Sermon # 142            Series: Isaiah

 

Title:  God’s Foreknowledge of Our Sin

Text:  Isaiah 48:8

Subject:  Sin No Deterrent To Grace

Date:   Sunday Evening – February 28, 1993

 

Introduction:

 

There are man who try to destroy the doctrines of absolute predestination and unconditional election by asserting that “election is according to foreknowledge.”  That is, I grant, a very scriptural statement (I Peter 1:2), but the Arminians, freewillers make a very unscriptural interpretation of it.   Contrary to Holy Scripture they teach that God chose some to salvation because he foreknew that they would choose to be saved, because he foreknew that they would choose to be saved, because he foreknew that they would repent and believe.  The Bible nowhere teaches such a doctrine!

 

1.  The Bible teaches us that man by nature has neither the will nor the ability to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:40; 6:44).

 

·         He is Spiritually Dead (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-4).

 

2.  According to Holy Scripture, the Purpose of God in Election Is An Eternal Act of Free, Sovereign, Unconditional Grace (Eph. 1:3-6; II Thess. 2:13-14; Rom. 9:11-16).

 

God did not choose us because of anything good he foreknew we would do or be.  He chose us because it was his good pleasure to save us, because of his unconditional, everlasting love for us in Christ!

 

Election could not have been based upon foreknown goodness because there is no goodness in fallen man, for God to have foreknown!  However, the Word of God does declare something that God foreknew about his elect – He foreknew our sin!  That is what I want to talk to you about tonight.   The title of my message is God’s Foreknowledge of Our Sin.  In our text the Lord God is speaking.  He is teaching us that…

 

Proposition:

Man’s sin does not in anyway prevent, deter, or hinder God’s purpose of Grace- He will be gracious to whom he will be gracious!

 

I.  Without question, This Text Must Be Applied To The Jews, Whose Sins Had Brought Them Into Babylon As Object Slaves.

 

The ancient people of Israel were a stubbornly sinful people.  The Lord himself had taught them, plainly and repeatedly, line upon line, precept upon precept.  The word now given by the prophet Isaiah was God’s direct word to his erring people.

 

 

Common sense would have taught them that the God of undeniable miraculous power, the God who speaks and brings to pass his prophetic word is God alone.  Common sense would yield to such proof, were it not for the obstinacy of the depraved heart!  Nothing exceeds the obstinate stupidity the unregenerate heart!

 

Because of their obstinate unbelief the Lord God at last gave the nation of Israel over to reprobation.  Reprobate, spiritual, desolate, blind, the nation of Israel stands as a monument to the justice of God- (Matt. 23:37-38; Rom. 11:8).

 

A.  Providence has Warned You!

B.  The Law has Condemned You!

C.  Mercy Has Wooed You!

D.  The Gospel Has Limited, Commanded, and Called You To Christ!

E.  Your Own Conscience has Echoed the Voice of God In Your Soul.

 

Yet, “Thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew and thy brow brass.”  Up to now, as far as you are concerned, I have been plowing upon a rock.  Your stony heart has not yet felt the sharp edge of the plow.  The bread has been cast upon the waters; and often many days it has not returned!

 

I am sometimes astonished at your disobedience and unbelief.  And well I might be!  In our text, it appears that God himself is astonished by it!  Three times in this one verse the Lord uses the word “yea,” as if to show his astonishment.

 

Once more, I warn you.  God will not tolerate your abstinence forever!  He declares, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man.”  If you persist in your obstinate unbelief God will see to it that you cannot believe (Prov. 1:23-33).

 

“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near!”

 

III.  But, painful as it is to acknowledge, The Accusations of Our Text Must Be Received As Accusation Justly Addressed To Those Who Truly Are The People Of God – They Are Accusations Against Us!

 

It is astonishing to me that unregenerate men and women turn a deaf ear to God almighty and despise his grace.  But I should not be astonished.  I have abundant proof in my own heart that true believers are often obstinate and rebellious to the word of God.

 

How often we run from clearly revealed duty!  How often we postpone obedience to the will of God until it is impossible to obey!  If something is disagreeable to us, even though we know it is right, we either ignore our responsibility or find an excuse for not fulfilling it.  Do we not?  How little there is of the humble child about us!  How much of the self-willed man!  We ought to be as sheep, following close at the Shepherd’s heels.  But we are too much like the wild ass’s colt or the untrained ox, kicking against the pricks!

 

I do not mean to accuse you.  If what I am saying truly does not apply to you, then I envy you.  But as for myself, when I read the charges of my text, I must bow and plead “Guilty!”

 

     Note:  These accusations are leveled not against Babylon, whom God was resolved to destroy, but against Israel, whom he was resolved to save.

 

 

How this is the wonder of our text- All this ignorance and folly, obstinacy and rebellion, deceit and treachery were foreknown by God.  He knew what we would be and do.  Yet, he purposed to save us and never ceased to be gracious to us!  I am talking to you tonight about magnificent, unconditional, indestructible, free grace!

 

A.  The Charge God makes against His People is Treachery, Lifelong Treachery!  (Read the Text!)

 

Let me deal honestly with your soul.  You my brother, you my sister, are beloved of God, chosen by grace, redeemed by blood, called by the Spirit.  You are preserved in Christ Jesus, accepted in the Beloved.  Soon you shall be with Christ in glory.  Yet, you have dealt “very treacherously” with your God.  And he knew that you would.  Nothing is more degrading, nothing is more loathsome, nothing is more cruel and vile than treachery.  Yet, God declares, and we are compelled to agree with him, that we are treacherous!  How so?

 

1.  We have been treacherous to the vows and promises we made to our Savior when we were first converted. (Rom. 6:4-6).

 

In those days of love and joy we did cling closely to our Master.  We gladly renounced all and followed him.  We may not have had much knowledge, but we did have great zeal.  Things are different now.

 

 

2.  We have been treacherous to the most blessed relationship’s grace has given us.

 

You and I who have been bought with the precious blood of Christ live, and act, and think as though we belonged to ourselves!  What words can I use to denounce treachery against the blood of Christ?  (I Cor. 6:19-20).

 

Illus:  Israel had manna from heaven, God-given water, the tabernacle of God, and the presence of God!  Yet, she coveted the leeks, onions and garlic of Egypt!

 

B.  Have you not dealt treacherously with your God and Savior?  Frankly, I am astonished at the treachery of my heart!  Before I was converted I never dreamed it was possible for a saved man to be such a man as I am- I never imagined that a saved man could…

·         Love Christ so little and love the world so much!

 

IV.  I have said all that I have said to show you this one last thing- How We Ought To Adore The Grace Of God Revealed In This Text!

 

The Lord God says, “I knew!”  Nothing was hidden from him.  Yet, he loved us and was gracious to us!

He saw me ruined in the fall,

Yet loved me not withstanding all!

 

A.  When Election’s Eye Pitched Upon Us- He Knew!

B.  When He Sent His Son To Redeem Us- He Knew!  (Rom. 5:8; I John 3:16).

C.  When He Adopted Us Into His Family- He Knew!

D.  When He Called Us By His Grace- He Knew!

 

Application:  Romans 5:21!

 

1.       Our Sin could not prevent God’s Grace!

2.       Our Sin will never cause God to withdraw His Grace!  This Is Security!

3.       There is Such All-Sufficient Fulness in Christ that God Saves Us For Christ’s Sake, Upon His Merit!

4.       Come now to God, trusting his Son, and you will find his grace sufficient for you!

Illus:  The Prodigal- “When he was yet a great way off his father saw him- ran- fell- kissed!

Illus:  The Handkerchief!