To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Subject: HF003 - From the Foundation of the World
Date sent: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 03:17:33 -0500
Hebraics,
I am offering this Bible study for discussion. It will be in the file
section of our web page for future reference.
Last year (1999) it fell my lot to do funeral services for two of my old
minister buddies. I miss them greatly. But they both left me with great
memories. I could spend hours just sharing with you how very precious our
relationship was. But most of you know equally well, that there is no
friendship as beautiful as a friendship in Christ. Both these ministers
were long-standing warriors of the faith. They have gone, and I remain.
One of by buddies was especially close to me. I buried his wife
several years ago. We shared a friendship that lasted close to
twenty-five years.
It was this buddy that passed an interesting thought to me, and,
so, I will pass it on you, both a way of memorial, and as part of this
Bible study.
In his attempt to describe our salvation, Brother Calvin use to say
that when we get to heaven we will see a great gate, and over the
great gate a sign which says, "Whosoever Will, Let Him Come
and Drink Freely." But after you pass through the gate, and look
back from heaven's side, the great gate will read, "Saved from the
Foundation of the World."
What a mystery, this our salvation. While this is a heart
warming story, our question would naturally be, "Is there anything
to the issue of our being saved from the foundation of the world?"
Yes, but for the most part it has to remain within the realm of the
divine mystery. (Folk tend to debate this issue to death, and lose
the wonder of God's love.)
There is no question that the Scriptures have a dual focus on
salvation. Often we find the two focuses hard to reconcile. The Bible
teaches both the free will of man, but it also teaches predestination
by God. Where we get in trouble is trying to concentrate on one at
the expense of the other. Both revelations have to go hand in hand.
During the times of the apostles, it was a commonly held Jewish
belief that salvation was both of free will and predestined. This was
really discovered with the Essene writings. In fact, much of the Essene
library has a close resemblance to the Christian faith. (There are some
distinct differences.)
What does the Bible say? Well, the Bible has much to say about
things that took place in eternity. The term "from the foundation of the
world" is used several times in the new covenant writings. Let's look
them over:
(1) Concerning Messiah, it says, "I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world."
(Matt13:35)
(2) As to one phase of the kingdom of God, the King says to those
on his right, "Come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
(Matt25:34)
(3) Of the Christ-rejecting leadership, the Lord said, "The blood of all
the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged to
this generation." (Luke11:50)
(4) When Jesus prayed, He said, "Father....You loved me before
the foundation of the world." (John17:24)
(5) Paul says of all believers, "He chose us in Him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless
before Him in love." (Eph1:4)
(6) The book of Hebrews speaks of God's rest in the Messiah, in
saying that, "His works were finished from the foundation of the
world." (Heb4:3)
(7) Of Christ's pre-existence in eternity, and with regard to our
salvation, it says, "He would have needed to suffer often since the
foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the
ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of
Himself." (Heb9:26)
(8) Peter says the Christ, "Was foreknown before the foundation of
the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you, who
through Him are believers in God..." (1Pet1:20,21)
(9 and 10) Both Rev13:7 and Rev17:8, speak of the names of the
saved written in the Lamb's book of life, "from the foundation of the
world."
All these Scriptures involve the eternity of God. They are hard for
our finite minds to grasp. But in the eternity of God, time is of no
essence. This is why the Lord could say of Jeremiah, "Before I formed you
in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..."
(Jer1:5)
When, then, is the issue in all this? The issue is that believers
need to have their conscious life filled with assurances of their
salvation. This is what moves our salvation out of the emotional
realm into the very heart of new covenant salvation.
The old timers referred to this continual witness of salvation as the
'divine assurance.' But to our loss, some religions today have managed to
equate salvation with an emotional experience.. Salvation is much deeper
than the emotions. Peter spoke of it as our partaking of the divine
nature. (2Pet1:4)
In all this we should never mistake a shallow emotional experience,
which is here today and gone tomorrow, for a true new covenant
work of salvation. You never have to tell someone who has truly
been born again, "Tomorrow when you wake up, the devil will tell
you, you didn't receive anything." Why is this not the case?
Because in the born-from-above experience there is an actual
change of nature, along with a spiritual imprint upon the heart of a
believer. This imprint cannot be denied. The Bible speaks of it as the
seal of redemption.
Jesus Himself said that His sheep walked with in in a 'knowing'
relationship. He also leaped for joy in expressing the wonder of our
salvation. Listen to what He said; "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent
and have revealed them to infants." (Matt11:25)
Paul said the new covenant experience is based upon a believer's
conscious relationship with the Father. This relationship is
activated by the Spirit of God. He said, "The Spirit Himself testifies
with our spirit that we are children of God." (Rom8:16)
In another place Paul says, "Because you are sons, God has sent
forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!.'"
The Abba Father cry is not our cry, even though we feel it deep in
our spirit life. It is actually the cry of Sonship. It the birthing cry
made by the Spirit of Jesus. This cry speaks of a conscious cry tot the
Father of eternity. And this is why in the new covenant, religion has to
take a back seat. No true child of God can feed on the trappings of
religion. That was done away with at the cross. (This does not do away
with the flocking of God's people.)
Every true believer has eternity in their heart. Paul spoke of this, when
he said, "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the
things which are not seen are eternal." (2Co4:18)
This cry of sonship speaks of God's eternal redemption that was
set in place from the foundation of the world. The prophet heard
God say it this way; "Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel,
and his Maker, 'Ask Me the things to come concerning My sons,
and you will commit to Me the work of My hands." (Isa45:11)
We are the children of eternity. We carry in our hearts an eternal
perspective. We have a longing for eternal things. We understand
eternal things with our hearts, while we are often unable to put
them down on paper. This is just the way we are.
So, was my minister buddy right? After we pass through the
portals of eternity, will be look back and say, "Yes! Thank you
Lord! I was saved from the foundation of the world!"
Who knows. But it is wonderful to think about.
The study is open for discussion.
In Christ,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
