The Purpose of God and Its Progress
By OLIVER B. GREENE (1915-1976) God has a blueprint--and everything is working according to His plan and program shared from the beginning.
“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.”
—Ephesians 2: 9-12
GOD had given to Paul the message that was directed to all. Regardless of class or nationality, the Gospel of the grace of GOD is open to all . . . there is no select, elect, chosen group in this marvelous day of grace. The Body of CHRIST was elected before the foundation of the world; but you, my dear friend, as an individual, must accept JESUS CHRIST as your personal Saviour.
Think of it! The message that was “hid in God” had been entrusted to a Gospel preacher, and it astonished Paul, humbled his heart, to think that he, “the chief of sinners,” was the one to whom GOD had entrusted the glorious message of Grace that had been hid in GOD from eternity - yea, from the beginning.
I. God Created ‘All Things’ Through Christ
I say this humbly - not sarcastically - but if some of the scientists, chemists and astrologers who are attempting to probe outer space to discover how this earth was formed, could talk with Paul for a few moments, he could clear up the whole question for them. Paul did not have the telescopes nor the rockets that modern chemists, scientists and astrologers have . . . but Paul knew GOD. And GOD Almighty revealed to him that all things were made “by Jesus Christ.”
Paul knew the GOD who created all things by JESUS CHRIST, and he preached that GOD to all and sundry. We are living in the age of skepticism and infidelity. Those of us who embrace the Word of GOD have no doubt as to how creation came about. In Genesis chapter one, the name “GOD” occurs thirty-one times - and certainly stands to defend the truth that GOD is the Creator of the universe. He is responsible for the orderly arrangement of the planets and constellations which have been speeding through outer space for ages upon ages . . . without catastrophe! Only GOD Almighty could create this universe and all that goes with it!
In my Scofield Bible I have underlined Genesis 1:1 . . . the first four words: “In the beginning GOD . . . .” And I have written in the margin, “I have no trouble believing all the rest.” Think it over: If GOD is GOD, then certainly I have no trouble believing that GOD could do exceeding abundantly above anything that I can ever conceive.
II. God Is In Control of Satan and His Devils
Verse 10 mentions principalities and powers in heavenly places. In the heavenlies just above us, there are principalities and powers . . . rulers of spiritual wickedness in high places. In Ephesians 6:12-17 we have Scriptures that enlighten us concerning these principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness.
Beyond the Heaven just above us we have good principalities and powers . . . cherubims, seraphims, the archangels, the angels of GOD. GOD Himself is there, with the SON and all the saints. But in our present Scripture Paul is serving notice on principalities and powers that the church has the message that will eventually write “Finished” across Satan and his kingdom. (When I say church, I am not talking about the brick building with a steeple on it . . . I am speaking of the Body of CHRIST, made up of born again, Blood-washed, redeemed sons of GOD.)
The devil knows that his days are numbered. He is a defeated foe - and he knows it! That is the reason he labors untiringly and without ceasing in an effort to damn every soul he can. Satan desires to delay the coming of JESUS for His church as long as he can possibly delay it, because Satan knows that when the Rapture takes place, his days are few. The events that follow the Rapture lead to the devils being placed in the bottomless pit forever. Satan knows that. There are many Christians who are ignorant concerning the events that lie ahead, but Satan is not ignorant. He is “transformed into an angel of light.” Before he became the devil, he was “full of wisdom.”
III. God’s Eternal Purpose Is Proceeding According To His Plan
In verse 11 Paul makes known that all of this will happen according to the eternal purpose of CHRIST JESUS, our Lord. Remember the Scriptures from Acts 15 showing that GOD has a blueprint, and known unto GOD are all His works and ways from the beginning. Before GOD ever made this earth or a planet or a constellation, He completed His program throughout eternity until eternity. Everything is working according to the plan and program of Almighty GOD.
As I prepare this message, I read in the news concerning the gigantic ecumenical council of churches and religious leaders of earth. I read of the rockets, and the probes into outer space. I read concerning man’s braggadocio declaration that he will go to the moon, and use the moon as a springboard to reach Mars! And then I remember that every major judgment GOD has sent upon this earth was preceded by the desire of GOD’s creatures to by-pass GOD and become gods themselves.
Daniel was reminded that in the end KNOWLEDGE WOULD INCREASE, and men would be on the move, running to and fro. Beloved, prophetically speaking, we are living in the last hours of this day of Grace.
In verse 12, we have those two familiar words, “in whom” . . . that is, in JESUS . . . we have boldness, “and access with confidence by the faith of Him.” That is a tremendous verse. It does not seem like much, just to read it hurriedly; but it is tremendous. IN JESUS we approach GOD boldly.
If you will permit me to use an expression from the farm (I was reared on a farm, and I thank GOD for it), we often referred to a dog that would kill sheep and calves, as a “sheep-killing dog.” Oftentimes that term was used in connection with a despicable person who had committed a crime. GOD does not want us to approach Him in the manner of a sheep-killing dog. We were Gentile dogs - aliens, strangers, hateful, ungodly; but NOW we are righteous in CHRIST, sons of GOD; and therefore, because we ARE sons through the redemption in JESUS’ Blood, we are invited to approach GOD the Father boldly, in JESUS - not in our name or in our power, but in His name.
When we approach GOD in JESUS we have access into the very presence of GOD Almighty…and we have access with confidence. We do not fear or doubt, because we have faith in JESUS and He is very able to perform everything He promised, everything He does promise His child. Paul had a message to deliver to all peoples, and he faithfully delivered that message until he sealed his ministry and his testimony with his life’s Blood.
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