The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Sovereignty of God in the Plan of Salvation, #2

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob [heel-snatcher; supplanter; schemer; swindler]. And he [God] said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel [contender with God]: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. (Genesis 32:26-29)

It may happen that we come to understand our own name, our own identity, as well as the name of God, during a period of intense, prolonged conflict.

Jesus came to reveal the Person of the Father to the elect, to God's sons whom God has chosen to bring to glory.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be changed into the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

Notice carefully:

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

Here we have a major doctrine of the new covenant—that Christ came to reveal the Father to the specific individuals whom the Father gave to Christ from the multitude of earth's peoples.

The Divinely ordained wall separating the Christian Church, the elect of God, from the world is the highest, thickest, mightiest, most impenetrable wall in the creation of God.

The nation of Israel and the Church of Christ were separated from the world by the grace of God. The Gospel was preached first to the patriarch, Abraham. The Law of Moses added nothing to the eternal grace of God. The Law was provided as a judge of sin and a guide and guardian of the elect until it was time for Christ to be revealed.

The wall of separation between the Church and the world was established at the moment the Lord called Abraham and his family out of Ur of the Chaldees. From that point onward to the new Jerusalem and into eternity, the Church of Christ has been separated from the remainder of mankind by a Divinely ordained wall.

One would suppose the elect would praise God for His love and be thankful for the role of showing forth His righteousness and glory—the responsibility assigned to them as their purpose for being born into the world.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people [people for God's own possession]; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; (I Peter 2:9)

Will we (Jews and Christians) accept God's plan? We will not! Because of our evil and rebellious hearts we insist on bringing the world into the Church. The moment we do, the Presence of God departs.

To be continued.