Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. There is some merit to
speaking of things that occur in the human realm as by chance,
for such appears to be the case to the weakness of human flesh.
Solomon addresses this very matter in describing the seeming lack
of order in the rising and falling of men. Rich men lose their riches,
healthy men get sick, weak men grow strong. Uncommon occurrences
happen without warning or explanation. Time and chance happeneth to
all. Nations come and nations go. Few things are predictable
by men. Yet the Lord God of heaven and
earth leaves nothing to chance, and is not ashamed to declare
the same to men. 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. Yea, I have spoken
it. I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it. I will also do it. I am the Lord,
and there is none else. There is no God beside me. I
girded thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord,
and there is none else. I form the light and create darkness.
I make peace and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. It may appear unto men that events
unfold in the earth in a random fashion, yet the Lord plainly
declares that such is not the case. How foolish of men, then,
to have any consideration of the salvation of sinners to be
according to chance and opportunity. To believe such, one can have
no consideration of the total depravity of men, nor of the
inability in their flesh to approach unto Him. who only hath immortality
dwelling in the light to which no man can approach unto, whom
no man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. How much more wicked is
it then to consider that men have the power to give God a
chance, as if He is waiting idly by, just hoping somebody would
give Him permission to save them. I cannot even describe the complete
absurdity of such consideration. Nothing about the salvation of
sinners is according to chance, most assuredly not in any wise
that men would be the ones dictating the terms of such and letting
God do anything. The Lord's salvation of sinners
is always on purpose and according to His purpose, and certainly
not theirs. He sent His Son into the world
for this very purpose. He shall save His people from
their sins. He said that He came to seek and to save that which
was lost. Nowhere does He even imply that He is waiting for
the chance to save them. Rather, He declares, My sheep
hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give
unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall
any man pluck them out of My hand. He sets the stage upon
which he brings salvation unto men and not vice versa. We see
him going through Samaria to save the woman at the well. We
see him going to Zacchaeus' house after calling him down from the
sycamore tree. We see him passing by the very spot where blind
Bartimaeus sat, or the woman with the issue of blood. We see
him meeting Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. Did any
of them give him a chance to save them, or did he not cause
all things to work together for their good and his glory in bringing
salvation to them? It is a common thing to hear
some say that Christ Jesus died to give men the opportunity to
be saved. They tell us that his death makes
salvation a possibility for all men, if they will but take advantage
of it. This is a corrupt consideration
of the shedding of his precious blood. He has not shed one drop
of that blood in vain. He has not made the salvation
of those he died for a possibility, but rather a certainty. For by
his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us. Opportunities and circumstances
are dictated by him who knows the end from the beginning and
who shows mercy to whom he wills and hardens those he has appointed
unto wrath. Hath not the potter power over
the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and
another unto dishonor? Does not such knowledge humble
the heart of a proud man and cause him to fall upon his face
before him? The sweet and comforting words
of the gospel assures that man who feels his need of Christ
that Christ has died for sinners and bids them come unto him.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not
quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. He is not waiting
for the opportunity to save them, but rather he is determined to
save them from before the foundation of the world. He will lose none
of those for whom he shed his blood. For the promise is unto
you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even
as many as the Lord our God shall call. Do you hear him calling?
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