There is a pattern the promises and Covenants are given in, making them appear to be irrelevant of, and impossible to have any binding conditions which subject the promises to, the responsibility of man. Thus, when the promises are read, it appears that there is no possible way there could be conditions, in that they appear to be without possible breach by the nature of God’s faithful word, and completely reliant upon the sovereign work of God alone.
Of many matters I would like to make a sum: There is a way of God in the ways of man which is emotionally responsive to man, whether in love or in hatred, and this is God’s relationship to us by condescension. By responsive I mean, He loves and hates in response to what men DO, for He does not negate the fact that what a man does by deed is a manifestation of what a man believes in heart. Such an existence of God in this way of condescension affects His will, counsel, mind, word, Covenant, and promise, and these affect eternal salvation and damnation. Studying the biblical and historical accounts of the many called, and of this many how many did eventually fall, or how few eventually persevered, it becomes evident that these persons received and related to the promises of God in a consistent pattern. I call it “The Pattern of the Promises.” When this is understood and the disciple of Christ is familiarized with these scriptural consistencies, then the hard persuasion behind one of the most popular Calvinistic arguments is easily discovered as folly.
PATTERN #1: Our Only Hope – God’s Faithfulness
It is said, as I have, and do wholly agree, the word of God promises eternal security. It is true! I never disaffirmed this. Again, let me repeat, the word of God does emphatically promise eternal security. However, is it biblically accurate to assume that none can come short of these promises, slip away from their performance, and substantiate the anger of God’s holy breach which is made possible through a change of mind, which, if it is held fast in God it leads to an eventual reprobation? Need I give the answer? There are, without a doubt, conditions to these blessed promises! The NT promises parallel the pattern of the promises, Covenants, and experiences which the saints of the OT underwent throughout history, and these saints with their promises and Covenants I have thoroughly addressed already, and will again remind the reader of their significance.
As for the New Testament, the promises of “Eternal Security” are clearly declared:
Of many matters I would like to make a sum: There is a way of God in the ways of man which is emotionally responsive to man, whether in love or in hatred, and this is God’s relationship to us by condescension. By responsive I mean, He loves and hates in response to what men DO, for He does not negate the fact that what a man does by deed is a manifestation of what a man believes in heart. Such an existence of God in this way of condescension affects His will, counsel, mind, word, Covenant, and promise, and these affect eternal salvation and damnation. Studying the biblical and historical accounts of the many called, and of this many how many did eventually fall, or how few eventually persevered, it becomes evident that these persons received and related to the promises of God in a consistent pattern. I call it “The Pattern of the Promises.” When this is understood and the disciple of Christ is familiarized with these scriptural consistencies, then the hard persuasion behind one of the most popular Calvinistic arguments is easily discovered as folly.
PATTERN #1: Our Only Hope – God’s Faithfulness
It is said, as I have, and do wholly agree, the word of God promises eternal security. It is true! I never disaffirmed this. Again, let me repeat, the word of God does emphatically promise eternal security. However, is it biblically accurate to assume that none can come short of these promises, slip away from their performance, and substantiate the anger of God’s holy breach which is made possible through a change of mind, which, if it is held fast in God it leads to an eventual reprobation? Need I give the answer? There are, without a doubt, conditions to these blessed promises! The NT promises parallel the pattern of the promises, Covenants, and experiences which the saints of the OT underwent throughout history, and these saints with their promises and Covenants I have thoroughly addressed already, and will again remind the reader of their significance.
