Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song. We sometimes hear men contrast the God of the New Testament with the God of the Old Testament. We are puzzled by such contrasts since the Lord, who is both the God of the New Testament and the Old Testament, clearly tells us that He does not and has not changed. For I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. He who formed the earth out of the dust is exactly the same one who is the author and finisher of our faith. He who gave the law to Moses is the same one who fulfilled that law in its jot and tittle by his sinless life, and satisfied its claims against his elect by his offering of himself once and for all as the spotless Lamb of God, whose blood was shed for the remission of their sins. He who brought the plagues upon Egypt is the same one who healed the lepers and gave sight to the blind and restored the lame and halt. He who created the devil and his angels is the same one who cast them out of the Gadarene demoniac and who spoiled those principalities and powers and triumphed over them. He who ordained the death of the first Adam is the same one who vanquished death as he rose from the tomb on the third day. But our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. There is no conflict between the actions which the Lord demonstrated in the Old Testament and then manifested in the New Testament when we understand that He works all things according to His purpose. He did not create the world as an experiment to find out what would happen to His creation, but rather that He might set a stage upon which He would demonstrate the glory of His grace in the redemption and calling of a people which He loved from before the foundation of the world. Salvation is not by chance, nor can it be bargained for by the free will of men. Rather, the salvation of unworthy sinners is designed by Him who does all things well and knows the end from the beginning. He who has designed the salvation of His people will also bring it to pass. He has demonstrated the principle of blood redemption by the institution of the sacrifices made by the high priest. Yet we read in the scripture that those sacrifices could never take away sin. So we conclude that these Old Testament sacrifices were never intended as a true sacrifice for sin. but only a type and shadow of that perfect sacrifice, which would forever make atonement for those for whom it was shed and to whom it was imputed. The only salvation which is provided for any of the sons of God, regardless of whether they lived in Old Testament times or New Testament times, is that which is manifested in Jesus Christ the righteous. The truth of God is the same in all eras. Even as the psalmist says, his truth endureth to all generations. Most religions of the earth teach that there is a life after death. Most men simply believe that they cannot surely die, having embraced Satan's lie to Eve. They envision either a reincarnation into another form to dwell upon the earth, or life in a place generally referred to as heaven, where they expect to rejoin all their loved ones and dwell in perfect peace doing the very things which they most love to do in this life. They plan to sit in rocking chairs on the front porch and reminisce over the past, or sit by a lazy stream and fish for hours without a worry in the world. Their notions of bliss are tied to the carnal enjoyments of this world. Yet the reality is that hell and destruction awaits all of those who are not found in Jesus Christ in the Day of Judgment. This is a terrifying truth to those who will be reanimated to stand in His presence and told to depart, most especially those who trusted in the false religion of their fathers and who despised the gospel of His free grace, disdaining the person who obtained eternal redemption for his elect. Yet as terrifying as this prospect may be, that man whose heart has not been changed by the new birth and made a new creature would find no enjoyment at all in that place which Christ is going to prepare for his own. That place is one which is centered upon him who is the truth. Unless a man is given a pure love of that truth, he would be most miserable in his presence through the ages to come. The mind and heart of a man is not changed at death. Only that which is carnal passes away. If he loves the way of Christ in the present time, then the grave cannot swallow that, nor remove him from the hand of him who loved him before he drew his first breath. That one which is the delight of the saints in the present time is the same one in whom they shall delight forever. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as also ye do. If you would like a free transcript of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.