"The covenant relationship established in the Garden of Eden provides the basis and contours of the relationship that exists between God and his people throughout history. All the covenants in the Bible carry out the fundamental provision, promise, and purpose established at creation.
The crucial thing to keep in mind about this relationship is that it does not originate with humanity, nor is it sustained by our strength or willpower. God's first word to Adam and Eve is not a word of command but a word of blessing (Gen. 1:28a, 29). God's acts of provision are sovereign, free acts of grace. Nobody forces God to create, provide for, rescue, or deliver his people. God's second word is the command that flows from this gift of grace (Gen. 1:28b). And, as Gen. 2:17 makes clear, God's third word is a promise of blessing or curse based on the keeping or breaking of his commands." -Scott Hafemann, The God of Promise and the Life of Faith: Understanding the Heart of the Bible
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