3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:3-5 (LSB)
In the late 1970’s I read of a physician in a large urban hospital finding a man admitted with many of his vital organs failing due to extreme alcohol and drug poisoning. He recognized him as one whom he had treated a few years earlier for the same problem. The man was destitute and had been given free medical care…. They had treated the man as a project to recover his health. After many weeks he appeared to be completely recovered so they sent him back into the world free from the affects of drugs and alcohol. However, it looked now as if that merciful reclamation project had been totally wasted. The man died the next day.
My brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ did not go to the cross to simply provide the possible reclamation of people from the sentence of death that claims all born into this world. No, as He gave up His spirit on the cross He cried, “It is finished!” He accomplished all He came to do. He purchased with His blood those whom the Father gave Him. At the proper time, each of them are drawn to the Son and regenerated as God makes the Gospel call effectual in their hearts. They then repent and believe. God then justifies, sanctifies, and adopts them. They are held firmly in His hands. While there are many who appear to be on this pilgrimage, they did not enter by the narrow gate, but came in some other way. However, all who did come by the narrow gate to the cross are delivered from this present evil age. Therefore, God calls each of them to be separate and not be fashioned after the pattern of this lost and dying world.
Reposted from October 2020