The Almighty's Distinguishing Grace!
At
the great, white throne judgment, concerning those who will be "cast
into the lake of fire," John wrote that their names were
"not found written in the book of life" (Rev.
20:15). The book referenced is the Lamb’s book of life,
written before the world was made (Rev.
13:8) which contains the names of God’s elect, inscribed
with the indelible ink of sovereign grace.
The
Holy Spirit could have inspired John to write, "And whosoever
would not believe on Christ was cast into the lake of fire"
and that would be accurate for they would not come to the only Savior
to be saved by Him. Or, the Holy Spirit could have inspired John to
write, "And whosoever did not repent of their dead works and
submit to be saved by the obedience of the Son of God was cast into
the lake of fire," and that would also have been a valid
statement because all who perish refused to turn from
self-righteousness and be saved by the person and work of Christ.
But,
John was led to write, "And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
With those words, the Holy Spirit set forth the very origin of
salvation and the cause of both faith and repentance, all of which is
owing to the election of grace which took place before the world was
made.
Why
were some given in covenant mercy to the eternal Surety to be
redeemed by His blood and robed in His righteousness while others
were left to perish in the lake of fire? This distinction is to be
attributed solely to the sovereign pleasure of the Lord. "Even
so Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight" (Matthew
11:26).
-Gospel report by preacher Jim Byrd
Thirteenth
Street Baptist church of Ashland, Kentucky USA
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