
A BLESSED TULIP NEW YEAR TO ALL OF GOD’S ELECT
Michael Jeshurun
Why a ‘Tulip’ New Year and not a ‘Rose’ or an ‘Orchid’ New year? That is because the ‘Tulip’ to me is more than just a flower. The acronym TULIP represents the theology I hold, teach and contend for!
For the uninitiated, the essential doctrines of Grace concerning salvation, which the Reformers and Puritans (and all good Christians) cling to, are summed up in the acronym T.U.L.I.P. The Bible which is God’s Word contains an abundance of material for the development of each of these doctrines. Furthermore, these are not isolated and independent doctrines but are so inter-related that they form a simple, harmonious, self-consistent system; and the way in which they fit together as component parts of a well-ordered whole has won the admiration of thinking men of all creeds.
Prove any one of them true and all the others will follow as logical and necessary parts of the system. Prove any one of them false and the whole system must be abandoned. They are found to dovetail perfectly one into the other. They are so many links in the great chain of causes, and not one of them can be taken away without marring and subverting the whole Gospel plan of salvation through Christ. We cannot conceive of this agreement arising merely by accident, nor even being possible, unless these doctrines are true.
The question to ask yourself is: is the ‘faith of our fathers’ living in YOUR life? In your church? We sing the song: “Faith of our fathers living still…” and no doubt the faith IS living. But the question is, “WHERE is that faith living and confessed?” And, “WHAT is the faith of our fathers?” For the record it was expressed over 350 years ago by our church fathers at the Synod of Dordt , Netherlands by the acronym TULIP.
Now this ‘TULIP’ is more than just a dry set of doctrines for older divines to sit down and stroke their beard and argue about, but they are as a sweet pillow that you can lay your head on in times of trials, doubts and discouragements. These truths not only teach us that God is in control over all, but also that HE is working everything out — the good and the bad — for our good, and His glory. This sweet doctrine is medicine for the soul that you can take in any season of life, not just the coming New year.
Fewer doctrines of the Christian faith are more comforting than the truth set forth in the TULIP. They humble you in good seasons, provide you with hope in hard seasons, and give you joy in all seasons. The doctrine set forth in the TULIP are a constant nourishment for the soul.
Take for instance the very first letter of the TULIP – T which stands for ‘Total Depravity’. This tells me that there is a greater problem in me than just my external sinful actions. They are spontaneously springing forth from a foul and depraved fountain which is inherent in my innermost being. The Master told His disciples “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of!” [Luke 9:55] Which is another way of saying “your heart is deceitful above all things, and so desperately wicked: you have no clue!”
Men in general have quite a high opinion of themselves and their righteousness. They pacify their consciences with the delusion of the Pharisee who said – “I thank thee Oh God that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers etc” [Luke 18:11]
But as Spurgeon said long ago, “If God were ever to allow the fountains of the great deeps of depravity to break up in the best man that lives, HE WOULD MAKE AS BAD A DEVIL AS THE DEVIL HIMSELF IS. I care nothing for what these boasters say concerning their own perfections; I feel sure that THEY DO NOT KNOW THEMSELVES, OR THEY COULD NOT TALK AS THEY OFTEN DO. There is tinder enough in the saint who is nearest to heaven to kindle another Hell if God should but permit a spark to fall upon it. In the very best of men there is an infernal and well-nigh infinite depth of depravity. Some Christians never seem to find this out. I almost wish that they might not do so, for IT IS A PAINFUL DISCOVERY FOR ANYONE TO MAKE; but it has the beneficial effect of making us cease from trusting in ourselves, and causing us to glory only in the Lord!”
“And He (Jesus) said, That which cometh out of the man, THAT defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man!” [Mark 7:20-23]
Notice that Christ is here not speaking of a ‘certain class of men’ but ALL MEN AND WOMEN IN GENERAL!
“Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit!” [Matt 7:17]
Incidentally Adam was the first or original ‘corrupt tree’ and all saplings that come forth from him are basically corrupt – i.e. Totally Depraved just like him! For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one! [Job 14:4]
And if all of this is true (and it is), then MY ONLY HOPE to live victoriously and fruitfully is to look to the One who IS perfect in every way! Only HE can cause me to bear fruit which is worthy of acceptance before the Father. In fact God Himself asserts to this truth saying, “From Me is thy fruit found!” [Hos 14:8] And again, “He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” [John 15:5] But with His help “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” [Phil 4:13]
Oh what an encouragement is that for the coming year and beyond, dearly beloved.
The second alphabet of the TULIP stands for ‘Unconditional Election’. Now what comfort could that afford me?