As for the New Testament, the promises of “Eternal Security” are clearly declared:
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"Being confident of this very thing, that HE which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)
"Faithful is HE that calleth you, Who also will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24) "Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by Whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:8-9) "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13) |
These promises are given by God, performed by God, and are as sure as the faithfulness of God, but what if you doubt that God is faithful? What if you are unbelieving of these promises and so, you believe God is lying, or as 1 John 5:10 terms this sin, you are thus making “Him a liar” by your unbelief (1 Jn. 5:10)? Long ago, I read a systematic theology by a renowned “conservative” scholar, whose name I will forbear to mention. He concluded that these passages which clearly affirm “eternal security” are easy to be understood, clear, or simple. Conversely, the scholar argued that the opposing passages used by the Armenian camp which taught that you could lose your salvation were difficult to understand, complex, and unclear. He thought that “we” should never call into question those things which the scriptures teach that are clear, repetitive, and consistent, because of that which is difficult to understand, complex, and unclear. This sounded like good logic at the time. From this point onward, I unconsciously blinded myself to the warnings written within the NT which clearly taught that you could lose your salvation. I did not know I was doing this. When I read or studied one of the passages which warned of falling from grace, I would harden my heart against this teaching, believing it to be an impossibility. I was sure the scriptures promised eternal security, and therefore I assumed there could be no conditions to those promises. I thought that if the word of God said that you could lose your salvation, then the Bible contradicted itself. I had no conception of any reasonable or biblical alternative. With a desire to defend the infallibility of the word of God, I hardened my heart against the clear teachings of falling from grace, and these passages I then excused as complex. I was sincere! Truly, I did not see any refutation to the arguments I had against falling from grace. To further my confidence, when I did meditate and trust that I was eternally secure, divine manifestations of the Spirit of God for practical grace were deployed to my soul. Because of this, I thought all the more that eternal security was the complete truth. God did meet with me, ingratiate me, and fill me betimes because, I affirm again, eternal security IS a doctrine FOR the believing saints and NONE can be saved by ANY OTHER MEANS but THIS foundation rock of the faithfulness of God. A man is saved by believing that he is eternally secure under the faithfulness of God! Praise the Lord!
To further my assurance that eternal security was irrefutably sound, and the lone conclusion able to be drawn from the scripture, I saw some promises which were bound with and inseparable from the sovereignty of God, and I knew that the scriptures taught that God was sovereign. My experience, and more importantly, scripture, both affirmed this wonderful truth, and how I loved the sweet humility of a saint under the Sovereign Wing of God the Father. Look at the inseparable nature of the following promises which are much like the former ones:
To further my assurance that eternal security was irrefutably sound, and the lone conclusion able to be drawn from the scripture, I saw some promises which were bound with and inseparable from the sovereignty of God, and I knew that the scriptures taught that God was sovereign. My experience, and more importantly, scripture, both affirmed this wonderful truth, and how I loved the sweet humility of a saint under the Sovereign Wing of God the Father. Look at the inseparable nature of the following promises which are much like the former ones:
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"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. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and My Father are One." (John 10:27-30)
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen Me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:35-40) |
You see, I knew that initial salvation (justification by faith & regeneration) was begun by God (Php. 1:6), and if it was begun by Him, how could anyone stop Him from finishing His desire, or as John 6 and 10 affirm, how could anyone “pluck them out of” God’s hand? How could God lose something that He states is dependent upon His own sovereign gifts? How can God say, “all which” the Father “hath given” Christ, concerning all of them, that it is the determination of God that He “should lose nothing”? It is clear logic – “they shall never perish,” as much as God shall never be defeated in greatness, for He “is greater than all!” These are precious promises! They are meant to be preached in this very way! It is an exaltation of the sovereignty of God, the faithfulness of God, the eternal fulfillment of all His eternal counsels, covenants, and promises!
However, to say that it is impossible for any to fall away or be lost is a misappropriation, a complete oblivion that the promises hinge upon conditions. Thus, there is also oblivion to the condescension of God in the ways of man, and the biblical, historical pattern of the sovereignty of God’s counsels, promises, and eternal purposes which were established through the many breaches, changes, and fallings of saints in time past.
For example, a Calvinist would state the “nevers” with absolute confidence that, because the scripture says never, then all conditions are impossible and nonexistent. BUT: is this the sole possibility with all the ways of God in view? Has God ever said “never” before in a promise, and that promise was justifiably breached, or fallen short of, though all similar characteristics of God’s faithfulness, sovereignty, and greatness appear to make impossible its failure?
