The relationship that God has with his people by his grace is the central theme of the Bible. The Bible calls this relationship a covenant, and it is expressed throughout Scripture in the covenant motto: "I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Believers from the New Testament era and the Old Testament era are part of the same covenant of grace:
just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:6-9)
Therefore, we see great continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Many of the symbolic rituals and laws are no longer needed since Christ has appeared, but the relationship of God to His people by grace continues.
Baptism is the sign or symbol of the covenant. All who profess faith in Christ receive baptism, as do the children of believing Christians.
The covenant promise of salvation has always been for believers and their children. In the Old Testament, God gave the covenant sign of circumcision to be given to males eight days old. Romans 4 says that circumcision was the sign and seal of salvation by faith, yet it was given to eight day old children who obviously did not yet profess faith. This did not mean that they were saved, but it meant that they were included in all the promises, privileges, and obligations that God gave to Israel. The New Testament confirms that the promise of God is for believers and their children (Acts 2:37-39). In the Old Testament the sign and seal of God's covenant was circumcision, but in the New Testament it is baptism (Colossians 2:11). Also, there are many New Testament accounts of entire households including children, who were baptized (Acts 16:14-15; Acts 16:31-34; 1 Corinthians 1:16).
PROVIDENCE
We believe that God is in control of all that He has made. Nothing happens apart from His plan and His purposes cannot be thwarted. This control extends to the decisions made by men and angels.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (Ephesians 1:11).
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31).
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, (Acts 17:26).
HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY
Many people assume that God's sovereignty implies the elimination of human freedom and responsibility. The Scriptures, however, affirm both God's sovereignty and human responsibility. The relation between the two is a mystery to us – we are not told how these can both be true, but that they are both true.
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Acts 4:27-28).
PREDESTINATION
The Bible teaches that God is also in control over who receives salvation through Jesus Christ. We are responsible to repent and put our faith in Christ for salvation, but it is only through God's sovereign working that this happens.
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:4-5).
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44).
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. (Romans 9:14-18).
The sovereignty of God is beyond the reach of our full comprehension. God reveals these things to us in order that we might know that it is safe to put our trust in Him and so that we might be careful to ascribe all glory to Him.
God is the sovereign Creator and Redeemer. His interaction with His world can be summarized by the outline:
God created all things for His own glory. This includes men and women, who were created in God's image. He declared that all He created was "very good" (Genesis 1:31).
The fall into sin subverted and twisted God's good creation and the relationships in it. Men and women still bear God's image, but the image is warped.
The fall affects everything:
Some implications of the Biblical World and Life View: