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Genesis 2:15–17
“Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (v. 17).
From the beginning of human history, God has dealt with mankind in a covenantal manner. Even our first parents were bound to a covenant with God, which is commonly called the covenant of works, the covenant of life, or the covenant of creation.
In our studies, we will use the phrase covenant of works because it establishes what many have called a “works principle.” That is, the benefits of this covenant come only by the good works of man’s obedience to God. Petrus van Mastricht defines the covenant of works as “that pact which God entered into with the whole human race in Adam concerning the giving of eternal life to him, under the condition of rendering perfect obedience, not only to natural law, but also to the positive law of not eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
While the term covenant does not appear in Genesis 1–3, the elements of a covenant are evident in these chapters and in other passages that talk about Adam. All the covenants between God and man have curses for disobedience, blessings for obedience, and stipulations or commandments to be kept. Genesis 2:15–17 says that Adam was promised the curse of death if he disobeyed the Lord and broke the commandment not to eat of the forbidden tree. Covenants also have blessings. We discern in Romans 5:12–21 that the blessing of eternal life was promised to Adam for his obedience. In those verses, Paul sets up a parallel between Adam and Jesus, indicating that we have eternal life in Jesus because He is a new Adam who succeeded where the first Adam failed. The parallel means that if the first Adam had obeyed God perfectly, he would have secured eternal life for the human race.
As Westminster Confession of Faith 7.2 puts it, eternal life was promised to the descendants of Adam on the condition of his “perfect and personal obedience.” We should note, however, that while works, not saving grace, are the means through which man obtains blessing under the covenant of works, the covenant of works is still an act of God’s gracious condescension to us. Our Creator did not have to enter into a personal relationship with humanity. He could have demanded obedience without promising a reward. Moreover, since we owe God obedience simply because we are creatures, the blessed promise of eternal life far exceeds whatever the good works of mere creatures might deserve.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Francis Turretin notes that God could have prescribed obedience without promising a reward. Nevertheless, Turretin says, God did so to reveal more powerfully His right to rule, to show forth His goodness in a clearer way, to reveal His love, and to establish man’s expectation of reward on a surer footing. We learn much about our Creator from the simple fact that He promised to reward Adam’s obedience.
For further study
- Hosea 6:7
- Matthew 3:13–17
- Luke 4:1–13
- 1 Corinthians 15:22
The bible in a year
- Proverbs 1–2
- 1 Corinthians 13