In the NT, for example, Jesus said in John 6:35-40, “of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing,” for these are they which GOD has GIVEN. Then how is it said of Judas in John 17:11-12, in Jesus' prayer to the Father: “those that THOU GAVEST Me [Jesus] I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled”? Judas and the rest were given, and yet he wasn’t kept, so he was lost. This is the clear terminology and phraseology used in John 6, repeated in John 17. An additional NOTE: Judas was elsewhere affirmed by Christ to be His friend (Ps. 41:9, John 13:18, Matt. 26:50), which is a term for saved individuals (Jas. 2:23), and in the citation of Christ wherein Jesus references the prophecy of His betrayal, there Judas is said to be one “whom I trusted” (Ps. 41:9), speaking of Christ’s trust in Judas, and this term of trustworthiness, again, is only an attribute of saved individuals (1 Cor. 4:2, 7:25, Matt. 25:21, Lk. 12:42). In regards to the former point made about Judas, carefully read John 6:35-40 & John 17:11-12 and see for yourself:
However, to say that it is impossible for any to fall away or be lost is a misappropriation, a complete oblivion that the promises hinge upon conditions. Thus, there is also oblivion to the condescension of God in the ways of man, and the biblical, historical pattern of the sovereignty of God’s counsels, promises, and eternal purposes which were established through the many breaches, changes, and fallings of saints in time past.
For example, a Calvinist would state the “nevers” with absolute confidence that, because the scripture says never, then all conditions are impossible and nonexistent. BUT: is this the sole possibility with all the ways of God in view? Has God ever said “never” before in a promise, and that promise was justifiably breached, or fallen short of, though all similar characteristics of God’s faithfulness, sovereignty, and greatness appear to make impossible its failure?
In the NT, for example, Jesus said in John 6:35-40, “of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing,” for these are they which GOD has GIVEN. Then how is it said of Judas in John 17:11-12, in Jesus' prayer to the Father: “those that THOU GAVEST Me [Jesus] I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled”? Judas and the rest were given, and yet he wasn’t kept, so he was lost. This is the clear terminology and phraseology used in John 6, repeated in John 17. An additional NOTE: Judas was elsewhere affirmed by Christ to be His friend (Ps. 41:9, John 13:18, Matt. 26:50), which is a term for saved individuals (Jas. 2:23), and in the citation of Christ wherein Jesus references the prophecy of His betrayal, there Judas is said to be one “whom I trusted” (Ps. 41:9), speaking of Christ’s trust in Judas, and this term of trustworthiness, again, is only an attribute of saved individuals (1 Cor. 4:2, 7:25, Matt. 25:21, Lk. 12:42). In regards to the former point made about Judas, carefully read John 6:35-40 & John 17:11-12 and see for yourself:
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"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen Me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of him that sent Me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:35-40)
"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." (John 17:11-12) |
Like as this clear instance, however hard it may be for you to swallow, I plead with you to remember all that we have covered thus far. Of all that we have covered, let’s look at the sum. If we use the reasoning of popular Calvinists, we do therefore, and we must, negate the priestly covenant of Eli, the kingly covenant of Saul, the Abrahamic Covenant to the exodus generation, the Davidic Covenant to David, the Mosaic promise to Joshua, the prophetic covenant to Jeremiah, and the difficulty in attaining promises before a Holy God as seen in the lives of Jacob and Josiah, to name a few. The words “perpetual,” “everlasting,” and “for ever” were spoken to Eli (Exodus 29:9, 40:15, 1 Sam. 2:35). The word “for ever” was spoken to Saul (1 Sam. 15:35). The Abrahamic Covenant is called an “immutable counsel” (Heb. 6:17-18), which is fixed, until the literal and physical exodus generation is saved, safe-dwelling, and land-inhabiting. The Davidic Covenant was of unfailing faithfulness (Psalm 89:33), unbreakable words (Psalm 89:34), and immutable changelessness (Psalm 89:35), with the word “for ever” promised to the throne of David in Solomon’s literal physical lineage (2 Sam. 7:12-16, 1 Chron. 17:10-14). God said to Joshua that He would never leave him or fail him (Joshua 1:5), as the promises of Matt. 28:20 and Heb. 13:5 are for us in the NT, yet in Joshua 7:12, God threatens to leave Joshua. Does it mean anything to you that God said to the generation after Joshua, “I said I will never break My Covenant with you” (Judges 2:1), but they rebelled and God invoked the condition to the promises of forever and never, saying, “Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you” (Judges 2:3), and this led to their eventual corruption unto damnation. Remember again how the greatness of God is committed to Jeremiah, as God said, “I am with thee to deliver thee” (Jer. 1:8). Who is greater than God? He is as a “Defenced city,” an “Iron pillar,” a “Brasen wall” for Jeremiah, against all that fight against him. The devil and a world of iniquity, all of these fight against Christians, and to us it is said like as Jeremiah, “they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee” (Jer. 1:17-19). Nevertheless, God pronounces the prophetic woe to Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 15:14, that the Babylonians (God’s destroying wrath) will prevail against him.
