I have found that I very much enjoy thinking deeply and critically about theology, going beyond the obvious and really digging in to try to extract a deeper understanding of the truths contained in God’s word and the implications that these truths have – both theological/doctrinal implications and practical ones. Such is the case which has led me to address the current topic.
Have you ever heard it said that if a person were to live a life of perfect obedience to God’s law, they would be saved by that obedience? In other words, the question may be stated as such: if someone, even hypothetically, lived a perfect and sinless life, would that sinless life result in that person’s salvation? I have heard this said before, and I want to explain why it is an utter impossibility to think in such a way, going deeper than the obvious reality that no one can achieve such perfection in this life.
The Curse
First of all, all men are born “under the law”, meaning that we are born in subjection to the covenant of works. Essentially what this means is that God promises blessing for perfect obedience and cursing for disobedience. This is the ‘arrangement’, so to speak, that God made with Adam in the garden. Although scripture does not use the terminology ‘covenant of works’, it is helpful to speak of this arrangement in such a way and to recognize that all of the necessary elements for making a covenant were present there in the garden. Hence, the use of the term ‘covenant of works’ is appropriate. Not only are all men under the covenant of works, but all men are cursed/condemned by it. We see this in Romans 5:18, “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men…”. The “one trespass” spoken of here is referring to Adam’s first sin when he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This sin was a violation of the covenant of works. Adam’s sin effected not only himself, but the entire human race. The doctrine of original sin (Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12, 19) describes this biblical truth, that all men are born sinful and guilty, cursed by the law according to the sinful nature that we inherit from Adam as our representative.
Adam as Our Representative (Federalism)
Why is Adam the representative of all mankind? Isn’t this unfair? Well, simply put, this is what God chose. God selected Adam as the ‘federal head’ of all of the human race. (Romans 5:12-19 is the primary scriptural source to support the doctrine of federalism. See also 1 Cor 15:22).
We may not like federalism, but it is what the Bible teaches. (Just to note, if it is unfair that Adam’s sinful condition is imputed to us, then we must admit that it is equally unfair that Jesus would be our new representative federal head and impute his righteousness to us. We don’t ‘deserve’ Jesus’ righteousness any more than we ‘deserved’ Adam’s unrighteousness!).
The point to be made is this: it is an utter impossibility for any man to be saved through the covenant of works. Even if, hypothetically, a person could live a life totally free from sin, they would still by nature be sinful from birth, and thus their hypothetical obedience would not be able to merit them salvation according to the covenant of works. Essentially, what this means, is that, although all men can be described as being under the covenant of works, we are not under it in exactly the same capacity as Adam was. We do not have the opportunity to gain the blessing contingent with keeping the covenant of works because we have already violated it. Adam did, in fact, have the real opportunity to earn eternal life through the covenant of works. We do not.
Jesus, Born Under the Law
Jesus, too, was born under the covenant of works: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law”, (Galations 4:4). We must understand one immensely important distinction between Jesus and all other men who are ‘born under the law’. Jesus, in his virgin birth, did not inherit the sinful nature of Adam that we call original sin. Adam was not his federal head. Thus, Jesus is the only person ever born into the world (post Adam) who would be capable of earning the blessing of eternal life held out by the covenant of works. All other men have already ‘earned’ the curse of eternal death according to the covenantal terms.
Christ, the second Adam
The only way for sinful man to be saved is through the Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the covenant of grace. After the fall of Adam, God made a new promise of redemption to mankind. Although all men had violated the covenant of works, God set forth a new and gracious covenant, first seen in Genesis 3:15. In theology, this covenant is called the covenant of grace, and it stands in contrast to the covenant of works. The basic premise of the covenant of grace is justification by grace through faith. Sola fide, as the reformers called it. The covenant of grace is all about the gospel. In fact, Genesis 3:15 is called the ‘protoevalgelium’, meaning “first gospel”, because it is the very first announcement of the Messiah of the gospel promise, a promise that will continue to be displayed throughout all the pages of scripture, from here in Genesis, to the end of Revelation. In essence, God’s promise is to remain faithful to and save his people even when they fail to remain faithful to him. All of that which God promises to do for us is seen foremost in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who becomes a new Adam, a new federal head to act as the representative of all who will trust in him by faith. Adam, as mankind’s representative, broke the covenant of works and thus the curse of disobedience followed for all men. On the contrary, Jesus, in his perfect obedience, keeps the covenant of works, earning its blessing of eternal life for all who are under his federal headship. How are we able to claim Christ as our federal head? God, in his great mercy, offers us the blessing of the covenant of grace: that he will save sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Thus, all who will forsake ourselves and our sins and turn to Christ, trusting fully and solely in him for redemption from the curse of death, are able to claim Christ as our new federal head and rejoice in the blessing of eternal life that he earns for his people through his perfect life and atoning death. Christ takes the curse for us, and earns the blessing, thus fulfilling the terms of the covenant of works and saving us from condemnation.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12