Benefits for viewing Sinai as part of the Covenant of Grace?

[JTB.SDG]

I have the privilege of helping to teach some local pastors here beginning in a day and a half. We'll be walking through the Covenant at Sinai. Part of the training will be walking through the traditional 4 views (republication; subservient; mixed covt; and Cov. of Grace view). For those who take it as belonging to the Covenant of Grace, how would you primarily answer this question: Why does it even matter? What are the benefits of taking Sinai as belonging to the Covenant of Grace?

 

[RamistThomist]

I have the privilege of helping to teach some local pastors here beginning in a day and a half. We'll be walking through the Covenant at Sinai. Part of the training will be walking through the traditional 4 views (republication; subservient; mixed covt; and Cov. of Grace view). For those who take it as belonging to the Covenant of Grace, how would you primarily answer this question: Why does it even matter? What are the benefits of taking Sinai as belonging to the Covenant of Grace?

It's continuing the line of covenant promise from Abraham. It better illustrates God's unfolding plan, rather than going back to the CoW.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

How do men have any relationship with God post-fall? Only by grace.

If Sinai is looked at exclusively or fundamentally in terms of a works-relationship, as driven by a meritorious reward/punishment dynamic--rather than as containing the pedagogical utilities of law (if writ very large)--then men are taught that works are properly reintroduced to the human-divine relationship having some constitutive function. All is *not* of grace then.

Obedience either properly flows from a right relationship, and does not contribute to its existence proper; or else the initial effect is "recirculated" into a maintenance cycle. In by grace, stay in by works. Is this the lesson intended by the Sinai-covenant? No, I do not believe so. And to take it so is no benefit, but detriment to true religion.

 

[Pergamum]

The benefits I most readily think of are that every covenant is a further unfolding of God's grace that progressively takes us forward to the Messiah. It is not a sideshow. The unity of the whole narrative of salvation is reassuring. Also, it is reassuring that there is also much grace even in the law and provision for sins committed, pointing forward to Christ.

 

[Solparvus]

It’s good to know that throughout the OT God is consistently gracious. He promised to save by grace alone in Genesis 3, covenanted to save by grace in the AC, and had no other means by which He would save, but would take on all the work of instituting the Mosaic Covenant to promote the salvation already promised.