As for the Abrahamic Covenant, the prophets complained, “Doth His promise fail for evermore” (Psalm 77:8)? As for the Davidic Covenant, the prophets were baffled and questioning God – why had He “made void the Covenant” (Psalm 89:39) which He swore to perform (Psalm 89:49), which He said He would not “lie” about nor “fail” to perform because of His “faithfulness” (Psalm 89:33, 35)? Yet how can it be? Likewise, Jeremiah’s complaint echoed with the same words when he questioned God, “Wilt Thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail” (Jer. 15:18)? This is as the question in Psalm 89:49: “Lord, where are Thy former lovingkindness, which Thou swarest unto David in Thy truth?”
My readers, all promises and counsels which are “immutable,” eternal, and forever, which have failed, been breached, or changed, were indeed changed, nevertheless, they will be mysteriously fulfilled in Christ or otherwise forgotten under the mystery of God's higher righteousness and impossible law-breaking powers. The “forevers” will be fulfilled even as God said to Jesus, “The LORD hath sword, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4). As God stated of the priesthood of Christ, so are all the prophetic attributes of Christ, but not all were stated in such a manner as Psalm 110:4. Rather, they were mysteriously hidden in unfulfilled promises in previous Covenants, covenants given to other individuals who fell short of those promises in their day, so that through their failure and fall Christ may arise. Yet, will you understand that their failure and fall was a genuine failure of promise and fall from salvation?
As for the Abrahamic Covenant, the prophets complained, “Doth His promise fail for evermore” (Psalm 77:8)? As for the Davidic Covenant, the prophets were baffled and questioning God – why had He “made void the Covenant” (Psalm 89:39) which He swore to perform (Psalm 89:49), which He said He would not “lie” about nor “fail” to perform because of His “faithfulness” (Psalm 89:33, 35)? Yet how can it be? Likewise, Jeremiah’s complaint echoed with the same words when he questioned God, “Wilt Thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail” (Jer. 15:18)? This is as the question in Psalm 89:49: “Lord, where are Thy former lovingkindness, which Thou swarest unto David in Thy truth?”
My readers, all promises and counsels which are “immutable,” eternal, and forever, which have failed, been breached, or changed, were indeed changed, nevertheless, they will be mysteriously fulfilled in Christ or otherwise forgotten under the mystery of God's higher righteousness and impossible law-breaking powers. The “forevers” will be fulfilled even as God said to Jesus, “The LORD hath sword, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4). As God stated of the priesthood of Christ, so are all the prophetic attributes of Christ, but not all were stated in such a manner as Psalm 110:4. Rather, they were mysteriously hidden in unfulfilled promises in previous Covenants, covenants given to other individuals who fell short of those promises in their day, so that through their failure and fall Christ may arise. Yet, will you understand that their failure and fall was a genuine failure of promise and fall from salvation?
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“Through their fall salvation is come.” (Rom. 11:11) |
Jesus Christ is the mystery of prophecy, promise, salvation, and Covenant. The purpose of God for Christ to descend into incarnation, ascend back up, and then come again – this purpose was eternal – and in Jesus Christ, all things draw their significance. Nevertheless, besides this eternal purpose there were temporary purposes in God by way of condescension. God was intent on other salvations, promises, and Covenants (willful of them in the counsel “God in the ways of man”), but because of the sins of the persons to whom these salvific promises were given, they never came to pass. It was therefore – “through their fall” – that God changed His mind from the performance of the promises given to them, thus in another plan arising in a later time, but bounding thereto from eternity past, lo, “salvation is come” to us in Christ (Rom. 11:11)! They all fell from the good will of God in their lives (God in the ways of man), but it was for a mysterious, predestinated, and eternal purpose of Jesus Christ to become manifest in the sovereign will of God (God in the ways of God). Men fell from the will of God in the ways of man because of the determination of the will of God in the ways of God.
