Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song. But God has always had a people in the earth who were separate from the world in general. This is first clearly seen when the Lord saved Noah and his family in the ark while the rest of the world was destroyed. It is seen again when the Lord called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. Then once more when the Lord loved Jacob and set his people apart from the other tribes of the earth and called them the nation of Israel. He gave it even more emphasis when he committed the oracles of God unto them, and gave them a covenant of law on Mount Sinai. Then he clearly set forth that he has a people which is even separate from the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel was but a foreshadow and type of that people, which he has loved from before the foundation of the world, even as Paul says, For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed. The Lord has a people which he calls a remnant. These he has separated from the world for no other reason than that he has loved them with an everlasting love. Paul goes on to explain that he will call his people from every nation according to his free and sovereign grace. Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. In order to demonstrate his specific love for that remnant, which he has been pleased to save in Jesus Christ, the Lord has introduced the principle of separation into the earth. There can be no mixture of the precious and the vile in the kingdom of God. This is most clearly demonstrated in the birth of Abraham's two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was Abraham's son by his wife, Sarah. Isaac was the son of promise given to Abraham through his wife, Sarah. Isaac was a miracle of grace, whereas Ishmael was the result of Abraham's corrupt flesh. The Lord manifested this separation when he gave to the nation of Israel a set of strict dietary and customary laws which they were to abide by. This was given to no other nation in order that he might show that he put a difference between that nation which was the apple of his eye and all of the other nations in the earth. The temporary nature of the covenant of law is seen by the fact that the Lord revealed to Peter that he had cleansed those meats that were unclean according to the law. There is a two-fold lesson in Peter's vision. One is that Christ has fulfilled all of the requirements of the law for the sons of God. The other is that an entrance into the kingdom of heaven is based upon his free grace alone and not by natural birth, religious affiliation, or obedience unto a code. There can be no mixture of grace and works in this kingdom. The covenant of law is established on this principle, do this and live, the soul that sinneth shall die. The covenant of grace, however, is established upon a completely different principle. The Lord Jesus has completed the work of redemption in the behalf of his remnant. and does presently indwell those whom he calls, working in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. In the establishment of his kingdom in the earth, our Redeemer King has separated forever between that which is precious and that which is vile, that which is of the law of fleshly works, and that which is purely by grace alone. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. There are many who go about preaching a message which is part grace and part works. They tell us that men are justified by the work of Christ, but it is necessary for men to supply their own works in order that they might be sanctified. They are quick to loathe the sons of God with various requirements which they believe the law still demands from them. These include, but are not limited to, the observance of times, seasons, and holy days, as well as abstentions from various meets and practices. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? To cling to the law is to despise the grace of Christ and His perfect fulfillment of it. The operation of grace wrought by the power of the Spirit of God constrains the sons of God by a completely different principle than that of the law. Paul said, All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought unto the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Do you hear his word today? If you would like a free transcript of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.