Chapter Twelve

Dispensationalism and the Doctrine of Election

Refutation of Calvinism, Arminianism, and Covenant Theology

Chapter Twelve Settled In Eternity According to Foreknowledge

“31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31-39).

The BELIEVER is predestined to glorification and has an inheritance in both the coming Kingdom on Earth and the future Kingdom of God in the new Heaven/Earth that is yet to be created (the text is not referring to lost people being predestined to be saved). Predestination means this ordo regenerare is an absolute surety. The New Genesis “in Christ” is the end to which “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” There is absolutely no doubt that this “blessed hope” belongs to all Church Age believers and history is rapidly advancing us to the culmination of our new reality in Christ Jesus.

To this looming horizon of the New Genesis for all believers “in Christ,” Paul directs the question; “What shall we then say to these things?” The intent of the context has not changed. The text presents to us God’s view of time and the accomplishments of Christ in God’s plan of redemption in redeeming fallen humankind from the clutches of death and condemnation and restoring redeemed believers to their original dominion position now restored “in Christ,” the “last Adam.

“35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: 38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption” (I Corinthians 15:35-50).

From God’s perspective of time, all the yet unfolding matters within history are foreknown. Historical destiny is sealed, not because God causes all events within history to happen, but because God foreknows all decisions and events within history before the foundation of the world. God is constantly intervening within history directly and indirectly, conspicuously and inconspicuously to work His will and influence souls. For God, history is like watching a movie that has already been produced. He already knows every detail of what will happen, but still watches and waits as each event unfolds in history (actually in time).

There are four main texts in the New Covenant epistles that give us God’s view of history. Because God foreknows the events of history, these events of history are recorded before “the foundation of the world.” The phrase “before the foundation of the world” is a phrase that reveals to us the history of the world foreknown by God. Again, this history of the world is predestined, not because every event of history is directly caused by God (some are), but because God foreknows every free will decision (both possible and actual) and has recorded the history of those free will decisions in the record books of eternity.

All individuals who choose to believe in God and His Promised One (Genesis 3:15; the Elect One) are foreknown of God and become one of His elect (redeemed) “in Christ.” Believers are elect “in Christ” IN ETERNITY before the foundation of the world “according to foreknowledge.” They do not become the elect IN TIME until they believe the Gospel and confess Christ as Lord. The condition of their election is faith. The names of all believers down through the Ages have already been recorded “in the book of life of the Lamb” . . . according to foreknowledge.” These foreknown believers are what the Word of God refers to as the “elect.”

“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him {the antichrist}, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).

“18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who {Jesus Christ} verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (I Peter 1:18-23).

“The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is” (Revelation 17:8).

A good builder always begins with a plan. A great builder understands construction engineering, building materials, the strengths and weaknesses of various building materials, environmental and climatic issues that impact the building’s needs, and works out every known possible detail in order to insure an inhabitable, safe, and sound structure.

The difficulty is in planning for the unknown and for uncontrollable events. There are some things that the greatest architect cannot plan for because there are some things he just cannot foresee nor do anything about. These are things outside of the scope of his knowledge or control. There are some possible catastrophic events that, even if their possibility can be foreseen, nothing can be done to circumvent the destruction the events might cause. To plan for these things would require perfect foreknowledge of all future events, perfect knowledge of all building materials, absolute power to intervene in the case of any catastrophe, and constant watch with the capabilities for immediate intervention. In other words, this would require an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent Architect.

These qualities can never be found in human architects, but they can be found in the great Master Builder and Creator of Genesis 1:1. He calls Himself Elohiym (El-o-heem').

The four portions of Scripture quoted above reveal to us that before the Master Builder created the time, space, and matter of the original creation with the heavens, the earth, and all that is contained therein, He foreknew every detail and every future event that would take place in the time, space, and matter that we know as the Genesis (or Creation; the Beginnings). He not only foreknew every detail and event of the future, He planned for every future catastrophic event. This plan is revealed to us by the words “before the foundation of the world.” This plan is what we have come to know as Dispensationalism (seven new beginnings with the ultimate New Beginning being the New Heaven/Earth; the eighth day).

What this means to us is that there were (and are) no surprises to God. When Lucifer rebelled against God’s sovereignty in God giving dominion (Federal Headship) of His original Genesis to Adam, God was not surprised. God was not surprised by Eve’s deception or Adam’s choice to follow his wife’s leadership rather than God’s command. In other words, we do not find God looking over the catastrophe of His fallen creation and saying, “Oh, I never anticipated that happening!” God foreknew these events “before the foundation of the world” and instituted a plan for the recovery of every lost soul that would ever be procreated through God’s planned continuum to populate the Earth. God planned for a New Genesis with a new Federal Head “before the foundation of the world.”

