Scripture tells us that God’s dealings with man are determined by agreements called covenants. As an overarching theme, the covenant of grace is significant in the history of redemption.
There are many who will teach, under the New Covenant, "we are given the opportunity" to receive salvation as a free gift.
But, if we are given the opportunity, it then becomes a matter of work and is no longer grace.
But only upon the basis of Christ's sacrifice and obedience could man inherit the blessings of the covenant of grace, not by any works he can do. Christ became “the mediator of the new covenant” (
Heb. 9:15). Through his work we receive the blessings of salvation.
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. Heb 9:15.
There are but two names for the one, second covenant.
To Christ, a covenant of redemption, a bargain of buying and selling because Christ alone engaged to pay the price for redemption. But it is to us a Covenant of grace, in which all is to be had freely. And without respect to any work of ours as the ground of our right thereto. Scripture only mentions two covenants, not three, Gal 4:24,
Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Since one of these must be a Covenant of works, a single Covenant off grace must be the other.
There are repeated references to the blood of the Covenant, not Covenants,
How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? Heb 10:29. This clearly shows that our salvation depends upon only one Covenant, the Covenant of grace.
Also, the condition of the Covenant of grace, properly so called, is "Christ's fulfilling all righteousness" and not as some have maintained, "faith in Christ,"
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;[a]
when his soul makes[b] an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see[c] and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:10-11.
But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. Matt 3:15.
even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matt 20:28.
For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Rom 5:19.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21.
And since faith must precede the enjoyment of the promised benefits, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, Eph 2:8. So it could be a condition or, connection to order, but only in the sense that one thing goes before another in the order of a covenant.
But if it is the misunderstanding that we are given the opportunity to receive salvation by faith (our responsibility to exercise faith), the free Covanant of grace turns into a conditional Covanant of works. This destroys the Gospel.
Or where in scripture does it teach, in the New Covenant does God give man the opportunity to exorcise faith?
Some will teach, God made the Covenant between Him and man, but Scripture does not teach such. But who does scripture say God has made a Covenant with? Psalm 89:3 answers that,
You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant: Psalm 89:3.
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Psalm 89:3-4.
This is the new building of grace set for us. All believers, when they believe are instantly received, and when they are received, they shall dwell forever in a building of mercy, in which every stone from the bottom to the top, is pure mercy, rich, and free mercy to us.
This plan was all drawn together in eternity in the council of the Trinity. And..... This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, Eph 3:11.
These objects of mercy, the time and place, the way and the means of applying it on them, were designed before the creation of the world.
Of this building, the builder is God Himself. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor 3:9.
All the Trinity is at work in the building of it.
The Father chose the objects of mercy, and gave them to the Son to be redeemed; the Son purchased redemption for them; and the Holy Spirit applies the purchased redemption to them.
But all goes to the account of His So, (none to us)
12 And say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there[a] shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’Zech 6:12-13.
