“And these are ancient things.”-1 Chronicles 4:22
Yet not so ancient as those precious things which are the delight of our souls. Let us for a moment recount them, telling them over as misers count their gold. The sovereign choice of the Father, by which He elected us unto eternal life, or ever the earth was, is a matter of vast antiquity, since no date can be conceived for it by the mind of man. We were chosen from before the foundations of the world. Everlasting love went with the choice, for it was not a bare act of divine will by which we were set apart, but the divine affections were concerned. The Father loved us in and from the beginning. Here is a theme for daily contemplation. The eternal purpose to redeem us from our foreseen ruin, to cleanse and sanctify us, and at last to glorify us, was of infinite antiquity, and runs side by side with immutable love and absolute sovereignty. The covenant is always described as being everlasting, and Jesus, the second party in it, had His goings forth of old; He struck hands in sacred suretyship long ere the first of the stars began to shine, and it was in Him that the elect were ordained unto eternal life. Thus in the divine purpose a most blessed covenant union was established between the Son of God and His elect people, which will remain as the foundation of their safety when time shall be no more. Is it not well to be conversant with these ancient things? Is it not shameful that they should be so much neglected and even rejected by the bulk of professors? If they knew more of their own sin, would they not be more ready to adore distinguishing grace? Let us both admire and adore tonight, as we sing-
“A monument of grace,
A sinner saved by blood;
The streams of love I trace
Up to the Fountain, God;
And in His sacred bosom see
Eternal thoughts of Love to me.”
Today Modern Christianity exalts the decisions of humanity as the font of salvation. So few have any understanding of providence and election. Yet the scriptures cannot be understood and comprehended without it. The quote above by Charles Haddon Spurgeon is foreign to the modern mimdset. Without this understanding christianity is demoted to the status of another religion.
Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day
It would pay the reader to ponder over these words of the LORD CHRIST.
For the ancient source of our salvation is the decision of the Father to draw us to Christ , thereby revealing his eternal love of us.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Some may think that God in his foreknowledge of our merits was the primary reason for his making the choice.
Ro 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Our Salvation had nothing to do with our merits (or works) as the Apostle Paul declares.
It is all of Grace and Grace alone.
Ro 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works(Merit), then is it no more grace: otherwise work(Merit) is no more work(merit).
Grace is the very cause of our efforts to exalt Christ.
Every other religion is based upon the merit of the devotee, wheras true christianity is based upon God working through us and in us , by the Grace and mercy he has bestowed upon us.
Human religous rituals are unable to change the hearts of humanity. There is no human formula that leads to salvation, if there was then Christ did not need to lay down his life to redeem us.
Ro 5:6/11 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
We are not a Christian because our parents were Christians, and we have followed their example by regularly attending a church.
We are Christians if we have been born of the Spirit of God.
1Jo 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
To sum up God knows us and we know God.
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity
