The Immutable Works of God

Ecclesiastes 3:14 (READ)

Introduction:

There are some things that we can know about God. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, said “I know…” some things about God. Now the atheists and the agnostics say that we can’t know anything about God. But Solomon, a man approved of God for his wisdom, said that we can know. Beloved, I believe that all men who are truly wise, will listen to what Solomon had to say.

Now, let’s notice the things that Solomon said that He knew about God from our text.

Solomon knew that “Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever”.

God’s works are forever, in contrast to man’s works, which are temporal. God blows on man’s works and they are gone; they are buried under the sands of time, never to be remembered. But God’s works are eternal and immutable. They can never be destroyed, or corrupted with time.

Solomon knew that nothing can be put to, or added to God’s works.

God’s works are complete and final. The work He starts He always finishes. What He purposes, that He shall do. God never half does a job, but He completes all His works. Not men, nor the devil and all His demon army, can put anything to the works of God. His works are protected and preserved. Neither time or decay, or mankind or the devil, can alter, or add to God’s works, but they are forever preserved by His mighty power.

Solomon knew that nothing could be taken away from God’s works.

Nothing can be taken away from their fullness or completeness. They shall not be eroded or diminished. Nothing can be taken away from their purpose or effect, but they shall accomplish all their purpose. Nothing can be taken away from God’s credit and His glory that He rightfully deserves.

Solomon knew that God did all His works, that men should fear before Him.

God’s end and purpose for His works, is man’s good! His purpose is that men would fear Him, which is the beginning of wisdom. His purpose is that men would obey Him, and all the commandments given in His Word. And his purpose is that men would believe Him, and trust in Him, through His Son Jesus Christ.

This morning we want to notice five of the works of God that are forever.

1. God’s work of creation (Genesis 1:1).

Here in this verse we have the beginning of God’s creation week. In six days God created everything in the entire universe, and on the seventh day He rested, and took pleasure in all the things He created.

On day 1 (vs. 1-5), God created the material universe, which consists of time, space, and matter; and then on the first day He created light, followed by day & night.

On day 2 (vs. 6-8), God made the firmament, or the first heaven where the birds fly.

On day 3 (vs. 9-13), God made the seas and dry lands, and all the vegetation over the whole earth.

On day 4 (vs. 14-19), God made the sun, moon, and the stars, and caused them to rule over the day and the night.

On day 5 (vs. 20-23), God created all the sea creatures in all the seas, and all the birds of the air.

On day 6 (vs. 24-28), God created all the land animals; and then, He created mankind in His own image. God created all things in 6 literal 24 hour days, and not 6 billion years as the evolutions and the uniformitarian geologists would have us believe.

God created all living things fully developed and fully grown, and He created them with the ability to reproduce after their own kind. They did not evolve from another kind, but they all reproduce after their own kind.

And God’s work of creation is forever. Men cannot destroy it. Nuclear war will not destroy God’s creation. Pollution will not destroy God’s creation.

And no one can add to it or take from it through all their science falsely so called. But God’s creation testifies of Him, and it praises Him, and it glorifies Him day unto day, and night unto night (Ps. 19).

Because of God’s work of creation, men should fear Him. They should stand in awe of Him for His wisdom and power, and His glory that He displayed in His wondrous and beautiful work of creation. They should fear and reverence Him as their Creator and their God Who created them. They should bow before Him as their Lord, and their law giver, and their judge.

2. Secondly, we want to notice God’s work of inspiring His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16).

God’s Word, the Bible, was inspired (or God breathed) by the Holy Spirit of God.

The Bible was written in three languages by about forty different authors, who lived on three continents. It was composed over some fifteen hundred years. Among the authors were kings, farmers, mechanics, scientific men, lawyers, generals, fishermen, preachers, priests, a tax collector, a doctor; some rich, some poor. Yet with all these diversities and adversities, the Bible emerged in full agreement in all of its parts.

It has been well said that if men would have written the Bible, they could not, and if they could have written the Bible, they would not. Men are too sinful, weak and frail to have composed such a marvelous unity of truth, especially considering all the unfavorable conditions in which the Bible was written. And then, men are too proud and haughty to write such a volume that condemns them as being wicked, vile, undone, unclean, sinners, who are worthy of God’s wrath and judgment.

No one but the omniscient, all knowing God of Heaven could have, and would have masterminded such an awesome and wonderful book.

