The whole human race is
divided by God into two categories: Those who are his people and those who are
not his people, those who are elect and those who are reprobate, sheep and
goats. This distinction between men was made by God in eternity; and it is an
irreversible distinction. Sheep shall never become goats, and goats shall never
become sheep. The elect of God will never become reprobates; and reprobates
will never become the elect of God. Between the two there is a great gulf fixed.
If any of Adam's fallen race is so infinitely blessed of God as to be numbered
among God's people, his elect, his sheep, surely a soul to whom God has been so
gracious will gladly acknowledge that the only thing distinguishing between him
and those who are damned is the distinguishing grace of God (I Cor. 4:7).
"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy
mercy, and for thy truth's sake," is the cry of every saved sinner. All
who are saved by grace fully recognize, and rejoice in the fact, that grace
alone his distinguished them from the rest of Adam's fallen race.
We who believe
belong to God, we are Christ's sheep by A DISTINGUISHING ELECTION. We
became the Lord's sheep by his own eternal choice. In the covenant of grace,
God branded us as his sheep, set a hedge about us, and secured our eternal
salvation in Christ (John