Through the fall of the Exodus generation, the Abrahamic Covenant is pending until the work of Christ consummates and entirely fulfills it. Through the fall of Solomon, the Davidic Covenant is pending till the work of Christ consummates and entirely fulfills it. Through the fall of the literal, physical Judaistic nation and people of God in the first century (at the first coming of Christ), the consummated promises of God for the full salvation of literal, physical Israel are pending until the work of Christ consummates and entirely fulfills it; temporarily through this fall, the predestinated purpose to reconcile the whole (Gentile) world to Himself is manifest till the fulfillment of the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants are accomplished, wherein, conclusively, all of physical Israel will be saved, but this is at the end of time after the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. This is the binding and loosing, the blinding and choosing of God!
You see, the salvation of physical Israel is an eternal, predestinated, immutable, unchanging counsel (of God in the ways of God); nevertheless, how it will be finally attained and what hindered it throughout time must be considered by those who are saved today, because we are saved by fulfilling mysterious extensions of the same Covenants and promises which they fell short of. What hindered the promised salvation from coming in a consummation? It was the people, when and how they did fall, and it was in the times after their fall that God did repent with repentances that changed former details of the previous Covenant, and when all circumstances, salvations, and condemnations were and are completed throughout time, the Covenant will be completed by the unrepentant, immutable purpose of God – unchanging from and unto eternity. It is the unrepentant purpose of God that governs all the repentances. As for Israel, they are elect through an unrepentant election (Rom. 11:28), “For the gifts and calling of God” toward them “all” (Rom. 11:26) “are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29), though throughout time the literal, physical, and spiritual Israelites, both individuals and generations, were damned through God’s repentances, until the persons of His unrepentant love are all saved and the generation of His unrepentant calling doth arise in the end of time. Yet, in the past and now, every breach and pending work done until the salvation of all of Israel is completed, all of this is a part of the sovereign purposes of God, and shockingly, God has now “concluded” both Gentiles and Jews “in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all” (Rom. 11:32)! That is to say, He has concluded them both to fall because sovereignty did cast them away, but it was that He might have mercy upon all (the remnant elect) when He does save them throughout time and in the end. Of this sovereign and mysterious wonder, the Spirit exclaims, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33-36). Let the reader that hath ears to hear, say, Amen! “The Lord be magnified” (Ps. 40:16)!
Now listen: many do claim that since the NT Christ arose in the place of these fallen men, the Covenant given to Him is without repentances and therefore un-breach-able; it is eternal in nature and originating from His perfection in the unavoidable performance of all the tenets of the NT. This sounds very viable, but one who asserts this is discounting the entire reason God does change His mind, repents of promises, and allows men to fall away from salvation after they have been saved. God’s repentances are caused by the corrupt sinfulness of men which provokes God - Who relates to men in condescension (God in the ways of man). For repentances to cease, the sinfulness of man must cease. If the sinfulness of man ceased, then there would be no more condescension to men, and men would no more be humans which dwell in a body of death. Some may argue that the sinfulness of man has been dealt with by NT regeneration, and so the liability which comes from the uprising sinfulness of saved men is no longer there – but this cannot be true. If the sinfulness of saved men ceased to be a problem in the NT, then there would be no possibility for a saint to ever provoke God like as those men and women of the OT did provoke Him – leading them into the eventual breach of their promises and salvation – but the NT affirms this as a possibility by using these very instances of these men and women in OT as examples of viable realities in the NT experience (see 1 Cor. 10, Heb. 3-4, etc.). The problem of original sin is partially subdued in a partial deliverance of God (in an incomplete state), yet God's people remain in a body of death, and wait, until the final consummation of the gospel is completed at the END. Therefore, since we are partial participants in the gospel gifts, we are still under the possibility of falling away into sinful, wrath-provoking behavior before a Holy God. Yet, in the END, when sin is removed in full, then shall the saints be bound in the eternality of Christ's purchased Covenant - then all the “forevers” will be fulfilled in those who persevered to the END.
Do you remember all the ways in which the NT does describe our salvation to be only partially completed? Therefore, as long as we await the fulfillment of our gospel-Covenant in Christ, then, on this matter, we are as our brethren in the Church of the OT. We, like them, do await the fulfillment of our promises. Above is a doctrinal overview of what exactly is spoken of to be partial and incomplete in our Covenant, and what will be consummated at the fulfillment of our promises in Christ. We still await our consummating salvation from the problem of sin, which is, the full and complete fulfillment of our promises in Christ, and at that fullness, then there is an initiation of all the forevers and nevers of the Covenants of God, for then, God saith of Himself: --> “repentance shall be hid from Mine eyes”.
