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Covenant of Works

C.O.W. Conclusion #3

Federal Headship:
Adam was the “federal head” of humanity, and there were no limitations to the extent, reach and impact of that federal headship. Whatever Adam’s spiritual condition became, it would be imputed, imparted and inherited by all his “naturally generated” progeny or descendants.

  • If Adam passed probation with personal, perfect, perpetual obedience, then the righteousness he merited by those works of perfect obedience and the eternal life he earned would permit his descendants to have eternal life imputed to them.
  • If Adam failed and sinned, then every “naturally generated” (conceived by human insemination) descendant of Adam also participated in the actual sin of disobedience – eating the forbidden fruit – by Adam being the “federal representative” of all humanity – and is also guilty of that sin. Therefore, from conception, every person is judged, condemned and sentenced to an eternity of suffering in the fires of hell.
  • The second Adam, Jesus, was perfectly obedient. ONLY by His works of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience did Jesus earn righteousness, merit eternal life and is able to offer both righteousness and eternal life to those whom He chooses.
  • Either Adam, or Jesus as the second Adam, is your federal head. Whether you have a condemnation or eternal life, imputed to you is determined by who your federal head is.
is this an accurate summary of the C.O.W. teaching on Federal Headship? What should be changed/added/deleted? (I can see some heartburn on use of “probation” …)
Put more clearly: Adam was the federal head of all humanity. He sinned. As a result mankind became a being that sins. We sin because in Adam we are sinners. Jesus is the federal head of the righteous., having completed perfect righteousness and substituted Himself for the sinner satisfying God's justice against both sins and the sinner. All who are reborn of God in Christ are taken out of Adam, posiitionally. Justified.
 
is this correct?
First, I'm what is known as a high Calvinist, or hyper, if name tags have to be put upon a person's faith, which I very seldom do, for a few reasons.

To answer your question, I would strongly say no. I would agree with much of Josheb on what he has posted above

A thought for you to consider..... God alone is immutable and cannot not be tempered with sin, not so with man or even angels. I firmly believe ( based on many scriptures, which we can provide later ) Adam and Eve lasted no longer than when God left them to themselves without preserving them from sinning. The same is true with the angels, that's one reason God elected some before creating them, and past over the rest of them, to reveal a most important truth to us ~ that He alone is immutable.
 
Put more clearly: Adam was the federal head of all humanity. He sinned. As a result mankind became a being that sins. We sin because in Adam we are sinners. Jesus is the federal head of the righteous., having completed perfect righteousness and substituted Himself for the sinner satisfying God's justice against both sins and the sinner. All who are reborn of God in Christ are taken out of Adam, posiitionally. Justified.
Thank you for your overview. I broke my summary down into specific points for the purpose of testing both the conclusions and the evidence presented to support the doctrine against Scripture. I intend to use explicit Scripture and internal consistency with other Calvinist doctrines to challenge both the outcome and process. If specific points do not represent the doctrine, it would be helpful to know that.
 
First, I'm what is known as a high Calvinist, or hyper, if name tags have to be put upon a person's faith, which I very seldom do, for a few reasons.

To answer your question, I would strongly say no. I would agree with much of Josheb on what he has posted above

A thought for you to consider..... God alone is immutable and cannot not be tempered with sin, not so with man or even angels. I firmly believe ( based on many scriptures, which we can provide later ) Adam and Eve lasted no longer than when God left them to themselves without preserving them from sinning. The same is true with the angels, that's one reason God elected some before creating them, and past over the rest of them, to reveal a most important truth to us ~ that He alone is immutable.
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my efforts to understand and correctly state conclusions about the Covenant of Works.

I agree that God alone is immutable.

I am not sure what in particular that I wrote resulted in your “no.” Is Josheb the same as “Arial?”

Fesko’s book “Adam and the Covenant of Works” covered some of the disagreements as the doctrine has developed. Absent specific criticisms, I will go with what those who appear to be subject matter experts say about the doctrine as the outline for how the doctrine is taught.

From my perspective, there is so much content with which to work that I think many/most particular disagreements among Calvinists about what really is the C.O.W. will not affect the outcome. I may be wrong, but we will find out!
 
If Adam passed probation with personal, perfect, perpetual obedience, then the righteousness he merited by those works of perfect obedience and the eternal life he earned would permit his descendants to have eternal life imputed to them.



I would offer one probationary period . .

Given under the letter of the law God's instrument (death)Thou shall not or you will comes to a end of spirit life and never rise to see life ever again

Adam failed his probationary period The letter of the law death worked to fulfill its promise,.The dead body returned to clay and the temporal spirit given under the letter of the law return the Father of spirit life .

