Fear Thou Not
Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I
am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am
thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of my righteousness.
Here are
seven blessed truths for the people of God of all ages, times, and places. For,
the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity, and the praises of His people
Israel, has said to us: (1.) Fear thou not (2.) I am with thee (3.) be not
dismayed (4.) I am thy God (5.) I
will strengthen thee (6.) yea, I will help thee (7.) yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of my righteousness.
(1.) Fear thou
not; first, we must determine to whom these blessed words of comfort are
spoken. The information is not far from us, we find it in verses eight, and
nine “But thou, Israel, art my
servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of
the earth, and called thee from the chief man thereof, and said unto thee, Thou
art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.” These wonderful
words of assurance, comfort, and strength are spoken to the seed of Abraham the
friend of God. The Seed of Abraham is Christ; (first: Christ personal and then
Christ mystical) “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, He saith
not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, Which is
Christ.” (Galatians 3:16) Christ, God-Man, and Mediator, must be considered in
eternal covenant union with His elect
(Ephesians 1:4) “as the truth is in Jesus:” (Ephesians 4:21) that is, that
Christ as Christ cannot be separated from His elect, the saints of God, His
church, the Israel of God, those who are Jew’s inwardly, for these are the
spiritual seed of Abraham. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted
to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the
same are the children of Abraham… For ye are all the children of God by faith
in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put
on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye
be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
(Galatians 3:6, 7, 26-29). “For he is a not Jew, which is one outwardly;
neither is that circumcision, which
is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly, and
circumcision is that of the heart, in
the spirit, and not in the letter;
whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Romans 2:28, 29) These are the truly
blessed of God, who believe the gospel in truth, that is, as the gospel is, in
the scriptures. For there are many who profess to believe the gospel, but deny
the sole cause of their salvation to be the purpose and will of God. They say
that they had a decision to make, and that because they made the right decision
they were saved. This is a clear contradiction of the Holy Ghost, in the Holy
Scriptures, for our Lord Jesus said, “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5)
and “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”(Philippians 2:13).
“No man can come unto me,” (to come to Christ is to believe on Him as total,
and absolute savior, through no merit or good works of our own; but completely
through His grace) “except the Father which has sent me draw him:” (the Father
must give spiritual life through the sanctification of the Spirit, which is the
Holy calling or the new birth) “and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John
6:44) To those who profess to be saved,
I would ask this question; who caused you to desire to be saved? That desire is
not of the will of any man for it is written, “not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13) If you insist that
you had a work to do, a choice to make, and that your choice made the
difference in whether you were saved or lost you contradict the Holy Ghost, you
declare His testimony untrue, and deny the truth of God, for our Lord Jesus
said to His disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” (John
15:16) you may object; the call of the disciples was to special service, that
is true, however, all His people are called from death to life in the same way,
and that is; He must freely give them life, a dead thing cannot give life to
itself, nor can any create himself, but His people are “created in Christ
Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10) and not by themselves for believers are His
workmanship. But to those to whom God has given, an eye to see, and an ear to
hear, and a heart to understand these words will be enough (Matthew 13:10-17;
John 12 :37-41; Isaiah 6;9, 10; 29:9-12; Romans 11:7-10). Therefore the Lord
says to His elect, “fear thou not” God the Father has chosen you to salvation
in Jesus Christ before the world was framed, and He will see His purpose
fulfilled (Romans 8: 28-39; II Timothy 1:8-12; Ephesians 1: 3-11; I Peter
1:2-5; II Thessalonians 2:13-17). Here is comfort of heart, and peace of mind
for the distressed child of God; fear thou not “for verily he took not on the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” (Hebrews
2:16). Christ Jesus took on Himself the spiritual seed of Abraham; Christ took
on Himself His elect, to completely and absolutely fulfill the law of God on
their behalf. This He did by His perfect obedience to the law of God in their
room and stead. And by His bloody sweat, and tears, by being made a sin
offering for His people (II Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:10) and enduring the curse
of God’s law (Galatians 3:13) He “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself”
(Hebrews 9:26). Christ Jesus saved His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21) by
himself, (Hebrews 1:3) without any help or cooperation from the elect, Christ
Jesus finished the work that the Father gave Him to do by himself (John 17:4).
If man had something yet to do, why did our Lord Jesus say IT IS FINISHED?
Faith, repentance, eternal life and all the gifts of His grace were purchased
at the cross by the blood of the Son of God. And all these wonderful gifts of
His grace are put in the hearts of His elect at the new birth by the perfect
work of the Holy Ghost. The men of this world should not take credit for work
they have not done. A.J. Ison
(2.) “Fear thou
not, for I am with thee:” A child has
a feeling of security and well being in the presence of his parents, it is the
same for the children of God; as long as they know that God is with them they
are at ease, and actually want no more. God has chosen His elect, first, to
make manifest the glory of His grace, and redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
and secondly, to be with them; not only to be with them in eternity to come,
but in this present world, for God has loved His people from everlasting; to
His Israel (His elect) God has said “Yea , I have loved thee with an
everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah
31:3). “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for
our sins.” (I John 4:10) “We love him,
because he first loved us.” (I John 4:19) “Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ: according as he
hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure
of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6). “John to the seven churches which
are in Asia, Grace be unto you, and
peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the
seven Spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his own blood,” (Revelation 1:4, 5) Believers are washed in
the blood of Jesus Christ, and therefore are without “spot or wrinkle or any
such thing” (Ephesians 5:27). Believers are the children of God, the spouse of
Jesus Christ, His body “for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of
his bones.” (Ephesians 5:30). Christ as Christ, has from everlasting been
united as the Head, to His body the
church; this is language of Holy Writ “For as the body is one, and hath many
members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so
also is Christ.” (I Corinthians 12:12). The children of God can be no closer to
God than they are in Christ; for Christ is their wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30); and “by one offering he
hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14). Our Lord
Jesus Christ has promised His elect; His eternal presents with His chosen; for
He has said unto them “All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye
therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the
end of the world.” (Matthew 28:18-20).
(3.) “Be not
dismayed:” because of overwhelming enemies, opposition, or circumstances, for
“if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). The enemies of God’s
people are the enemies of God, for our God has said “Shall the prey be taken
from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even
the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible
shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and
I will save thy children.” (Isaiah 49:24, 25). Satan is the mighty foe who
takes captive the children of men “at his will” (II Timothy 2:26), therefore
those who tout much of the freedom of their will, speak ignorantly; for not
only are they taken captive of Satan at his will, but sin is their master to
whom they are slaves, and the chain of corrupted nature binds them to evil and
they cannot escape nor have they any disposition to escape. Our Lord Jesus made
this comparative observation “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his
goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and
overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and
divideth his spoils. (Luke 11:21, 22). In this illustration Satan is the strong
man who is armed keeping his palace, that is, his kingdom, made up sinners who
know not God, the stronger than he is Christ Jesus who overcame and destroyed
Satan’s works by his power over death which is Satan’s prison house. Christ
Jesus died in the room and stead of those who were chosen in him, that is,
Christ Jesus died as their sponsor, substitute, Surety, and Mediator, that is
Christ Jesus died in their place, and arouse from the dead in same capacity,
and in that action broke the power of death which Satan held as a prison
keeper. Christ Jesus burst the bands of the prison house of Satan, and as His
people are brought into this world (children of wrath by nature [Ephesians
2:3]) they are called, and brought to the knowledge of the truth by the gospel
which is made effectual to their salvation by God the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ
calls His own sheep by name and leads them out of Satan’s prison house. “And
you hath he quickened, who were dead
in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1). The dead do not seek the Lord; the
living, seek the Lord. Men seek the Lord because the Lord has given them
eternal life. Now since the Lord Jesus has done these great things for those
who “sought me not” (Romans 10: 20); sure we are that He will never leave those
to whom He has given life. “For when we were 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, be reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans
5:6-10). Therefore be not dismayed; Christ is with us, and will never leave us.
