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“Jesus is the Christ”

“Mine ears hast thou opened.” (Psalm 40:6)

With these words, David shows us that the Messiah, the Christ, must be a man who is Jehovah’s voluntary servant (Exodus 21:1-6). The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and performed his work as the voluntary Servant of his Father (Isaiah 42:1-4; 50:5-7; Hebrews 10:5-7; John 10:16-18; Luke 12:50).

Jehovah’s Equal

He who is Jehovah’s voluntary servant is Jehovah’s equal. All angels, men, creatures, devils, and events must serve God, because he is the Creator of all things. All rational beings are morally obligated to serve God, because we live upon his bounty. But Christ came to serve the Father voluntarily. He owed nothing and had nothing to gain, for he is himself Jehovah. That Man who is the Christ is himself God. He is “over all, God blessed forever” (Psalm 45:6-7; Romans 10:5).

Specific Mission

Jehovah’s Servant came into the world with a specific mission to accomplish (Matthew 1:21). Throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, Messiah was promised, looked for, and trusted as that One who would come to restore his fallen people to the everlasting favor of God by putting away their sins (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:18).

No Failure

Either Jesus of Nazareth has effectually redeemed and saved all God’s elect, or he is not the Christ. The Christ of Arminian, freewill, works religion is a false Christ. We know he is, because Messiah’s eternal glory and exaltation is dependent and conditioned upon the success of his redemptive, saving work (Psalm 2:7-8; 65:4; 110:3). The Prophet Isaiah declared, “He shall not fail” (Isaiah 42:4). And our blessed Savior said the same of himself (John 6:37-40 10:16-18). And God the Holy Spirit assures us that he did not fail (Hebrews 10:10-14).

When Isaiah wrote his prophecy, he was looking into the future and said, “He shall not fail!” Now we look back to the past and say, “He has not failed!” (John 17:2; 19:30). He has not failed to fulfil all the Old Testament Scriptures. He has not failed to bring in perfect, everlasting righteousness. He has not failed to redeem his people!

Particular Redemption

Any redemption other than particular, effectual redemption presents Christ as a failure to be pitied. To say that Christ suffered to redeem and save some who are finally lost in hell is to declare that, as both Noel Smith and Jerry Falwell put it, “Hell is a colossal trophy and monument to the failures of the Triune God to save the multitudes who are there.” But that cannot be. Our Lord Jesus Christ has not failed to bear our sins, and bear them away! The Christ of God has not failed to satisfy the infinite wrath and justice of God for our sins! Our mighty Savior has not failed to crush the Serpent’s head!

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s