God's Foreknowledge Of
Our Sin
Isaiah 48:8
Election could not have been based upon
some foreknown goodness in the elect because there is no goodness in any
unregenerate person to be foreknown! However, the Word of God does declare that
God foreknew something about his elect. He foreknew our sin! He says, "I
knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor
from the womb."
The accusations of this text are levelled
not against
This is God's word to you and me! God knew
all that we would be and do. Yet, he purposed to save us, and he never swerved
from his purpose. He never ceased to be gracious toward us. The teaching of
this text is that MAN'S SIN DOES NOT IN ANY WAY PREVENT, DETER, OR HINDER GOD'S
PURPOSE OF GRACE. He will be gracious to whom he will be gracious. Where sin
abounds, grace superabounds.
We must acknowledge the truthfulness of
the charge made against us by our God. We have dealt very treacherously with
him. We have been bought with the precious blood of Christ. Yet, we live, act,
and think as though we belonged to ourselves! We professed faith in and
allegiance to Christ as our Lord in baptism, but we have not lived up to our
profession. Still, our God is gracious!
How we ought to adore his grace! "He saw us ruined by the fall, yet loved us not withstanding
all!" When election's eye first pitched upon us, when Christ came
to redeem us, when the Spirit called us, the Lord God knew all about us. When
he adopted us into his family he knew what treacherous sinners we would be! Our
sin did not prevent his grace. And it is impossible to imagine that our sin
will ever cause him to withdraw his grace!
Don Fortner