Who maketh thee to differ?

'Who maketh thee to differ?'

— 1 Corinthians 4:7

The whole human race is divided by God into two categories: those who are his people and those who are not his people; those who are elect and those who are reprobate; sheep and goats. This distinction between men was made by God in eternity and it is an irreversible distinction. Sheep will never become goats, and goats will never become sheep. The elect of God will never become reprobates and reprobates will never become the elect of God. Between the two there is a great gulf fixed. If any of Adam’s fallen race is so infinitely blessed of God as to be numbered among God’s people, his elect, his sheep, surely a soul to whom God has been so gracious will gladly acknowledge that the only thing distinguishing between him and those who are damned is the distinguishing grace of God (I Cor. 4:7). ‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake, is the cry of every saved sinner. All who are saved by grace fully recognize, and rejoice in the fact, that grace alone has distinguished them from the rest of Adam’s fallen race.

We who believe belong to God, we are Christ’s sheep by a distinguishing election. We became the Lord’s sheep by his own eternal choice. In the covenant of grace, God branded us as his sheep, set a hedge about us and secured our eternal salvation in Christ (John 10; 16). The Lord says of his sheep, ‘I know them’ John 10:27). And his knowledge of his sheep is that peculiar knowledge of his own elective purpose and omniscient love. We are his, too, by a distinguishing purchase. Christ laid down his life for his sheep, in the place of his sheep, in our stead. Christ died as a Substitute for his sheep, to redeem them particularly. He died instead of his sheep dying. Because he died for us, we shall not die John 10: 11, 15). And we belong to him by a distinguishing call. ‘He calls his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.’ His gracious call is personal, particular and powerful. When he calls, his sheep follow. This call of grace always results in eternal life.