EYES SHUT - AGAINST THE LIGHT

 EYES SHUT- AGAINST THE LIGHT

           

Many in our day have set the Holy Scriptures aside as not absolute in their meaning. It is true that some of the parts of Holy Scripture are difficult; the Apostle Peter writes “…even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”(II Peter 3:15, 16) It is also true that an understanding of Holy Writ requires great deal of study, meditation, and prayer. We must compare scripture with scripture (II Corinthians 2:13). The Bible is not a book for the casual reader; its mysteries are unveiled as it pleases the Lord Jesus to open them to his people by the Holy Ghost. But because the scriptures are difficult to understand is no reason to quit the study of them.

The message of the scriptures is the message of eternal life in Christ Jesus, and therefore is of great importance to any who care for their soul, and the glory of God. The holy scriptures are our only guide in the things of God we dare not listen to any other than thus saith the Holy Ghost, and how does he speak to us in these days? It is by the scriptures; for “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be throughly furnished unto all good works.”(II Timothy 3:16, 17) and “We have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the  Holy Ghost.”(II Peter 1:19-21)

“The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.” (I John 2:8). In that we now have what the Holy Ghost has termed the “true light”, surely we will do well to take heed to how esteem the light that is given us in the Holy Scriptures; see II Peter 1:19-21 above. In passing; may I but mention to the studious reader, the darkness that is now said to be past: the darkness that is now past, is the shadow and ceremony of the Old Testament, those shadows and ceremonies were dark and shadowy pictures of him that was to come, that is, of Christ Jesus, and now Christ has come and the light we have from him is the bright light, or true light that now shineth. It is true that now we see through a glass darkly in many things (I Corinthians 13:12) for the secret things still belong to God (Deuteronomy 29:29), still the darkness of the Old Testament age is done away by the appearing of the “Sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2). How thankful should we be for the light that is ours as it stands compared to the light of the Old Testament? Let us then appreciate the light that our God in sovereign mercy has been pleased to give us and seek to understand the things contained in his word to us. Let us “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3).

When unregenerate religious persons read such passages of scripture as Acts 13:48, wherein is contained “and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” Those persons being not subject to righteousness of God (Romans 10:3) do not bow to the sovereign right of God to “quicken whom he will” (John 5:21) and so glorify God for his mercy in pardoning guilty sinners through the blood of Christ, but rather they say they do not understand the scripture which in itself is as clear as a sun beam. But the truth is that the scripture standing in its clarity and beauty is so plain that a child should understand what is meant. And that is, that all those that God had for-ordained to eternal life, or that God had for-ordained to be saved, that when they heard the word of truth (the gospel) preached by the Apostles, that word, was to them the word of life, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and so they heard the word of life and were saved, that is, eternal life was freely given them through the preached word, because they were for-ordained to eternal life before the world was made. Those who were for-ordained to eternal life were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4) They were chosen to salvation from the beginning (II Thessalonians 2:13). These were called “with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. (II Timothy 1:9). These were redeemed by the blood of Christ, at Calvary, their pardon was sealed by his blood, and so they must inherit the blessing prepared for them in the death of Christ. Our Lord Jesus declared “For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many (not all) for the remission of sins.”(Matthew 26:28) Dear reader, please understand, that all who were ever redeemed, (that is, all who Christ purchased) were redeemed (or purchased) by Christ, by his shed blood, at Calvary, at that instant in time, according to the terms of the everlasting covenant of grace. And most assuredly each one who was redeemed by that blood must receive the inheritance of grace, that is, they must be saved from sin, death, and hell.(Romans 8:32; Hebrews 9:15-24) They shall be saved through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, the means of grace.(I Peter 1:2; II Thessalonians 2:13)

Now this blood of the New Testament, which is the shed blood of Jesus Christ, is the seal and confirmation, or ratification of the everlasting covenant of grace by which blood Christ himself was raised from the dead. The Apostle Paul writes “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,” (Hebrews 13:20) Christ Jesus was crucified in the legal stead of his elect, as a substitute for as many as the Father had given him (John 17:2) in eternity past that he should be their salvation by his shed blood and righteousness. Now as many as the Father had given to his Son, that same group of particular persons he had chosen in his Son, (Ephesians 1:4) and had for-ordained to have eternal life given to them by the power of the Spirit of God; that is, as many as were ordained to eternal life shall absolutely have it. All thanks to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and no thanks to themselves.

A.J.Ison