December 3rd, 1942

 
In our last issue we promised to write again on the above subject. We did not get through with writing on (Romans 8:28-33). In order that the reader may have the text before him. we will here quote the language again: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall wo then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Those who love God are those who are the called according to His purpose. They do not call themselves. They are called by another, and God is the one who does that calling. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” -(II Timothy 1:8-9). God does this calling, and He does it according to His purpose. He does not call a poor sinner out of death into life, or out of nature's darkness into His marvelous light, by accident. He does that on purpose. He purposed to do the calling before He does it. If and when a sinner is called with this holy calling, God does that according to His own purpose and grace. It is a fulfilment of His purpose. It is but God doing what He purposed, or intended, to do. Those who are thus called by the Lord of glory, by the Holy Spirit's work, are thereby brought to love God; and the all things the apostle is talking about in our text work together for their good. The Father will, with Christ, give to these same persons the all things which work together for their good. “How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” This last statement is in the form of a question, and is the strongest way of saying that “He will with Him also freely give us all things.” Here is God's purpose, plainly stated by the apostle. To purpose to do a thing is to predestinate to do that thing. Remember that predestinate means to determine beforehand. To determine a thing beforehand is to purpose a thing before it is done. As those who are called according to His purpose, and God does the calling, then God purposed to call those who are called. As some of the race are called, and some of the race are not called, it follows that God made choice of those He does call. Here is election and predestination; and no one can dispute it without disputing the plain and positive and emphatic statements of the Word of God. And if this part of the Bible is not the truth, who can tell whether any of it be true or not? “For whom He did foreknow.” There is a sense in which God foreknew and does foreknow all things- everything that has ever yet existed, or that will ever exist; everything that has ever yet transpired, or that ever will transpire-but here is a particular sense in which He did foreknow some that He did not foreknow others. The apostle did not say “what He did foreknow” -but “whom He did foreknow.” He foreknew that every person would exist that ever has existed or that ever will exist. But these were foreknown in His everlasting covenant of grace, and the others were not. They were embraced in the covenant, and thus foreknown. He made choice of them and gave them to the Son in the covenant. “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Those who love God are those who have been called; those who have been called, and who love God, are those He foreknew in the covenant; they are those whom He chose and embraced in the covenant; and those He foreknew He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. He determined beforehand that these same people should be conformed to the image of His Son. He predestinated that somebody should be conformed to the image of Jesus; and He calls every one that He predestinated. Every person that He predestinated to be conformed to the image of Jesus, He also calls out of nature's darkness into His marvelous light. “Whom He called, them He also justified.” How did the Lord justify them? “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” -(Romans 5:9). They are justified by the blood of Christ. Who are justified by the blood of Christ? Those for whom that blood was shed; and He shed His blood for every one the Father predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. And every one that is justified by His blood shall be saved from wrath through Him. What is the final end to be accomplished through all this? “Whom He justified, them He also glorified.” The final glorification of each one whom He foreknew in the covenant is the end to be reached. He predestinated just as many to be conformed to the image of His Son as He did foreknow; and He calls just as many as He predestinated; and He justified as many as are called; and as many as were justified will be finally glorified. There will be just as many in the number glorified in the final windup as were in the first thing mentioned. There will be no increase in the number, nor will there be any decrease. Sure enough, “what shall we then say to these things?” What do you say, dear reader? Do you object to being conformed to the image of Jesus? Do you object to being glorified and qualified to live with God in glory? Do you love God? If you love the Lord, it is because God made choice of you before time was, and embraced you in His covenant-knew you beforehand in the covenant-and predestinated that you should be conformed to the image of His Son; and Jesus died for you on Calvary's cross, and justified you by His blood; and the Holy Spirit has called you out of nature's darkness into divine relationship with Him, and thus brought you to love Him; and as certain as God lives you shall live also; and you shall live in a glorified state beyond this vale of tears. You shall live with Him where there are no wars, no bloodshed, no sorrow, no pain, no sickness, no sin, and no death. There will be no dark seasons there. Loved ones will not be called away to war. There will be no night there. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” If God be for you in foreknowledge, in predestination, in calling, in justification, and in the final end of it all, your glorification, then who can be against you? Satan, with all his emissaries, can never be able to drag you down to eternal night. The Lord will, with His Son, freely give you all things necessary to your final glorification, and you will see Him as He is, and be like Him. Since the Father delivered up His Son for you, how shall He not with Him also freely give you all things necessary to your final glorification and your eternal happiness beyond this life? These people the Father delivered up
His Son for are His elect. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?” God has an elect people-they are people-folks-sinners of Adam's fallen race! they are persons; not some imaginary, invisible, intangible something; but tangible human beings. They are God's elect; He chose them; He embraced them by choice before the world was, before they had existence; He foreknew them as His in the covenant; He predestinated them unto the adoption of sons; He justified them by the blood of Jesus; He calls them out of a state of death in sin to a state of  life in Christ; they are preserved in Christ Jesus; He will see to it that they are all finally glorified. Since it is God that justifies them, who can lay any thing to their charge? Who can condemn one that God justifies? If one be condemned that God justifies, then the case must be appealed from God's high court in heaven to a higher court than His. Is there a higher court to which the case of one the Lord justifies can be appealed? Since God's court is the highest court, then there can be no appeal taken. And as no appeal can be taken to another, or to a higher court, then their justification is an eternal or everlasting justification-it will never be any other way only that they stand justified before the Three-One God-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is God that justifieth. God does this. God is the supreme Judge in His court, and His court is the Supreme Court. God Himself, through what His Son has done for you, justifies you; He absolves you and makes you free from all guilt. Your guilt has been removed through what Jesus has done for you. “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” - (Romans 4:7). The righteousness of Jesus is imputed to you and covers all your sins; and thus you are made pure in the sight of the Father. As your sins are covered, put out of His sight, He declares you innocent. The righteousness of Jesus is yours and in His righteousness you are innocent; and you stand justified in the sight of God. Well might the poet say:
Let me, my Saviour and my God,
On sovereign grace rely;
And own 'tis free, because bestowed
On one so vile as I
Election! 'tis a word divine;
For, Lord, I plainly see,
Had not thy choice prevented mine,
I ne'er had chosen thee.
For perseverance, strength I've none,
But would on this depend,
That Jesus, having loved His own,
Will love them to the end.
Empty and bare I come to thee
For righteousness divine;
O! may thy glorious merits be
By imputation mine.
Free grace alone can wipe the tears
From my lamenting eyes,
And raise my soul, from guilty fears,
To joy that never dies.
Free grace can death itself outbrave,
And take the sting away;
Can sinners to the utmost save,
And give them victory.
We beg the Lord's richest blessings to rest upon you; and may He bless what we have written to the comfort of His poor and afflicted children who may read the same, is our humble prayer. We beg an interest in your petitions at the throne of mercy. We do not promise now to write more on this subject for the present. That
depends upon the way we may feel impressed to write when the time comes. C. H. Cayce.