Considerations of Time and Eternity

Considerations of Time and Eternity

Galatians 3:17

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

The God who has revealed Himself in the holy scriptures is the “high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity” (Isaiah 57:15). Eternity past, all of what we know as time, and eternity to come, is one eternal now, as it is decreed and known of the God with whom we have to do. The will and decree, the counsel and covenant, the mind and purpose, of God are all conformed to the eternity of His nature; and therefore cannot be mutable, for infinity and perfection never find need to change; therefore He saith, “I am the LORD, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6), again in the epistle of James “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Someone may object to the changelessness of God, by pointing to Genesis 6:6; for, there it is written: “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” This is speaking anthropopathically (the ascribing human feelings to something that is not human) in this case it is ascribing human feelings to God, so that our weak understanding of his decree may be to some extent enlightened. For we know that “the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.” (I Samuel 15:29; see Numbers 23:19).

One of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ is: “The everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6) and therefore He must have had children from everlasting; and by adoption the children of the covenant, that is, all the elect of God, are made the children of God, and of Christ; “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29; 4:5; see Ephesians 1:5), that is, heirs according to the covenants of promise (Ephesians 2:12). Parents make provision for their children before the children are born: and just so did the Everlasting Father make provisions for His children in the everlasting covenant of grace. Everything concerning the family of God was ordained, and in the covenant completed before the foundation the world. The covenant cannot be annulled by the events time, as though those events were unknown and not determined in the ancient settlements of eternity by the omniscient God. The covenant of God is “ordered in all things and sure” (II Samuel 23:5) the determinations set forth in the covenant were determined by the will God, and know no contingencies. This covenant is confirmed in the person of Him who is the covenant, that is, the covenant is confirmed in Jehovah the Son, Christ Jesus. The covenant stands, and has stood so firm and steadfast in Christ, without any possibility of miscarriage, that the events of the covenant are spoken of as having been accomplished already. As it is written: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born 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” (Romans 8:28-30). He, who cannot lie; has spoken of those things as if they had already occurred, because these events are settled in the covenant of God. The things that are determined of God and written in the covenant of grace are virtually done; they are done according to the will, purpose, and mind of God; therefore the Apostle Paul wrote: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:4-6). All blessings are ours in Christ, who is Himself “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Everything concerning the covenant in Christ, and the children of the covenant in Christ is virtually done and finished in Christ Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore they speak very foolishly who declare that the eternal state of the souls of men are determined by men; for our Lord Jesus said to His disciples “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” (John 15:16); it may be objected that, at that time our Lord was speaking to His disciples; which is true: but the whole body of Christ is “one bread and one body” (I Corinthians 1:17) therefore the choice of the Apostles, is not unique to the Apostles but is common to all the body. All the members of the body were chosen in the head of the body, Christ Jesus, from everlasting.

All the afore mentioned blessings of grace belong to believers in Christ, as considered in covenant, and in Christ from everlasting; although we were ignorant of them as considered as men in the flesh and under the law of God. We are born in this world not knowing anything of the law of God, and of our breach of that law in Adam. We had to be taught all those things, that we have no knowledge of at birth. And as we must be taught of our covenant relationship in Adam unto death, just so believers must be taught of our covenant relationship in Christ unto life. And that all the things of the covenant of God are considered finished in Christ, before the foundation of the world. The children of the covenant must be taught of their covenant privileges in Christ, (Acts 3:25). As it is written “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” (Isaiah 54:13). And “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me” (John 6:45). It is because of eternal covenant relationship in Christ that any of the sons of men come to Jesus Christ.  If there was no election of grace, in the covenant of grace, there would be no sons of men saved. But because God has loved His own in Christ, as He loved Christ, (John 17:23) He has counted us one in Christ from everlasting. Believers are adopted children of God from everlasting, not because they are believers but because they are named in the covenant of grace, (Hebrews 12:23). “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father (Galatians 4:6).

All the persons in the Godhead had trusted Jesus Christ to fulfill all the engagements of the covenant; and had from everlasting, put all things in His hands; as it is written “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things in his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded” (John 13:3-5). Our Lord Jesus knew that the hour had come that He should fulfill the engagements that were His as the surety of the covenant. And in anticipation of the events that were to ensue He began to wash the disciples’ feet; as an emblem of the service He would perform on the cross. It is finished was His regard of the work which He came to do (John 17:4), and according to His resolution it had been finished from everlasting. The covenant was as good as fulfilled when put in the hand of the surety of the covenant; so much so, that Abraham’s nephew Lot, was declared both justified and righteous by the Apostle Peter, saying, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overflow, making them and example to them that should after live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)” (II Peter 2: 4-8). There is but one justifying righteousness, it is the righteousness of God, which was established by Jesus Christ at Calvary; and imputed to saints of both the Old Testament and New Testament, “And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation” (Genesis 7:1). Those who are seen righteous in the eye of God, are justified before Him, as was Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and all the Old Testament  saints, as David, Daniel, Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25, 37). See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com , Hear the true gospel preached at www.13thstbaptist.org  webcasting live at listed service times.     

 A.J. Ison