Thoeolgical Research--Part 3

In John 17, our Lord and Savior, conscious that His work was almost finished, entered the “Holy of Holies” in prayer. He addressed the Father, acting as though His death and resurrection were already accomplished. Christ came for the sheep that the Father gave Him in the covenant of grace. Therefore, they were His by gift in eternity and His accomplishment in time. Christ did not acquire them in eternity, but He paid the price for their sins at Calvary. Even in the days of Christ’s rejection and crucifixion, He was in control. He willingly laid down His life for the sheep. We are correct in saying that Christ came for His own, died for His own, and prays for His own.

In this chapter, we see universal power and special purpose, general means and particular object. The redemption of Christ is as extensive as the grace of the Father. Just as grace is not experienced by all, so redemption did not include all. The Bible does not speak of the possibilities of Christ’s work, but by things that were real and certain.

The Greek word for “purpose” is protithemi. It is made up of the preposition pro, meaning “before,” and the verb tithemi, meaning “to place, appoint, or destine.” Thus, the compound verb, when used intellectually, would speak of a person’s purpose being set forth (Acts 11:23; 27:13; II Tim. 3:10). When speaking of God’s purpose in salvation being set forth, the passages concerning election are used (Rom. 8:28; 9:11; II Tim. 1:9).

The Christian is the child of a Divine purpose. Assurance belongs to the elect. Therefore, Paul used the verb oida, rather than ginosko, in Romans 8:28, when he said, “And we know [‘have known,’ perfect active indicative].” The perfect tense always expresses perfective action. Thus, it means completed action with continuing results or a resulting state of being. It looks not only to the choice of the Father in eternity, but to the once for all redemptive work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. In Hebrews 10:1-12, we read the following: “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form [image] of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. THEN I SAID, BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD. After saying above, SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said [has said], BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL. He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD” (NASB Update).

Christ’s offering admits no repetition; therefore, the sanctification it secures forever is for the chosen ones in Christ. The One who offered Himself, on behalf of the elect, is seated at the right hand of God the Father as the righteousness of God which has been imputed to all the elect. The imputed righteousness before God at Calvary is imparted to the elect individually at God’s appointed time. This righteousness shall never vary or fail. All here is of God; and the assurance of Christ, who became righteousness to us from God, is assured by the Holy Spirit. The inspired Apostle said, in Hebrews 10:15-18, “And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM, He then says, AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin” (NASB Update). The once-offered Christ Jesus has settled the sin question forever for the elect, because He died absolutely for some, not conditionally for all.

The universal proclamation of the gospel is for the reaching of the elect. It is a remarkable fact that where the gospel is not proclaimed in the general aspect, God does not seem to work out His special object to any large extent. This principle explains many passages of Scripture. The correct system of theology is the one which enables a person to read through the Scriptures and say, “I am as pleased with one subject as with another which is totally opposite.” An example of this would be that “I am as pleased to study I Thessalonians 4:1-12 as Romans 8.”

We are not to be carried away by either smooth preachers or vain philosophers. Christians are not left without an infallible guide. The same Holy Spirit that has given us the inspired Bible is our teacher. Paul says in II Timothy 3:16 and 17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (NASB Update). John tells us in I John 2:26-29, “These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (NASB Update).

Never run away from a revealed Biblical truth, just because it does not fit what you have previously heard or read. We should never run away from a Biblical truth because it puts another truth in the place of logic. Establish every truth on Biblical revelation. Do not waste time trying to explain pet texts. An Arminian might ask, “What are you going to do with John 3:16?” For a starter, ask him, “What are you going to do with Romans 9, Ephesians 1:5, and II Timothy 1:9?”

God’s purpose in sending the gospel to all parts of the world is for the sheep finding satisfaction. A wonderful illustration is Genesis 24. Abraham is a type of God the Father; Isaac is a type of the Son; and Eliezer is a type of the Holy Spirit in subjection to Abraham and Isaac in that order (Gen. 24; Heb. 11:8-19). The offering up of Isaac by Abraham is the foundation principle. What Abraham desired, Isaac wanted, and the servant Eliezer was committed to accomplish.

Rejection of God’s authority—direct or indirect—leads to rejection of all authority. Therefore, the principle of guidance is to recognize that true service is restricted to God’s revealed will. The servant was ordered not to take a wife for Isaac from the line of Ham (Canaanites, meaning “preceding”), but to take her from the line of Shem (meaning “the family of the covenant). Any subjective concept of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics apart from an objective standard is false. True service is restricted to God’s revealed will. God’s providence led the right person to the right place, at the right time, to give the right message, to the right person. What did the servant do? He did not politic for the place, force the time, or humanly influence a decision. Therefore, when God is in what we are doing for His glory, no fleshly efforts are necessary.

God’s purpose in eternity and His accomplishment in time are of the same extent. In Romans 8:28-31, Paul said, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (NASB Update).

Seven things are said to have been “before the world was.” These are the seven things:

1. The glory of the Son with the Father, John 17:5—“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (NASB Update).

2. The love of the Father for the Son, John 17:24—“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (NASB Update).

3. God’s purpose to save sinful man by grace, II Timothy 1:9—“who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (NASB Update).

4. The wisdom that conceived the plan to save sinful man that was ordained before the ages, I Corinthians 2:7—“but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory” (NASB Update).

5. The promise of eternal life that was made by God, Titus 1:2—“in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago [before times eternal]” (NASB Update).

6. The Lamb that was slain according to God’s purpose, I Peter 1:18-21—“knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (NASB Update).

7. The choice of some to be saved that was made before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4-5—“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (NASB Update).