Taylor,

I appreciate your struggles with Covenant Theology. I have only within the last few years left dispensationalism behind, and affectionately embraced this wonderful understanding of Scripture that we call Covenant Theology.

I know there are many CT "giants" on this board that can answer the question a lot better than I can. I tend to think of the Noahic administration of the Covenant of Grace in terms of just that - grace. The people were very wicked and God destroyed them by judgment. But God also knew that if he were to keep bringing this judgment upon man then who could be saved? If thou Lord markest iniquities, then who can stand? So, God showed grace to man in essence by promising never to wipe them all out again. Although he could have continued to do so by means of a flood, fire etc. and have been very just in doing so. But ours is a gracious God. And so the judgment by which we are saved is actually not by flood and fire upon us, but by our Covenant Head the Lord Jesus Christ taking this judgment for us so that we may be saved. Had God continued to destroy man via judgment as he did by the universal flood then who would stand? I think the Noahic administration of the CoG is a wonderful picture of God's grace to man, and in essence it points to that Mediator whom God promised in Genesis 3:15 would come.

__________________
Ryan Barnhart - Pastor of OGBC
Husband to a beautiful wife, Father to two beautiful girls
Student at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary - B.D.

"I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms. And in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer." - John Paton