Covenant Theology

The Covenant of Works
Part 2
Sermon Number Six

By Jim Bordwine, Th.D.

Introduction

Currently, I am explaining the covenant of works, which covers the period from the creation of Adam to his transgression in the Garden of Eden. In providing information about the covenant of works, I've been following a three-point outline. First, I offered an expanded definition of the covenant of works; second, I talked about the provisions of the covenant of works.

The covenant of works is that arrangement designated by God whereby Adam was promised life and blessedness in return for absolute obedience to the word of His Creator; and he threatened with death for disobedience to the word of his Creator. What was offered to Adam in the covenant of works was the result of God's favor toward him; God graciously offered life and blessedness to Adam, thus illustrating a principle mentioned in the first sermon in this series, namely, that the condescension of the Creator is the basis for all of God's contact with man.

As we know, following Adam's creation, God gave him certain instructions that governed Adam's relationship with his Maker. These instructions constitute the covenant of works. In summary, I emphasized that this covenant was instituted by God, it was a genuine arrangement; and Adam was representing others.

We then gave our attention to the provisions of the covenant of works, I listed several elements: first, God defined the terms of contact with Adam; second, the covenant included a promise of life; third, obedience was required; fourth, the covenant contained a threatened curse; and fifth, this arrangement had a sacrament.

The obvious issue to be addressed next is the outcome of the covenant of works. What happened following God's command to Adam? As we all know, Adam did not persevere in the covenant but, instead, violated the terms of this arrangement.

03. The Outcome of the Covenant of Works

Following His instructions to Adam regarding how the man was to conduct himself in the Garden of Eden, the Scripture says that God created Eve as a companion for Adam (Gen. 2:18 ff.). The last thing that is said about Adam and Eve before we read about the transgression is this: "And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." (2:25) This statement is significant because of something Adam says later, after he is confronted by God. We read that when God found Adam, the man said: "I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself." (3:10) Something happened to Adam and Eve between those two statements. The writer includes that first assessment due to the admission Adam makes after his sin. The writer is obviously drawing our attention to this matter. The question is, of course: What happened?

We will soon consider this question in detail, but let me say for now that this matter is monumentally important when it comes to arriving at a correct interpretation of the fall. Yet, you will find very little written on the topic of the nakedness of Adam and Eve. Nevertheless, this bit of information is integrally bound up in the Bible's teaching on male and female role relationships.

For now, we see that the last verse of Gen. 2 indicates that, as they came from the hand of God, Adam and Eve were perfectly comfortable in the world that God made; they were comfortable with their environment and they were comfortable with each other. They were not dissatisfied with the way God made them or the roles God gave them.

They were happy and "at home," we might say, in the place provided by their Creator. But keep this in mind: It was only after they disobeyed God's instructions that their nakedness, or natural state, embarrassed them and caused them to hide themselves. Only after they violated the terms of the covenant were Adam and Eve ashamed to appear before their Maker in the form He designed.

It seems to me that the nakedness of Adam and Eve, though certainly literal, is meant to convey something to us symbolically. Before they disobeyed God, as I said, our first parents were not disturbed with their appearance. They could see that they were clearly different in their physical make-up, yet they were clearly not bothered. After they disobeyed, however, they were ashamed of their "natural" appearance and did not want to meet their Creator.

The desire for a covering following their act of disobedience was a manifestation of a wounded soul and conscience; it also was, as I plan to explain, indicative of a confusion in their roles resulting from their transgression. They knew that their communion with God had been disrupted; their relationship with the Creator could not be the same. Instinctively, Adam and Eve realized that when they did what God told them not to do, a fundamental change had taken place in the Creator-creature relationship, a change that was unnatural and totally out of place; and a change had taken place in their ability to be comfortable with one another.

Before the transgression, the serpent appears in the Garden. Please note the description provided: "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. . ." That brief report regarding the serpent's nature is followed by a quote of the first words he spoke: "And he said to the woman, 'Indeed, has God said, "You shall not eat from any tree of the garden."?'" (3:1)

Satan, the enemy of righteousness, had one primary goal in mind. He appeared to Eve to lead her to challenge the authority of the Creator—and that is the essential fact to keep in mind. Understanding that Satan's intention was to raise doubt in Eve's mind regarding the dependability of God's word is vital. Eve's response is given in vv. 2 and 3: "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'"

Please note that when Eve responded to the initial question by saying that God had told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or touch it, she demonstrated how vulnerable she was to deception. Rather than repeat exactly what God said, Eve embellished and her embellishment was rooted in her assessment of what God commanded, not in the actual command itself.

Was Eve's exaggeration a result of her frustration with the command? Did she add that phrase to make it sound as if God's command was unreasonable? Notice that in his question Satan emphasizes the negative aspect of God's command to Adam, not the positive. God told Adam he could eat from every tree except one, but the serpent turns it around so that the emphasis necessary falls upon the one tree that was forbidden.

