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Therefore, “every
man that cometh into the world” does not mean every member of Adam’s race,
but particular persons, and the Arminian
(LINK) so agrees. I now ask, if the expression
“every man” and “world” do not mean the entire human race in John 1:9, why does
it
mean it in Hebrews 2:9 and in 1 John 2:2? The answer is, they do not. They speak
of particular persons, and, as stated before, present no problem at all. In
fact, they harmonize perfectly with the glorious theme of particular redemption.
For it is these whose sins were imputed unto Christ. It is these who were
predestinated unto the adoption of sons. It is these for whom Chris gave His
life. It is these whose sins He purged. It is these who are forever perfected by
one offering. And it is these who stand redeemed unto God by the blood out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Notice, not the whole world
of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, but out of every kindred and
tongue and people and nation.
What
blessed hope, courage, comfort and consolation to know, as I set in my study
tonight, that Christ has not only obtained eternal redemption for us, but ever
lives in the presence of God and pleads our cause in Heaven. I have seen able
lawyers represent their clients in the court room, but here is perfect
representation. Christ represented us perfectly on earth and now He pleads our
cause before the greatest judge of them all – the Majesty on high – and He
pleads it to perfection. Not one that He represents shall ever suffer the agony
of eternal torment, but shall some sweet day see Him as He is and be with Him
forevermore.
There
is an inseparable connection between the death of Christ and the salvation of
those for whom He died. He is under the same obligation to save those whom He
redeemed as He was to redeem those whom He represented. Why did He die for His
people? The Bible answer is in order that He might save them, that He might make
them righteous. This is plainly set forth in 2 Cor 5:21, “For he hath made
him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him.” He was made sin for us that we might be made righteous.
And,
in Ephesians it is said that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it “that
He might sanctify and cleanse it,” etc, Eph. 5:25-26. This is the Church
which Paul says He hath purchased with His own blood and which the ministers are
commanded to feed – Acts 20:28. The term “church” means “the chosen,” “called
out” or “called together.” From the standpoint of eternal election, or the
covenant of grace, God’s people have been “the chosen” since before time began.
The
text says of the church “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious
church,” etc. I now inquire as to whether “the washing of water by the
Word” has reference to gospel obedience, or baptism in water as some
understand it.
To
answer this I have but to call attention to the fact that the text is the Church
that is said to be washed. But the Arminian proposition is that by gospel
obedience or baptism in water Alien Sinners are washed into the church.
In my
opinion the “word” of this text is that of which Christ spoke in John 5:25, when
He said “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice
of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” It was the voice of the
Son of God, not the voice of a preacher, that Saul of Tarsus heard as he was on
his way to Damascus.
This
is the word of which Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:23: “Being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever.” But one may ask, is not this the gospel? It is not. Verse
25 says: “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which
by the gospel is preached unto you.”
The
same Jesus who spoke physical life into the dead body of Lazarus can and does
speak spiritual life into His elect people, even when they are dead in sin.
Find
one Christ loved and for whom He gave Himself, and you have found a part of the
“church” of this text. And Christ gave Himself for them that He might sanctify
and cleanse them. Blessed truth. No person could ever be righteous before God
except God constitute him righteous. This He does by the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which, Paul says, “He shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life,” Titus 3:6-7.
Paul
also said this came about not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but
by the mercy of God. No man can make Himself righteous, “But by the obedience
of one shall many be made righteous,” Rom. 5:19. “He that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous,” 1 John 3:7. This could
only be by the righteousness of Christ having been imputed to him, thus making
him righteous.
Righteous acts are therefore evidences of a righteous state, and not conditions
thereto. Therefore, people who do righteous acts have been made righteous
through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost and stand
justified by grace. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but
the righteous into life eternal,” Mat 25:46. “Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in
Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,” Eph. 1:3-5.
From
these three Scriptures we learn two more valuable lessons, (1) All spiritual
blessings are in Christ, and (2) God blesses us in accordance with the fact that
He hath chosen us. Thus, we safely conclude that any time, and anywhere, we see
a person that is in possession of even one spiritual blessing, that person is in
Christ and is one of God’s elect. Irrespective of their condition or servitude,
and regardless of what they may or may not have been taught in the world, those
that are spiritually blessed are the elect of God, predestinated unto the
adoption of children before time began, and blessed in time according to that
choice and predestination.
Therefore, rather than predestinating those who repent and believe, the truth of
the proposition is, God brings to a blessed state those whom He did choose and
predestinate. This is manifestly proven to be true in Acts 9:15 where the Lord
in speaking to Ananias referred to Saul of Tarsus as a chosen vessel, even
before Saul had received the gospel or became obedient thereto.
How
many of these blessed persons are there? Not just a miserable few as is commonly
supposed, but they are as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the
sands of the seashore, innumerable. God’s people have been redeemed out of every
kindred and tongue, and people and nation. And the spiritually blessed reach
into all families of the earth.
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