Salvation began with God in another sphere, and its conditions, character and results are altogether in harmony with the eternal being of God, rather than with the vain imaginations of fallen man.
The divine revelation unfolds the eternal past, the present order in time, and the eternal future. To all these the saved one is closely related. From the beginning he was in the thought and purpose of God; he is now in the day of decision and grace; and the eternity to come is made glorious by the sure realization of the design of God for him.
“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, 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. 8:29, 30). “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him” (Eph. 1:4).
These passages sweep the whole eternity. They reveal a divine purpose in the dateless past and reach on to its realization in the eternity to come, and all without reference to human merits and obligations.
Still another passage, related only to the ages to come, reveals that this will all be accomplished as a sufficient display, to all created beings, of the grace of God:
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6, 7).
The solemn question confronts every thoughtful person, therefore, whether the infinite God can realize His eternal purpose, or is He perplexed and uncertain in the presence of the object of His own creative power? To this question the Scriptures give a very clear answer.
Thus, it may be concluded that should the saved one be lost, the eternal purpose of God will have been failed. Admitting this, it must be concluded that He Who can design a universe whose remotest star shall not deviate by a second from its appointments throughout the ages; Who can plan the universe from the highest arch-angel to the marvelous organism of the smallest insect; Whose purpose has never yet been known to fail—that such a God may be defeated by the mere creatures His hands have made.
If the saved one is finally lost, it must also be concluded that God is, to that degree, lacking in power. He Who has testified that not one of His sheep will ever perish, must yet retract His bold assertions and humbly submit to a power that is greater than His own. He Who created and holds the universe in His hands; Who calls things that are not as though they were; Who could speak the word and dismiss every atom of matter and life from existence forever must retire before the overlordship of some creature of His hand.
And admitting the revelation concerning God’s eternal purpose and His infinite power to accomplish that purpose, if it could still be proven that the saved one might be lost we would be shut up to the one and final conclusion that it could be so only because the All-powerful God did not sufficiently care to keep those whom His power had created as new creatures.
But what do we find? The revelation is full of testimony concerning that very care. Who can measure the revealed devotion of His boundless love toward the objects of His saving grace? Who will dare claim that He will not answer the prayer of His Son?
Grace heaped upon grace, in other words, Grace provides grace (John 1:16). The eternal purposes of GOD in grace can never fail since He has anticipated and provided for every emergency that could arise. These manifold provisions are according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7) and foreknowledge (Romans 8:29). Some of these provisions are:
a. The Power of GOD (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18; 1 Thess. 1:5; 1 Cor. 2:5).
b. The Love of GOD (Romans 8:35-39; John 13:1; Romans 5:8-11)
c. The Prayer of the Son of GOD (John 17:9-12,15,20; Heb. 7:25; Romans 8:34)
d. The Substitutionary Death of the Son of GOD (2 Cor. 5:21; Romans 4:24-25; 8:34)
e. The Resurrection of the Son of GOD (Romans 4:24-25; Col. 2:12; Romans 6:3-4)
f. The Present Advocacy of the Son of GOD (Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2; Heb. 7:25; 9:24).
g. The Shepherdhood of the Son of GOD (1 Pet. 2:25; Jn. 10:11,14; Heb. 13:20;1 Pet. 5:4).
h. The Regenerating Work of the Spirit (Titus 3:5).
i. The Indwelling of the Spirit (Romans 8:9; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; John 14:16; Eph. 1:13).
j. The Baptism of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 5:30; Romans 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27).
a. The Sealing with the Spirit (Eph. 1:13; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 4:30).
Should His eternal purpose fail by the slightest degree, the object of salvation, the object of the death and resurrection of CHRIST, and the object of creation itself, will have failed. No, it shall not fail; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
Evangelist Rodgie Quirante
The Workman’s Treasure Study Series