Thank God for salvation!

“Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”  (Acts 15:18)

The one single error many make when thinking about God is understanding that God is Omniscient, God knows everything, and this is an eternal knowledge. Also, many people do not recognize God as being truly Sovereign and that means He is in control of everything. Isaiah wrote these words about God in Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” This means God knows everything and there is nothing He does not know, and if something is God counsel or God’s work then He not only knew it but ordained it before the world began. One of God’s most graceful works is salvation, salvation is the work of God not the work of man. I know some people believe that salvation is in mans hands but that is impossible, because God would never trust the accomplishment of His works in the hands of man. “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God…They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:11 - 12) Man cannot preach a simple sermon without God’s power, nor can man accomplish anything without God’s power. God knew before the world that salvation was needed, God also elected a remnant of mankind that would be saved. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” (Ephesians 1:4) Notice this election was done “before the foundation of the world” not in time nor did God look into the future and see who would believe, all unprovable myths preached by man seeking to do what only God can do. God elected Jesus to die on the cross for sinners long before there were any sinners. “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.” Acts 4:27-28 What was God’s counsel, what did God “determined before to be done.”? It was the crucifixion of His own eternal Son Jesus, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” (Acts 2:23) Also known unto God before the foundation of the world was His elect, His chosen children.” These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee…As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him…And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:1 - 3) If God knew all His works before the foundation of the world, then didn’t God have to know these elect He gave to Jesus and sent Jesus to die for and save. Jesus Himself said this promise “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”  (John 6:37) Jesus went on to promise in verse 39 “that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing”. Jesus went on to say, “That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.” (John 18:9) There is only one-way God can accomplish His ordained will and that is He accomplishes it, and “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” This is absolute fact that God saves sinners and He chose them before the world ever began. Therefore, I must stand in awe and say Thank You Lord for my salvation. If you are lost this should weigh heavy on your heart, if not the Holy Spirit has not convicted you. But if it does weigh heavy on your heart then read these verses, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved…And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:30 - 31)