(4.) “Fear thou
not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed: for I am thy God:” What wonderful
words are these? I am thy God, the God of Heaven and earth is here saying to
His chosen, redeemed, and called out people, I am unconditionally committed to
thy deliverance from every enemy, whether internal or external. The hope of the
children of God is in God; for the race of men forfeited their original upright
created condition in the fall (Ecclesiastes 7:29). Stripped of our original
upright created condition, we are of no ability to help our selves, for men by
nature after the fall are not only impotent to do good, but “every imagination
of the thoughts his heart is only
evil continually” (Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Matthew 7:11). Those who are “taught of
God” (John 6:45) are made to know their helpless, hopeless condition in
themselves; they know that no confidence can be put in the flesh (Philippians
3:3) rather their confidence is in God; who called them from death to life in
Christ. “For I am thy God:” This is God’s purpose, from everlasting; it
is not the purpose of man; it is God’s resolution and determination. Look at
the promise of the New Covenant, or the New Testament “..Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house Israel and the
house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the
Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them
in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people:” (Hebrews 8:8-10). Notice the outcome of the Old Testament law;
which was a covenant of works; “they continued not in my covenant and I
regarded them not.” Now under the New Testament; which is based on the grace of
God alone; the out come is “I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people:” This is of the purpose and grace of God, which was given the elect in
Christ before the world was made II Timothy 1:9. This wonderful covenant was
confirmed to us of God at mount Calvary when God sent His only begotten Son to
seal the covenant in His life’s blood. This is a most emphatic statement of the
will, purpose, and love of God concerning His chosen in Christ. Christ washed
those who were chosen in the covenant from their sins in His own blood
(Revelation 1:5). It is God’s resolution and eternal purpose to have His chosen
people; whom He has loved in Christ from everlasting, (Romans 8:39), conformed
to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29-33) and present with Christ in glory, “To
the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be know by the church the
manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in
Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Ephesians 3: 10, 11). In His infinite Wisdom God made
a covenant that had no dependence upon those who were to be saved according to
the stipulations of the covenant; but rather that God Himself would supply all
that is needed for the absolute salvation of those chosen in the covenant. The
Son of God took our nature into union with Himself in order to do that very
thing; that is to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21); and our
Lord declared it finished, “I have glorified thee on thee earth: I have
finished the work thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4). Believers are the
spiritual seed of Abraham (Galatians 3: 7, 8, 16, 29; Hebrews 2:16) and
therefore being the spiritual seed of Abraham in Christ all the spiritual
promises that pertain to Abraham, pertain also to every believer. Now consider
the wonderful promises written to Abraham in the book of Genesis “After these
things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram;
I am thy shield, and thy exceeding
great reward.” (Genesis 15:1) This promise to Abraham is for all the spiritual
seed of Abraham as well as Abraham himself. For every child of God; God Himself
is their shield and exceeding great reward. For it was the Word of the Lord
that made these promises to Abraham, and we know that the Word of the Lord is
our Lord Jesus Christ, (John 1:1) the Son of God. Therefore if God be for us
who can be against us? For our God has said I Am thy God.
(5.) I
will strengthen three; these gracious and wonderful words are from
Almighty God, and are a promise to His children. A new born babe knows little
of his situation, at birth a child knows nothing of the faithfulness of a
father, nor knows anything of a fathers love. Yet while the child is in his
minority the love and faithfulness of his father continue as if the child
acknowledged and was thankful for his father’s devotion. So it is in the case
of the children of God; their Father has known and loved them without
beginning, and His love shall continue to all eternity, (Jeremiah 1:5; 31:3; I
John 4:10, 19). The salvation of the children of God is in God; it was God,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who in infinite wisdom agreed in the covenant of
grace; and in that covenant decreed the salvation of the elect world. And that
salvation was by His only begotten Son being made a sin offering, and it was
God the Father who sent His only Son in to this world to die the horrible death
of the cross, a propitiation
(satisfaction to divine justice) for the sins of His children. And it was God
the Son who by himself purged the sins of the elect world, (Hebrews 1:3).
