May 1st, 1930

Last week we promised to try to write some more on the subject of falling from grace, perhaps this week. So we will try to write a few more lines on that question. For the beginning of this article on the subject we will read ((4:9) (Isaiah 54:9-10). For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. In this language we have, two covenants brought to our attention. The first one is the covenant God made with Noah and all flesh that He would never again destroy the earth by water, and the other is the covenant of His peace; and one is as the other. The covenant of His peace is as the covenant with Noah; for this is as that. If it is possible for a child of God to so apostatize as to be finally lost, then his final salvation in heaven would depend upon his faithfulness and right living here in the world. If his final salvation in heaven depends upon that, then the covenant of God's peace mentioned in this text would be a conditional covenant, and would depend upon their good deeds or faithfulness for its fulfillment. If the covenant of His peace is thus conditional, then His covenant with Noah that He would never again destroy the earth by water was conditional; for the covenant of His peace is as that covenant with Noah. Was the covenant with Noah a conditional one? Let us read it and see. And God spoke unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; and with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.- (Genesis 9:8-17). This is the covenant which God made with Noah and all flesh that the earth should never again be destroyed by water-that there should never be another flood. Does that covenant depend upon the obedience or faithfulness of any human being on earth for its fulfillment? Most assuredly not. If it had depended upon the righteousness or obedience of mankind for its fulfillment, we know there would have been another flood long before this time. But upon what, then, does it depend for its fulfillment? It depends alone upon the faithfulness of God and His power to fulfill every promise He has made. The Lord put the bow in the cloud as a token of that covenant. Did He place it there so the people could see it and remember the covenant? No; but He said, “I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.'' As long and as often as we see the bow in the cloud we know that God remembers that covenant, and that there will not be another flood. There will never be another flood, whether we remember the covenant or not. The fulfillment of that covenant does not depend upon us remembering it. God remembers the covenant which He made, and the apostle says that “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”  -(I Corinthians 1:9). Since God is faithful, He will fulfill the promise He made in the covenant with Noah and all flesh, and there will never be another flood.

Now, the covenant of His peace is like that, for He says, “This is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee.'' The Lord swore to the one just as He did to the other. The one is like the other. And this refers to the covenant of His peace, and He says “neither shall it be removed.”  This covenant depends, then, upon the faithfulness and power of God for its fulfillment, and does not depend upon the faithfulness and righteousness of men and women for that. As the covenant of His peace is like the covenant with Noah, and the covenant with Noah was an unconditional one, then the covenant of His peace is also unconditional. As it is unconditional, and does not depend upon the obedience of the creature for fulfillment, then not one embraced in that  covenant will ever sink down to eternal night. God has sworn in that covenant that “I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.”  In that covenant He has also sworn that “my kindness shall not depart from thee.”  What glorious and blessed assurance to the poor trembling pilgrim that eternal peace and unsullied bliss and glory is his to enjoy beyond the sorrows and dark scenes of this life. May these blessed truths comfort your hearts in all your sad trials and distresses. We may write some more yet on this subject-perhaps next week. C. H. C.