The Bible is perfect and complete. It contains all that we need to know about God and His works. It contains all that we need to know about mankind and his sinful condition, and his only hope of salvation.

The Bible is infallible and contains all truth. It is accurate and reliable in every subject to which it speaks. There are no errors or contradictions in the Bible. Therefore, we can trust it and believe it completely.

It is indestructible, immutable, and eternal. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 that “heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”. Isaiah said in Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

Nothing can be added to the Bible or taken from it. God’s Word is forever settled in Heaven, we are told in Psalm 119:89. And therefore His Word is preserved eternally in Heaven with Him. Men may cut pieces out, or add their own words in, yet God shall preserve His Word forever.

Because of God’s Holy Word, men should fear the Lord. They should fear the Author of the Bible because the Bible teaches that He is the one and only true God, and that He is holy, and almighty, and all knowing, and all seeing. They should fear because, according to His Word, they are all sinners and worthy of His wrath. They should fear because His Word promises judgment to come upon all lost sinners. They should obey His Word, and repent, and believe in the gospel of Jesus, which is the only hope of salvation given in His Word.

They should fall down before Him, and plead for His mercy, love, and grace in salvation, which He promises to all who will come unto Him by faith, and who will call upon Him in faith.

3. God’s work of redemption and salvation (John 4:34).

What was the work that the Father sent Jesus to do?

In Psalms 111:9 the Bible says “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.”

In Psalms 130:7 we read “Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.”

In Hebrews 9:12 the Bible says speaking of Jesus “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

In Matthew 1:21 the angel of the Lord said to Joseph concerning Mary and her Son Jesus “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world born of a virgin, to save His people from their sins, and to redeem them with His precious blood that He shed on Calvary’s tree.

He died on the cross for the sins of His people, and He was buried in a tomb, and He rose again the third day, that through His death, burial, and resurrection He would grant the forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who would believe in Him.

Beloved, God’s work of redemption is eternal as we read in Hebrews 9:12, and therefore it is forever. And because redemption is forever, it is also incorruptible and immutable. Nothing in all of Heaven, or in earth, or in hell beneath can change the redemption that Christ purchased for His people on the cross.

And God’s work of redemption is perfect and complete. Just before Jesus died on the cross, He said in John 19:30 “It is finished”, meaning that His suffering for our sins was complete.

Nothing can be added to, or taken away from Jesus’ work on the cross for our salvation. There is nothing we can add to our salvation. Beloved “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin has left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”

We can’t add our good works and deeds, or baptism, or church membership, or anything else to His finished work on the cross. With the song writer may we sing; “Nothing in my hand I bring, but simply to thy cross I cling”; and “…all for sin could not atone, thou must save, and thou alone”. No works of ours can purchase our salvation. Only the blood of Jesus can redeem our souls from eternal death, to life everlasting.

Because God’s work of redemption is forever, His work of salvation in the lost sinner is also forever. Salvation beloved, is God’s work from start to finish. In Ephesians 2:8-9 we read “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Therefore, because salvation is God’s work, it is forever. Concerning salvation Jesus said “I give unto them eternal life”, that is, life that is forever. All who believe in Jesus, that He died, was buried, and rose again for them, are eternally saved.

Salvation is also immutable, and eternal. It can never be destroyed, or lost, or taken away. Nothing can be added to it, or taken away from it.

And because of God’s work of redemption and salvation, men should fear before Him. We should fear Him with a godly fear, and reverence Him with all of our being, and with all of our substance. We should trust Him, and obey Him in all He has commanded us in His Word, because of all that He has done for us on the cross, and for saving our souls by faith in the gospel.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Solomon said in our text in Ecclesiastes 3:14 “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”

Another work of God is the Church, which Jesus built during His public ministry.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

His Church, like His other works, is forever. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it.

And the Lord built His Church that men should fear before Him, and worship Him, and give Him glory in His Church. We read in Ephesians 3:21 “Unto him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

To be a part of His church, you must be a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, you must be saved by faith in the gospel.

Next, you must confess Christ with your mouth. Today this is commonly done by coming forward in the church, and telling the Pastor that Jesus has saved you.

The Pastor then tells the church your confession of faith in Jesus.

Finally, you are Scripturally baptized into His Church in the waters of baptism.

It is that simple, yet it is a glorious and very special privilege to be a member of one of the Lord’s true New Testament Baptist Churches.