Well, for starters it tells me that the only reason God elected or selected wretched old me for salvation is because He loved me. And He says so in His Word – “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: THEREFORE with lovingkindness have I drawn thee!” [Jer 31:3]
“God’s love for His Elect is immutable, irrevocable, and indestructible. His love is not like man’s. God’s love does not change, ever, under any circumstances or conditions. Having loved His own from eternity, He will never stop loving them in time. There is nothing we can do to destroy, or even lessen, the love of God for us [John 13:1]. Here then is a rock on which we may fix our feet, while the mighty torrent is sweeping away everything around us. The permanence of God’s character guarantees the fulfillment of His promises: “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee” (Isa. 54:10).
– A.W. Pink
And if this great God loves me, then it stands to reason that it is going to be well with my soul not just for through the coming new year, but through eternity and beyond. Because unlike man God does not ‘fall in love’ but loves from eternity. And if He loved me from ETERNITY PAST then He will love me all the way into ETERNITY FUTURE.
The Bible says that the reason God ‘predestined’ me and ‘called’ me is because He ‘foreknew’ me (see Romans 8:29,30) Now a lot folks do not really know the real meaning of that word ‘foreknow’. In fact most Christians take that to mean to know beforehand. But though God does know ALL things beforehand (Acts 15:18) THAT is not what is meant when He uses the Word here.
When the Bible speaks of God knowing particular individuals, it often means that He has special regard for them, that they are the objects of His affection and concern. For example in Amos 3:2, God, speaking to Israel says, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” The Lord knows ABOUT ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH, but He knew Israel in a special way. They were His chosen people whom He had set His heart upon. See Deuteronomy 7:7,8; 10:15. Because Israel was His in a special sense He chastised them, cf. Hebrews 12:5,6. God, speaking to Jeremiah, said, “Before I formed thee in the womb, I KNEW THEE,” (Jeremiah 1:5). The meaning here is not that God knew ABOUT Jeremiah but that He had a special regard for the prophet before He even formed him in his mother’s womb.
Jesus also used the word “knew” in the sense of personal, intimate awareness. “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. “ (Matt. 7:22,23). Our Lord cannot be understood here as saying, I knew nothing about you, for it is quite evident that He knew all too much about them – their evil character and evil works; hence, His meaning must be, I NEVER KNEW YOU INTIMATELY NOR PERSONALLY, I never regarded you as the objects of my favor or love. Paul uses the word in the same way in I Corinthians 8:3, “ But if any man love God, the same is known of him,” and also II Timothy 2:19, “the Lord KNOWETH them that are His.” The Lord knows ABOUT all men but He only KNOWS those “who love Him, and who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28) – to put it plainly – THOSE WHO ARE HIS – i.e. the objects of His love and approbation.
The third alphabet of the TULIP stands for ‘Limited Atonement’ or as some would have it a ‘Particular Atonement’. What comfort is the truth of a particular atonement to me?
You know even in the daily affairs of life a thing has more value and worth when someone tells me that they did a certain thing particularly for ME. Whether it is something someone purchases for me or a meal one cooks for me etc it makes it all the more endearing when they tell me that they did it especially for me.
And truth is: what Christ did on the Cross was not for every Tom, Dick, and Harry and Jane, Jill and Mary but His passion of the Cross was done with ME in mind particularly and all of God’s Elect through the ages. As unbelievable as it may sound He would have gone to the Cross if I was the only one the Father gave Him to redeem!
Yes beloved, Christ did not die for all and sundry as some men would have us believe, but only for those whom the Father gave Him – i.e. His sheep! “I lay down my life for the sheep!” [John 10:15]
“Christ died not merely to MAKE POSSIBLE the salvation of all mankind, but to MAKE CERTAIN the salvation of all that the Father had given to Him. Christ died not simply to render sins pardonable, but “to PUT AWAY SIN by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). As to WHO’S “sin” (i.e., guilt, as in 1 John 1:7, etc.) HAS BEEN “put away,” Scripture leaves us in no doubt— it was that of the elect, Christ’s sheep – the “world” (John 1:29) of God’s people!” – A.W. Pink
And the good news is, if Jesus died for ME personally then I am covered for now and for eternity! Because Christ did not go to the Cross to make me ‘savable’ but to ACTUALLY SAVE ME! The Lord did not cry on the cross saying that He STARTED something . . . but IT IS FINISHED“! WHAT is finished? My Redemption, my Justification and my Captivity to sin and Satan, that’s what is finished! Praise the Lord!
