Morning By Morning #302

I have chosen you out of the world.

John 15:19

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Today’s verse shows God’s distinctive grace and discriminating regard, for only some have been chosen to be the objects of His divine affection. Don’t be afraid to ponder this lofty doctrine of election. When you feel the most down and depressed, you will find it to be the most uplifting medicine possible. Those who don’t believe the doctrines of grace or who cast them in a bad light miss the richest “cluster of grapes” from the “Valley of Eshcol” (Num. 13:23) and “the best of meats and the finest of wines” (Isa. 25:6). There is no “balm in Gilead” (Jer. 8:22) comparable to them. If the honey from the woods caused Jonathan’s eyes to brighten, this is honey that will truly enlighten your heart to learn and to love the mysteries of the kingdom of God. (See 1 Sam. 14:27.) It is the best of foods but food you need not fear eating too much of, nor worry it is too rich, for meat from this King’s table will never hurt any of His servants.

Desire to have your mind enlarged so you can comprehend more of the eternal, everlasting, and discriminating love of God. And once you have climbed as high as election, linger on its sister mountain—the covenant of grace. Covenant agreements are the protective munitions of massive rock behind which we lie entrenched. Covenant promises, along with the deposit of Christ Jesus as their guarantee, are the quiet resting places of trembling souls.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the raging flood;

When every earthly prop gives way,

He still is all my strength and stay.

Edward Mote, 1797 – 1874

If Jesus worked to take you to glory, and if the Father promised He would give you to the Son as part of the infinite reward of the suffering of His soul, then until God Himself is unfaithful or Jesus ceases to be the truth—you are safe. When David danced before the ark of the covenant, he told his wife Michal it was election that made him do so—because the Lord had chosen him. (See 2 Sam. 6:21.)

Rejoice before the God of grace and “leap for joy” (Luke 6:23) in your heart.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Spurgeon mentions the covenant of grace today, which in covenant theology follows two others. The first, the covenant of redemption, says the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit made a covenant in eternity past to provide redemption. The second, the covenant of works, is a covenant made with man. The Westminster Confession says, “Life was promised to Adam…upon condition of perfect obedience”—or works, and goes on to say, “Man, by his fall,…made himself incapable of life by that covenant” and “the Lord was pleased to make…The Covenant of Grace; wherein He freely offer[ed] unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ…promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.”

We all deserve death. May we praise Him that He chose to save some!