THE "MUST" OF DIVINE MERCY

Some sinners must be saved. The salvation of the sinner is as much a matter of necessity with God as truth and righteousness. Every blood bought child of God must be saved. Every one of the Lord's lost sheep must be brought into the heavenly fold. Is this not the language of Holy Scripture? Our Lord came through Jericho on an errand of mercy. At the appointed time he came to the appointed place. He selected a single man from the crowd, and said, "Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house." It was not something that he might do, or might not do. It was something he must do. There was a fallen woman in Samaria, whom grace had chosen, who must be saved. Therefore, it is written of our Lord, "He must needs go through Samaria." Providence directed men to build Samaria directly in the road and grace constrained the Savior to move in that direction. Our Lord says, concerning his sheep, who have not yet been called, "Them also I must bring." The salvation of God's elect is not something that he may do, if the sinner is willing to co-operate. It is something he must do. He must make the sinner willing in the day of his power and grace. The honor and glory of the eternal God is at stake.

THE PURPOSE OF GOD CANNOT BE FRUSTRATED. Those whom he has chosen and determined to save must be saved.

THE PURCHASE OF CHRIST CANNOT BE MADE VOID. Those whom he has redeemed by his blood he must have. Otherwise, he could never see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.

THE PROMISE OF GOD CANNOT BE BROKEN. God promised his Son a seed, a generation, to serve him as the reward of his sin-atoning sacrifice. He said to his Son, in the covenant of grace, "Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance." And God the Son, assuming the responsibility for the eternal welfare of God's elect, as their Surety, promised to present them all holy, blameless, and perfect, before the presence of his glory in the last day, saying, "Behold I and the children which God hath given me." Not one of those whom God promised to his Son and whom the Son promised to save can be eternally lost. They all must be saved.

Dear dying Lamb Thy precious blood

Shall never loose its power,

Till all the ransomed church of God

Be saved to sin no more.