God Loves… Himself

1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 11

1._____ Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ’s active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.

Justification by faith alone is the article upon which the Church stands or falls. Martin Luther

Romans 9:13 Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.” 14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!15 For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?”

The sovereign pleasure of God is displayed in the certain redemption of His elect from their fallen estate to spiritual and eternal life. In this great work, He has done whatsoever He has pleased. It is true, that the unalterable decree of election rendered redemption unavoidable; notwithstanding, it is impossible that it could ever become undesirable, in the eyes of the God of everlasting love. It pleased Him to choose them, therefore it must be pleasing to Him to redeem and possess them. They were chosen to obtain salvation and eternal glory through redemption; and the Son of God was chosen to redeem them from all iniquity to God. Redemption is the great and main channel, though which the river of boundless grace flows out from the eternal throne of the triune God, to an elect world. All spiritual blessings were ordained to reach the sinner, though Calvary’s free and complete redemption. This blessed work of Emmanuel is governed by election; on which, as upon its proper basis, it securely rests. And in this solemn and wondrous transaction of Jesus Christ, good pleasure is for ever displayed. It pleased the Father to appoint the Son, who is the Lord of glory, to ransom His chosen family from deserved death, to endless and given life. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him, on whom, by imputation, He had laid the sins of His elect, in the ancient covenant of His grace. Thus, that a peculiar people should be redeemed, arose from their having chosen from everlasting in Christ, as their heavenly Head. On His Headship by grace, is founded His suretyship in mercy: He, being their Head, became also their Savior. He covenanted as their representative, and therefore died in their stead. He accepted the imputation of their crimes; and by thus being made sin, He became the lawful victim of punitive justice, and the all-sufficient Savior of His lost people. In Him the Father is well-pleased; and by Him, He has done whatsoever His has pleased. (John Stevens)

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