Foreordination in the Eternal Purpose of God
By George W. Reaser
Character the Basis of That Which Is Foreordained—The Waiting, Groaning Creation—The Eternal Home-Coming This is one of several articles prepared by Elder Reaser on the general theme of the eternal purpose of God. In this issue, he considers the subject of foreordination as related to the eternal purpose. Editor. Some are perplexed over the Bible doctrine of foreordination. In the light of God’s eternal purpose, the foreordination of members of the human family, before the foundation of the world, was simply the decision beforehand of the characters, rather than the individuals, that would make the whole family of earth complete, symmetrical, perfect, in righteousness and love, when the eternal purpose is carried to completion. All who, through grace, develop such characters as will perfectly fit into the divine conception, were “chosen in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world,” and were thus ordained to eternal life. Any person found, at the close of his probation, possessed of a carnal nature, cannot fit into the purpose; for disobedience, theft, adultery, murder, and the like, would completely spoil the plan. Righteousness in Christ Jesus will alone make the design perfect. Gal. 5: 18-21. THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES
Space will not permit extended reference to the fact that the one-time people of God,—the Jews,—having failed as a nation, the Gentiles were grafted in to make the good olive tree,—the figure of the eventually redeemed family of earth,—complete. Thus “the fullness of the Gentiles” will finally result in the replenishing of the earth, notwithstanding the failure of the chosen people. Rom. 11: 17; Eph. 3: 1-11. THE FAMILY RECORD OF THE LAST ADAM
A work is even now going on in heaven that constitutes the completion of the list of those who, by character development, will fit into God’s purpose for our world. The list, or world-family record, of the godly line, as noted in previous articles, is entitled “the Lamb’s book of life.” This record, completed, will contain the perfect number of names—and these names all indicative of character—that Jehovah had in mind when He gave the commission to the first pair in Eden, “Multiply, and replenish the earth.” A suggestion of the fact that He had a definite number in mind, is found in the loving admonition, “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Rev. 3: 11. Only the godly line by the new birth, are registered in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The ungodly shall not be written with the living in the New Jerusalem. THE WAITING, GROANING CREATION
Paul describes the condition of the universe while waiting for the completion of God’s eternal purpose, in these words: “The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God,”—the replenishing of the earth with sons of God by the preaching of the everlasting gospel. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Rom. 8: 19, 22. The plan completed means the restoration of the earth to its Edenic beauty. When the commission was given, man was in a sinless and deathless state, associated with God and angels, and having access to the tree of life. Genesis 1 and 2. When the purpose is completed, the tabernacle of God will be with men, and He will dwell with them. Revelation 21. To the original work of creation, as pertaining to our world, God devoted six days, and then found delight in the work accomplished. It would seem that the work of recreation, or the replenishing of the earth by the gospel of Christ, might be completed in about six thousand years, to be followed by a millennium of rest in heaven, in which Jehovah will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in His people. THE ETERNAL HOME GATHERING
Of this home gathering it is written for the encouragement of the wayworn pilgrims: “Fear not; for I am with thee; I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back; bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” “For the Lord shall comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places, and He will make her wilderness like Eden; and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of503hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.” Isa. 43: 5-7; 51: 4, 5. Happily and appropriately is given the part of the “welcome home” to the members of the human family who by character development will compose the complete number designed in the mind of Jehovah to replenish the earth, a welcome to be extended by the “Seed of the woman,” who redeemed the failure of Adam and Eve, and who will carry the eternal purpose to completion. It reads, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 25: 34. Genesis, chapters one and three, shows the eternal purpose of Jehovah in divine commission and prophetic promise. The last two chapters of the Bible show that purpose completed, with all of the agencies set in operation by Satan to defeat it gone down in eternal ruin; and God’s dwelling place with men, all tears forever wiped away, and “the last enemy,” death, destroyed, the dispensation of the fullness of times past, the gathering together in one of all things in the heavens and on the earth accomplished, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.