I did not like this. God's promises are given on condition of obedience. We must surrender to Him if we are to be beneficiaries of all His blessings.

There are ifs, ands, and buts in God's plan. The beneficiary of God's covenant was Abraham and his children. But we are told that Abraham's "children" are those who are of faith. That means that God's promises are only for those who are of faith.

But even a human will has ifs, ands, and buts. The inheritance goes to the children of the deceased. When Jesus died, He bequeathed a glorious inheritance to His children. So, you only get it if you are His child.

There wasn't any doubt in Jesus' mind Abraham would be faithful, therefore, He could confidently announce that Abraham would be the father of a chosen nation, and that Israel, in spite of all her faults and imperfections, would eventually bring forth the Messiah. I suspect this is why Jesus didn't announce it in conditional terms. He knew it would play out the way it did. Who in particular would benefit from Jesus' messianic mission was a different issue altogether. Whether or not this or that person would be saved depended totally on whether or not they met the conditions of salvation.

That means God knew Abraham would meet the conditions, not that there are no conditions.

I'm not sure. Seems to me Jesus simply stated the facts, namely, Abraham was going to have a child through whom he would be the father of a great nation and through whom the Messiah would come. No question about it. As such, it seems to be one of the many unconditional promises or prophecies where human choices are involved. For example, the prophecy regarding the mark of the beast will happen exactly as described in the Bible - notwithstanding the fact it involves the choices of many, many humans. As I've said before - Jesus knows the future like history.

Are you saying that if, when God told Abraham to offer the sacrifices in Gen 17, Abraham said, "No, God; if you want it, you do it yourself," he still would have been the beneficiary of the New Covenant? If Abraham said, "Forget old Sarah; I'm going to stick with Hagar and Ishmael," and ran off with them, everything would have still worked out for him?

That's not what happened. Jesus merely stated what did happen. Again, Jesus knows the future like history. Ellen wrote: "I AM means an eternal presence; the past, present, and future are alike to God. He sees the most remote events of past history and the far distant future with as clear a vision as we do those things that are transpiring daily. {14MR 21.3}

What they say in the quote you provided is not in complete agreement with what I learned in my theology classes.

They said:



A diatheke is also a mutual agreement; not, however, between equals, but between a superior and an inferior. In a syntheke there are mutual obligations or conditions to be fulfilled, and mutual promises. In a diatheke the superior makes all the promises, and states the obligations to be fulfilled by the inferior so that the promises may be fulfilled. The inferior party just accepts or rejects the agreement with its promises and conditions.

A covenant is an agreement between parties, based upon conditions. If Israel would obey the divine law and thus fulfill the conditions of their covenant with God, he would verify his promises to them. But what presumption for them to expect a blessing while they were violating the conditions upon which alone it could be bestowed!” {ST, December 22, 1881 par. 5}

“God's people are justified through the administration of the ‘better covenant,’ through Christ's righteousness. A covenant is an agreement by which parties bind themselves and each other to the fulfillment of certain conditions. Thus the human agent enters into agreement with God to comply with the conditions specified in His Word. His conduct shows whether or not he respects these conditions. Man gains everything by obeying the covenant-keeping God. God's attributes are imparted to man, enabling him to exercise mercy and compassion. ... It is not enough for us to have a general idea of God's requirements. We must know for ourselves what His requirements and our obligations are. The terms of God's covenant are: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself’ (Luke 10:27). These are the conditions of life. ‘This do,’ Christ said, ‘and thou shalt live’ (verse 28).” - Ms 148, 1897 {12MR 53.4, 54.1}

You and I are on the same page regarding God's foreknowledge.

(Side topic: Where is Tom, BTW? I have not seen him for a long time.)

Yes, Jesus knew what would happen. And He said in advance what would happen. But that does not nullify the conditions, which He knew would be met by Abraham.

That sounds much closer to my understanding of God's covenant with us. And apparently, EGW agrees.