The Everlasting Covenant - 8.3 References TSC

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8.3 References TSC by Hubert F. Sturges, www.everlastingcovenant.com, July 31, 2010

Topics:
1. Covenant with Sinless Beings
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The creation of God is governed by law. The physical makeup of the universe is governed by the laws of science. Did you ever stop to think that if God created this earth, that He created science too? Men were given free choice and the moral law as a pattern for the expression of love one to another. These laws were simply the laws of life. To obey was to live and to break the law was to die. Some have called this a covenant, though the term was never used for this.

The character of God is portrayed in His law (6). Adam and Eve were made “in the image of God” which meant that they were like God, but not equal to Him. Sinless beings – Adam and Eve in Eden and the angels in heaven all lived in close fellowship with God. God was in the center of their lives and the focus of all their plans, thoughts, words, and actions. In this situation, keeping the law was not legalism, but a response to the love of God.

They did not focus on law, it was just natural for them to obey their Lord. Created in the image of God, what God did was to mankind a command to do likewise to the extent of his ability. Before the fall Adam and Eve were perfect and had strength to obey. If they had obeyed God, they would eventually have been confirmed in righteousness and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil removed.

2. See article #3.1 Adam and Eve References, paragraph #8 Free Will.
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3. Law and Dominion. Adam and Eve were given definite instructions as to how to live:

Dominion over all of creation on the earth.
Be fruitful and multiply. Have families and raise children.
A diet of fruit, nuts, and grains. No flesh food in Eden (Genesis 1:26-29).
Seventh-day set aside for rest and worship of God (Genesis 2:1-3).
Take care of the Garden (Genesis 2:8, 15).
Mine the gold and precious stones (Genesis 2:11,12).
Avoid the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16,17).
Name (and take care of) all the animals (see dominion above) (Genesis 2:19,20).
Cleave to his wife, Eve ( see fruitful above) (Genesis 2:23,24)

4. The Test:
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Satan could tempt Adam and Eve in only one way. Not much else is recorded about the instructions God gave to Adam and Eve. All we have are two short verses:

     “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
      “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).
Would God fail to warn Adam and Eve of the danger of sin? No! The fact that eating of that tree would cause death indicates that Adam and Eve were told much more about sin and the devil than is expressed in the record. “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7 NIV).

5. “The Law of God is as sacred as God Himself. It is a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression of divine love and wisdom. The harmony of creation depends upon the perfect conformity of all beings, of everything, animate and inanimate, to the law of the Creator. God has ordained laws for the government, not only of living beings, but of all the operations of nature. Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature is governed by natural laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the earth is amenable to moral law. To man, the crowning work of creation, God has given power to understand His requirements, to comprehend the justice and beneficence of His law, and its sacred claims upon him; and of man unswerving obedience is required.” White EG: Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 52

6. Minimal requirements.
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If a person keeps the minimal requirements of the law, he will stay out of jail. This is what many will do with the law of God. This is the trap that many will fall into with a law that is written in stone. It is the will and purpose of God, however, that the law be kept from a heart filled with love for God and for fellow man. When Jesus came to earth, He introduced the “kingdom of grace.” In the sermon on the mount, He emphasized keeping the law from the motives and attitudes of the heart.

7. Sabbath, a day of rest.
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On the sixth day of Creation, “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Creation was now finished, and everything was in order. However, man was a different kind of being. He was intelligent, but untaught. He had an almost infinite capacity to learn. He was aware of himself and of God, but he knew very little of either. He had free will and creativity. God set aside a day to rest -- not because he was tired, but because He wanted to take time with Adam, the crowning act of His creation on this earth. They would talk together, and fellowship together. Adam would learn of the love and mercy of God. And God would observe the creativity of man in his conversation and in his actions. It would be a wonderful, holy time.
8. See Article #2.0, The Council from Eternity
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9. The term “my covenant” occurs fifty one times in the Bible and is associated with words like establish, remember, make, keep, take hold, give, break, transgress, and this is. It is through “my covenant” that we come to God in faith. It is this covenant that provides redemption for mankind through the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary. And it is this covenant that God offered to Israel at Sinai, and the covenant that God extends to mankind throughout his history.

“My” Covenant, given at Sinai, pointed to a covenant already in existence. In Genesis 17 “my covenant” was spoken four times to Abraham, and twice referring to Isaac. The term “everlasting covenant” was associated with “my covenant” twice with Abraham and once for Isaac. Note also that the promises of Exodus 19:5-6 were repeated in 1 Peter 2:9 for the Christian Church. Though the injunction to “obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,” not being repeated indicates a new relationship with Christ in the New Testament.

See Article #1.6, Covenant Terms, Items #7-9 about My Covenant.
See also article #1.0 Covenants Explained, paragraphs about One Basic Covenant.

10. The Mystery. Romans 16:25; 1 Timothy 3:16

11. The Law of God.
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Ten Commandments are the covenant. Exodus 31:18; 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9,11,15; Hebrews 9:4
Tables of the law kept in the ark. Exodus 25:21; Deuteronomy 10:2,5; 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chron. 5:10
Comparison of attributes of God and of the Law of God. See Article #9.1 para. 3,4

12. The Gospel of God’s Purpose.

Deuteronomy 8:3 “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord...”
Habakkuk 2:4 “... The just shall live by his faith.”
Galatians 2:20 “... the life which I now live ... I live by the faith of the Son of God, ...”
2 Corinthians 5:17 “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away...”
Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:15 Be ye holy for I am holy.
Deuteronomy 10:12-16; Romans 3:20; 2 Peter 1:4 ... ye might be partakers of the divine nature.
13. The righteous await Christ’s Coming with joy. Isaiah 25:9; Revelation 7:1-4; 14:1-5
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