Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Conventional wisdom tells us
that truth is found in the middle of two extremes. We're told by
the mild-mannered prophets and politicians, really one and the
same, of our day that we should avoid the extremes of doctrine.
They tell us that truth is a mixture and homogenization of various
views on matters such as unconditional election and man's free will,
God's absolute sovereignty and man's accountability, the preservation
of the saints and the perseverance of the same, et cetera, et cetera.
We're fairly certain that no group or organization of people
claiming to be the followers of Christ who actually have a
monopoly or corner on the wide expanse of doctrinal truth set
forth in the scriptures. We're equally as certain that
the truth of God is most extreme and suffers no modifications
or mitigation and can only be found in examining the extremes.
John, in writing the closing book of the Bible, said, For
I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy
of this book. If any man shall add unto these
things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written
in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part
out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from
the things which are written in this book. That is a most
extreme statement, and one which is extremely true. Who can alter
that which has gone forth from the lips of him who is eternal?
We are not sent into the world to try and soften extreme truth.
There really is no other kind, but rather to declare it. There
exists in the minds of many the concept that God is depending
on men to somehow explain the word of God in such a manner
that will persuade men to embrace it and follow it. This is quite
plausible to carnal reason, and when one views God as a prisoner
to the free will of men, then it becomes downright necessary.
God has never minced words about either his preeminence or his
absolute control over all things that come to pass in this world
or any other. He said that they might know
from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none
beside 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.
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. Calling a ravenous bird from
the east, the man that executed my counsel from a far country,
Yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. I have
purposed it, I will also do it. No explanation of what he said
is necessary, yet I have heard men spend hours explaining how
one must not go too far with preaching such things or that
this really doesn't mean what it plainly says. Lest any man
mistake who the God of heaven and earth is, he told Moses his
name, I am that I am. How can one go too far in describing
the absolute sovereignty of God? While we find great blessing
in the contemplation of the Lord's dominion and predestination of
all things that come to pass, the epitome of our rejoicing
comes when we are reminded that this One, before whom the heavens
and the earth shall flee away, is our Savior. He is the One
who has both ordained the salvation of the people which He hid in
Himself before the foundation of the world, and has carried
out their complete redemption, keeping them forever. Their salvation
from beginning to end is completely dependent on His determined purpose,
which can in no wise fail to occur. For there is one God and
one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. He
continueth ever. Of the increase of his government
and peace there shall be no end. He hath an unchangeable priesthood,
which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,
and which entereth into that within the veil. Whether the
forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek. He is able even to subdue all
things unto himself. He will save to the uttermost
those who call upon His name. For He came into the world to
save His people from their sin. Having loved His own which were
in the world, He loved them unto the end. Even when we were dead
in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace, you're
saved, and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come, He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. These are those of whom he speaks,
saying, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. He ever liveth
to make intercession for them. For if when we were enemies we
were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being
reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.