Foreordained and foreknowledge are two key words to understanding the doctrine of election in the Bible. The word foreordained in I Peter 1:20 is from the Greek word proginosko (prog-in-oce'-ko). It simply means to know before; or before-knowledge. The word foreknowledge in I Peter 1:2 is from a derivative of that same Greek word; i.e., prognosis (prog'-no-sis). Proginosko is the verb referring to what God does regarding what God foreknows or foresees (foreknowledge). Therefore, proginosko can properly be translated foreordained.

Prognosis is the noun and refers to all details of history that God foreknows because God foresees all decisions and choices of man within time. God’s foreordained events are the record of His predetermined interference and His omni-influence within the course of history to accomplish the ultimate end of the redemption of “whosoever will” from the fallen and condemned first creation and deliver those believers into the New Genesis “in Christ.” Although God is working upon the hearts and souls of all people (lost and saved) through the omni-influence of His Holy Spirit, He never over-rides the will of man by forcing people to do what they are not willing to do. God may bring circumstances of varying degrees of painful events to lead people to make the choices He wants them to make, but there is not one instance recorded in the Word of God where God overrode the will of man by forcing a man to make a choice contrary to his will. Some individuals made choices they may not have originally wanted to make when God brought about circumstances that persuaded them to another choice than their original intent (Pharaoh for instance).

Foreordained events (because these events are foreknown) are revealed through prophecy and progressively become more detailed as history unfolds (progressive revelation). In Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost to the Jews in Acts chapter two, he details the foreordained plan of God that had already been revealed to the Jews through prophecy and explains the fulfillment of that prophecy in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Prophecy is the revealed foreordained plan that unfolds as foreknown history unfolds. This foreordained plan of God results from the foreknowledge of God. Believers foreknow history as they understand prophecy.

“14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:14-36).

David received a prophetic vision from God (Acts 2:31). This was a common way in which God revealed future events to prophets. The Apostle John received a prophetic vision. Sometimes these prophetic visions came as dreams. Prophetic visions were the revelation of future historical events to the mind of an individual. In some of these visions the individual saw things much like we might watch a DVD or Video recording. He then was required to write down a description of what he saw. The prophet would then try to describe the amazing things he saw using verbiage and comparisons to the things of his own historical period. Imagine trying to describe a helicopter, a jet airplane, or a guided missile to someone living in the first century. A helicopter might be described as a giant locust. A jet airplane or guided missile might be described as a meteor or a comet. The prophetic words from God were often more easily understood than were the prophets’ descriptions of their visions.

When we bring this inductive understanding (the composite teaching of all Scripture revelation) to the doctrines of predestination and election, these doctrines become very simple and are easily understood (as they are intended to be; i.e., they are in harmony with each other). Predestination and election have been made complex and illogical by human suppositions, quasi-intellectualism and rationalistic (deductive) thinking. These are not complex doctrines when we understand them from the simple explanations of the whole counsel of God (inductive methodology; not to be confused with inductive logic). For instance, look how simple the understanding of I Peter 1:1-5 becomes when we look at it from the perspective we have just described.

“1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Peter 1:1-5).

The “elect” of verse two refers to the corporate group of BELIEVERS (the Church and new future priesthood of Israel at this point in history) who were “scattered” throughout the world by Jewish and Roman persecution. God foreknew that He would call the Church to be His new priesthood “in Christ.” That “inheritance” (vs. 4) is “incorruptible,” “undefiled,” will not fade away and, is “reserved in heaven.” In other words, it is a sure thing; exactly what Romans 8:31-39 says.

The New Genesis is what the Scriptures refer to as “the regeneration” (Matt. 19:28). This New Genesis is “in Christ.” The reason why it is so important to understand that this New Genesis was already in place in the plan of God prior to the details of the Genesis of Genesis chapters one and two has to do with God’s sovereignty over His creation and the issue of His foreordained primogeniture. Christ is the fulfillment of the type found in Jacob and Esau. Esau is typical of Adam, willing to sell his birthright (primogeniture) for a bowl of pottage. Jacob is typical of the “last Adam” (Christ) who is the firstborn of the New Genesis and holds the primogeniture (dominion or Lordship) of the New Genesis “from the foundation of the world.” The present, original Genesis was doomed to condemnation and destruction in the plan of God “before the foundation of the world.” God foreknew that. God foreordained a New Genesis with a new Federal Head before the foundation of the world “in Christ Jesus.” The “elect” are all those who will believe and trust in the Promised One (Gen. 3:15) and what He would accomplish for them through His death burial and resurrection; i.e. open a door of new birth into the New Genesis “by grace through faith” (Eph. 4:8-9). The New Genesis is not a restoration of the fallen Genesis. The fallen Genesis will be completely destroyed.

