Apr 19
7
Eternal Redemption
“In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of
sins” Colossians 1:14
The exact and effectual redemption of God Almighty’s elect church is an
eternal redemption secured by one man, the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s
sacrificial Lamb. The redemption accomplished by our Surety in time did
not originate in time, neither will it cease in time. Christ is the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world (Re 13:8), He was the Lamb on the
cross (1 Peter 1:18-20), and He is now the Lamb in the midst of the
throne (Re 7:17). Time makes no impression on the purpose of God. The
purpose of God dictates all past, present and future history in time.
Therefore we have redemption in Christ through His blood, even the
forgiveness of sins, without beginning and without end according to
God’s eternal purpose of grace. Christ died for us in time and we are
given faith and regenerated in time as a result of God’s everlasting
love for us manifested in the vicarious blood shedding of the Christ of
God. “We have redemption” can only be said of and by those who have
Christ – “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”
1Corithians 1:30. This will never change! Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but the redeemed have never been and will never be unredeemed! “…
for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” Revelation 5:9.
Christ has obtained that which the triune God purposed … His people have
obtained it as well because He obtained it for us – “Neither by the
blood of goats and calves, but by His Own blood He entered in once into
the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” Hebrews 9:12.
Away with universal redemption and the free-will of man! Thank God for
His free will in the eternal redemption of once dead, chosen sinners!
Even the forgiveness of sins!
Tommy Robbins
Covenant Mercies
Tom Harding
Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and
the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and
the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me,
and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of
Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the
fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun
riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out
of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so
with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in
all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire,
although he make it not to grow. (2 Sam.23:1-5)
Sometimes the last words of a man are regarded, remembered and sometimes
even recorded for all to read and think upon. Certainly this is true of
David. God is about to call him home to glory, in this special time, he
found his comfort, hope, and salvation in God’s covenant of mercy and
grace revealed in Jesus Christ, Who is the Surety of the Covenant (Heb.
7:22). Although David had won many victories, even reigned over Israel
for forty years as God’s King, and was used of God to write many Psalms,
his hope of salvation was not what he accomplished, but rather in Christ
alone. David describes the hope of every believer in verse five (2Sam.
23:5). Although we are sinners (Psalm 51:5), although we are guilty
before God (Rom. 3:19), although we deserve nothing but judgment and
God’s wrath (Rom. 6:23); yet, God delights to show mercy because of the
eternal covenant of grace made with Christ Jesus before the world began
(Heb. 13:20). Our sinful condition does not hinder His almighty purpose
and grace in Christ (Dan.4:35; Ro.5:6).
Remember these five things about this covenant of grace in Christ!
1). This covenant of grace is everlasting!
Everlasting in its council. Before there was a sinner there was a
Saviour. Before Adam fell, the Surety stood (Rev.13:8). Everlasting in
its continuance. Whatever God does it shall be forever (Eccl. 3:14).
Everlasting in its consequences. The believer is predestinated to be
conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:28-30).
2). This covenant of grace is ordered in all things!
The mercies and grace of God are not left to luck, chance nor the
sinner’s depraved will, but to the determinate council and purpose of
God (Eph. 1:3-6). This places the accomplishment of our salvation not in
our hands, but in the hands of Christ alone, Who cannot fail (Isa.
42:4). Salvation is of the Lord!
3). This covenant of grace is sure!
It stands upon a sure foundation. The Lord Christ Jesus is the
foundation upon which this covenant rests, He is the solid Rock (2
Tim.2:19; Isa. 28:16).
4). This covenant of grace is all my salvation (Heb. 13:20)!
It is completely upon Jesus Christ, His person, sacrifice and
righteousness that the believer has any measure of confidence in
salvation. Jesus Christ is not a way, He is the Way, Truth and Life (
John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Col. 2:9-10).
5). This covenant of grace is all my desire!
We rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh. We
desire to know more about Jesus Christ and to grow in grace and in the
knowledge of Him (Phil. 3:3-9). This is the earnest desire of every
believer (Matt. 11:25-28; 1Pet. 2:2)!
Peter’s Sin And Repentance
Tom Harding
Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, before the cock
crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
(Matt. 26:75).
There has been much written and said of Peter’s failure and sin when he
denied that he knew the Lord Jesus Christ, but not much of Peter’s
conviction and repentance that was granted and given of the LORD. Peter
sinned, but he did not lose his salvation. His faith was weak, but not
dead. He sinned and failed miserably, but he was not forsaken (Heb.
13:5). God brought Peter through this trial and granted him strength,
recovery and a constant heart of repentance before God (Acts 5:11;
11:18). Here are four things we learn from Peter’s trial and repentance.
1). It was the working of God’s sovereign providence. “Then began he to
curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock
crew.” God used a rooster to bring to Peter’s mind what the Lord had
said (Matt. 26:34). Often in the believer’s life God uses small
insignificant things to bring us to a remembrance of the gospel. Despise
not the day of small things (Zech. 4:10; Rom. 11:36).