And this is what is on the mind of Eve when she responds. She doesn't even mention the fact that, while one tree was forbidden, everything else in the Garden was theirs to enjoy! In terms of enjoyment and sustenance, the one forbidden tree was inconsequential; Adam and Eve did not need access to that tree. They had everything they needed in abundance without it.

Following his initial statement, therefore, in which he managed to get Eve to reveal her dissatisfaction toward God for denying her access to one particular tree, the serpent then directly contradicts the word of the Creator; he offers a false explanation as to why God would have placed such a restriction on Adam and Eve. The serpent boldly declared: "You surely shall not die!" (v. 4) This is, as I've just said, a denial of what God said earlier; it is a statement that can be interpreted only as an accusation of falsehood against God.

The serpent prepared Eve to hear this challenge to the authority of the Creator by getting her to question God's command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; it almost appears as though Eve is the one responsible for this questioning of God's authority. Once that door was opened, Satan rushed in with this undisguised assault on the integrity of God.

Let me pause and explain what is implied by the serpent's statement in v. 4. When he said, "You surely shall not die," he was, in no uncertain terms, calling God a liar. This statement implies that God was wrong when He warned Adam about the consequences of eating from the forbidden tree; it implies, consequently, that God is fallible, that He is not completely trustworthy, that His word is subject to question, that His commands are really only opinions that should be weighed along with other factors.

The serpent's statement, "You surely shall not die," implies the very opposite of what the record of creation teaches up to this point; it destroys the Creature-creature distinction by negating the authority of God.

Further, the serpent's bold statement implies that the creature, Eve, should be able and, in fact, is able to judge for herself whether or not to eat from the tree. In the mind of Eve, the unquestioned authority of her Creator is being undermined by the suggestion that she ought to have a say in this matter; God is entitled to His opinion, but He doesn't have the last word on the subject, the serpent teaches.

Satan is leading Eve to the conclusion that she is the one who should make the decision about eating from that tree?she can take the Creator's words into account, yes, but, the serpent wants her to know, she is entitled to make the final choice.

Satan reinforces Eve's doubts about God and, at the same time, provides her with a justification for disobeying her Creator: "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (v. 5)

Take a moment and look at v. 22: "Then the LORD God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil...'" This statement was made by God just before He drove Adam out of the Garden of Eden. It appears, then, that the serpent was telling the truth! When Adam followed his wife in disobedience to God's command, he became acquainted with the distinction between good and evil; this knowledge, however, came at the expense of Adam's communion with God. He learned the difference between good and evil, to be sure, but the learning process itself required rebellion against the Creator and, in the end, cost Adam his soul.

So, yes, the serpent was telling the truth, but not all the truth. He spoke like gaining knowledge of the distinction between good and evil would be a positive experience, something that would make Eve a more complete and competent individual. What the serpent did not reveal, however, was that God did not intend for His special creatures to have this knowledge; He intended that they would trust Him completely and do whatever He commanded.

What follows is perfectly predictable: "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate..." (v. 6) The barrier between Eve and the forbidden tree had been dismantled through the philosophical maneuvering of the serpent. If Eve accepted Satan's argument, this was the only logical conclusion. She must exercise her will, she must depend upon her discernment. And this is exactly what the verse tells us.

Eve examined the tree and concluded that it was "good for food" Eve examined the tree and noted its aesthetic value?it was "a delight to the eyes" Eve examined the tree and, believing what the serpent said, determined that it would enhance her intellectual and moral capabilities?"the tree was desirable to make one wise." What else could Eve do but eat of that tree? This is where the serpent's words were leading. Since Eve was willing to listen to him, she inevitably arrived at the conclusion recorded in this verse.

The serpent's scheme was not fully realized, however, until Adam disobeyed God. This was, in fact, what Satan was working toward all along. Adam, not Eve, is the one to whom God gave the command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; Adam, not Eve, is the one with whom God established the covenant of works; Adam, not Eve, was representing the human race in the Garden and his actions, not the actions of Eve, would determine the nature of the Creator's relationship with all of Adam's descendants. The goal of the serpent's interaction with Eve, therefore, was Adam's transgression. Scripture records his sin in a few plain words: "[Eve] gave also to her husband with her, and he ate."

Interestingly, when God confronts the parties in this transgression, He says to Adam: "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it' Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life." (3:17) The Hebrew word translated "listened" means to listen and obey or to act according to the expressed desires of another. Adam "listened" to Eve, that is, he acted according to his wife's words instead of according to God's command.

As the one with whom God established the covenant of works and as the head of the marriage relationship, so designated by the sequence of creation, Adam was uniquely responsible to keep the commandment of God relative to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam should have prevented Eve from entertaining the words of the serpent, assuming he had knowledge of the encounter. The violation of the covenant came when he willingly accepted the fruit offered to him by Eve instead of rebuking her and restating the Creator's warning.

