It is NOT Possible to Have a Finished Work Accomplished in Principle
A woman in EBF's Facebook group wrote:
"Scripture is Gods plan and is fulfilled in the process of time - this is how to harmonize the things that some say all literally happened before the world began such as the payment for sin. God calls those things which be not as though they were.
Romans 4:17 "As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."
Hebrews 4:3 "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world."
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John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Acts 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Matt 25:55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
Matt 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
John 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
Act 1:16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
Rev 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."
McCann reply:
You cannot have a finished work performed in principle (calling those things that be not as though it were). The definition of a finished work is the action of the thing in view. Something stated in principle has not yet been fulfilled. The fulfillment is the work. The Bible's language that the works were finished from the foundation of the world will not allow for anything but actual finished works at the foundation of the world.
And of course, blood cannot be shed in principle either. The shed blood of Christ is the essence of the work that He finished as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission (forgiveness) of sin.
Therefore, without Christ's death at the foundation of the world none of the O.T. saints could have been forgiven their sins and experienced salvation.
The only way to harmonize the Scriptures on all these points and others is to acknowledge that when the Bible says Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world – that's exactly how it was.
Woman in group's response:
We disagree on this. Another point about Old Testament saints - God is not bound by time, Old testament saints were imputed. Roman's 3:25-26 "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God". This verse speaks of Jesus' blood showing God's righteousness for sins "that are past," covering those before Christ's coming.
McCann's reply:
Agreement or disagreement between us or any people isn't the issue. The issue is does our doctrinal position disagree with God's teaching in the Bible. And those who hold that Christ paid for sins at the cross and not at the foundation of the world have definite disagreement with the Bible. Or to say it another way, that conclusion has a lack of harmony with all Scriptures. And since every doctrinal conclusion must harmonize with all Scriptures to be affirmed by the Bible as true – we can know that it is not true that Christ paid for sins at the cross rather than at the foundation of the world.
As I said a finished "work" cannot be accomplished in principle. And since we read:
Hebrews 4:3 ... although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
That the works were "finished" from the foundation of the world it is not possible that God is speaking of that idea of it being done "in principle" that theologians (not God) have put forth to explain the several Scriptures wherein the Lord says that Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).
To show the Bible's truth on this point let's consider the idea of works that God has ordained for His people to walk in:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
God "before ordained" that His elect people should walk in certain good works – after they became saved. Since this was "before ordained" of God we could say the same language of Romans 4:17 (calling those things which be not as though they were) applies to it. That is, before any of the elect performed any good work-God had foreordained those works to be done.
Were those works "finished" at the time God foreordained them? Of course not. That's ridiculous. Again, the Biblical definition of a work is obedience or attempted to obedience to the law of God. There must be action for a work to occur. Obviously, as God predestinated His people from before the foundation of the world, He also foreordained them to walk in the works He had assigned for each one that would thereby take place in their lives after they heard the Bible and God saved them by the hearing of the Word.
For example, the works God's people performed as watchmen blowing the trumpet to warn the world of the approaching day of judgment, May 21, 2011, was done in time and in history. It was not done at the point God called for it to be done (foreordained it) in eternity past.
This is a plain truth that cannot be gainsaid. Works simply cannot be finished until they have actually been carried out.
Yet God states that the "works" were finished from the foundation of the world. And it is clear that He is referring to the work of Christ's atonement as He speaks of entering into His rest in the same verse.
Jesus' work of faith was finished at the foundation of the world as He was the Lamb slain (killed) at that point in eternity past.
This is the conclusion that harmonizes all Scripture. Therefore, this is the conclusion that is true and faithful. It is Biblical.