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The God Who Is
Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith. "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Unlike men, the Son of God does not begin a work and leave it unfinished. He completes what He undertakes.
The psalmist declares, "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked" (Psalm 97:10). Reader, tell me how much you hate evil, and I will tell you how much you love the Lord.
While the psalmist tells us that the Lord preserves the souls of His saints, Solomon tells us, "He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints" (Proverbs 2:8). All who out of love for the Lord do His will can be sure of their predestination unto life.
Peter writes, "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kind-ness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (II Peter 1:1-11). Reader, make certain you are truly born again, and that your profession of faith is not a fraud. You can be sure, however, that if the Lord has indeed begun a good work in you, He will continue that work until He brings it to perfection. Only then will it be completed.
In Philippians chapter 2, consider verse 13. Paul writes, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Reader, do you want to do the will of God? If you do, remember that you were not born with such a desire! It was given you by God. Do you do the will of God? This is evidence that God is working in you to do those things that are His will. It is God who is at work in you. It is He who makes you to will and to do His pleasure. Therefore, all can be sure their election and calling is of God who out of love for the Lord attend to His will by obeying Him.
Predestination and Worship
The doctrine of predestination, if properly understood, will cause us to prostrate ourselves before the Lord. God is to be loved and to be feared on account of this doctrine.
Paul declared, "Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (Romans 11:5). God has predestinated only a few people for salvation. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life," Jesus said, "and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). "Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, `Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved'" (Romans 9:27).
And again, "Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (Romans 11:5). " ...Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded" (verse 7). The word "remnant" refers to seed left after planting for sowing next season.
Is it any wonder that after meditating upon such a good God the apostle Paul was brought to a crescendo of worship? In Romans chapter 11, beginning in verse 33, he writes, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen" (verses 33-36).
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