Christ Jesus put away the sin of the world of God’s elect, (John 1:29) by the
sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:26).
The work of providing salvation
for the elect world in Christ Jesus is shared by the Three Persons of the
Godhead (I John 5:7-11 note: the record is, of God in His Three Persons giving
the gift of eternal life to the world of His elect “and this life is in his
Son”). God the Father has chosen (elected) His people in Christ, according to
His everlasting love for them, and He finished that work before the world was
made, (I Peter 2:9; Ephesians 1:3-5; Romans 8:39; II Timothy 1:9 in context
with Ephesians 2:8&9) God the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, has purchased
“all spiritual blessings” (Ephesians 1:3) for His spouse the church. Christ
Jesus gave the ransom; He purchased the Church with His own blood, He paid the
immense debt which our sin had wrought to the law and justice of God by the
sacrifice of Himself, (Hebrews 9:26).
God the Holy Ghost freely teaches the children of the covenant of their
inheritance in Christ, by the preaching of the gospel. The Holy Spirit is to
the “children of the covenant” (Acts 3:25) a “spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of him: (Christ) the eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the
riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power
to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he
wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places,” (Ephesians 1:17-20). As the
children of the covenant are taught these wonderful truths they naturally tend
to increase the trust of the children in their Father. The children are made
see the God of Holy Scripture as their reconciled Father, and not as an angry
judge. The children of the covenant (believers of the true gospel) are made to
understand that God in His Trinity of Persons has engaged every attribute of
His Holy Character to ensure the salvation of those whom he has loved from
everlasting. As the children of the covenant are taught these wonderful truths
they “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and for
ever. Amen.” (II Peter 3:18). Growth in grace is (in the humble opinion of the
writer) an increase in the ability to trust God; which ability is of course the
gift of God. “For we which have believed do enter into rest,..” (Hebrews 4:3)
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered
into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:9, 10). We who
rest in the finished salvation of our covenant God “have known and believed the
love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in
God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness
in the day of judgment: because as he is so are we in this world. There is no
fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He
that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved
us.” (I John 4:16-19). The children of God are filled with comfort of the
scriptures; and are made to rest in God through faith in the blood of the Son
of God wherein He, Christ Jesus, has washed us from our sins, according to the
terms of the everlasting covenant of grace, which covenant was confirmed and
ratified by that blood. Now all these things work together to strengthen the
children of God in their faith, hope, and love; while they trust and rest in
God’s wisdom, purpose, and grace, which has wrought eternal salvation through
the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(6.) “Yea,
I will help thee;” The Eternal God has said “Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand:
I will work, and who will let it?” (Isaiah 43:13). The force of “who will let
it” is who will turn it back, or who can hinder my work? Preachers of our day
are apt to use such expressions as “God wants to do great things for sinners
but the sinner must give his consent.” They use such expressions as let God do
this or that thing, or allow God to do this or that, let God save you, or allow
God to save you. Does any sinner allow the sun to rise in the morning, or to go
down in the evening? Do any of the Potentates of earth permit the waves of
ocean to beat upon the shore? Do men regulate the seasons, or send rain, or
drought, do men allow the birds to sing in the morning, do mortals decide the
snow or frost? Can any man keep his own soul alive? No, all these things are
the province of the Most High. When a neighbor dies unexpectedly his friends
will usually say well it was his time to go; but, who set the time? It is
granted even of sinful men that the God who governs the universe has the final
determination of life and death. What horrible contradiction is offered the
Holy Ghost by the foolish expressions of sinful men! Our God has said “Remember
the former things of old: for I am
God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and
from ancient times the things that
are not yet done, saying, My counsel
shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” (Isaiah 46:9, 10). “The Lord of
hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and
as I have purposed, so shall it
stand:” (Isaiah 14:24). It is unwise indeed, and dishonoring to the glory of
God; when mortals use such expressions as allow God to do this or that! All
souls are mine saith the Lord “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the
father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall
die. (Ezekiel 18:4). All souls are the property of the Living God, and He has
said “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? (Matthew 20:15)
“Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel
unto honor and another unto dishonor?” (Romans 9:21). Reader, think for
yourself, do the doctrines of men agree with the doctrines of the Holy
Scriptures? Are the prerogatives God’s, or are they relegated to men?
