Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. But God has always had a people
in the earth who were separate from the world in general. This
is first clearly seen when the Lord saved Noah and his family
in the ark while the rest of the world was destroyed. It is
seen again when the Lord called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees.
Then once more when the Lord loved Jacob and set his people
apart from the other tribes of the earth and called them the
nation of Israel. He gave it even more emphasis
when he committed the oracles of God unto them, and gave them
a covenant of law on Mount Sinai. Then he clearly set forth that
he has a people which is even separate from the nation of Israel.
The nation of Israel was but a foreshadow and type of that
people, which he has loved from before the foundation of the
world, even as Paul says, For they are not all Israel, which
are of Israel. Neither because they are the
seed of Abraham are they all children, but in Isaac shall
thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children
of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children
of the promise are accounted for the seed. The Lord has a
people which he calls a remnant. These he has separated from the
world for no other reason than that he has loved them with an
everlasting love. Paul goes on to explain that
he will call his people from every nation according to his
free and sovereign grace. Even so then, at this present
time also, there is a remnant according to the election of
grace. In order to demonstrate his specific love for that remnant,
which he has been pleased to save in Jesus Christ, the Lord
has introduced the principle of separation into the earth.
There can be no mixture of the precious and the vile in the
kingdom of God. This is most clearly demonstrated in the birth
of Abraham's two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was Abraham's
son by his wife, Sarah. Isaac was the son of promise
given to Abraham through his wife, Sarah. Isaac was a miracle
of grace, whereas Ishmael was the result of Abraham's corrupt
flesh. The Lord manifested this separation
when he gave to the nation of Israel a set of strict dietary
and customary laws which they were to abide by. This was given
to no other nation in order that he might show that he put a difference
between that nation which was the apple of his eye and all
of the other nations in the earth. The temporary nature of the covenant
of law is seen by the fact that the Lord revealed to Peter that
he had cleansed those meats that were unclean according to the
law. There is a two-fold lesson in Peter's vision. One is that
Christ has fulfilled all of the requirements of the law for the
sons of God. The other is that an entrance into the kingdom
of heaven is based upon his free grace alone and not by natural
birth, religious affiliation, or obedience unto a code. There
can be no mixture of grace and works in this kingdom. The covenant
of law is established on this principle, do this and live,
the soul that sinneth shall die. The covenant of grace, however,
is established upon a completely different principle. The Lord
Jesus has completed the work of redemption in the behalf of
his remnant. and does presently indwell those whom he calls,
working in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his
Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that
were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of
his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou
art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ. In the establishment of his kingdom
in the earth, our Redeemer King has separated forever between
that which is precious and that which is vile, that which is
of the law of fleshly works, and that which is purely by grace
alone. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that
are sanctified. There are many who go about preaching
a message which is part grace and part works. They tell us
that men are justified by the work of Christ, but it is necessary
for men to supply their own works in order that they might be sanctified.
They are quick to loathe the sons of God with various requirements
which they believe the law still demands from them. These include,
but are not limited to, the observance of times, seasons, and holy days,
as well as abstentions from various meets and practices. Tell me,
ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
To cling to the law is to despise the grace of Christ and His perfect
fulfillment of it. The operation of grace wrought
by the power of the Spirit of God constrains the sons of God
by a completely different principle than that of the law. Paul said,
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient.
All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought unto
the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the
belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Now
the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord
for the body. Do you hear his word today? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.