We are at the end of time. And the event between time and eternity, is the
cross. What Jesus did for us, was the beginning of what we are doing, and
the end of what was done. We are moving forward, one moment, by one
moment. Everything in scripture for us points to eternity. And everything
within us cries out for it. God has set eternity in our hearts yet we cannot
fathom what He has done from beginning to end. He made us to live in
eternity and His work with us is not finished.
Bible study must take priority in the life. It is how we maintain our connection
with God through His written Word. It reminds us of His character, promises,
our dependence on Him, and His workings to bring us to be with Him, forever.
Study also deepens and expands our understanding of specific bible
passages, so that we may sort through hard concepts and receive insight into
the context of the truth, not just by the letter, but as guided by the Spirit. It
keeps us from twisting the truth for our own purposes. That is why everything
presented must be linked truth with truth. If there can be any concept inserted
that does not conform to the pattern of truth, then something is out of order.
Every time the word of God is studied, there will be new instruction found, a
further penetration into truth. The word of God offers us a perspective that
most human voices are afraid to advance. Where the bible gives us trouble
that we must struggle with until the breaking of the day, a consort of the
enemy, clothed as a friend, wants to give us smooth ground to walk.
I would ask that we take a serious moment and reason with the following
statement. God promised to give to us a blessing out of all proportion to the
little that is required of us. If we would obey, we would have everlasting life;
we would never die. And we had the full assurance of everlasting life
because we did not know evil. We had knowledge and we had a holy
character. Now consider the fact that we still do not obey, yet God’s promise
still holds true. Now, with that unbelievable negotiation remaining in force for us,
I ask that we understand why we are, where we are today, by answering some
questions.
Did God want to save all? Did Jesus die on the cross for all? Do
God and Jesus know all things? Did God have a way to do what He wanted?
God alone made arrangement. Man had no part in the making of the
arrangement. The arrangement was called the “covenant of grace”. The
word “covenant” means a disposition or an arrangement. The word “grace”
means favored power not to sin. The grace of God is divine favor, manifested
to sinners who choose obedience to God’s word.
Psalms 89:2-4
Man must either accept the arrangement God has made or receive no
covenant at all. The “covenant of grace,” then, is that arrangement whereby
God planned to save man from the just consequences of his sin, and it is by
His mercy that man’s life is prolonged to come to repentance.
Did God purpose to save all mankind? Did God know that without force He
could not save all? Did Jesus know that not all would accept the cost he
paid? God's purpose, then, in devising the covenant of grace, was not for the
purpose of saving all of mankind, but rather a portion of mankind. In eternity
God chose from among fallen mankind, those whom he purposed to save.
Ephesians 1:4, 5
Romans 8:30
If God purposed to save all mankind and failed in His purpose, God ceases
to be God and Satan wins. God has an elect people, and there are others
who are not elect. God did not make any man to be non-elect. That is man’s
choice. Any rejection of God’s way puts you in opposition to God’s love, and
opposition to God’s love, is hate. Man fits himself. If, then, we try to give the
same reason for election and non-election, we make sad work of it. If we will
just pause and take one thing at a time, and look to God's Word, we will not
go wrong.
Romans 9:22
This plan as conceived in eternity and revealed in time, contained three
elements. God’s promises, God’s grace, and God’s Son are the elements of
the covenant. Promised forgiveness and life eternal. Included in this promise
to be our God, are all the more specific blessings of the covenant of grace
such as justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification. The one
requirement that God in this covenant made of man was faith – we must
believe. God’s purpose for us is that our lives become an expression of His
Son lived in and through us. Our calling and election made sure - destined
for everlasting, all-satisfying praise of the infinitely beautiful God.
Your choice, as it was known by God from before all things, is not God’s
choosing but God confirming, based on God’s foreknowledge, which
preceded predestination of what you would choose, based upon that
necessary faith given you, which is your responsibility. With this is the truth
made clear…both the sovereignty of God, and the responsibility of each
individual, are evident in his or her being so greatly blessed to be chosen by
God. God’s determination was completed in counsel. So today, this day,
what is your determination seeing that you have the ultimate power of choice.
We are not common in God’s hand. Are you today favored? Are you graven
upon his hand in blood? We do not know what to wonder at most; the
faithfulness of God or our unbelief. For if we truly believed, we’d live as being
chosen. Truth must stir our admiration. We have a theme for marveling. All
in heaven and on earth may well be astonished, that such as us, should obtain
aforesaid closeness to the heart of infinite love, as to be written on the palms
of His hands. The Word does not say he has graven “your name”
…it says he has graven “you”. Consider the depth of this! “He has engraved your
person, your image, your circumstances, everything about you, all that concerns you;
He has put all of this together whereby He has chosen you.
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