These words of the text; I will help thee, are written concerning
the spiritual seed of Abraham; and therefore have their origin in the ancient
settlements of eternity and are statements of the determinate counsel of the
Triune Jehovah. Who in His unity of essence and Trinity of Persons, agreed in
the everlasting covenant concerning the elect in Christ Jesus; that they must
be brought to final glory by the finished salvation that is in Christ Jesus;
(Acts 4:12) who is the surety of the New Testament, (Hebrews 7:22) the only
Mediator between God and Men, (Timothy 2:5) and the Great High Priest of the
people of God after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). The blessings for
the people of God have their origin in the determinate counsel of God and are
ordained “to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6) Therefore the blessings of the
covenant flow not from any deservedness in man; but from the eternal goodness
and purpose of God which He purposed in Himself before the world began.
(Ephesians 1:9; II Timothy 1:9; II Thessalonians 2:13) If the blessings of the
covenant had their fountain in the deservedness of man, then the covenant would
be of works, and not of grace; “but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
(Galatians 3:9) which is grace, “For as many as are of the works of the law (or
what man deserves according to his works) are under the curse: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do
them. (Galatians 3:10) It is this that gives the people of God “everlasting
consolation and good hope through grace,” (II Thessalonians 2:16); that is,
that the free grace of God parent, you,
who see no evidence of the moving of grace God in the heart of your wayward
children; you may pray to God with no regard to what you see in your children;
but pray in the full assurance that God is able “to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
(Ephesians 3:20) and that God will do according to His own purpose and grace
which He dispensed according to His own goodness before the foundation of the
world and for His own glory. They who are of the faith of Abraham (Galatians
3:7) find hope in the goodness and purpose of God, in His electing and
predestinating mercies, and not in the things that they see and behold with
their own eyes. Reader believe the promise of God to His believing people, “I will help thee” For, “we look not at
the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things
which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians
4:18).
(7.) “Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand
of my righteousness.” This precious
promise is to “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). This spiritual Israel of
God is entire election grace, (Romans 8:33; 11:5; Matthew 24:24, 27; Mark
13:22, 27; Luke 18:7; Colossians 3:12) whose election of God is evidenced by
their obedience of the gospel, (I Thessalonians 1:4-6). Obedience of the gospel
is the belief of the gospel, for “Seeing it
is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that
trouble you; (the church) and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the
Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming
fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ:” (II Thessalonians 1:6-8). This Israel of God is made up
of elect persons to whom the Holy Ghost has revealed the truth of the gospel
(Matthew 16:17; 11: 25-27)or put another way this spiritual Israel of God is
that group of persons of all ages, times and places, that are believers of the
gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 2:28, 29). And “In the Lord shall all the seed
of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” (Isaiah 45:25).