Through the fall of the Exodus generation, the Abrahamic Covenant is pending until the work of Christ consummates and entirely fulfills it. Through the fall of Solomon, the Davidic Covenant is pending till the work of Christ consummates and entirely fulfills it. Through the fall of the literal, physical Judaistic nation and people of God in the first century (at the first coming of Christ), the consummated promises of God for the full salvation of literal, physical Israel are pending until the work of Christ consummates and entirely fulfills it; temporarily through this fall, the predestinated purpose to reconcile the whole (Gentile) world to Himself is manifest till the fulfillment of the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants are accomplished, wherein, conclusively, all of physical Israel will be saved, but this is at the end of time after the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. This is the binding and loosing, the blinding and choosing of God!
You see, the salvation of physical Israel is an eternal, predestinated, immutable, unchanging counsel (of God in the ways of God); nevertheless, how it will be finally attained and what hindered it throughout time must be considered by those who are saved today, because we are saved by fulfilling mysterious extensions of the same Covenants and promises which they fell short of. What hindered the promised salvation from coming in a consummation? It was the people, when and how they did fall, and it was in the times after their fall that God did repent with repentances that changed former details of the previous Covenant, and when all circumstances, salvations, and condemnations were and are completed throughout time, the Covenant will be completed by the unrepentant, immutable purpose of God – unchanging from and unto eternity. It is the unrepentant purpose of God that governs all the repentances. As for Israel, they are elect through an unrepentant election (Rom. 11:28), “For the gifts and calling of God” toward them “all” (Rom. 11:26) “are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29), though throughout time the literal, physical, and spiritual Israelites, both individuals and generations, were damned through God’s repentances, until the persons of His unrepentant love are all saved and the generation of His unrepentant calling doth arise in the end of time. Yet, in the past and now, every breach and pending work done until the salvation of all of Israel is completed, all of this is a part of the sovereign purposes of God, and shockingly, God has now “concluded” both Gentiles and Jews “in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all” (Rom. 11:32)! That is to say, He has concluded them both to fall because sovereignty did cast them away, but it was that He might have mercy upon all (the remnant elect) when He does save them throughout time and in the end. Of this sovereign and mysterious wonder, the Spirit exclaims, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33-36). Let the reader that hath ears to hear, say, Amen! “The Lord be magnified” (Ps. 40:16)!
Now listen: many do claim that since the NT Christ arose in the place of these fallen men, the Covenant given to Him is without repentances and therefore un-breach-able; it is eternal in nature and originating from His perfection in the unavoidable performance of all the tenets of the NT. This sounds very viable, but one who asserts this is discounting the entire reason God does change His mind, repents of promises, and allows men to fall away from salvation after they have been saved. God’s repentances are caused by the corrupt sinfulness of men which provokes God - Who relates to men in condescension (God in the ways of man). For repentances to cease, the sinfulness of man must cease. If the sinfulness of man ceased, then there would be no more condescension to men, and men would no more be humans which dwell in a body of death. Some may argue that the sinfulness of man has been dealt with by NT regeneration, and so the liability which comes from the uprising sinfulness of saved men is no longer there – but this cannot be true. If the sinfulness of saved men ceased to be a problem in the NT, then there would be no possibility for a saint to ever provoke God like as those men and women of the OT did provoke Him – leading them into the eventual breach of their promises and salvation – but the NT affirms this as a possibility by using these very instances of these men and women in OT as examples of viable realities in the NT experience (see 1 Cor. 10, Heb. 3-4, etc.). The problem of original sin is partially subdued in a partial deliverance of God (in an incomplete state), yet God's people remain in a body of death, and wait, until the final consummation of the gospel is completed at the END. Therefore, since we are partial participants in the gospel gifts, we are still under the possibility of falling away into sinful, wrath-provoking behavior before a Holy God. Yet, in the END, when sin is removed in full, then shall the saints be bound in the eternality of Christ's purchased Covenant - then all the “forevers” will be fulfilled in those who persevered to the END.
- Adopted now (Rom. 8:15) – Consummating Adoption to come (Rom. 8:23)
- Redeemed now (1 Cor. 1:30) – Consummating Redemption to come (Php. 3:14, Rom. 8:23).
