God's Covenants
A Sermon on Romans 9:4-5
Originally preached Nov. 2, 1962
Scripture
4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God …
Sermon Description
What is a covenant? In this sermon on Romans 9:4-5 titled “God’s Covenants,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that it is vital to come to a right understanding of the nature of biblical covenants in order to understand the gospel. He says that a covenant in the Bible is not an ordinary agreement between two people, but it is first and foremost something God does. It is not a bargain between humanity and God, but it is something instituted by God. This is seen in the case of Abraham when it is God who makes the terms of the covenant and it is God who upholds the covenant. What does this mean for one’s understanding of Jesus? Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of God’s covenantal promises and He is the one who established the new covenant on His last night with His disciples. It is this new covenant that brings salvation because it is established by Christ Jesus shedding His blood upon the cross for all who are His. Those who believe in the message of Jesus are made members of the new covenant and inheritors of eternal life and the kingdom of God, as all blessings come through Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul expresses deep sorrow over the state of his fellow Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah.
- Romans 9:4-5 highlights the privileges the Israelites had, which makes their failure even more tragic.
- "Who are Israelites" - Paul refers to them as Israelites rather than Jews or Hebrews. Israelites are the covenant people of God.
- "To whom pertaineth the adoption" - God chose Israel as His own people. He adopted them.
- "And the glory" - The glory refers to God's presence. His glory filled the tabernacle and temple.
- "And the covenants" - The covenants refer to God's unconditional promises to Israel. It is not a bilateral agreement.
- The covenant with Noah - God promised to never again destroy the earth with a flood. The rainbow is the sign of this covenant.
- The covenant with Abraham - God promised to make Abraham into a great nation, bless all peoples through him, and give his descendants the land of Canaan.
- The covenant with Moses - God delivered Israel from Egypt and gave them the law at Sinai. He promised to make them His treasured possession.
- The covenant with David - God promised to establish the throne of David's kingdom forever. The Messiah would come from David's line.
- "And the giving of the law" - The law was given to Israel at Sinai. God spoke directly to them, which was unique.
- The privileges Israel had were meant to lead them to faith in the Messiah. Tragically, they rejected Him.
Sermon Q&A
What Are the Biblical Covenants and Why Do They Matter in Christianity?
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say a covenant is in the Bible?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a covenant in the Bible is "a sovereign act of God's grace in which He pledges Himself to do something." It is entirely from God's side and not a bilateral agreement or bargain between two equal parties. Lloyd-Jones explicitly rejects the definition of a covenant as "a bargain for mutual profit, an engagement for mutual friendship" between God and people. Rather, it is God, "moved by nothing in us at all, but moved entirely by His own grace and His own eternal love," who comes to people and pledges Himself to act.
How does Lloyd-Jones differentiate between human covenants and divine covenants?
Lloyd-Jones clarifies that while human covenants are indeed agreements between two parties who negotiate terms (like business partnerships), divine covenants in Scripture are completely different. He states there is "not a single instance or illustration in the Bible of God meeting with the people and, as the result of a discussion, as the result of a kind of bargaining, that God and the people agree for their mutual benefit to do certain things." Biblical covenants are entirely God-initiated and God-established.
What are the main covenants mentioned in Romans 9:4-5?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several key covenants that Paul refers to in Romans 9:4-5: 1. The covenant with Noah (Genesis 6:18, 9:8-17) 2. The covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:18, 17:1-14, 22:15-18) 3. The Mosaic covenant (Exodus 2:24-25, 3:16-17, 6:2-8) 4. The Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-17)
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that these are not separate covenants but the same fundamental covenant being renewed, repeated, and emphasized in different ways according to specific circumstances.
Why is understanding biblical covenants essential for Christians today?
Lloyd-Jones explains that understanding covenants is essential because: 1. It helps Christians understand large portions of both Old and New Testaments 2. It reveals how Gentile Christians have been brought into God's covenant promises (Ephesians 2:11-12) 3. It provides context for understanding Christ's coming and ministry 4. It demonstrates God's faithfulness and sovereignty in salvation history 5. It helps believers appreciate the significance of Christ as the fulfillment of these covenants
As Lloyd-Jones states, "A Christian who doesn't know his Old Testament is, forgive the expression, just a fool. You need your Old Testament. You can't understand the new without it."
What does Paul mean by "the giving of the law" in Romans 9:4?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul uses a unique word (found nowhere else in the New Testament) that emphasizes not merely Israel's possession of the law but specifically "the way in which the law was given." Lloyd-Jones points to Deuteronomy 4:32-36 to show that God spoke to Israel with an audible voice—something unprecedented in human history. This was a unique privilege showing how God manifested Himself to Israel in a way He had never done with any other nation.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.