Out of grace and a merciful disposition the Lord grants his saints rightful peace of mind. That peace of mind is illustrated through two covenants neither of which cancels the other. Rather these covenants reinforce each other in demonstrating the integrity of the Lord’s promises made in divine covenant communion before the creation of man.
The Triune God covenanted within himself to the creature (Adam and his progeny). His promises are not limited to individuals but are in effect to all the elect who were sealed in Christ (Eph. 1:4-6) through the federal headship of the first Adam. God’s covenant mercies therefore are directed at each individual as well as those who follow them as their spiritual children. Naturally, each man is in a logical and ontological manner the federal head of all his descendants (Gen. 15:12-16, Gen. 17:9-14). This is a core tenet of the Reformed and Presbyterian practice of baptism of infants, that they are Covenant community members and ought to be baptized in order to receive the sign and seal of the covenant of grace.
The debate regarding the nature of the covenant of works, also referred to as the covenant of creation, remains a contentious matter among Christian communions. Historically, Reformed theology recognizes two covenants. These are the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace.
The Covenant of Works
Under the covenant of works, God the Creator stipulated that Adam, as the federal representative covenant head of the human race, ought to obey him perfectly. Had Adam obeyed in his trial of obedience, he would have merited continued full communion with God, and thus would have inherited eternal life. That is the logical implication of the commandment given in Gen. 2:16-17. The good and loving kindness of the Lord in this command is shown in Gen. 2:18 wherein God shows his desire to be glorified in the good state of man, even giving him a helper that is truly fit for him. Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 7, Article 1, says: “2. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.”
Alas, Adam violated the commandment and thereby earned the reward of sin, death. Through this action he drew the entire human race into the downward spiral of the gravity of sin placing all his descendants under the penalty of death.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 6, Articles 2-4, says: “2. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body. 3. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. 4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.”
Our only comfort is that God in sovereign grace chooses to redeem the elect in Christ the last Adam, who is the only one who perfectly obeys the law for us and merits our justification by the imputation of his righteousness as the payment of our sins. A substitute of a sinless man is the only way of atonement for the sins of man.
With respect to the nature of man, even those who are in Christ during their earthly walk remain polluted by an inclination to sin. Only divine grace can save us from the wrath of God over sin. Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 6, Article 6, goes on to say: “Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal.”