He stressed the primacy of the covenant (God’s gracious election) for “getting in” along with obedience to the Law for “staying in.” Crucial here, in contrast to previous portrayals of Jewish theology, was the recognition that “obedience maintains one’s position in the covenant, but it does not earn God’s grace as such.”9 Sanders summarized covenantal nomism in eight points.10 1. God has chosen Israel. [Thus, election, or grace, not meritorious works, is the fundamental datum for salvation in Judaism.]