When Christ said “It is finished!” He meant … “It is finished – ACTUALLY, COMPLETELY, PERFECTLY, EFFECTUALLY, UNCONDITIONALLY, ABSOLUTELY, EVERLASTINGLY, IMMUTABLY, PERIOD!”
Not one single solitary sinner for whom Jesus Christ died will die unredeemed and be condemned and consigned to everlasting punishment. Rather, each and every sinner for whom Jesus Christ died is redeemed and will join the heavenly hosts in singing to Him, “Thou art worthy . . . for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation!” (Revelation 5:9). Can you say, “Praise the Lord!”
The fourth alphabet of the TULIP stands for ‘Irresistible Grace’. Now what comfort is this truth to me?
God irresistibly draws His elect! No honest child of God would ever refute that! Thomas Goodwin said, “God works with power, and can make the unwilling willing; if He undertake the conversion of a soul, IT WILL BE CONVERTED. All the pious workings of our heart towards God are the fruit and consequence of the powerful working of His grace in us.” And he’s right! And Luther adds, “The drawing is not like that of the executioner, who draws the thief up the ladder to the gallows; but is a gracious allurement, such as that of the man whom everybody loves, and to whom everybody willing goes.”
The apostle Peter writes – “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious etc” [1Pet 2:3,4]. Notice the phrase “to whom coming”, he says not to whom HAVING COME but ‘COMING’ a present continuous! We just don’t come to the Lord once at the beginning for salvation and get it over with, beloved! But we CONSTANTLY KEEP COMING EVERY DAY, many times during the day to be washed and cleansed by His Sovereign mercy, grace and the Word!
And the only reason that we constantly keep coming to Christ is because THE FATHER IS CONSTANTLY AND ‘IRRESISTIBLY’ DRAWING US by His Spirit, His Word and through His gracious providence. Come now think of it, WHAT is it for the most part that grieves you for your sins and backslidings and drives you back to Christ? Is it not His goodness? It is “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” [Rom 2:4]
Oh how many times have I provoked Him sore with mine iniquities and sins, and some presumptuous and grievous ones at that! I have at times weighed Him down with my sins as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves! [Amos 2:13]
And just as I am anticipating some severe judgment to fall on my head for my sins which I rightly deserve, God turns around and is nice to me and even sends me His Spirit to assure me that He still loves me just the same. Oh how this breaks my heart! Oh how it makes me loathe myself and fall at His feet as did the prodigal.
Yes beloved , John Newton was right when he penned that immortal hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ in which he states –
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come.
T’was grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
And the ‘Grace’ he was speaking of was this ‘Irresistible Grace’!
The fifth and last alphabet of the TULIP stands for ‘Perseverance of the saints’. This is one topic that I can write volumes on because the Scripture has so much to say about it.
No if’s ands and buts about it . . . . Once truly saved always saved!
If the Master asserted that no man can pluck His sheep out of His hand, and if that wasn’t enough no man can pluck His sheep out of His Father’s hand, then you’ve got to find me a being or power that is strong enough to unclasp the hands of the Almighty before you can convince me that my salvation can be lost!
“Regeneration is a radical and supernatural change of the inner nature, through which the soul is made spiritually alive, and the new life which is implanted is immortal. And since it is a change in the inner nature, it is in a sphere in which man does not have control. No creature is at liberty to change the fundamental principles of its nature, for that is the prerogative of God as creator. Hence nothing short of another supernatural act of God could reverse this change and cause the new life to be lost. The born-again Christian can no more lose his sonship to the heavenly Father than an earthly son can lose his sonship to an earthly father. The idea that a Christian may fall away and perish arises from a wrong conception of the principle of spiritual life, which is imparted to the soul in regeneration.” – A.W. Pink
So you see WHY a ‘Blessed Tulip New year!’ . . . because these are truths that I am going to meditate on and bless God for throughout the coming year and beyond. . . i.e. though I am so totally depraved and despicable, God still loves me and has chosen me to Salvation, and because of that my Lord Jesus has gone to the Cross and answered for every one of my sins; and not only that but God has not left this business of Salvation in my weak hands and to my sinful choice, but has Irresistibly drawn me and keeps drawing me to Himself , and because of this drawing and this preservation I SHALL be ultimately glorified and spend an eternity with the One who loved me and gave Himself for me!
Scripture?
“And we know that ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified!” [Rom 8:28-30]
Now THAT is something to be happy about, Amen?
Happy New Year 2020! And ALL the glory is to GOD ALONE!
“Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake!” [Psalm 115:1]
“Salvation is of the LORD!” [Jonah 2:9]