Last week we noted that the covenantal ethos that permeates scriptures is also present in the surrounding culture in which the Bible was given. This is nothing less than gracious accommodation on God’s part, speaking to us and revealing himself in ways that we can understand. We might, though, go even back a little further yet. We should probably say that the covenantal ethos that permeated the surrounding culture in which the Bible was given actually stems from a covenantal structure that exists within the Godhead itself. That is to say, that, broadly speaking, the members of the Trinity interact with one another covenantally. And because humanity is made in his image, humanity in turn images that image by dealing with one another by way of covenant.

…it is important to remind ourselves that redemption was not an afterthought emerging from Adam’s failure in the garden, …

In this light it is important to remind ourselves that redemption was not an afterthought emerging from Adam’s failure in the garden, but was actually the plan of God from all eternity incorporating Adam’s fall in the garden. In other words, God’s plan extends into eternity. It is because of this the NT often speaks of God the father “giving” the Son a people. John especially brings this out. For example, in John 6:39 we read, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” And again in chapters seventeen, “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world…” (Jn. 17:6; cf. 10:29; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 2:13). Many more texts could be marshaled. But these, along with many others, manifest the Christ-centered focus of redemption and its Trinitarian nature. Simply put, the theology of grace and the theology of the Bible simply could not be true were it not for a Trinitarian God. Denying the Trinity does more than call into question the nature of God, it calls into question the very nature of salvation. In this light it is not surprising that non-Trinitarian sects/cults are forced to create an heterodox doctrine of salvation.

Historically the church has referred to this covenant as the “Covenant of Redemption.” The Father covenants with the Son and the Spirit to redeem a people for his own name sake. He gives a people to his Son, a people for whom His Son lays down his life and takes it up again, a people whom the Spirit graciously regenerates and sanctifies.

It should be obvious that we can say little more about this because the Bible doesn’t say much more. Instead, the Bible primarily deals with “time and space,” it speaks most often from our perspective. For this reason we can only say what has been said and be humble enough to resign our speculations to the will of Him who knows all things. To Him the secret things belong and to us are those things he has revealed (Deut. 29:29). Next week we will turn our attention to the way God works out his plan of redemption in time and space.