GOD'S PREDESTINATION

The word and doctrine of "predestination" is considered a forbidden territory in our day, especially by religious men and women. But where they fear to tread the Apostle Paul loved to walk. Not only without fear or shame but with love and gratitude does he speak of this blessed truth. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." Rom.8:29 This truth is to be believed and taught first of all because it is in God's Word. It is not a doctrine invented by some dark age theologian but is the plain truth of scripture. It involves not only acts and events but also individuals. "For whom he did predestinate.." It should be the concern of every person to learn of predestination because it is something God did! "For whom he (God) did predestinate.." Instead of saying "God wouldn't do that" it should be noted that predestination involves something God has already done! "For whom he did predestinate.." Predestination flows out of the love of God. The word "foreknow" means more than to have prior knowledge of, it means to "fore-love." Furthermore, predestination is joined together with Christ who is salvation. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son." There is no salvation without Christ and no Christ without predestination! Then all the essential doctrines that make up God's salvation such as calling, justification and glorification proceed from divine predestination. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Rom. 8:30 As a matter of fact, all spiritual blessings in Christ including our adoption as children of God are the results of God's predestination. "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." Eph. 1:5 Even the eternal inheritance of which heaven itself is a part is by God's predestination in Christ. "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Eph. 1:11 Salvation in Christ must be by predestination for He must get all glory!

Gary Shepard

PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF GRACE

It is true that where sin abounded grace has much more abounded; well then, "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound yet further?" The true preaching of the gospel of salvation by grace alone always leads to the possibility of this charge being brought against it. There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the New Testament gospel than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it that it really amounts to this: that because you are saved by grace alone, it does not really matter at all WHAT you do, you can go on sinning all you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. That is a very good test of gospel preaching. If my preaching of the gospel does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel. Let me show you what I mean.

If a man preaches justification by works, no one would ever raise the question. If he says, "If you want to go to heaven, you must stop committing sins, live a life filled with good works, and keep this up regularly and constantly until the end, then you will be a Christian and go to heaven when you die." Obviously, no one will accuse a man who preached like this of saying, "Let us continue in sin that grace may abound." But every preacher who preached the gospel has been accused of this! They have all been accused of "antinomianism." I would say to all preachers: IF YOUR PREACHING OF SALVATION HAS NOT BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD IN THAT WAY, THEN YOU HAD BETTER EXAMINE YOUR SERMONS AGAIN, and you had better make sure that you really ARE preaching the salvation that is proclaimed in the New Testament to the ungodly, the sinner, to those who are dead in trespasses and sins, to those who are the enemies of God. There is a kind of dangerous element about the true presentation of the doctrine of salvation.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

When Christ died, He did not die to buy something for us but to redeem US that we might receive what God had freely given. GS

“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)

We who trust in Christ for our whole salvation can be sure that God will never forsake us or withhold any blessing from us. God will not take back or make void what He has promised and freely given us in His Son. The death of Christ for us is the foundation of our security and assurance. Since God gave His Son to die for us, even when we were yet sinners, there is no way God would forsake us, leave us, turn against us. We are His children. If we lost our salvation or any blessings of His grace, God would have more at stake than us. If we lost our salvation, it would frustrate His purpose, diminish His power, defy His love, and undo the redemptive work of Christ. This is impossible! God’s honor is at stake not only in saving us but in blessing and keeping us. God’s plan and purpose was not simply to get us started, but to get us finished, and He does so by His grace in Christ Jesus, based on His finished work alone. Rest assured “that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6)

Bill Parker

"I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." (Psalm 122:1)

I can and do worship the Lord anywhere; I can pray and rejoice in God's mercy in Christ anywhere; I can read the Word and meditate upon His grace anywhere; but there is a time and a place (referred to as the house of God) where the people of God gather in His name each week to worship, pray, preach His Word, and encourage one another. He promised to be in their midst. They meet to seek His face, His blessings, and to hear the Word He has given His servant for them at that time. They also come with their children to be identified individually and as families with the Lord and His kingdom. They come to praise Him in joy and seek His comfort in their sorrows. For all these reasons, I am glad when that day dawns and that time approaches and I can meet my true family in my Father's house. I must be honest, as one called of God to speak for Him; I cannot believe for one moment that those who forsake this sacred assembly and find every excuse not to be there (whatever the reason) have a true love and regard for our blessed Redeemer.