The concept of "The Covenant" is central to the biblical narrative, representing the divine agreements established between God and humanity. These covenants are pivotal in understanding the unfolding of God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture. The culmination and confirmation of these covenants are found in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who fulfills and perfects the promises made by God to His people.

Old Testament Covenants

The Old Testament outlines several key covenants, each progressively revealing God's plan for salvation. The Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:8-17) promises that God will never again destroy the earth with a flood, symbolized by the rainbow. The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:18-21; 17:1-14) establishes God's promise to Abraham to make him a great nation, bless all nations through him, and give his descendants the land of Canaan. The Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19-24) provides the Law, given to Israel at Mount Sinai, which sets them apart as God's chosen people. The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16) promises that David's lineage will endure forever, with his throne established eternally.

The New Covenant

The prophets foretold a New Covenant, distinct from the Mosaic Covenant, characterized by an internal transformation and a direct relationship with God. Jeremiah 31:31-34 speaks of this New Covenant, where God promises to write His law on the hearts of His people and forgive their iniquities. Ezekiel 36:26-27 echoes this promise, describing a new heart and spirit given to God's people.

Fulfillment in Christ

The New Testament reveals that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment and confirmation of all previous covenants. In the Gospels, Jesus Himself declares the establishment of the New Covenant through His sacrificial death. At the Last Supper, He states, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20). This act signifies the inauguration of the New Covenant, where Jesus' atoning sacrifice provides the means for forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

The Apostle Paul further expounds on this in his epistles. In 2 Corinthians 1:20, he writes, "For all the promises of God are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through Him, our 'Amen' is spoken to the glory of God" . This verse underscores that all God's promises, including those of the covenants, find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

The Role of Faith

The confirmation of the covenant in Christ emphasizes the role of faith. The Abrahamic Covenant, which was based on faith, is mirrored in the New Covenant. Paul explains in Galatians 3:7-9 that those who have faith are children of Abraham and are blessed along with him. This faith is not based on adherence to the Law but on belief in Jesus Christ, who has fulfilled the Law on behalf of humanity.

The Eternal Covenant

Hebrews 13:20-21 refers to the "eternal covenant," highlighting the everlasting nature of the covenant confirmed in Christ. This eternal covenant is characterized by the perfect and complete work of Jesus, who, as the Great High Priest, mediates a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6). His once-for-all sacrifice ensures eternal redemption for those who believe.

The Church as Covenant Community

The Church, as the body of Christ, is the community of the New Covenant. Believers are called to live out the implications of this covenant relationship, marked by love, obedience, and witness to the world. The New Covenant, confirmed in Christ, unites believers across all nations, fulfilling God's promise to bless all the families of the earth through Abraham's seed (Galatians 3:14).

In summary, the covenant confirmed in Christ is the culmination of God's redemptive plan, fulfilling the promises made throughout the Old Testament and establishing an eternal relationship with His people through faith in Jesus Christ.Galatians 3:17
And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot cancel, that it should make the promise of none effect.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity God's Testament and Promise in ...
... He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is
Christ.17 Now this I:say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/thirteenth sunday after trinity gods.htm

'This Cup'
... deliverances of the past. That idea of a covenant confirmed by Christ's blood
may sound to many hearers dry and hard. But if you will ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/this cup.htm

More Particularly, in what Respect Christ is Called the Truth.
... As he was called Christ, so was he anointed with the ... him, who is the only Mediator
of the covenant of promises. 3. Are confirmed all by him, and made yea and ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter xi more particularly in.htm

On Sacraments in General
... 17:13; ) and, on the contrary, in 1 Corinthians 5:7, "Christ, our passover ... the passover;
or so far as now they have regard to the covenant confirmed, and belong ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation lx on sacraments in.htm

The Covenant of Grace
... but the covenant of grace is sure; it is confirmed with God's ... The covenant of grace
brings preferment. ... in innocence, we are advanced to sit upon Christ's throne ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 the covenant of grace.htm

Jesus, the Surety of a Better Covenant
... Of the work of Christ, as the Surety of the better Covenant, our passage tells us
that, because of this priesthood confirmed by oath, He is able to save ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/murray/the two covenants/chapter xi jesus the surety.htm

God's Covenant with Abram
... and higher blessings, is sealed by the blood of Christ. ... the detailed promises, of
which the covenant was the ... of those already made, but now confirmed by more ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/gods covenant with abram.htm

The Priesthood of Christ
... was with him of life and peace." (ii, 5.) It is, however, peculiar to this priesthood
of Christ, that the covenant on which it is founded, was confirmed by an ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/oration iv the priesthood of.htm

A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity
... That the Same Truth is Proved from the Sacred Writings of the New Covenant. ...
Argument.--That the Same Divine Majesty is Again Confirmed in Christ by Other ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/novatian/a treatise of novatian concerning the trinity/

The Blood of Sprinkling
... in that covenant as was Abraham the father of believers; for the covenant was made
with Abraham and his spiritual seed; and in Christ it is confirmed to all ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the blood of sprinkling.htm

What is the Edenic covenant? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Abrahamic Covenant? | GotQuestions.org

What is a covenant? | GotQuestions.org

Covenant: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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