Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 1:16 pm
Veritas Aequitas wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 7:22 am
I prefer to call the above a divine 'contract' rather than 'covenant' as the majority understand what is a 'contract' and its principles.
No, that's not a reasonable metaphor. "Contracts" are two-sided, being a kind of
quid-pro-quo arrangement. Either party can "owe" the other the fulfilling of the "contract," and the balance between the contracted is equal. Contracts are also mediated by a third party or agency, one with the authority to guarantee the contract. They are co-signatory, bilateral, legal arrangements.
The relations in salvation are not contractual in any of those respects. All one could really say is that both parties in the New Covenant "have a role"; but the role God has is vastly greater than the human role; and while the human role has obligations that follow upon God's fulfilling of His promises, those obligations do not obligate God in any way in return. And all that's just for a start. So the idea of a "contract" is misleading in very significant ways.
I understand the error: but I think you've really got it significantly wrong in thinking about it in terms of "contract." I'm quite certain you won't actually see what's really going on if you rely on that metaphor. It distorts the facts too much.
Your knowledge on 'what is a contract' is so limited.
Note there are explicit and implied contracts.
Contracts need not be mediated by a third party.
If you sign a contract that required to pay a depo$it to start work, then the contract is void, if the other party did not pay the deposit.
There are so many instances of contracts where no third party is necessary.
The contract [covenant] between a theist and God is essentially and fundamentally in alignment with 'what is a contract' as generally understood.
God's role and the Christian's* role has not critical relevance to the operation of the contract [contract]. * note it is a contracted-Christian not merely any human.
In the contract [covenant] between a Christian and God /Jesus is the Christian is promised eternal life in heaven upon compliances with the necessary terms as stipulated within the Gospel.
Therefore if the Christian complied with all the terms as stipulated, then God will definitely fulfil what he had promised.
Surely as all-wise God would not break what he promised and thus God is in a way 'obligated'.
If God is not obligated when all the terms are complied with, then God's credibility is questionable and no one will accept John 3:16 to be a Christian.
The term 'contract' [aka covenant]
in principle is very valid to represent the "relationship" between a Christian and his God.