Words of Grace – Feb. 5, 2015

Old Testament prophets were given special revelation as to what would come to pass in the future. The prophet Joel announced that God was going to do a future work, not only for the Jews, but for the Gentiles also.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28).

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delievered” (v. 32).

New Testament salvation would be for “all,” for “whosoever” would come to the Savior. Peter quoted from Joel’s prophecy when he preached a sermon on the day of Pentecost. He declared that God was pouring out the Spirit upon “all” and that “whosoever” would call upon the Lord would be saved.

John 3:16 used to be one of the most familiar verses in the Bible. It tells us that God loved the world so much that he gave his Son, that “whosoever” would believe in him would not perish, but would have everlasting life.

Richard Baxter was a preacher of the distant past. He was thankful to God for that word “whosoever.” If God had said there was mercy for Richard Baxter, he would have thought God meant some other Richard Baxter. But when God says “whosoever,” he knew that it included him, along with all the other Richard Baxters.

For the scripture saith, “Whosoever” . . . (Romans 10:11).