“9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Peter 3:9-13).

The New Genesis will be a completely New Creation. This New Genesis begins with the plan of God “before the foundation of the world” with the eternal Son of God becoming a man (the last Adam and new Federal Head of the New Genesis). However, this New Genesis is an absolute surety in the plan and foreknowledge of God. Just as all mankind’s connection by birth as the progeny of the first Adam is sure (condemnation and death; i.e. separation from God), the believer’s connection to the New Genesis by rebirth “by grace through faith” in the last Adam (Christ) is equally sure. Faith in the finished work of Christ’s propitiation of God’s wrath is the “door” out of the old, fallen, condemned creation into the New Genesis “in Christ.”

This plan of redemption and the New Genesis “in Christ” is the all encompassing work of God’s grace in time and within the fallen creation that Paul refers to in Romans 8:35 by the words “love of Christ.” This is the thrust of the statements of Romans 8:31-39. We should be extremely careful not to take these statements out of this context. From that context, read these verses again.

“31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?. . . (Romans 8:31-35a).

The answers to the six questions in this text are the summation of all that the Apostle Paul has set before us in Romans 1:1 through 8:30. For those who have abandoned (repented of) Moralism and Ritualism as means of being right with God (righteousness) and understand the overwhelming and all encompassing condemnation of God upon fallen mankind and the original creation, they understand the absolute necessity of being rescued from that condemnation and the absolute necessity of being “born again.”

For those who have understood the objective facts of the accomplishments of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, they understand that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is God’s answer to their dilemma. Therefore, they understand that they must decide to place absolute faith in the “finished” propitiatory Cross-work of Christ and His victory over condemnation through His resurrection out from the dead and receive Jesus as their Lord and New Federal Head and publicly acknowledged their faith in Him. They understand that they have been “born again” and are now part of “the regeneration” (the New Genesis) “in Christ” and that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God is both their seal and the “earnest of our inheritance.”

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} in him before the foundation of the world, that we {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we {the Church as the new Priesthood of Israel and of the Kingdom Age} should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1: 3-14).

The New Genesis “in Christ,” with the Eternal Son being the New Federal Head, was God’s plan from the “foundation of the world.” “The regeneration” (New Genesis) is the “good” (Romans 8:28) that God is working all things towards for those that love Him (believers). There is an absolute surety in that future outcome. What God begins, God finishes (Romans 8:29-30).

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6).

The New Genesis “in Christ” was not an after-thought. The New Genesis “in Christ” was a before-thought. God is proactive, not reactive. God chose His Eternal Son to be the faithful and obedient Federal Head of that New Genesis. God also chose every individual soul that WOULD DECIDE TO PLACE FAITH IN THE FUTURE REALITY OF THAT NEW GENESIS IN CHRIST, by placing faith in the accomplished realities of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, to be part of that New Genesis; i.e. the “elect in Christ.” (CONDITIONAL ELECTION = FAITH)

The text of Romans 8:31-39 is often presented as the doctrine of eternal security. That is true, but the primary teaching of Romans 8:31-39 is the doctrine of the divine preservation of the believer, which is the foundation of the doctrine of eternal security (this is considerably different than the teaching of Calvinism referred to as the perseverance of the saints). Just as the individual cannot be part of the New Genesis in Adam, the believer can no longer be part of the fallen creation “in Christ.” Just as the sinner is surely and eternally damned in Adam, the believer is surely and eternally saved “in Christ.” The reason for these sureties is that both condemnation and salvation (regeneration) are operations of God. The surety of both condemnation and regeneration rest in God’s operations. The sinner’s sure inheritance in Adam is eternal condemnation in Hell. The believer’s sure inheritance “in Christ” is eternal life in “the regeneration.”