The result of Adam's transgression is recorded immediately following the statement that he accepted and ate what was offered by Eve: "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings." (v. 7) This verse, as simple as it is, conveys a monumental change in the creation. That which was made by God rebelled against Him and disorder appeared in Paradise.

The harmony that was evident when God was recognized as the Creator was disrupted; the tranquility that was present when all the implications of the Creator-creature relationship were accepted was shattered. The creature committed an act that defied the authority of his Maker; he thereby manifested a rejection of God's trustworthiness and His right to rule His creatures.

As I stated earlier, it appears that Adam and Eve instinctively realized that something had happened to them. They were no longer comfortable in that natural state in which they came from the hand of the Creator. If we go back and examine the creation of Adam and Eve, we learn that the very sequence of their creation taught about how they were to relate to one another and to God. God created Adam and established a relationship with him; God then created Eve as a mate for Adam, one who would assist him in the accomplishment of subduing the earth.

The nature of their creation left no doubts regarding God's intention for Adam and Eve. All was in perfect balance until they disobeyed God; everything was fine until Adam and Eve acted contrary to the Creator-creature relationship and ignored God's instructions. When that happened, the peaceful balance was destroyed.

And, so, following that episode, Adam and Eve could not look at one another with the same innocence and understanding as before; they could not relate to their Creator as before. They knew something was wrong and this knowledge manifested itself in their attempt to cover up their ruined innocence. It is worth noting the nature of this attempt to mask their lost innocence.

Adam and Eve took steps to conceal those parts of their respective anatomies that clearly distinguished them as special creatures of God and that clearly revealed God's design of them as male and female, which, in turn, testified regarding their respective roles (notice that God's words to Eve, in v. 16, imply that the confusion of their roles would be one of the consequences of the fall).

The physical construction of Adam and Eve affirmed the Creator's intention for them (This is a theme, by the way, that is found in 1 Cor. 11, 1 Tim. 2 and 1 Pet. 3; even after the fall, the Bible teaches that men are to look like men and women are to look like women because the sexes were distinguished as they came from the hand of the Creator and the manner of their distinction testified regarding the roles they were to fill in life.).

Adam and Eve were to be mates for life; they were to produce children in obedience to God's order to subdue the earth. By covering themselves, Adam and Eve showed that they knew that God's fundamental purpose for them had been subverted; their innocence, as I've said repeatedly, was lost and they could never again relate to one another as God intended.

Application

For our application, I have a few observations to make concerning Eve's encounter with the serpent. This record of Eve's temptation provides us with some important lessons about sin. Consider, for example, what can be learned about dealing with temptation from this passage. We might ask the question: How should Eve have responded to the serpent? This is not a difficult question. Eve should have responded to the serpent by repeating the command of God.

The repetition of the Word of God, in our own minds at the point of a temptation, is the most effect way to respond when you are faced with an opportunity to sin. At that precise moment, you need to remind yourself, even as your flesh pulls toward the sin, of what God has commanded. It is that to which your redeemed heart will respond.

When the serpent questioned her regarding God's restrictions on the trees of the Garden, her duty was to restate God's prohibition?without modification. But, instead of relying on what God commanded, Eve allowed the serpent's question and its implications to linger in her mind. Once she did that, she was open to deception. Therefore, the thought occurred: Well, maybe we are being treated unfairly. At that point, Eve was applying her inferior sense of fairness to a situation already established by her Creator.

The only weapon you have against temptation is the Word of God. You cannot rely upon your wits; if you do, you'll end up looking foolish. You cannot rely upon your discernment; if you do, your heart will most certainly go in the wrong direction. When there is the slightest hint of temptation, the slightest suggestion that something God has required is in error, your only sure defense is to return immediately to the Word of God.

The story of the temptation of Jesus in Matt. 4 is a classic passage on how to respond to temptation. When you examine that story, you find that our Savior met each of Satan's temptations with direct quotes from the Word of God. This is the only reliable method of dealing with temptation. He did not attempt to reason with Satan, He did not attempt to show how dedicated He was by declaring His loyalty, and He did not leave even an inch of ground on which Satan could advance.

While I'm speaking of the temptations we all face, the truth is that the principle involved here is applicable to any situation in which a challenge is made to something God has said. As Christians engage unbelievers, they must rely upon what God has explained and what God has commanded. Apart from the Word of God, Christians have no authority to speak; they have no wisdom.

Whenever the unbelieving world challenges our faith or proposes something that is contrary to Biblical teaching, our duty is to restate what God has already said; if He has already spoken to the matter, then it is settled, no matter what anyone says! He does not need to reconsider or take into account new information.

