‘May these rings be to William & Mary a symbol of unending love and faithfulness to remind them of the vow and covenant which they have made this day through Jesus Christ our Lord,’ I prayed at a recent wedding in our church (names changed).
It did occur to me whether William & Mary really understood what a ‘covenant’ was and whether I understood it well enough to be able to explain it. The word seems to have connotations of the tax-man or negotiating a garden fence agreement with the neighbours, a bit unromantic for a wedding day!
The word ‘covenant’ is in fact a Bible word, appearing in both the Old and New Testaments. ‘I will establish my covenant with you,’ God said to Noah (Genesis 6v18), ‘and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.’
In the New Testament, Jesus at his Last Supper with his disciples declared: ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood’ (Luke 22v20).
God’s covenant with his people is his promise to save them, to be their God, to give them his undeserved and unearned blessings. Noah and his family did not deserve or earn God’s salvation from the flood through the ark; we do not deserve or earn God’s salvation from our sins through Christ’s death on the Cross.
The covenant is based on God’s firm promise to his people. So it is not a contract, any more than marriage is a contract. In the marriage service the man and woman each make their promises unilaterally – the husband does not promise to ‘love and cherish’ his wife only when she keeps her side of the bargain.
The covenant relationship is initiated and established by God. The covenant flows from God’s unilateral, unearned, undeserved love for his chosen people.
Does that mean we as Christians have no obligations under God’s covenant? No, because the covenant is mutual. It is between God and his people. Under the terms of the covenant, God’s people believe God’s promise of salvation and live as his saved, redeemed people. Our response to God’s wonderful covenant love is expressed beautifully in the great Wesley hymn Love Divine All Loves Excelling (rightly popular at weddings): ‘Thee we would be always blessing, serve Thee as Thy hosts above, pray, and praise Thee without ceasing, glory in Thy perfect love.’
With all good wishes to you and your loved ones,
Julian Mann
Vicar