This spiritual
seed of Israel is the church of all ages, which is accounted of God, the body of
Christ, who, is the Head of the body, and in all things reckon of God one with
His church. And therefore it is just in God to impute the sin of the church to
Head of the church, Christ Jesus, and on the other hand to impute the perfect
righteousness of the Head of the church to the body. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.” (II Corinthians 5:21). God in His Trinity
Persons, in the covenant of grace and before the world was made, agreed that
The Word should be made flesh, (John 1:14) and that as God-Man Mediator (I
Timothy 2:5) Christ Jesus (who is The Word made flesh) should be made a sin
offering, who did by himself put away the sin of the church of God, which is
the spiritual seed of Israel and is the same group of individuals as the
spiritual seed Abraham (Hebrews 1:3; 9:26; 2:16). This group of particular
individuals, who are the beloved of God from everlasting, were redeemed by the
precious blood of Jesus Christ in His finished work of redemption. The
“redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:25) is therefore, Particular
Redemption; for Christ Jesus redeemed the spiritual seed of Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel which is, The Church of God.
Faith in the
finished work of Jesus Christ, has forever been and, will forever be the effect
of the gift of eternal life, for “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47; 3:16; 5:24; 10:19-30; I
John 5:1, 20; 2:20-27). The heart which believes God is the new heart; it is
the gift of God according to the terms of the everlasting covenant of grace,
and was promised of God in the promise of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34;
32:39, 40; Hebrews 8:8-12; Ezekiel 36:26, 27) it has been purchased for its
particular recipient by the blood of Jesus Christ, and is put in that recipient
by the power and effectual working of the Holy Ghost. And this effectual
working of the Holy Ghost in the heart of the elect of God is the direct and
immediate fruit and effect of the blood of Jesus Christ which is that which
purchased such great gifts of grace for the children of God; “For this cause
also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God
which ye heard of us, ye received it
not as the word of men, but as it is
in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in
you that believe.” (I Thessalonians 2:13; see also Ephesians 3:7; 4:16;
Galatians 2:8). It is not of the choice of the recipient, but the recipient is
made willing and does receive it by the new life that is put within him; which
life is in Christ Jesus and is freely given the recipient of the grace of God.
(I John 5:11, 12; Colossians 3:4; John 10:28-30)
The statement of
God concerning the gift of faith is this “A new heart also will I give you, and
a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of
your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit
within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel
36:26, 27) Reader, take notice of the language; “A new heart also will I give
you” and “I will put my spirit within you” when God puts His law in the heart a
sinner; “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.”
(Psalm 37:31) And because “the law of his God is in his heart” the believer has
a new delight; “I delight to do thy will, Oh my God: yea, thy law is within my heart,” (Psalm 40:8) This
is perfectly fulfilled in Christ, of whom it is directly spoken but by their
union with Christ it also is effectual in the saints; but in His saints,
because of the warfare of the flesh and Spirit the delight to do the will of
God is present “but how to perform that which is good” we find not, (Galatians
5:17; Romans 7:18-25). Now since perfect obedience to the law of God is not
found in the saints themselves; the obedience that justifies the saints must be
and is without themselves; and is found in Christ Jesus who obeyed the law of
God perfectly as the Head, Representative, and Substitute for the elect who
were eternally in covenant union with Him, and in Him. In eternal, irrevocable
and immutable covenant union with Christ Jesus the entire election of grace, or
church of God, fulfilled the law of God; for as God viewed it, all that Christ
did the saints of God did in Christ as bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh.
(Ephesians 5:30; I Corinthians 12:12, 13) It is the faith of God’s elect that
believes precisely that; that all Christ Jesus accomplished, the saints
accomplished in Christ, (Titus 1:1). Justification in Christ from eternity by
covenant union entitles to life; for “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and
my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:5).
