Before the Beginning...

The motivation for this post is mostly in response to a call by Tim Challies and his blog challies.com to write a piece on the anniversary of the Reformation started by Martin Luther 490 years ago. I thought it would be appropriate to write on something that I feel is the backbone of reformed theology, why we were chosen. I think it is described subtly in the Word like any other theological concept and is there in front of us waiting to humble us into submission to Christ.

Before the beginning, something we know little about, God the Father, in an act of his infinite love for the Son, promised him a creation to be set apart in order to worship him forever. This creation was to be made in the image of God, it was to be precious and blameless, and it was to serve, praise, and glorify Christ forever and ever. This of course was ruined in the fall of man in Genesis 3, and the relationship between man and God is now dead. The severity of this is seen when Jesus wept in John 11, not out of mourning for his dead friend, but as he sees his creation's consequence of sin, death.

God said he was then going to choose a bride for the Son, a group of sinners who will be set apart much like his original creation. These chosen few will be redeemed and given to the Son as a gift. This gift will again be made like him¹, will be made precious and blameless by his blood², and will serve, praise, and glorify him in the end³.

This is best seen when we come closest to witnessing the relationship of the Trinity, a prayer from the Son to the Father. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.⁴

This redeemed humanity has been written in the book of life from the creation of the world. We absolutely have no entitlement to be saved as punishment is just. And because the Father loves the Son, not because we have any sort of value, he has given Christ the elect, the bride, the gift of redeemed sinners. In the upper room, Christ took the cup of his blood of the covenant and extended it to his chosen people similar to a man proposing. He was going to take us as his bride and be unified with his church in all eternity. He then went to the Father to prepare a place for us like a Jewish man would do after being engaged. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.⁵

In the end, Christ will return to take his bride to the place he has prepared. All of redeemed humanity will be with him and will glorify and praise him forever. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.⁶ Christ will give himself and his bride back to the Father in a conclusive act of his love for the One who sent him. And God will be all in all.

1Philippians 3:12-21 3Revelation 4-5 5John 14:2

2Ephesians 1:3-14 4John 17:9-12 61 Corinthians 15:28

"We are being saved because we are caught up in a glorious divine expression of love between the Father and the Son, way beyond us. Not as ends in ourselves, but a means to an end." -John MacArthur