Salvation is the harmonious work of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The execution and consummation of the covenant of salvation confirm the unity of will and inseparable operations of the persons of the Trinity.

Christianity teaches a unique salvation where God takes the initiative in saving humankind from the plight of sin. God “chose us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will…which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1: 4-5, 10).

According to the plan of salvation, the Son volunteered to bear the divine punishment by his death on the cross. This was necessary because reconciliation cannot ignore the holiness of God which is God’s settled opposition against anything sinful and evil. Sin must be punished because divine justice must be upheld.  The substitutionary and atoning death of Christ on the cross opens the way for sinners to be justified (declared righteous) while maintaining the justice of God.

Critics of substitutionary atonement on the cross mischievously describe it as “a form of cosmic child abuse—a vengeful Father, punishing his Son for an offence he has not even committed.” This criticism is misguided. In truth, God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). The Father did not spare his own Son but delivered him up for us all (Romans 8:32). On the other hand,  Son was not coerced as he voluntarily accepted the punishment of sin on the cross. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends” (John 10:15, 15:13). The plan of salvation which involves the Father and the Son working together in the presence of the Holy Spirit is aptly termed as the “covenant of redemption.”

The eternal covenant of redemption of the Trinity serves as the basis of the covenants God makes with mankind. In particular, the covenant of grace was ratified by the Son’s “blood of the eternal covenant” (Hebrews 13:20). Insofar as the chosen will definitely be saved by the blood shed by the Son, they represent the pre-temporal gift of the Father to the Son (John 17:6,9,24). The covenant of redemption is not made with Christ in isolation and apart from his people.¹

The covenant of redemption determines not only the results, but also the means which guarantees the results. The justification of believers by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9; 1 John 1:7) and the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification are the means in the accomplishment of God’s eternal decree which foreordained that those who receive Christ may be conformed to the image of his Son and glorified in him. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30). There is no greater assurance than the realization that our experience of salvation progresses inexorably “according to the counsel of his will.”

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