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
 
Thank you for your overview. I broke my summary down into specific points for the purpose of testing both the conclusions and the evidence presented to support the doctrine against Scripture. I intend to use explicit Scripture and internal consistency with other Calvinist doctrines to challenge both the outcome and process. If specific points do not represent the doctrine, it would be helpful to know that.
It seems you have High Calvinists, Classical Calvinists and New Calvinists here; you should be happy...

What you are trying to do is what I do; use Shared Beliefs against a person's other beliefs. You want your skeletal framework of the Covenant of Works to be agreed upon, so you can use the agreement to butt heads with what should be a spurious belief since it's in opposition to the agreement. It won't be easy; at Forums it's almost impossible to get someone to agree with a Fundamental, if they know the Fundamental will shipwreck their Pretexts...

I would just ask all to sign off on the basics of Covenant Theology; he has. Don't you know that his agreement means it can be used against him too?
 
Conclusion #4 of 4 the Covenant of Works:

I am asking for C.O.W. apologists to review this to verify whether or not it accurately reflects the doctrine.

Covenant of Works Analysis - Conclusion #4 of 4:

#4. Salvation Is by Works: Salvation depended on someone finally fulfilling the Covenant of Works.

Sub Points:

1. The Covenant of Works, and the ability to earn eternal life by a person’s perfect obedience thus earning righteousness, continued until the death of Jesus.

(Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Works, and therefore it no longer was in force after His death.)

2. Unfortunately, due to being “naturally generated,” not one of Adam’s descendants could fulfill the preconditions of a life of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, and thereby earn righteousness and eternal life for themselves and their progeny.

3. Why is this? Because every one of Adam’s “naturally generated” descendants inherited the guilt from Adam’s “original” sin. As already noted, from conception, everyone was guilty of Adam’s sin.

4. However, Jesus was not a descendant of Adam by “natural generation,” had no guilt from the original sin, and therefore He could demonstrate personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience to God.

5. Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Works, and it was ONLY through His works of perfect obedience that Jesus earned righteousness and eternal life that could be imputed or imparted to others of His choosing.

I would appreciate those who are knowledgeable about the C.O.W. if they would critique the wording of these conclusions and verify that what I have distilled accurately and fairly represents the C.O.W teachings.

Is this correct?
 
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my efforts to understand and correctly state conclusions about the Covenant of Works.

I agree that God alone is immutable.

I am not sure what in particular that I wrote resulted in your “no.” Is Josheb the same as “Arial?”

Fesko’s book “Adam and the Covenant of Works” covered some of the disagreements as the doctrine has developed. Absent specific criticisms, I will go with what those who appear to be subject matter experts say about the doctrine as the outline for how the doctrine is taught.

From my perspective, there is so much content with which to work that I think many/most particular disagreements among Calvinists about what really is the C.O.W. will not affect the outcome. I may be wrong, but we will find out!
My advice is to stick to your guns, and stay focused on the Principles. Sooner or later, Principles rise to the top...
 
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I would offer one probationary period . .

Given under the letter of the law God's instrument (death)Thou shall not or you will comes to a end of spirit life and never rise to see life ever again

Adam failed his probationary period The letter of the law death worked to fulfill its promise,.The dead body returned to clay and the temporal spirit given under the letter of the law return the Father of spirit life .

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Thank you. I think I would agree that one’s whole life would be the longest “probationary“ period! The authors I read offered no Scriptures to support their idea of a shorter probationary period.
 
I would offer one probationary period . .

Given under the letter of the law God's instrument (death)Thou shall not or you will comes to a end of spirit life and never rise to see life ever again

Adam failed his probationary period The letter of the law death worked to fulfill its promise,.The dead body returned to clay and the temporal spirit given under the letter of the law return the Father of spirit life .

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Just for notation, you're not a Calvinist; correct?
 
Conclusion #4 of 4 the Covenant of Works:

I am asking for C.O.W. apologists to review this to verify whether or not it accurately reflects the doctrine.

Covenant of Works Analysis - Conclusion #4 of 4:

#4. Salvation Is by Works: Salvation depended on someone finally fulfilling the Covenant of Works.

Sub Points:

1. The Covenant of Works, and the ability to earn eternal life by a person’s perfect obedience thus earning righteousness, continued until the death of Jesus.

(Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Works, and therefore it no longer was in force after His death.)

2. Unfortunately, due to being “naturally generated,” not one of Adam’s descendants could fulfill the preconditions of a life of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, and thereby earn righteousness and eternal life for themselves and their progeny.

