All of man's creative ability
is but a testament to the wisdom and purpose of Him who is the
actual Creator of all things. We possess nothing of value nor
any productive thought which has not been given to us by an
all-wise and faithful God. Jeremiah said it well, O Lord,
I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in
man that walketh to direct his steps. Solomon said, The thing
that hath been, it is that which shall be. And that which is done
is that which shall be done. And there is no new thing under
the sun. The scriptures are a continual
testimony to the outworking of the unalterable purpose of a
sovereign God. Few would outright deny that
God is sovereign, but multitudes of religious men effectively
deny His sovereignty by telling us that He can only act in concert
with the free will of men in His dealings with them. They
would attempt to rob him of the glory which is revealed in his
determined purpose to redeem that people which he has loved
with an everlasting love. They do so by making up a recipe
for salvation which is very palatable to the religious flesh of the
creature. They measure out the ingredients of chance, saying
everybody has a chance to be saved, throw in some natural
abilities, saying, well, you've got to have faith, and add a
nash of responsibility, sometimes saying, well, God only helps
those that help themselves. Then they cook it on a high heat,
reminding men of the fires of hell in order to scare them into
making a decision. And then they put it in an expensive
pan saying, God needs your money in order to finance his attempts
to save as many as he can before it's too late. Once it is out
of the oven, that is, they persuade some to make a decision and thus
pronounce them saved, they then add the icing of keeping the
law, that is, tithing, Sabbath-keeping, general morality, according to
whatever definition they desire, and doing good deeds in order
that such things can be seen of men, and surely appreciated
by the Lord, who they believe is so proud of them. They put
their elaborate dish on display and often seek to outdo one another
to see how many folks they can get to eat their concoction.
Advertising, building elaborate meeting houses and instituting
various programs and jived up music designed to keep them coming
and of course tithing. Sadly, because this dish tastes
so good, they never have any shortage of those that gather
around their table. Broad is the way that leadeth
to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. It is
better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house
of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and the living
will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The
heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of
fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke
of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools. The declaration
of the gospel of the glory of the blessed God centers upon
one subject and needs no one to devise various means and methods
in order for it to be heard. The Lord has written the recipe,
provided the necessary ingredients, sent His messengers, and calls
those for whom salvation is designed to hear, receive, and believe
it according to His sovereign purpose. Those whom he calls
gladly eat at his table, and rejoice to be delivered from
the wrath to come, and from the tables of those who would spread
their feasts of deities, which appeal to the flesh, but grieve
the spirit of those who are taught their own depravity, lost condition,
and inability to deliver themselves out of it. The source of true
salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ, who clearly declared, I am the
door of the sheep. I am come that they might have
life. and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the
Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his
life for the sheep. The unfolding of the grace of
God in the redemption of his people is the very purpose for
which the world was created. We have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should
be to the praise of his glory. Yes, indeed, the Lamb is all
the glory in Emmanuel's land.