Chapter 2. The Arguments proving the Proposition.
The text falls into three parts.
1. The inventory, "all things,"
2. The proprietors, "all things are yours."
3. The tenure, "You are Christ's."
Which three branches will make up this one proposition.
Doctrine. That all things in heaven and earth are the portion and privilege of a believer. "He who overcomes shall inherit all things." A large inventory! "All things!" We cannot have more than all; and the apostle doubles it, to take away all hesitancy and doubting from faith.
Chapter 2.
The Arguments Proving the Proposition.
There are two reasons which will serve to illustrate and confirm the proposition, "All things are a believer's."
Reason 1. All things are a believer's, because the covenant of grace is his. The covenant is our Great Charter, by virtue of which God settles all things in heaven and earth upon us. By sin we had forfeited all; therefore if all things are ours, the title comes in by a covenant: until then we had nothing of our own. This covenant is the and plan and outcome of God's love; it is the legacy of free-grace.
This covenant is enriched with mercy, it is embroidered with promises: you may read the Charter, "I will be their God." And there is a parallel to it, "I am God, even your God." This is a sufficient dowry. If God is ours, then all things are ours.
1. God is eminently good. One diamond does virtually contain many lesser pearls: the excellencies in the creature are single, and lack their adjuncts. Learning has not always noble parentage; honor has not always virtue. No individual can be the receptacle of all perfections. Those excellencies which lie scattered in the creature, are all united and concentrated in God—as the beams in the sun, or the drops in the ocean.
2. God is superlatively good. Whatever is in the creature, is to be found in God after a most transcendent manner. A man may be said to be wise—but God is infinitely so. A man may be said to be powerful—but God is eternally so. A man may be said to be faithful—but God is unchangeably so. Now in the covenant of grace, God passes himself over to us to be our God, "I am God, your
God!" Psalm 50:7
This expression, "I am your God," imports three things:
1. Pacification. You shall find grace in my sight, I will cast a favorable aspect upon you. I will take off my armor, I will take down my standard, I no more will be enemy.
2. Donation. God makes himself over to us by a deed of gift, and gives away himself to us. He says to the believer, as the king of Israel said to the king of Syria, "I am yours—and all that I have!" This is a hive of divine comfort! All that is in God is ours! His wisdom is ours to teach us; his love is ours to pity us; his Spirit is ours to comfort us; his mercy is ours to save us. When God says to the soul, "I am yours,"—He cannot say no more!
3. Duration. I will be your God—as long as I am a God. "For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end." Psalm 48:14.
Reason 2. All things are a believer's, because CHRIST is his. Jesus Christ is the pillar and hinge upon which the covenant of grace turns. Without Christ, we have nothing to do with a covenant.