3. Why is this? Because every one of Adam’s “naturally generated” descendants inherited the guilt from Adam’s “original” sin. As already noted, from conception, everyone was guilty of Adam’s sin.

4. However, Jesus was not a descendant of Adam by “natural generation,” had no guilt from the original sin, and therefore He could demonstrate personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience to God.

5. Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Works, and it was ONLY through His works of perfect obedience that Jesus earned righteousness and eternal life that could be imputed or imparted to others of His choosing.

I would appreciate those who are knowledgeable about the C.O.W. if they would critique the wording of these conclusions and verify that what I have distilled accurately and fairly represents the C.O.W teachings.

Is this correct?
Yes, the Covenant of Works had to be Fulfilled; not Abbrogated. We're Saved by Works, but they are Christ's Works; given to us through a reckoning...
 
For my challenges, I intend to offer them sequentially, as I have the conclusions. They are organized by conclusion. Each is way to long to offer as a post, and I see there is the ability to load files. Is there any problem if I upload a PDF for each one and those interested can respond/quote from that?
 
#4. Salvation Is by Works: Salvation depended on someone finally fulfilling the Covenant of Works.
Salvation by whose works? Christ demonstrating with the Son of man fulfilled his convent of His works . Jesu did the will of God with delight others like Jonah thrown overboard, kicked against the pricks all the way then. . . murmured he wanted to die

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Remember (Job 23) God is of one mind and always does whatsoever'd his soul desires He working in us to both hear his will ears to hear his understanding and empower us to do it as in Philippians' 2. He performs that which he appoints to us he makes our hearts soft with the water of the word. Yoked with him our daily burdens are lighter
 
For my challenges, I intend to offer them sequentially, as I have the conclusions. They are organized by conclusion. Each is way to long to offer as a post, and I see there is the ability to load files. Is there any problem if I upload a PDF for each one and those interested can respond/quote from that?
@Carbon would know, because he pays for CCAM. It costs him more for people to Post Videos, so I don't know...
 
@Carbon would know, because he pays for CCAM. It costs him more for people to Post Videos, so I don't know...
I don't know if we can quote from a pdf and have it appear in the reply box.
 
I don't know if we can quote from a pdf and have it appear in the reply box.
I prefer typical Posts. I don't Mind going one point at a time; I like it. Getting the first point settled, locks a Poster into a Principle which can be used against them later...
 
For my challenges, I intend to offer them sequentially, as I have the conclusions. They are organized by conclusion. Each is way to long to offer as a post, and I see there is the ability to load files. Is there any problem if I upload a PDF for each one and those interested can respond/quote from that?
I don't know if we can quote from a pdf and have it appear in the reply box.
I think the per post limit is 1,000 words, sit will be 5+ full/max posts for Conclusion #1. I am good either way. I want to make it easy to respond. Maybe the first post to include the PDF along with 1,000 words, then the rest with, hopefully, natural breaking points.
 
#4. Salvation Is by Works: Salvation depended on someone finally fulfilling the Covenant of Works.
Christ's work yes.Keeping in mind that the Edenic covenant and the Mosaic covenant are all part of the covenant of works.
1. The Covenant of Works, and the ability to earn eternal life by a person’s perfect obedience thus earning righteousness, continued until the death of Jesus.
Yes.
2. Unfortunately, due to being “naturally generated,” not one of Adam’s descendants could fulfill the preconditions of a life of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, and thereby earn righteousness and eternal life for themselves and their progeny.
Yes.
3. Why is this? Because every one of Adam’s “naturally generated” descendants inherited the guilt from Adam’s “original” sin. As already noted, from conception, everyone was guilty of Adam’s sin.
Yes.
4. However, Jesus was not a descendant of Adam by “natural generation,” had no guilt from the original sin, and therefore He could demonstrate personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience to God.

5. Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Works, and it was ONLY through His works of perfect obedience that Jesus earned righteousness and eternal life that could be imputed or imparted to others of His choosing.
Yes and yes. Though I would not word it as Jesus earning righteousness---He was proven righteous---which is the only way in which His righteousness could be imputed to the believer. The sin of Adam and our own sins counted as His-----His righteousness counted as ours. What He earned was the ability to impute His righteousness.
 
I prefer typical Posts. I don't Mind going one point at a time; I like it. Getting the first point settled, locks a Poster into a Principle which can be used against them later...
I think this will be interesting - and I hope retain an element of fun.
 
I prefer typical Posts. I don't Mind going one point at a time; I like it. Getting the first point settled, locks a Poster into a Principle which can be used against them later...
Agree. It stays better organized and consistently on track.
 
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