Soli Deo Gloria said: Ron D, do you agree with your main man Edwards when he said "... if we speak of the covenant God has made with man stating the condition of eternal life, God never made but one with man, to wit, the covenant of works; which never yet was abrogated... The covenant of grace is not another covenant made with man... but a covenant made with Christ to fulfill it"
I believe that it is speculative to think that Adam could have attained unto a glorified nature had he continued in obedience. However, even if this was in the contract from the beginning, had Adam attained unto eternal life it still would have been by God's unmerited favor.
Adam obviously needed something extra in order not to have fallen. Had Adam not fallen, then God would have given Adam that extra umph <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/heavy.gif" alt="" /> through the providential ordering of circumstances if not the internal working of the Spirit. In either case, God would have been gracious in doing so. Yes?
I believe that grace is unmerited favor. We often think of this applying to sinners only, but I see unmerited favor being bestowed upon Adam in creation. As soon as God created Adam and Eve he "blessed them." Moreover, whatever good Adam did or would have done had God decreed something else would have been according to God's grace since Adam was not autonomous. So I see grace in the garden, apart from sin.
My wife is from CA. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/cloud9.gif" alt="" />
Blessings,
Ron
Ron D, you have to realize that I am talking about biblical soteriological grace, not this unmerited favor we often apply to the gospel and then to creation. In the gospel there is demerit present so there is grace. The covenant of works is based on a works/justice system. The covenant of works is necessary to understand the gospel; we should preach adam as mankinds representative, and preach Christ, representing a great multitude, as the second adam who succeeded where adam failed.Rom 5:18 The covenant of redemption was a covenant of works when related strictly to Christ, as was the covenant of works to adam. You talked about God not acting under a "quid pro quo" relationship yet Jesus Bought us. I hope we are not playing a word game here, but I think it is important to understand the covenant of works. I understand that it can be difficult to talk about a covenant where grace is not, but I think many of the great covenant theologians rightfuly did so.
Pilgrim, whats your say on this...i know in another post you said you were liking John Owen as of late. Do you include his covenant theology?
I'm not ignoring you. I thought you asked Pilgrim a question, which he can answer at least as well as I! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/applause.gif" alt="" /> Ron