We also can learn about the progressive nature of temptation from Eve's encounter with the serpent. Satan did not begin by calling God a liar; that would have been too obvious. He first asked a question designed to raise a little doubt about God's wisdom in the mind of Eve. Once this succeeded, the serpent was ready for the second step, which was a direct denial of God's word.

The end result of sin is hardly ever obvious at the beginning of some temptation. How many people who ruin their marriages through sexual infidelity, for example, expected such an outcome from the very beginning of the temptation? That's one of the tricks of temptation. It entices you with instant gratification, but does not reveal the course on which you are about to embark.

The nature of sin and temptation is such that we can find ourselves "way over our heads," so to speak, before we realize what has happened. This is why the Bible repeatedly warns us about the consequences of sin; and it is why we are warned about the deceptive nature of sin?it can appear pleasant, it can appear desirable. It is so easy for the uninformed Christian to dabble with some sin thinking that he won't go too far only to find himself in serious spiritual trouble within a short period of time. Therefore, only by knowing God's Word can we be prepared.

Another thing to be learned from Eve's encounter with the serpent has to do with what sin really is; sin is nothing less than the contradiction of God's Word. The serpent told Eve: "You surely shall not die!" What is this, but a direct contradiction of the Creator's word? Only when Christians understand that sin is a denial of the holy Word of God do they have a right view of the matter.

As long as believers think sin is a little slip here or there, as long as they wink at sin and make jokes about it, they are going to be captive to it. Sin is the opposite of what God commands; therefore, sin is repulsive to any redeemed heart. Eve should have been shocked and even outraged by the serpent's declaration, but she was not; she was not overly alarmed by what he said because she already was entertaining the idea herself.

It is helpful for us to remember that the contemplation of sin on our parts is, at the same time, the contemplation of God's fallibility. If we truly entertain the thought of sinning, then we are, at that moment, calling into question the trustworthiness of God. The contemplation of sin, not to mention the commission of sin, is a declaration that we have taken the place of God and are considering that a course of action, one that is contrary to His Word, is best.

When you analyze sin like this, you see how utterly ridiculous it is. The problem is, of course, that we don't stop to analyze sin when we are about to commit it! Therefore, it is necessary that this matter be thought through before we find ourselves in some moral dilemma.

Finally, I would say that this story also provides an excellent illustration that what sin promises, sin doesn't deliver. The serpent led Eve to believe that if she would eat of the forbidden fruit, something wonderful would happen to her; her mind would expand and she would understand life like never before. With this expectation in her heart, Eve disregarded God's word.

What happened? Did Eve realize wonderful things as a result of disobeying her Creator? No, the Biblical record says that her disobedience resulted in nothing but destruction; her disobedience led to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden. The outcome of Eve's action was hardly what she expected; it was hardly what the serpent seemed to promise.

Jesus once called the devil "the father of all lies." In case you don't understand, that means that Satan lies—he lies about everything and he lies all the time. No idea, suggestion, or observation he makes can ever be trusted. He is the father of all lies. It is his nature to lie about everything and to lie all the time. Therefore, we all need a source for truth. And that source is God.

Not only is God the only source of truth, He is also the only source of reliable information about our situation. I mean that Satan would tell us we're ok, we shouldn't worry, but should enjoy ourselves while in this life. God says we are not ok, we are condemned; we should worry. God provides us with a thoroughly accurate report on our condition. You won't get that from the serpent.

But God does more than that, of course. He tells us exactly where we stand, spiritually speaking, but also tells us exactly what He has done to help us. The gospel includes these two necessary components: a reliable assessment and a workable solution. The assessment is that we are lost because we come into this world corrupted and alienated from God by sin.

We remain in that condition and it manifests itself throughout our whole lives in the multitude of sins we commit. The gospel tells us the truth about where we are headed if something doesn't change. And the other component, the workable solution, is the substitution of Christ. The gospel reveals our state, but also declares that we have a Savior.

If you have believed this gospel, then rejoice and give thanks. If you have not, then pray to God right now that He will have mercy on you and receive you as one of His children.

Prayer

Hymn for Communion

Conclusion

Coming to the Lord's Table this morning is a tremendous relief in light of the passage we've been studying. We didn't even get through the whole story of man's fall in the Garden of Eden, but we heard enough, I trust, to make us thankful for the One who rescued our race from the bonds of sin. We heard enough to make us eager to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and commune with Him in this sacrament.

Without the Savior, the point where we left the story of man's fall would be all there is to tell. But, because of the Savior, Adam's banishment from the Garden of Eden was not the end of the human race. Because of the Savior, we have life again and we have fellowship with our Creator again and we have the expectation of a blessed future and we have the hope of living God-honoring lives on this earth.

Matt. 26: 26 And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

Jesus made atonement for His people. He is watching over us and guiding us to that great day.