GRACE GAZETTE
Volume XXIssue16
/Published occasionally for mourners in Zion/
/Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble
knees;And make straight pathsfor your feet, lest that which is lame
be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.Hebrews 12::12-13/
THE BEGINNING//
/But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren
beloved of/
/the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation through/
/sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: II
Thessalonians 2:13/
//
It is quite fitting that the first words, we read in the Holy
Scriptures, should be; /“In the beginning” (Gen. 1:1/). The LORD,
who is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our FAITH, spoke these words to
HIS servant Moses, who recorded them for the ages to come. HE is the
“BEGINNING” as HE revealed HIMSELF to John. /“I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8) “I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (Rev
22:13/) These declarations should serve to shut the mouths of any
who would seek to gainsay against HIM or question HIS doing. But
alas, the natural rebellion of man is stirred up to a fever pitch
when this TRUTH is pointed out in detail and all the ramifications
of such a revelation are set forth.
In his desire to exalt his own free will, man will offer
explanations which are designed to rob GOD of the glory which is
rightfully HIS in being the FIRST CAUSE of all causes and events. In
something as “mundane” as the natural creation of the world and its
inhabitants, men have sought out “/science falsely so called/” (see
I Tim.6:20) to offer up alternative explanations for their
existence. Professing themselves to be wise they have become fools.
/“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for
God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that
they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Rom
1:19-21/)
If in such natural things men by nature walk in darkness, why should
we be surprised that they should embrace even greater darkness when
it comes to those things which are spiritual./“For if they do these
things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke
23:31/) “/But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.” (1Cor 2:14/) This is
exactly what the LORD was teaching Nicodemus when HE startled him by
saying, “/Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
again, he _cannot see_ the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3/) In such a
state of darkened nature he is content with the platitudes of
religion and a rote obedience to the Law of GOD.
The LORD went on to describe to Nicodemus who the AUTHOR of this
“new birth” is and how it occurs. /“Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water (i.e.; natural birth) and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born
of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is
every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8/)In like fashion
as a man comes forth from his mother’s womb through “natural” means
outside of his free will, so too is that man who is “born again”
made a new creature by the power of the SPIRIT of GOD without the
activity of his free will, his choice, or his obedience to any
precept.John says of them, /“Which were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John
1:13)/The result of this “new birth” is that those so born, believe
on the NAME of the ETERNAL SON of GOD as they hear IT. This “new
creation” is the work of HIM who is the “BEGINNING”.The LIFE of this
“creation” is HIS LIFE and not their own. /“And this is the record,
that God hath given to us eternal life, and _this life is in his
Son_. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son
of God hath not life.” (1John 5:11-12/)
If we are given to truly understand HE who is _from_ the “beginning”
and _is_ the “BEGINNING” then we cannot help but rejoice in those
things which HE tells us HE has done from the “beginning”.GOD
“alone” is ETERNAL and the possessor of ETERNAL LIFE. /“Which in his
times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King
of kings, and Lord of lords; _Who only hath immortality_, dwelling
in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen,
nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1Tim
6:15-16/) “/Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only
wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1Tim 1:17/)
*The LORD knows _HIS works_ from the beginning.**/“/*/Known unto God
are all his works from the beginning of the world.” (Acts 15:18/)
How foolish it is for men to depict GOD as defining anything which
HE purposed to do because “HE knew” it would occur.Rather HE knows
“HIS works”, (we might say HIS purpose) and it is HIS works that
brings about the activities of men in order to fulfill that
purpose./“Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that
executeth 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.”
(Isa 46:11/)
“/A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
(Prov 16:9/)Men are culpable or accountable for their actions but
every step they take is directed by the LORD./“The preparations of
the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.”
(Prov 16:1/)
*The LORD knows _them that are HIS_ from the beginning.
*”/Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this
seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2Tim 2:19/) The
very basis and purpose of HIS election of a people in CHRIST, unto
salvation, is revealed in this verse.Even as Paul declared “/HE hath
_from the beginning chosen you unto salvation_, through
sanctification /(i.e. the setting apart or making a
differentiation)/of the SPIRIT and belief of the truth/.”The purpose
of the LORD in choosing a people is that HE might manifest the glory
of HIS grace in their redemption and deliverance from the ruin of
their sin by the work of HIS SPIRIT, causing them to believe upon
the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON of GOD, who purchased their redemption with
HIS blood./“For we are his workmanship, _created in Christ Jesus_
unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk
in them.” (Eph 2:10) “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, _To the praise of the glory of his grace_,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of his grace.” (Eph 1:4-7/)
*The LORD knows the WAY that they shall take. *Salvation is not by
chance but is accomplished by HIM whose purpose it is to save those
that HE loves./“My sheep hear my voice, and _I know them, and they
follow me_: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John
10:27-28/) “/All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37/) “/And I
will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them
in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before
them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them,
and not forsake them.” (Isa 42:16/)
*The LORD delights in blessing HIS children through JESUS CHRIST*.
“/Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, _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, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein _he
hath made us accepted in the beloved_.” (Eph 1:3-6/)Have you known
HIM who is the BEGINNING?mam
