God's Purpose of the Ages.
EVER keep in mind that God's call and God's election are not the same. His call to salvation is to all, irrespective of character. Nay, more, He has told us that He especially calls to Himself and all His glorious blessings the sinner. His election is, first of all, of characters. It was characters which were chosen before the foundation of the world; for character determines the worth of the person. It was names of character which were written in the "Lamb's book of life." These characters are according to His purpose. They are, in fact, the ultimate of His purpose. These names will never be blotted from the book of life. To eternal life and glory God calls every soul. If he will not accept that call, he places himself outside of the purpose of God, and must perish. If he does accept that call, then God chooses him for one of those characters which were chosen before the foundation of the world. That soul becomes a candidate for that character for which God sees he is best fitted. His name is entered in the book of life. If he is willing to spell out the immortal name in the experiences which God permits to come, his name will remain forever, and when the last victory is won, he will be clothed completely by that character—he will be that character—to which he has been called, and will receive that name as his "new name" forever, expressing all his experience in Christ Jesus. If he at any time refuse to submit to God's plan, the character is forfeited, and his name blotted out of the book of life. God chooses each soul to an eternal character; it is the privilege of that soul to make his "election sure." All this is according to God's "purpose of the ages" (Eph. 3:11, margin of R.V.), which centers in Jesus Christ. It involves the new heavens and the new earth of prophecy, from which sin shall be forever barred by hearts which are fortresses of righteousness. Isa. 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13. As that new earth and heavens come forth by God's power out of the ruins of the old, so God by the word of His power would recreate every sinful soul, and fit it for that kingdom. No soul is barred of God. But says the timid, conscientious soul: "Is it not said, 'He hath mercy on whom He will and whom He will He hardeneth,' and did not God harden Pharaoh's heart?" These are fair questions; let us seek Bible answers. Upon whom is it God's will to have mercy? (1) Upon the obedient: "Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments." Ex. 20:6. (2) Upon the wicked: "As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Eze. 33:11. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:7. Then, it is God's will to have mercy upon all. Whom will God harden?—God's Spirit will finally cease its pleading with that man who will not heed its voice, but persistently chooses and identifies himself with sin. The soul hardens itself by departing from God. Heb. 3:12, 13. By persisting in the way of sin, the heart becomes so hard that even God's Spirit can impress it no more, and man is left to his own choice. They "did not choose the fear of Jehovah, they would none of My counsel, they despised all My reproof; therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way." Prov. 1:29-32. God raised up, or brought, Pharaoh to the throne to show in that king His power and to publish abroad His name in all the earth. Rom. 9:18. All this might have been wrought by Pharaoh's acknowledging God, as God called him to do. The stubborn king would not yield to God, but made strong and stubborn his heart, till at last God left him; and when God left the king his heart was hardened. Ex. 9:12. Previous to this hopeless time, it was Pharaoh who hardened his own heart by resisting God. See American Standard Revised Version, Ex. 7:13-22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7. But never till the case is hopeless will the Spirit of God utterly leave man. Man by rejecting God takes himself out of God's purpose. But if man will turn from the sin, tho it be like crimson; turn from the transgressions, tho they be in number like the sand of the sea, God will receive and pardon. He is not pleased with those who turn back. Heb. 10:38. He is pleased with "those that hope in His mercy," because "He delighteth in mercy." Ps. 147:11; Micah 7:18, 19. Our great danger, friends, lies not in God's failure to exercise mercy, or in God's unwillingness to save, but in our rejection of His abundant mercy. "To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart."