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“Of Him, and Through Him, and To Him”

Romans 11:36

The Lord our God created all things, rules all things, and disposes of all things exactly as he will. It is our God himself who upholds the world as it now is by his ever-present, omnipotent hand. Our heavenly Father is present everywhere and in all things. The Triune Jehovah alone maintains and orders this world.

And the ultimate purpose of all things is the glory of God. Every creature and every event of this creation will soon prove to be for the glory of the Creator (Psalm 76:10; Proverbs 16:4; Isaiah 45:7). Let us take courage from this. Bad as things sometimes appear, the glory of God shall be accomplished in his creation.

Of Him

Here is an even more blessed fact. — In the grand work of salvation and grace God is all in all. All things in salvation are “of him, and through him, and to him.” It was God who devised, ordained, and purposed the salvation of chosen sinners by Christ. No one but God could have devised a plan of salvation that is so just to God and so safe to man as that which is proclaimed in the gospel. God ordained salvation by a Substitute. God ordained justification by the shedding of innocent blood. God ordained redemption by Christ.

God ordained the time when the first gospel promise would be given. God set the hour when the Redeemer would come (Galatians 4:4). God determined the people to whom the gospel would be preached. God ordained the people he would call. He set the time when his elect would be molded according to his will. He fixed the time and the place of our calling. He determined the pains of conviction which each of his chosen ones would endure. He ordained the time when faith would come.

Through Him

But we do not stop here. Not only is salvation of God in its plan. — Salvation is through him in its accomplishment. In his time the Savior was born. At the appointed hour our dear Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, made satisfaction for sin by his death upon the cursed tree. And by the power of his omnipotent mercy and irresistible grace, God the Holy Ghost regenerates and effectually calls each chosen, redeemed sinner to life and faith in Christ.

Not only did God plan our salvation, he also accomplished it, for our salvation is through him. Salvation is not a work of man, nor is it a work of God and man together. Salvation is accomplished in our hearts by the power of God. We are born-again by the power of God. We pray by the power of God. We are preserved by the power of God. We are sanctified by the power of God. We will be glorified by the power of God.

To Him

Because the grand work of salvation is of him and through him, it shall be to him alone. Let the Lord our God alone be praised. In the salvation of our souls he is the Alpha and the Omega! If I am a believer, it is because of God, only because of God. It is our great joy to proclaim that our salvation is to God. The purpose of God in saving sinners by Christ is the glory of his own name. Salvation, if it is a work of God, through God, and to God, is altogether a work of free, sovereign, eternal, and unchanging grace. — To him be glory forever! Amen.

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s