2). It was the working of the effectual word of God. “Peter remembered
the word of Jesus.” It is the preaching of the Word that God uses to
quicken us and to reveal Himself to us (1Cor. 1:21; 2Cor. 4:5-7; James
1:18; 1Peter 1:23). It is through the ministry of the Word, hearing and
believing the word that we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ
(1Peter 2:2; 1Thes. 2:13).
3). It was the working of the powerful grace of God. “The Lord turned,
and looked upon Peter” (Luke 22:61). The Lord looked upon Peter in pity,
love and pardon and I am sure that Peter also looked upon the Lord.
Their eyes were fastened upon one another and Peter’s heart melted
within him. It is the goodness of God that brings us to repentance (Rom.
2:4).
4). It was the working of Jesus Christ as our blessed Mediator. “The
Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he
may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail
not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31).
Peter’s faith was sorely tried, but it was not utterly destroyed (1Peter
1:5). Christ stood as his ever-living Mediator (Heb.7:25)! Peter was
made stronger through this trial and was sent to preach the gospel to
others.
We know the rest of the story of Peter’s life. He stood at Pentecost and
preached the gospel to thousands and the Lord added to His church daily
such as should be saved (Acts. 2: 41-47).
The Glory of the Lord Shall Be Revealed
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together:
for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
(Isaiah 40.5).
There can be no sweeter sight to the eye of the child of God than to see
His Savior glorified in the sight of all flesh. To the child of God, the
truth of the gospel is not merely doctrine to be debated and defended,
or even just a body of settled truth to be confessed as a matter of
orthodox religion. No, to the believer the gospel of the Lord Jesus is a
declaration of the glory of the One who loved him and gave Himself for
him. It is a portrait of his Beloved, and he could no more tolerate a
corruption of the truth than a woman could tolerate that a picture of
her beloved husband should be desecrated in her presence.
What patience does the church exhibit as she sets forth the truth of her
heavenly husband and lovingly instructs the children of the Kingdom
giving time for them to absorb and come to terms with the truth. But see
her kind face flash with anger when her Husband is insulted by a
rebellious refusal to acknowledge His sovereign rights. Many
religionists become upset when their particular form of religion is
assaulted for they take it as an insult against them. But for the church
of the Lord Jesus, it is not her own glory for which she is jealous, but
for the glory of the One Who loved her and gave Himself for her.
It may be tempting to establish theological benchmarks and test all men
by these. The danger in such a system is that it easily taps into our
innate self-righteousness and can make us act as theological legalists.
Instead, let us be enamored of the glory of the Lord Jesus. Then, as we
make our way in this religious world we will know who it is that has
seen the same Savior as we have seen, and we will be fit to defend His
glory in this world.
Joe Terrell
COME UNTO CHRIST
Are you laboring under the burden of the law? Christ fulfilled the law
for his people. He is the end of the law for righteousness to all who
believe. Christ says, “Come unto me and I will give you rest!” (Mt 11:
28) Are you heavy laden under the heavy load of guilt from your sin?
Christ put away the sin of his people on the cross. Christ says, “Come
unto me and I will give your rest!” Are you under the weight of your old
fleshly man? The old sinful man in Christ’s people was crucified when
Christ was crucified. So Christ says, “Come unto me and I will give you
rest.” Are you loaded down with the burden of this life? To those who
come to Christ, he says “My peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid….in me ye have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world…” (Jn 14: 27; 16: 33)
…
God’s King is King Already
About 5,000 men sat on the side of a mountain in the lush grass and
listened to the gracious words of Him who was the gospel incarnate.
Having heard His precious words they ate their fill of a basket
containing five barley loaves and two small
fishes.
This God did by Him in their midst to confirm
His person and offices
(Acts 2: 22). Having satisfied their
religious curiosity and mixing His
words with their own reasoning and logic,
they rose up with an ignorant
zeal intending to make Him a king by force.
Perceiving their selfish and
carnal motives, the Lord withdrew himself
from their numbers and went
into the mountain alone.
Every fallen son of Adam believes he has the
power and ability to
effectually resist the living God, alter His
will, and by his own
authority allow him to do or not do certain
things. David calls this in
Psalm 2 a vain imagination. “He that sitteth
in the heavens shall laugh;
the Lord will have them in derision (Psalm 2:
4).”
“Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill in
Zion. I will declare the
decree: The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art
my Son; this day have I
begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give
thee the heathen for thy
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for thy possession.
(Psalm 2: 6-8).” This is not that day in
Bethlehem when Mary brought
forth the promised seed but the eternal
begetting of the mediator King.
God’s King is King already! God hath set Him
by decree upon his holy
hill in Zion. This is the eternal generation
of Christ and includes all
of his offices, all of his work, all of the
means, and all whom he
represented.
His reign is without contest, without
assistance, and without question.
‘None can stay his hand or say unto him, what
doest thou (Daniel 4:
35).” “In his times he shall show, who is the
blessed and only
Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of
Lords (I Timothy 6: 15).” As
fallen sons of Adam the best thing we can do
is to fall prostrate at his
feet, and be thankful for his rule which has
been established in him to
save sinners for the glory of his name. (John
17: 2)
Darvin Pruitt