By Nick Bibile
Matthew 1:21 – “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
Evil has risen to an exceeding height in the world, exalted against God Almighty. Satan, once a high-ranking angel in heaven, sought to place his throne above God’s. Scripture calls him “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). His pride led to the deception of many angels, and ultimately, he was cast down to earth (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19).
He continued in his pride, deceiving our first parents, bringing spiritual death into the human soul. But was God surprised by Satan’s rebellion? Did God need to adjust His plans? No. As the Puritan Richard Sibbes wrote:
"God’s decree is the anchor of all events; not even the rebellion of Satan can thwart the counsel of God."
Psalm
89:3-5, 28-29
– “I
have made a covenant with my chosen… Thy seed will I establish
forever… His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his
throne as the days of heaven.”
Luke
22:29
– “And
I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto
me.”
Ephesians
1:4
– “According
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…”
1
Peter 1:20
– “Who
verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world…”
2
Timothy 1:9
– “…according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began.”
Acts
2:23
– “Him,
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God…
ye have crucified and slain.”
The covenant of redemption was God’s eternal agreement within the Trinity: the Father appointed the Son as Redeemer, and the Spirit applied the benefits of redemption to the elect. As John Owen, a Reformed theologian, wrote:
"The elect were given to Christ before the world’s foundation, and all that Christ did was for them, from eternity unto eternity."
Genesis 2:16-17 – “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
Adam was created holy, upright, and sinless. Eternal life was attainable by perfect obedience. The covenant of works required flawless law-keeping—perfect in every part and degree.
But when Adam sinned, all his descendants fell under God’s curse. This is the doctrine of original sin:
Romans 5:12 – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
The Puritan William Perkins explained:
"Man, by the fall, lost the image of God; he became a child of wrath, wholly corrupt in nature, and utterly unable to deliver himself."
Jeremiah 17:9; 13:23; Ephesians 2:1-5 – The soul, dead in sin; the body, under death; all mankind lost.
Even as man fell, God’s plan of redemption was set in motion. Christ stepped into His ministerial office immediately:
Genesis 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
This is the first dawning of the gospel. Though Satan and his seed would crucify the Messiah, He would ultimately defeat Satan. John Owen reflects:
"Christ was ordained from eternity to be the surety of His people, to satisfy divine justice and redeem His elect."
Throughout the Old Testament, we see the Mediator at work. The saints were saved by trusting God’s promises, by repentance, and faith in the coming Messiah (Hebrews 4:2). Salvation has always been by grace through faith.
Romans
5:9
– “Much
more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through him.”
Ephesians
2:3
– “…we
were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
1
Thessalonians 1:10
– “…Jesus,
which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
The gospel proclaims the bad news first: we are enemies of God, deserving His wrath (Romans 5:10; Psalm 7:11). Only after the bad news can the good news of Christ’s salvation be fully appreciated. Charles Spurgeon emphasized:
"I do not come to this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter… I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, ‘you are mine, and you shall be mine.’"
Luke
19:10
– “For
the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was
lost.”
Matthew
1:21
– “…for
he shall save his people from their sins.”
Only His people will be saved. Who are His people?
The seed of the woman – Genesis 3:15
The seed of Abraham – Genesis 17:9; Isaiah 41:8
The elect of God – Isaiah 65:9; Matthew 13:27
My people – Romans 9:25-26
Peculiar people – Titus 2:14
My sheep – John 10:26-29
The body of Christ – 1 Corinthians 12:27
The Lamb’s wife – Revelation 21:9
A holy nation – 1 Peter 2:9
Hebrews 7:22 – “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.”
Christ is not merely a mediator like Moses, but the surety of the covenant, guaranteeing the redemption of His people. As John Flavel wrote:
"Christ undertook not only to represent us but to discharge all that justice required for our salvation; His obedience is imputed, His sufferings accepted, and all our debts paid."
You are invited to come to Christ and trust in Him for salvation. God has done all that is necessary. The Redeemer has triumphed over sin, death, and hell. Eternal life is secure in His hands.
Repent of your sins and surrender to Christ, and you too may rejoice in being part of His elect, redeemed, and forever saved.