But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

- Isaiah 64:6

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

- Psalm 14:2-3

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.

- Romans 5:17-19

For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

- I Corinthians 15:21-22

Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say we are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

- Luke 17:7-10

Would this man pay his servant extra for doing his duty? Adam's obedience was simply the doing of his duty - that for which he was created. How does God's promise of a reward upon Adam's obedience reveal His grace?

God's promise of eternal life upon Adam's obedience included the perfectly joyful, holy, and never-dying existence of both soul and body. God's promise spoke of a higher state of good which man would receive. Upon his obedience, man would receive a yet richer, more glorious heavenly state in which he would be freed from temptation and have eternal life secured. This glorious and gracious promise was confirmed by the Tree of Life; it was a pledge of God's promise of eternal life.

God's penalty for willful disobedience was death; bodily, spiritual, and eternal death, as described in the following chapter.

After our terrible fall into sin in Paradise, we can no longer fulfill the condition of the Covenant of Works. Now, no person is born without sin; all are born with sinful hearts and commit actual sins daily. The penalty of death rests upon all of us - for all are sinners. The broken Covenant of Works condemns us all. It is a tragic testimony to the fact that we have willfully broken the wonderful relationship between God and us.

Have you experienced these sad truths in your life? Have you painfully experienced that, with all efforts and attempts to better your life by living in true love to God and others, you only discover sin, and more sin? Have your totally lost and hopeless condition and God's righteous judgment resting upon you for it, become real in your life? Has this become a heartfelt matter within you?

Blessed be God! When all was lost from our side, God opened a way for sinners to be saved from His side! God revealed a new covenant, the Covenant of Grace, with another covenant head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled all the conditions of the broken Covenant of Works and fully paid the death penalty for all