7001 - Foreknown - John 1:4a

In that era Christ, referred to as the Word, was co-existent with God. He is identified as the One who carried out the creative processes.

Original man – Adam – willfully and knowingly exercised his self-will to disobey God. Thus, he brought upon himself spiritual death – separation from holy God – and also physical death would be his final act on earth.

One great blessing destined for people was that they would enter into the Heavenly Kingdom when their life on earth ceased; but after the entry of sin on earth this was not possible.

Because of God’s purity He cannot endure being in the presence of people who are tainted by evil; so he has separated Himself from such people. His being is so pure that He cannot look upon evil, and cannot tolerate wrong (Hab. 1:17). Nothing impure will ever enter Heaven, nor will anyone who is blemished by sin (Rev. 21:27).

But previously God, through His omniscience – that is His nature to know all things throughout time – knew these things even before creation took place; therefore, the heavenly counsel designed a plan whereby the corruption of sin and rebellion could be removed from people and the impurities and blemishes washed away (Rom.3:25; 5:9; 1Pet 1:19-20; Col 1:20: Eph 1:7; 2:13; 2Tim 1:9). This would permit Holy God to again have a personal relationship with the people of earth.

Foundational in this timeless plan was God’s mercy. Mercy has been defined as that attribute of God which allows a person to escape the deserved consequences and punishment which rightly follows a disobedient or rebellious action.

However, God’s character is also ‘just’ so He could not overlook or forget an offense which violated His command. There had to be a payment or a punishment, a sacrifice, which justified the forgiveness by God of the sinner.

God’s eternal plan to make a way for any person to be forgiven, cleansed and qualified to enter the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom flowed from God’s supreme love. God showed His love by willingly volunteering to send His only begotten Son to earth clothed in human flesh. As a newborn baby – made in human likeness – he would live His life, and die an unjust death to serve as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of humanity (1Jn 2:2; 4:10; Heb 2:17; 1Pet 3:18). This sacrifice had to be perfect, without blemish to carry out this assignment of redemption.

Christ was chosen to be the atoning sacrifice before the creation of the world (1Pet1:20), but the plan was put into effect when the times reached their fulfillment (Eph 1:10) in the divine plan of God.

Scripture tells us that Messiah/Christ willingly agreed to serve as the atoning sacrifice. By His blood He would redeem fallen mankind. No one forced this upon Jesus. He willingly lay down His life.
(Jn 10:18; 12:27; 17:4,5; 18:37; Mt 26:53-54,56; Lev 17:11; Eph 1:7; 2:13).

Loving God does not desire that anyone should perish. His preference is that everyone should repent and trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life (2Pet 3:9; Ezek 33:11). However, some people refuse to come to Jesus for eternal life (Jn 5:40; 2Thes 2:10).

Another marvelous truth pertaining to God’s omniscience is that He foreknew, even before creation, the people who would honor Him by faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, even before the first person was created, through His grace, God predestined those people to be termed as His chosen ones, and His adopted children. This also carried the blessing that these should be holy and blameless before Him. In fact His plan included that these adopted children should be conformed to the very likeness of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (Eph 1:4,5; 2Tim 1:9; Rom 8:29).

These truths are foundational as we continue to study the book of John which focuses upon the earthly life of Jesus.