The apostle pursues what has been already begun in describing his mission. It was in hope of life eternal which God that cannot lie promised before the times of the ages, but manifested in its own seasons His word in a preaching, with which he was entrusted, according to our Savior God (ver. 2, 3).
Life eternal is really given to the believer now; and this is a revelation by no means uncommon in the writings of our apostle. Its present possession is emphatically prominent in the writings of John, whether the Gospel or his First Epistle. But Paul frequently treats it according to its future display, as in the synoptic Gospels. In one well-known passage of his, Rom. 6:22, 2322But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:22‑23), we have both:” Ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end life everlasting. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is life everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Here he describes his apostolic work or message as conditioned by the hope of life everlasting. It is wholly different from the expectations of the most pious Jew in Old Testament times, being grounded in the main on the promises of God the Father. If a prophet spoke of eternal life at all, it was bound up with the future kingdom of the Messiah. Under His scepter the Israelite looked for every outward blessing, for all honor and power as well as goodness from God, for the display of beneficence and of blessing in every form; and all this will surely be accomplished on earth, without fail or stint, according to the word of the living God. The apostle's work had a wholly different character, based upon the total rejection and the heavenly exaltation of the Lord Jesus, whereby that hope of life eternal is realized now, and in a way altogether superior to the testimony of the prophets (Psa. 133, Dan. 12). For he proceeds to show that the promise which the Christian actually enjoys, goes not merely beyond the prophets, or the human race on earth, but back into eternity. This was necessarily a promise within the Godhead. The God that knew no falsehood promised it before the times of the ages. So we saw in 2 Tim. 1:99Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Timothy 1:9), that God saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace that was given us in Christ Jesus before the times of the ages.
These times, stamped with distinctive principles on God's part, are occupied with the history of man's trial and failure in every form. First we see him innocent and in paradise, with everything good around him, and put to the simplest test of obedience in a single, and in itself slight, exception. This was enough: man fell, not deceived like the woman, but ensnared through her in known deliberate transgression. Was man any better when an outcast left to himself, with the sentence of death before him? “And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Therefore was man with the lower creation swept away from the earth. A spared remnant passed through the deluge in God's mercy, and the earth came under new conditions; for the sword of government was now instituted of God. After a vain attempt by unity to make a name forever in the tower of Babel, God scattered them after their families and tongues in their lands and their nations. Then, when idolatry had overspread the earth, by promise was man called and chosen and separated unto God in the person of Abraham and his descendants. But even when they reaped the blessing by God's deliverance from oppressing Egypt, they did not appreciate the riches of divine favor. Therefore, when God at Sinai proposed blessing on the condition of their own obedience, the people unanimously answered, “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” On such a ground sinful man cannot stand. “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in God's sight.” Law may give knowledge of sin, never power against it. “The strength of sin is the law,” says our apostle (1 Cor. 15:5656The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56)).
Hence justification is gratuitous by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, says he elsewhere (Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)), “As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.” A statement of uncommon force; not as many as have broken the law, but as many as stand on that ground or principle. “For it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things written in the law for to do them.” Now this is written in Deut. 27., in which chapter the facts stated are as striking as the words of the apostle to the Galatians. For Moses charged the people to stand, six tribes upon mount Gerizim to bless them, and six upon mount Ebal to curse; but in the sequel of the chapter we have the curses carefully recorded, which the Levites were to say to all the men of Israel, without one word of provision for the blessing! “As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.” There is no blessing provided or possible on that footing. It is those that are of faith who are blessed, none others. “And the law is not of faith.” It works wrath and a curse: not that the law is not righteous, for the commandment is holy, just, and good. “The law entered by the bye that the offense might abound.” Sin was long before the law; but the law made its evil plain and inexcusable.
So the prophets, who exposed the growing wickedness of Israel, and even of favored Judah, kept thundering in their ears, whilst they ever reminded them of their only hope in the coming Messiah, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those that believe. At length, when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. But the Jews refused Him, yea abhorred Him; so that His staff, Beauty, was cut asunder that He might break His covenant which He had made with all the peoples. For how could there he the predicted gathering, or obedience, of the peoples unto Him, if His own received Him not? They did worse; they weighed for His price thirty pieces of silver, and the field of the potter became the field of blood, Aceldama. Then His other staff, even Bands, was cut asunder, that He might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. The last link was broken in the cross of the Lord Jesus, even for the two houses of Israel. But sovereign grace through that very cross laid a foundation for an entirely new work, of which the Son of man, exalted at the right hand of God in heaven, is the author and crown. While Israel and the nations wholly disappear for all that was predicted of earthly blessing and glory, the Head of the new creation is revealed on high, and the Holy Ghost sent below, and a door of mercy lies open to every believer on terms of indiscriminate grace. This is Christianity for the individual. Along with it goes that new building of God, the church, the body of Christ.
Thus we see that what the God incapable of falsehood promised before the times of the ages, now shines upon the believer. What was first in purpose was last in accomplishment. Here, however, it is not purpose so much as “life eternal” which comes before us. “This life is in His Son.” There is no such life in any other. The first Adam was at best but a living soul; the last Adam a quickening Spirit. As Christ our life is risen from the dead, such is the character of the life we receive in Him. It is life after redemption was effected, that those who are quickened together with Him might have all their offenses forgiven, dead with Christ and risen with Him, and even, as the Epistle to the Ephesians adds, seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Here, however, the apostle does not dwell so much on heavenly association as on the wondrous fact that the life of the Christian is life eternal, promised before the world began, outside of times or dispensations in God's dealings with man on the earth. It derives its character from Him Who is eternal, The Way and the Truth, the Head, center, expression, and object of all the purposes of God. This we have now, as we shall have it in glory with Himself.
Nor is there anything vague or uncertain. It is not a law requiring what at best may, yea must, fail of fulfillment, as failure is invariable in man's hand. It is God's word manifested in a preaching which had His authority made good by His truth, the sure revelation of His mind. “We are of God (said another apostle): he that knoweth God heareth us.” Not to hear is the spirit of error. During man's probation, law put him to the proof characteristically. Now God manifested His word in its own seasons. There was a divine work to speak of.
Now, therefore, is the due time for bringing all out. “In its own seasons He manifested His word in a preaching, wherewith I was entrusted according to the command of God our Savior.” This is the “mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:1919And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:19)); at least it is a part, and an important part, of it. Ever since the apostle was sent forth on his mission, the greatest impulse was given, and that full development which we have written in his Epistles. It was embodied in Christ, Who died, rose, and was glorified in heaven; but the Holy Spirit was given in order that God's word as to this might be manifested; and manifested it was in Paul's preaching beyond all others, “according to command of God our Savior.” For never did this title “Savior God” before receive such an illustration; never again can it be after such a sort, even when the glory shall be a defense, a cloud of smoke by day, and a shining flame by night, upon every dwelling place, upon Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies. And it is all the more glorious, because it is a secret known only to faith, and preached therefore, instead of being established in power and visible display. Therefore is it now a “commandment of God our Savior.” When glory dwells in the land of Israel, as it surely will under Messiah and the new covenant literally enjoyed by the earthly people, there will be no room for any such commandment. It will then be the day for the triumph of the most High God, possessor of heaven and earth, on the downfall of Satan's power.