There Was Never a Covenant of Works Between God and Man

God did not require Adam to perform any good works prior to creating him. Seems obvious, doesn’t it? So the original gift of life was based on grace. Then why do theologians say that the original covenant between Adam and Eve and God was a “covenant of works?”

The reformed faith teaches that even in the Old Testament, among His people Israel, God did not save any individual based on works. It was always by grace, specifically by faith in a savior to come. It has always troubled me that the Reformed faith is consistent regarding salvation by grace throughout history until it gets to the Garden of Eden before the Fall. If God is a God who never changes, how could he impose a covenant of works at one point in history but a covenant of grace at another?

Continue reading “There Was Never a Covenant of Works Instituted by the Gracious God”