- Regeneration now (Titus 3:5) – Consummating Regeneration to come (Rom. 8:18-21, Php. 3:12-14)
- Kingdom within you now (Lk. 17:21, Col. 1:13, Eph. 2:6) – Consummating Kingdom to come (2 Tim. 4:1, Rev. 3:21)
- Resurrection now (Rom. 6:4) – Consummating Resurrection to come (1 Cor. 15:50).
- Eternal Life now (1 John 3:15, 5:12-13) – Consummating Eternal Life to come (2 Cor. 5:1-4, 1 Tim. 6:12).
- Overcoming power now (Eph. 2:5, 1 John 5:4) – Consummating Overcoming power to come (1 Cor. 15:54-57)
- Defeat of Death now (Rom. 8:2, 6, Eph. 2:5) – Consummating Defeat of Death to come (1 Cor. 15:54-57)
- In the Light now (Eph. 5:8) – Consummating, Eternal Day of Light to come (Prov. 4:18, 2 Peter 1:19, Rev. 21:23-25)
- Seeing God now (2 Cor. 3:17-18, 1 Cor. 13:12, Heb. 11:27) – Consummating revelatory sight to come (1 John 3:2)
- Perfect Now (Heb. 10:14) – Consummating Perfection to Come (Php. 3:12, 1 Cor. 13:10, Prov. 4:18)
- “As He is” now (1 John 4:17) – Consummating conformity, “as He is” in glory (1 John 3:2, Rev. 2:27)
- Know Him now (1 John 2:4, John 17:3) – Consummating knowing, “even as also I am known” (1 Cor. 13:12)
Do you remember all the ways in which the NT does describe our salvation to be only partially completed? Therefore, as long as we await the fulfillment of our gospel-Covenant in Christ, then, on this matter, we are as our brethren in the Church of the OT. We, like them, do await the fulfillment of our promises. Above is a doctrinal overview of what exactly is spoken of to be partial and incomplete in our Covenant, and what will be consummated at the fulfillment of our promises in Christ. We still await our consummating salvation from the problem of sin, which is, the full and complete fulfillment of our promises in Christ, and at that fullness, then there is an initiation of all the forevers and nevers of the Covenants of God, for then, God saith of Himself: --> “repentance shall be hid from Mine eyes”.
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"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from Mine eyes." (Hosea 13:14)
“Thy people also shall be all righteous…” – Isaiah 60:21 |
In the end, “repentance shall be hid from [His] eyes”, but that does not negate all those generations and persons who perished because God did repent of His purpose to save them in their salvific promises because of their SIN. Repentance will cease when the problem of sin does cease. Of what nature is the END? It is the resurrection, the condescension withdrawn, inaugurating the full reign of the Messianic King Jesus, Who will fully recreate the laws of all creation and remove the curses of sin, and fully reconcile, resurrect, redeem, and save His partially recreated Christians, and for this they did faithfully wait. But Oh! How the devil and false prophets do craft doctrinal nets of persuasion - of false confidences in error! Error I say! Some men suppose that they are the “elect” persons, possessors of inalienable rights - that God must save them no matter what they do or believe at present. Such men are high-minded (Rom. 11:20), higher than His high ways, they suppose; therefore they do continuously think that they know the way He will take to fulfill His own promises, fancying themselves to be an object of God’s final choice. In this way, men and women have been beguiled by heresy through the misappropriation of the promises of God, emboldened to disobedient behavior, and oblivious to the severity of God’s wrathful repentances. He can repent over you as a physical or spiritual Israelite, then replace you, and His word will be accounted of to be true, though it seemed impossible to you – “How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” These proud men suppose that there are no other ways His promise can be fulfilled but by the salvation of their own souls – but God, not winking at the continuous rebellion of saved men, did, through the centuries, make the performance of the promises of salvation a mystery, an unsearchable wonder that can’t be found out. Do you suppose that you are bound to His salvation because of an immutable word of His righteousness? God can repent of His choice of you and choose a stone to replace you, yea, and this stone could become you! I repeat, it can be you, and then God will still be as He always will be, as He will finally reckoned by all to be – perfectly true: “For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Luke 3:8). God failed you? No, God reprobated you. He cast you away, and then He replaced you, and then that stone became you. He would more quickly redeem a lying, Canaanite, already-condemned harlot whose heart is full of faithful obedience than you, you proud Christian Pharisee, supposing that you are preferred because you are God’s chosen people, and thus, you embolden yourself in fearless rebellion. You may fancy yourself that you are the elect, but God hath forewarned – “make your calling and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10).
