Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of commercials for Zion's 4. The Lord's purpose in the creation
of the world is to magnify the glory of His grace in the sending
forth of His Son, to redeem His people which He chose in Christ
before the foundation of the world was ever laid, before the
firmament was created in which the heavens and the earth now
abide, The Lord had said His King over all that creation,
and He fashioned every jot and tittle of it for His glory and
pleasure. By observing the things which
do occur, we can be certain what the purpose of God is, because,
as David said, our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever
He hath pleased. The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal
and only begotten Son of God, did ask and receive the heathen
for His inheritance, according to Psalm 2. No attempt is mentioned
nor is there any doubt that he would accomplish exactly what
he came to do. He shall save his people from
their sins. This forms the very foundation
upon which the gospel stands and is the basis for the glorious
good news which is proclaimed by those sent into the earth
with it. If Christ did not absolutely obtain the redemption of those
for whom he died, then we have no certain message of salvation
to bring to fallen sinners. It is an amazing turn of events
and deceptions that has turned the preaching of the gospel of
the glory of the blessed God into a weak-kneed plea for men
to let Him save them by the addition of their faith to that which
He has accomplished, preaching which does not proclaim the securing
of the redemption for those for whom he died cannot be the gospel. Since we read Christ being come
a high priest of good things to come by a greater and more
perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not
of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves,
but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us. There is no uncertainty
as to his purpose or his accomplishment of that purpose. He has redeemed
those who were his from before the foundation of the world,
that according as it is written, he that glorieth let him glory
in the Lord. Now if all the sin of every man
in the world was laid on him, we are quite certain that every
man in the world would be saved. However, the scriptures plainly
declare that there is a number of the human race who shall ultimately
be cast into the lake of fire, and whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. We take
no particular delight in this somber scene and the resultant
destruction of the wicked. However, this separation of the
sheep from the goats does cause the saints of God to rejoice
as we contemplate the mercies of God which has spared us from
a like fate. Our eyes are turned to Calvary's
cross, and our exaltation is the same as the Apostle Paul's
when he said, But God forbid that I should glory, save in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified
unto me, and I unto the world. We rejoice not simply in our
sonship nor our resultant election unto salvation, but our rejoicing
is at its fullest as we contemplate Him who took upon Himself our
sin and imputed His righteousness to us when He accomplished our
redemption and took away our sin. And you being dead in your
sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of
them openly, triumphing over them in it. He is our Redeemer
who has tread the winepress of God's wrath alone, and no man
stood with Him. Yet He did triumph in our behalf
and has delivered a complete and full salvation unto all those
for whom He has shed His precious blood. May His name be ever glorified,
for He is worthy of all praise. Complete atonement thou hast
made, and to the utmost farthing paid whatever thy people owed.
How then can wrath on me take place, if sheltered in thy righteousness,
and sprinkled with thy blood? If thou hast my discharge procured,
and freely in my room endured the whole of wrath divine, payment
God cannot twice demand, first at my bleeding surety's hand,
and then again at mine. Turn then, my soul, unto thy
rest. The merits of thy great High
Priest speak peace and liberty. Trust in his efficacious blood,
nor fear thy banishment from God, since Jesus died for thee. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.