The value of a human soul was settled at the cross. His death was personal for every person. Predestination is one of the most supernatural words in Holy Scripture. It is actually our biography written by our Creator in advance. Of course, it spells out our salvation from sin and eternal damnation; but, it also spells out more, much more, than salvation. The marks in His hands had our name written in them; but, also had our future planned by His royal design. We were born to be kings and priests. The churches are filled with men and women who are living like paupers while royal blood is coursing through their veins.
Isaiah was a prophet that penned mind stretching theologies. He could think and write outside the box of his generation. As the truth of the future Messiah’s death arrested him, he saw the far reaching facts. His death was not going to be some impersonal sacrifice, but an actual identification with every soul born to women. Our name, actually all of our names, was hacked in His wounds. By the Holy Spirit Isaiah stated, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16). The word graven means hacked or tattooed.
Can I help you discover how much He loves you? You may think yourself to be nobody; but, I have good news for you. The Spirit has already spoken through David, the first king of Israel, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them”(Psalm 139:14-16).
Our Creator, God, possesses perfect “foreknowledge” of every detail of our person. Note again what King David said, “. . . And in thy book (scroll) all my members were written.” And that was before we were made in our mother’s womb. The human family was and is perfectly planned and intimately loved. Just like you know the names and features of all your family — color of the eyes and particulars of each personality — so our Heavenly Father knows “my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:2).
It’s wonderful to know that our Father has such perfect “foreknowledge” of us but that is not all. He also “predestinated” us and planned our perfect future right down to the minute details. He did not create such beautiful human creatures and leave us to chance. His will for us is pure, exciting, beautiful, and full of joy, but totally dependent on our surrender to him. The Apostle Paul said it perfectly. This description — given by The Holy Spirit and written by this man of God — can change your entire life in a matter of minutes.
You must give up your will to His will. “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:13-17).
Can you do this in the flesh? No, you cannot. You must be Born Again and made a new creature. Listen to the Holy Spirit, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a work of grace that is wrought in you when you turn your entire life over to Him and rest in the cleansing and perfecting by the blood of His cross. His blood sacrifice is supernatural and life-changing. Trust totally in that price that He paid for your soul.
Now, by faith, step into a new life. Give up your dreams and your stubborn will and commit to His will. His will is miles ahead of where you are right now. You may be rich or poor, educated or uneducated, beautiful or ordinary; but, He wants you just exactly like you are, completely ready to change for him. Do not allow some imagination that Satan puts in your mind to stop you. This has been proven million and millions of times. It absolutely cannot fail unless you rebel, give up or turn back.
The Bible warns us of those who start in this race but turn back. “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Peter 2:20-21).
What is really exciting is to watch the man or a woman that goes all the way with Christ! Paul, the Apostle, was a perfect example. “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:8-9).
This Salty Saints is the Gospel of Jesus Christ at its grandest level. When the Son of God died on that cross, you were on His mind. Your soul and life were written in His mutilated palms. He took your place and you do not have to be lost. There is only one thing that stands between every soul and the best life in the world — that one thing is your selfish will. The will of man is the root of the Adamic nature and it must be defeated. Heaven is an eternal place where the families of those that are surrendered to Him live forever in perfect happiness.
Joseph R. Chambers, DD, DSL
jrc@pawcreek.org