November
26, 2003
THE
COVENANT OF GRACE BEFORE CREATION
"The
gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and
called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace which was given
to us in Christ Jesus before time began" (2 Timothy 1:8,
9, NKJV).
The purpose
and plan of grace existed from before creation. Before the
foundation of the world it was the purpose of God that man
should be created and endowed with power and ability to live
according to the principles of God's government. The possible
defection of man, with all its consequences, was not hidden
from God, yet it did not deter Him from carrying out His eternal
purpose. God knows the end from the beginning. Redemption
was not an afterthought, but an eternal purpose to be played
out for the blessing not only for this world but for the good
of all the universe which God has created.
The creation
of the worlds, and the revelation of the good news about God,
are for one purpose, to make manifest to all created intelligences,
through nature and through the life of Christ, the values
and purposes of the divine nature and character of God. By
the display of His love in sending His Ambassador, "His
only begotten Son" to the world, "that whoever believes
in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John
3:16), the glory of God is revealed to fallen humanity and
to the intelligences of other worlds.
Jesus
embraces the race with His human arm, while with His divine
arm He lays hold on the infinite. He is the One who reconciles
our sinful humanity with the values and person of the Eternal
Creator (see Colossians 1:20).
The terms
of this oneness between God and man in the great covenant
of redemption were arranged with Christ from before creation,
"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of
the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
Him in love" (Ephesians 1:4).
The covenant
of grace was revealed to the patriarchs. The covenant made
with Abraham was a covenant confirmed by God in Christ, "And
I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants
after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant,
to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give
to you and your descendants after you the land in which you
are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting
possession; and I will be their God" (Genesis 17:7, 8;
see also 12:7; 13:15). "Now to Abraham and his Seed were
the promises made... 'And to your Seed' who is Christ-- the
covenant that was confirmed - by God in Christ" (Galatians
3:16, 17). "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians
3:29). The covenant of God is that in the earth made new,
the seed or descendants of Abraham will posses "the land
of Canaan as an everlasting possession" and that "If
you are Christ's, - you are Abraham's seed."
The covenant
of grace "was
given to us in Christ Jesus before time began" (2 Timothy
1:9).
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