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper (Luke 22:20) and fully ratified through His death and resurrection. It promises the forgiveness of sins, a new heart, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for all who believe in Christ.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The unilateral aspect is God’s provision of grace through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, ensuring forgiveness and eternal life for believers. However, there is a bilateral aspect in that believers are called to faith in Christ and to live according to the New Covenant’s stipulations (e.g., the command to love one another as Christ loved us).

Summary:
Edenic Covenant – Unilateral
Noahic Covenant – Unilateral
Abrahamic Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral
Mosaic Covenant – Bilateral
Palestinian Covenant – Bilateral
Davidic Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral
New Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral

J.

I thank you for the comprehensive review who has helped me to understand better the subject.
I now realize that the Bible sometimes uses the term "covenant" as a promise God makes, or a plan for us He commits to follow.

Our modern understanding of convenant is that it is a voluntary agreement between at least 2 parties, and for several covenants, the Bible gives them this bilateral nature. In some others it does not.

 

[Studyman]

The Edenic Covenant (Unilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 1:26-30; 2:15-17

Nature: This covenant, established with Adam in the Garden of Eden, is often considered unilateral in its nature. God commands Adam to tend the garden and to abstain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). The consequences of disobedience (death) are clearly laid out, but the covenant itself was God’s promise of life, conditional upon obedience.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Unilateral: Though Adam had responsibilities, the covenant is initiated and enforced by God, making it unilateral in nature.

2. The Noahic Covenant (Unilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17
Nature: After the flood, God established a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature on earth. This covenant is a promise from God never to destroy the earth with a flood again.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Unilateral: The covenant is initiated and promised by God alone, without any conditions for Noah to fulfill. It is a promise of preservation and peace between God and all of creation.

3. The Abrahamic Covenant (Unilateral and Bilateral)
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-14
Nature: God promises Abraham land, descendants, and blessings in Genesis 12, and this promise is reaffirmed and expanded in Genesis 15 and 17. The covenant involves God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants, but Abraham and his descendants also have obligations, such as circumcision (Genesis 17:10-14).
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The covenant is unilateral in the sense that God makes promises to Abraham that He will fulfill regardless of Abraham’s actions. However, there are also bilateral aspects, such as Abraham's response in faith and the requirement of circumcision.

4. The Mosaic Covenant (Bilateral)
Scripture: Exodus 19:5-6; 24:3-8
Nature: This covenant was made between God and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Law (Torah), which included the Ten Commandments. In exchange for obeying the Law, God promises to bless Israel. If they disobey, they will face curses.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Bilateral: This covenant is conditional and dependent on Israel's obedience to God’s commandments. God promises blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

5. The Palestinian Covenant (Bilateral)
Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:1-10
Nature: Also called the "Covenant of the Land," this covenant reiterates God’s promise to give Israel the land of Canaan. It also includes blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, with an emphasis on the people returning to God and the land after being exiled.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Bilateral: This covenant is conditional on Israel's obedience to God. The fulfillment of the promise of the land is tied to Israel's faithfulness.

6. The Davidic Covenant (Unilateral with Bilateral Aspects)
Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:12-16; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14
Nature: God promises David that his descendants will rule over Israel forever, and the Messiah will come from his lineage. While God promises to establish David’s throne forever, there are conditional aspects relating to the behavior of David's descendants (e.g., 1 Kings 2:4).
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The covenant is unilateral in that God promises to establish David’s throne forever, regardless of the actions of David’s descendants. However, it has bilateral aspects where the kings of Israel are expected to follow God’s ways, and disobedience can lead to judgment.

7. The New Covenant (Unilateral and Bilateral)
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6-13
Nature: The New Covenant, promised in the Old Testament, was inaugurated by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper (Luke 22:20) and fully ratified through His death and resurrection. It promises the forgiveness of sins, a new heart, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for all who believe in Christ.
Bilateral or Unilateral? Both Unilateral and Bilateral: The unilateral aspect is God’s provision of grace through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, ensuring forgiveness and eternal life for believers. However, there is a bilateral aspect in that believers are called to faith in Christ and to live according to the New Covenant’s stipulations (e.g., the command to love one another as Christ loved us).

Summary:
Edenic Covenant – Unilateral
Noahic Covenant – Unilateral
Abrahamic Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral
Mosaic Covenant – Bilateral
Palestinian Covenant – Bilateral
Davidic Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral
New Covenant – Unilateral and Bilateral

J.

I'm sorry Johann,

I'm not going to waste my time arguing with the internet or the copy and paste religious websites which change according to the religious business promoting them as they compete with one another for contributing members.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Johann]

I'm sorry Johann,

I'm not going to waste my time arguing with the internet or the copy and paste religious websites which change according to the religious business promoting them as they compete with one another for contributing members.

Thanks for the reply.

No worries-I'm getting used to this type of response.

J.

 

[Johann]

I thank you for the comprehensive review who has helped me to understand better the subject.
I now realize that the Bible sometimes uses the term "covenant" as a promise God makes, or a plan for us He commits to follow.

Our modern understanding of convenant is that it is a voluntary agreement between at least 2 parties, and for several covenants, the Bible gives them this bilateral nature. In some others it does not.

Your friend @Studyman is not impressed-apparently, I need to start recruiting people for what I'm selling from the internet. So don't buy what I'm "selling" brother.

J.