La Oración Sacerdotal
Ensuring the Salvation of the Elect
Let’s go back to our original question: What was God’s purpose in the cross? It was to ensure the salvation of those whom He had given to His Son. That’s why our election must always be understood biblically to be in Christ. I’m not elected as an isolated American preacher. I’m elected in Christ Jesus, as one whom the Father gave to Him.
Jesus made this clearer a little later when He prayed for those whom the Father had given Him (v. 9). Clearly He was not praying for everyone. But such a limited prayer runs counter to the all-inclusive spirit and mentality of American Christianity. We say, “It’s not fair that God doesn’t include everyone in His plan.” Suppose that Christ did, in fact, make atonement for all people and every sin that has ever been committed. Would that cover the sin of unbelief? Yes. Therefore, a person could remain an unbeliever all his life, never submit to Christ, and die in sin, but God could not condemn that person because his sins had been covered by the atonement of Christ.
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. If you say to me, “R. C., did Jesus die for me?” I’m going to tell you that I don’t know. Then I will ask whether you are a believer. If you reply, “Yes, I’m a believer,” I’ll say, “Well, then, He died for you.” However, if you say, “No, I’m not a believer,” I’ll say: “I still don’t know that He didn’t die for you because you may become a believer tomorrow. But I know this—He died only for those who put their trust in Him.” The bottom-line question is this: “Do you, or do you not, trust in Christ alone for salvation from the just punishment that is due to you for your sins?” If you can say yes to that, then you can sleep easy tonight, knowing that Christ died for you, and that the atonement He made was perfect, complete, and absolute in that it covered every single sin you have committed or ever will commit in this world. That’s the benefit of having been given to Jesus by the Father.
It is only when we understand that we have done nothing to earn our way into heaven, that even the faith that we exercise is the gift of God, that it is all by grace alone, that we can say, “Soli Deo gloria”—“Glory to God alone.” Those who have received the unspeakable grace of God should be the first to pray with Jesus that the Father might be glorified.
Jesus went on to say: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (vv. 3–4). It is interesting that Jesus prayed this way the night before His passion. The cross had not even happened yet, but Jesus spoke of His mission as completed. He said: “Father, it’s all over and I’ve come to the end of the road. I’m not going to quit between now and Golgotha. I’ll go to that cross.”
With this understanding, He raised His final petition for Himself: “O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (v. 5). He said, in effect: “I’m ready to come home. I’m ready to return to the ivory palaces from whence I came.”