1. The Fountain
1. The Fountain
First, I would point out to you the fountain from which all those blessings flow, that the elect of God partake of in Jesus. “Who of God is made unto us”—the Father, He it is Who is spoken of here. Not as though Jesus Christ was not God also, but God the Father is the fountain of the Deity. And if we consider Jesus Christ acting as Mediator,1 God the Father is greater than He. There was an eternal contract between the Father and the Son: “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant” (Psa 89:3). Now David was a type of Christ, with Whom the Father made a covenant that, if He would obey and suffer and make Himself a sacrifice for sin, He should “see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand” (Isa 53:10).
Our Lord refers to this compact in that glorious prayer recorded in John 17. There He prays for, or rather demands with a full assurance, all that were given to Him by the Father: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am” (Joh 17:24). For this same reason the apostle breaks out into praises of God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for He loved the elect with an everlasting love—or as our Lord expresses it, “before the foundation of the world” (Joh 17:24b).
And therefore, to show them to Whom they were beholden for their salvation, our Lord in Matthew 25 represents Himself, saying, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mat 25:34). And thus, in reply to the mother of Zebedee’s children, He says, It “is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father” (Mat 20:23). The apostle therefore—when here speaking of the Christian’s privileges, lest they should sacrifice to their own worth or think their salvation was owing to their own faithfulness, or improvement of their own free will—reminds them to look back on the everlasting love of God the Father, “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”
Would to God this point of doctrine was considered more, and people were more studious of the covenant of redemption2 between the Father and the Son! We should not then have so much disputing against the doctrine of election, or hear it condemned (even by good men) as a doctrine of devils. For my own part, I cannot see how true humbleness of mind can be attained without a knowledge of it. Though I will not say that everyone who denies election is a bad man, yet I will say with that sweet singer Mr. Traill,3 it is a very bad sign.
Such a one, whoever he be, I think cannot truly know himself. For if we deny election, we must, partly at least, glory in ourselves; but our redemption is so ordered that no flesh should glory in the divine presence. Hence it is that the pride of man opposes this doctrine, because according to this doctrine and no other, “He that glorieth, let him glory [only] in the Lord” (1Co 1:31).
But what shall I say? Election is a mystery that shines with such resplendent brightness that, to make use of the words of one who has drank deeply of electing love, it dazzles the weak eyes of some of God’s dear children. However, though they know it not, all the blessings they receive, all the privileges they do or will enjoy through Jesus Christ, flow from the everlasting love of God the Father: “But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”