Before the World Began

    In the fore-ordination of God, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, the Son of His love, was slain from the foundation of the world (I Peter1:20), and in the same everlasting appointment, all God’s elect were secured in His book of life, ever-graven in the bosom of the Father’s love before the world began {John 17:23-24; Ephesians 1:4, Titus 1:2}. These the Father sent the Son to redeem, and to bring them to God; the Son brings them, presents them to the Father, and commends them to His care; the Father seals them with His Holy Spirit, and establishes them secure upon the Rock, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail – “My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.” 

-preacher John Johnson

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Great Encouragement in Christ JESUS ~ 19 October, 2025 A.D.

"Behold, he prayeth!"   -Acts 9:11 [KJV] In many trades, it is customary to shew samples or patterns. By these men judge of the goodness or quality of the whole. St. Paul sets himself forth as a sample, or pattern, of the free, distinguishing, sovereign, unmerited grace of God, that we should judge of its nature by its efficacy upon him. “I obtained mercy, for this cause, that in me first   (-a first rate sinner) Jesus Christ may shew forth His all long suffering, for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting”   (I Timothy 1:16.) Thou hast seen this pattern of free grace. What dost thou think of it?  The whole is alike with the pattern. It cometh alike upon elect sinners. It finds no more prerequisites, fitness, qualifications, or conditions in any, than it did in St. Paul. Whenever it takes place upon any, it produceth the same effects as it did in him. Grace and mercy from Jesus, makes Saul pray to Jesus. There is the ...
Read more

Light Rising in the Darkness: Take Heart, friends...

"Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness." -Psalm 112:4 [KJV] We often get into such dark paths, that we seem altogether out of the secret, and feel as if there were no more grace in our souls, than in one altogether dead in trespasses and sins. And whether we look back at the past, or view the present, or turn our eyes to the future, one dark cloud seems to rest upon the whole; nor can we, with all our searching, find to our satisfaction that we have one spark of true religion, or one atom of grace, or one grain of vital godliness, or any trace that the Spirit of God has touched our consciences with His finger. Now, when we are in this dark, benighted state, we want light; we want the blessed Sun of righteousness to arise; we want the south wind to blow a heavenly gale, and drive the mists away; we want the clouds to part, and the light of God's countenance to shine into our souls, so as to shew us where we are, and what we are, and make it cle...
Read more

THE GREAT TRUMPET BLAST ~ The Joyful Sound!

"The great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come, who were ready to perish." -Isaiah 27:13 [KJV] One trumpet has been blown, at the giving of the law, on mount Sinai: the voice of it sounded long, and waxed louder and louder. It made even Moses to fear and quake exceedingly, and all the people tremble. Soon, very soon, (who knows but it may be the next moment, in the twinkling of an eye?) the last trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised (I Corinthians 15:52.)   Tremendous voice! most solemn sound! The prophet asks, “Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?” (Amos. 3:6.) If the alarm of war, and the approach of an enemy should be sounded in the dead of the night, what fear and terror would seize us! Must we hear the sound of the last trumpet, calling us to judgment?  Blessed, eternally blessed be our God, for the blowing of this great trumpet: it is the sound of great love: it proclaims salvation—to whom? Even to great s...
Read more