WSC 12 Intro to the Covenant of Works

A covenant is an official relationship; a binding agreement or compact between two or more parties.
It is clear that the initiative is God's – He condescends to make covenants with His people and not vice versa. God initiates, confirms and even fulfills (ultimately in Christ, both sides of) the covenant.
In the OT the word covenant is translated from the Hebrew berith. This Hebrew word is often accompanied by the Hebrew word karat, which means "to cut" & hence a covenant is a "cutting" with reference to the ancient custom of dividing animals into two parts with the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant, (see Jer. 34:18-19). Some suggest the parties of the covenant are thereby saying in essence, "May I be torn apart like these animals if I violate the terms of this covenant." This is illustrated in Gen. 15, when God alone passes between the slaughtered animals while Abraham slept, emphasizing that through Christ, He will fulfill the conditions of the covenant – including the penalty of death.
In the NT, the Greek word diatheke similarly means covenant, testament, or will. In fact, the Old & New "Testaments" are really the Old & New "Covenants” (see RPCNA Testimony 1:1). The Old & New Covenants/Testaments are not 2 different covenants. They are both the Covenant of Grace. The difference is that of promise & fulfillment.

• Contracting Parties
o God: Condescends to enter into a relationship with man.
o Adam: The representative or “federal head” of all mankind.
• Conditions: Perfect oobedience
• Reward or promise: eternal life (tree of life)
• Penalty: death