“For what saith
the scriptures? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) Abraham believed God; Abraham believed the Word of
the Lord, who spoke to Abraham (Genesis 15:1). The Word of the Lord that spoke
to Abraham was the Son of God who is the “Word made flesh” (John 1:14; Hebrews
4:12, 13) our Lord Jesus Christ; who then spoke on earth, but now speaks from
heaven through the scriptures (Hebrews 12:25). And it is the written word of God
preached, that reveals the incarnate Word, according to the ordinary means of
grace. It is the Word of the Lord who “quickens whom He will” (John 5:21); “for
thy word hath quickened me” (Psalm 119:50). Those who are thus quickened (or
given eternal life) by the word of God, are said to be born again, for “Being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth for ever.” (I Peter 1:23). “The seed is the word of
God.” (Luke 8:11). The seed has life in itself, for “It is the spirit that
quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63; Philippians
2:16) As it is written “As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the
Lord; My spirit which is upon thee,
and my words which I have put in thy month, shall not depart out of thy mouth,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed,
saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever.” (Isaiah 59:21). The words that Christ
gave the Apostles; “I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;”
(John 17:8) and the Apostles have left for us, are the words of eternal life in
Jesus Christ.
Those to whom it
is given to receive the words which the Father Gave His Son are given life by
the Holy Spirit who effectually plants the word of life in the heart of God’s
chosen people. “And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
(I Peter 1:25) These who receive the word are given life, and the life is in
the Word; for our Lord Jesus said “And other sheep I have, which are not of
this fold: them also must I bring” (John 10:16) and “for there is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) And
our Lord said “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third
day.” (Luke 9:22). All these things must come to pass, Christ must bring
all His sheep; (Jn. 10:16) all Christ’s sheep must be saved; (Acts 4:12) and to
bring these things to pass; Christ must suffer, and die, and be raised the
third day (Lu. 9:22). All these things must come to pass because agreed upon in
the everlasting covenant by God in His Trinity of Persons before the worlds were
made, (Hebrews 13:20).
The everlasting
covenant of grace has been in force from eternity past, and has been confirmed
and ratified by the blood of Christ in time; though before time it stood sealed
by the blood of Jesus Christ as though that blood had been shed before the
creation: for it is written “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship
him, (the beast risen out of the sea) whose names are not written in the book
of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)
“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and
in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all
the earth.” (Revelation 5:6) Therefore in eternity past God viewed the
everlasting covenant of grace as confirmed in the precious blood of Jesus
Christ and therefore in full force.
There can be no
doubt as to whether or not God will fulfill all He has purposed and agreed to
in the covenant of grace (Romans 8:28; II Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:9; 3:11;
Psalm 115:3; 135:6) (and by the way, God
saves according to His purpose, and not according to a mans chances as some
cavil) therefore all that was agreed upon in that covenant is viewed by God as
though it has already occurred, “(As it is written, I have made thee a father
of many nations,)before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which
be not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17) The election of grace is, and has
always been, viewed of God as one with Jesus Christ: as crucified in Him,
(Galatians 2:20) buried and risen again in Christ, (Ephesians 2:6); and as
having fulfilled the law in Christ; (Matthew 5:17, 18) and therefore “justified
from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
(Acts 13:39). The church of God, which is the election of grace, is justified
by the justifying righteousness which is in Christ Jesus and upon all them that
believe the gospel. This righteousness is imputed to, or laid to the account of
the saints of God; it is the righteousness of God; being that righteousness
that is resident in the Son of God, and established by Him in His obedience to
the law of God, and His death in the room and stead of His elect. This
righteousness of God is that righteousness that is established by God; and it
is the only righteousness that will ever be accepted by God. It is the finished
work of Jesus Christ “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John
17:4) In the book of Daniel the work of Christ is given; “Seventy weeks are
determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression,
and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to
bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and
to anoint the most Holy.” (Daniel 9:24) All this Christ Jesus has accomplished
for His people; “For Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 10:4)
Therefore the children of God have this testimony “I will greatly rejoice in
the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the
garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a
bridegroom decketh himself with
ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself
with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10) “Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel, be justified and shall glory.”
(Isaiah 45:24, 25) The people of God, are upheld by the right hand of His
righteousness, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ.
A.J.Ison
