Lesson #20—Covenant of Grace

Shorter Catechism Q & A #20

Q. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

A. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.

Memorize Q & A—Exposition

God’s grace is sufficient to carry out his good pleasure to redeem his chosen people from his eternal wrath and deliver them into the kingdom of his Son whom he sent to be the propitiation for their sins (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 2:2, 4:10). Christ is the ‘expiatory victim” offering himself, in our place, before the Divine Judge, to pay the price of our redemption.

What does it mean?

How is God’s “good pleasure” illustrated in Ephesians 1:4–6? [Define these words, “adoption of children,”  “will,” “accepted.”]

Discuss “Deliverance” and “Redeemer.” Note verses: Rom. 3:20–22; Gal. 3:21–22.

[Redeemer=Deliverer, to ransom, to release; Ps. 19:14; Isa.47:4, 49:26, 59:20, 60:16, 63:34.]

What is our practice?

What works are there that would be evidence of the Covenant of Grace in our lives? Discuss what it means to:

1. Grow in the knowledge of God’s grace

2. Practice repentance and humility

3. Practice obedience to God’s Word

4. Be an example to others

5. Commit ourselves to our Savior in faith and practice

Quotes for thought and discussion:

The Covenant of Grace: “It is a covenant of grace, because it is a royal character, all made up of terms of grace; that ‘God will cast our sins behind his back;’ that ‘he will love us freely;’ Hos. 14:4; that he will give us a will to accept of the mercy of the covenant, and strength to perform the conditions of the covenant. Ezek. 36:27. All is pure grace. … “God makes a covenant with us, to tie us fast to him; as it is called in Ezekiel, the ‘bond of the covenant.’ God knows we have slippery hearts, therefore he will have a covenant to bind us. It is horrid impiety to go away from God after covenant. If one of the vestal nuns, who had vowed herself to religion, was deflowered, the Romans cause her to be burnt alive. It is perjury to depart from God after solemn covenant.” (Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity)

“Ministers are under-shepherds, Christ is the great shepherd. This denotes his interest in his people. They are the flock of his pasture, and his care and concern are for them. He feeds them, and leads them, and watches over them. The way and method in which God is reconciled, and Christ raised from the dead: Through the blood of the everlasting covenant. The blood of Christ satisfied divine justice, and so procured Christ’s release from the prison of the grace, as having paid our debt, according to an eternal covenant or agreement between the Father and the Son; and this blood is the sanction and seal of an everlasting covenant between God and his people.” (Matthew Henry, Heb. 13:18–25 Commentary)

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