Do you see what I am saying? Some argue, “All the former covenants and promises could be breached, but not Christ’s.” This is true when the Covenant, gospel, and call is consummated, and until then, the problem of sin before a Holy God can still provoke the Lord to repentance. As in all the former Covenants wherein a breach was possible, our Covenant is partial, incomplete, and unfulfilled. We have been partakers of Christ’s death; however, the consummating victory over death will not be actualized until after the fullness of the gospel of His Kingdom is consummated. We have been resurrected (Rom. 6:4), regenerated (Tit. 3:5), we have overcome death (Eph. 2:5), inherited the Kingdom (Lk. 17:21), but we await a final consummating resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42-50), regeneration (Rom. 8:18-21, Php. 3:12-14), defeat of death (1 Cor. 15:54-57), and an inheritance of the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50). In this manner we await a “salvation to be revealed” (1 Pet. 1:5), which is not yet revealed in full, and we strive for the calling of this final freedom (Php. 3:14) – therefore we have a necessity to obey this charge – "make your calling and election sure!" His Kingdom and rule, those things purchased by His priestly atonement, have not been completely fulfilled, and with the fulfillment of this work, there will be the final fulfillment of the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants, with all other remaining promises, covenants, prophecies, or mysteries that revealed Christ and His work. Christ’s work in the New Covenant has not been completely fulfilled, nor have all the other promises and Covenants been fulfilled in Him yet. Why can the Covenants fail for individuals, or be changed for peoples and generations? SIN! Why is it possible for God to repent of a good will, of love, or of salvific purposes? SIN! Why must it ever continue to be? SIN! Why will the promises no longer change after Christ’s Messianic consummation? There will be no more SIN! Why would God never repent again? SIN is what makes God change His mind, and with its final eradication, there will be no potential for wrath or destruction. How did He change throughout these generations and times, when we know that God cannot change? The Condescension of God! Why will He no longer change at the consummation? The condescension is removed and “the ways of man” become a nonexistent relational capacity used by God henceforth!
Do you see what I am saying? Some argue, “All the former covenants and promises could be breached, but not Christ’s.” This is true when the Covenant, gospel, and call is consummated, and until then, the problem of sin before a Holy God can still provoke the Lord to repentance. As in all the former Covenants wherein a breach was possible, our Covenant is partial, incomplete, and unfulfilled. We have been partakers of Christ’s death; however, the consummating victory over death will not be actualized until after the fullness of the gospel of His Kingdom is consummated. We have been resurrected (Rom. 6:4), regenerated (Tit. 3:5), we have overcome death (Eph. 2:5), inherited the Kingdom (Lk. 17:21), but we await a final consummating resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42-50), regeneration (Rom. 8:18-21, Php. 3:12-14), defeat of death (1 Cor. 15:54-57), and an inheritance of the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50). In this manner we await a “salvation to be revealed” (1 Pet. 1:5), which is not yet revealed in full, and we strive for the calling of this final freedom (Php. 3:14) – therefore we have a necessity to obey this charge – "make your calling and election sure!" His Kingdom and rule, those things purchased by His priestly atonement, have not been completely fulfilled, and with the fulfillment of this work, there will be the final fulfillment of the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants, with all other remaining promises, covenants, prophecies, or mysteries that revealed Christ and His work. Christ’s work in the New Covenant has not been completely fulfilled, nor have all the other promises and Covenants been fulfilled in Him yet. Why can the Covenants fail for individuals, or be changed for peoples and generations? SIN! Why is it possible for God to repent of a good will, of love, or of salvific purposes? SIN! Why must it ever continue to be? SIN! Why will the promises no longer change after Christ’s Messianic consummation? There will be no more SIN! Why would God never repent again? SIN is what makes God change His mind, and with its final eradication, there will be no potential for wrath or destruction. How did He change throughout these generations and times, when we know that God cannot change? The Condescension of God! Why will He no longer change at the consummation? The condescension is removed and “the ways of man” become a nonexistent relational capacity used by God henceforth!