As we have already established, neither condemnation nor regeneration is dependant upon the performance of individuals. All sinners (descendants of Adam) are condemned sinners by procreation (Romans 5:12). All believers are righteous “in Christ by imputation (justification; positionally in the Mosaic Covenant and actually in the New Covenant in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit). The believer died positionally with Christ (Romans 6:6 and 8; Gal 6:20). The believer is risen positionally with Christ (Colossians 2:12 and 3:1; Eph. 2:5). The believer already is positionally seated “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). These truths reveal the believer’s position “in Christ” based upon Christ’s performance and upon His already accomplished realities, not the believer’s performance (again, this has nothing to do with the believer persevering). Therefore, the believer’s position “in Christ” will become reality because God preserves the believer in his position “in Christ” based upon Christ’s reality, not the believer’s. God prophetically speaks of Christ as the means of preservation in Isaiah.

“1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; 3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. 5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:1-6).

God’s preservation, like His election, is “in Christ.” Believers are preserved in their position “in Christ.” Since God is propitiated (wrath satisfied) for every sin ever committed in time (I John 2:2), “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus . . .” (Romans 8:1a). Although believers still sin after they are “born again,” there sins can no longer condemn them. The penalty for all sins has been paid for “in Christ.” Salvation is much, much more than deliverance from the condemnation of the first creation and its ultimate destiny of becoming a “lake of fire.” Salvation is deliverance into “the regeneration” and the ultimate unfolding of the destiny of fulfilled prophecy regarding the New Heaven/Earth. Once a sinner appropriates the gift of salvation “in Christ” through faith, that believer “now” (Rom. 8:1) “is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). God promises to eternally preserve the believer in that new position.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).

“27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever” (Psalm 37:27-29).

This preservation of God is the result of God’s supernatural act of regenerating the believing sinner. This preservation does not take place in the fallen creation. This preservation takes place “in Christ” and in “the regeneration.” Again, “the regeneration” is a prophetic surety. When the sinner believes and is “born again” positionally in time, that believer is immediately made part of “the regeneration” in eternity. This is the point Christ makes as He taught about new wine being put in new wine skins.

“16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9:16-17).

The believing sinner is not and cannot be preserved in the fallen creation. The fallen creation is doomed to its ultimate destiny of destruction. The believer must become new “in Christ” and must be moved from the condemned fallen creation and is brought into “the regeneration” positionally the moment he is saved. This is the idea behind deliverance. The believer is not merely delivered from the condemnation. He is delivered to “the regeneration.” The “new wine” (the “born again” believer) is put into a “new” bottle (“the regeneration”) and both the wine and the bottle are preserved. The reality of this New Genesis and the believer’s new position are communicated throughout the New Covenant Scriptures by the words “in Christ.” The believer’s preservation is “in Jesus Christ.”

“1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied” (Jude 1:1-2).

As Romans 8:31 says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” “These things” then must refer to the whole of gospel message of the epistle to the Romans up to this point. The summary conclusion the reader must draw from the message of the epistle to the Romans is the answer to the question, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” God has won the victory for the believer based upon His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. These matters were settled “in Christ” before “the foundation of the world” due to God’s immutability.

Since “the regeneration” is the product of God’s grace and love and God’s intent is to secure and preserve the believer in “the regeneration” even before “the regeneration” fully becomes a historical reality, the believer can rest assured that there is nothing or no one that can keep that reality from coming into existence. History is merely the record of events foreknown by God. Each fulfilled prophecy beginning with Genesis 3:15 merely brings us one step closer to the foreknown and foretold end of the world in the condemnation and the creation of the new Heaven/Earth. The idea of the statement “if God be for us” is intended to remove any ambiguity or doubt regarding the believer’s glorious and eternal destiny.

According to Revelation 13:8, God promised a New Genesis through a Cross and a “lamb slain” with God on the mountain top of eternity before the original creation. God’s holiness demanded wrath upon sin and brought condemnation to the whole of the original Genesis. Condemnation was a wrecking ball that started at the fall and began to roll from the mountain top of God’s creation down through the annals of history. One day that wrecking ball of condemnation will arrive at its inevitable and predestined time of ultimate destruction with the all consuming fireball of God’s vengeance when man’s inequity is full. The only escape is to flee from the pathway of destruction and flee to the pathway of life by fleeing to the Cross at the mountain with God. The Cross work of Jesus, accomplishing the finished work of Jesus Christ, is the only “way” and the only “door” into the New Genesis. Once the believer has entered into the New Genesis “by grace through faith,” he/she has already entered into God’s rest because the New Genesis began and is finished “in Christ” before the “foundation of the world.” The New Genesis “in Christ” is already, and has always been, part of God’s eternal existence (eternal life).

Leave a Comment

Back to Dispensationalism Index Page

Donations are not required.
However, should you feel led of the Lord to contribute to the ministries of Dr. Ketchum, you may do so below.

For Email Marketing you can trust