The Sovereignty Of
Grace
Hebrews 2:16
Here is an irrefutable statement of God's
absolute sovereignty in the exercise of his saving grace. Speaking of the Lord
Jesus Christ the inspired writer declares, "For verily he took not on him
the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham." What are we
to learn from this statement?
First, it never was the intention, desire,
will, or purpose of Christ to save the angels who fell. "He took not on
him the nature of angels." There are some elect angels who never fell.
Their election by God preserved them. But for those angels who fell, God
offered no mercy whatsoever. They are eternally reprobate, without hope (Jude
6).
Second, it never was the intention,
desire, will, or purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ to save all men. Thank God,
he does save some. "He delighteth in mercy!" But to say that the Son
of God wants to save all men, tries to save all men, or provides salvation for
all men is both absurd and blasphemous. It makes the omnipotent God a failure!
Notice the words used by the Holy Spirit. He does not say, Christ "took on
him the seed of Adam." It says, "He took on him the seed of
Abraham!"
Third, it is the intention, desire, will,
and purpose of Christ to save all the seed of Abraham. The Son of God took hold
of the seed of Abraham to save them. The expression, "The seed of
Abraham," does not refer to the Jewish race, Abraham's natural seed, but
to the whole multitude of God's elect, Abraham's spiritual seed ((Rom.
Fourth, all the seed of Abraham shall be
saved (Rom.
Fifth, all who believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ are the seed of Abraham (Phil. 3:3). If you take hold of Christ by faith,he has taken hold of you to save you by his almighty grace.
The proof of your election, your redemption, and your regeneration is faith in
Christ.
Don Fortner