Fear Thou Not

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