But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. Job 23:13

Some think they do God a favor or make Him more palatable to unregenerate men by setting forth the redeeming work of Christ as both universal and particular. They say things like, "His death was sufficient for all but efficient for the elect." The design of the redemptive work of Christ is defined by scripture and required by our just God as only particular. By that I mean that Christ died for a particular people chosen of God and given to Him. He states this truth the clearest of all, "I lay down my life for the sheep." There is nothing randomly done by God and His designs in all things are governed only by His desires! Thus, Job tells us, "he is in one mind... and what his soul desires, even that he does." Can we hear that? What He will have done in all things, especially the redemptive work of Christ, will be just exactly what He desired! He desired to redeem His elect and He redeemed them. He desired to save His people from their sins and He saved them. The issue is not the worth of the blood of Jesus Christ but God's purpose and grace given to His elect in Christ before the world began. While men speak of sufficiency, Paul speaks only of efficiency, saying that it is the "church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28) To the Ephesians he says, "Christ loved the church and gave himself for it." (Eph. 5:25) Christ's work was a sure work, designed of God to save His covenant people and this is where His glory lies. These definite statements of God's word are designed to shut sinners up to the reality that it is God's will and God's work that save us and nothing of ourselves! Like Jonah of old, we must be brought to an end of ourselves and acknowledge that "salvation is of the Lord." There is no preaching of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ without a clear and open declaration of the design of His death. He is not glorified by being a "sufficient" savior for all, His glory lies in His being the "efficient" Savior of all His elect. When men seek to make God to be something He isn't or try to make the redemptive work of Christ to be something it isn't, it reveals that they neither know, believe or love Christ as He is or for what He has done! Hear Him, "I give my life for the sheep." What He desired, that He did!

Gary Shepard

No man shall ever behold the glory of Christ by SIGHT hereafter, who does not in some measure behold it by FAITH here in this world. Grace is a necessary preparation for glory, and faith for sight. Where the subject (the soul) is not previously seasoned with grace and faith, it is not capable of glory or vision. Yea, a person not disposed hereby unto it cannot desire it, whatever they pretend...if a man pretend himself to be enamored on, or greatly to desire, what he never saw, now was ever represented to him, he does but dote on his own imaginations. And the pretended desires of many to behold the glory of Christ in heaven, who have no view of it by faith while they are here in this world, are nothing but self-deceiving imaginations.

John Owen

Whatever trouble believers may experience on this earth, they may comfort themselves with this face: God will ordain peace for us in the end. Every creature and every event, every experience and every thing that comes to pass in the lives of God's elect, He will make to work for our peace. Even those things that seem to be altogether against us, He will cause to work for us, for our everlasting good.

Doug Weaver

"God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, therefore, to God." (James 4:6,7)

The way to over come pride, envy, and the spirit of carnal ambition is to submit yourselves to God! Submit to His will and purpose regarding gifts, talents, and possessions; to His place of service, be it lowly or great; to His will to prosper or empty us, to honor or humiliate us. There is ONE NAME to be praised, ONE WILL to be done, ONE LIFE to be imitated, ONE PERSON who must have the pre-eminence...our LORD JESUS CHRIST!

Henry Mahan

It is a greater work of God to bring men to grace, than being in the state of grace, to bring them to glory; because sin is far more distant from grace than grace is to glory.

John Trapp

COME, GOD OF GRACE AND GLORY

Great God of glory, One in Three;

Incline Your ear and hear our plea.

From this appointed worship place,

We cry up to Your throne of grace.

We stand with merit not our own;

But that of Jesus Christ alone.

We ask you now to fully bless,

By His own blood and righteousness.

We call not knowing what we need;

But that your will be done we plead.

Your will and pleasure have long stood,

To bring You glory and us good.

Send now Your word and Spirit near,

To give us faith through what we hear.

And as Your chosen, ransomed race,

We praise the glory of Your grace.

Gary Shepard

Tune: Doxology