Of God: Thy Kingdom Come Triplet: Of Finding Him

March 25

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14 Called, but not chosen. Indeed, it is one thing to have never heard the Gospel than to have heard and walked away; which many unfortunately do. However, for those who are chosen, we learn to walk with Him. We do so by reliving His life with His disciples while He was on earth by reading the Scriptures. Secondly, we do so by walking with Him as His disciple today.  What a challenging and glorious walk that is!

Of Finding Him —

You don’t need intelligence, wisdom, strength, power or might to know God. You don’t need to scour the universe to find Him, nor your own heart (as in cleaning) for Him to dwell within you. You merely need to have been granted the ears to hear; and by His irresistible grace, to heed what is heard and that with fear and trembling. Men and women who search for Him today are still drawn to Bethlehem. Then, they walk and learn from Him as He traveled from village to village; listen to Him, as He spoke with His disciples, and they watch Him as He went up a mountain to pray or slept in the bottom of a boat during a storm. Finally, they watched Him die at Golgotha and later ascend into a cloud; from which He will one day return for all of God’s elect. Yes, wise men do seek Him. By irresistible grace, they find their arguments removed and the middle partition to their heart is split; which exposes a heart of flesh beneath the hardened stone, which again, resurrected with Him, is found rolled away.

March 26

As for those who are chosen, the inclination of their heart is to say, ‘Yes, Lord, Yes! I once was blind but now I see! You, Oh Lord, are the One I longed for and desired, but I would not have known unless You approached me! The person I thought I knew, I never knew at all; not until grace… sweet grace… swept over me, and I knew I was truly forgiven. Thank you, Lord Jesus.’

Of Irresistible Grace —

What is the irresistible nature of God’s grace? Personally, I hold the definition taught within the reformed community and the doctrines of grace. Though that view may offend some, I humbly ask your indulgence; that is, only to read on (no reference to the Papists, who at one time required parishioners to pay for their blessings.)

Anyway, as for the definition of irresistible grace, the Reverend Thomas Shepard (1604-1649) wrote (and I paraphrase): “The gift of faith is the complement and end of God’s effectual call. God’s irresistible grace prevents a poor, humbled soul from not knowing ‘how’ to believe; not ‘being able’ to believe or not ‘daring’ to believe.” As for the matter of an effectual call, that is the call of God that truly leads to one’s redemption and salvation, and standing at the right hand side of their Savior, they will hear, “…Well done, good and faithful servant….” Matthew 25:23    

As I experienced in my salvation, the love of God so overwhelmed my heart and soul at that moment that, yes, it was irresistible! I knew ‘how’; that is by faith alone… I was ‘able;’ that by His Spirit who drew me in… and I could do nothing other than ‘dare’ to trust Him. Immediately after I repented, the sin that once covered me as a dead man’s shroud was removed, and as Lazarus, I came out of my living, fleshly tomb at Christ’s call. Did I have a choice at that very moment? Yes, and no. Leading up to that point, yes; that’s where those who are not effectually called turn aside. However, for me, the answer is ‘no’ because His draw was too great. As Jesus’ face was set or fixed when He went up to Jerusalem; the same is true of God’s elect. They too must go up. Is there anything under the sun that we would walk away from if the object was irresistible? It’s just that many of the called, but who turn away, find the enticement of the world and their flesh irresistible. Indeed, the noted American Philosopher and Theologian Jonathan Edwards spoke of decision-making as a matter of choice; that is, selecting one alternative over another. Which alternative do we choose? The one that we find our hearts and minds more favorable and drawn to select. In the matter of salvation, it is the Holy Spirit; acting in accordance with the will of God, Who so inclines our heart to say ‘Yes, Lord, I repent. Forgive me.’

March 27

Another way to examine the nature of our redemption and salvation as a result of God’s choosing is to realize that if we were left to our own fallen nature, we wouldn’t pursue Him.

A Morning conversation and study —

The Apostle Paul restated the words of the Psalmist when he said in Romans 3:11, “there is none that seeks after God.”  Then, in Psalm 119:155, I read, “salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.” To that I muttered, ‘But Lord! Salvation was never to be found in Your statutes! As glorious and perfect Your law is, only death is there! Besides, the more I thought I knew of Your law, the greater my iniquity and condemnation. As it is written, “For all have sinned and have fallen short of Your glory.” (Romans 3:23) I don’t understand, but then I heard in response, “No one does. No one understands.” Again, I heard the words of Apostle Paul from Romans, Chapter 3.

I thought I grasped the Gospel message. Even before He sealed me in His Spirit and removed all of my guilt and shame, I still thought I knew—even in my flesh. Then, I recalled the Psalmist, “the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord!” (Psalm 37:39.) Yes, true salvation is of the Lord. It is by grace alone; faith alone; Christ alone as the Apostle wrote in Galatians 2:15-16. Yes; salvation was never to be found by obeying the law. I couldn’t ever be good enough; do enough. No one could. No matter how wonderful God’s law and statutes were… whether the religious revered them or the wicked despised them, man’s failure, death and judgment was sure to follow.

‘Yes, without a mediator that is true,’ my Spirit replied softly within me. ‘Those I quickened from death to life, the Father chose and drew to His Son. He did that after revealing His law so the elect would understand the necessity of His Son’s death. In the depths of man’s despair—yes, when men acknowledged their inability to keep the law and realized the eternal consequences of sin—it was then by grace and faith alone they were drawn to His precious Son. Men repent and believed on the name of Jesus, Who had kept all of His Father’s law; every jot and tittle in their behalf, and as the Lamb of God, shed His blood from your redemption. Do you now understand the great transition from Old Covenant to New? Why it was necessary and how Jesus “is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”, and the Father is “just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Yes, Lord, now I see for You opened my eyes.

This ends this triplet ‘Of Finding Him.’ Concluding this, may we all say with confidence: ‘Thy Kingdom Come.’