Saved in the Purpose of God equals Eternal Justification !2
Yet in the Purpose of God, they were Saved from, Justified from them by the Non Imputation of their sins unto them, and this blessing before the foundation is a vital branch of Eternal Salvation Heb 5:9,
in that there was a world of people Chosen in Christ before the foundation, whom God would not charge or impute with their sins 2 Cor 5:19
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself
, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
The reason being, for non imputation of sin upon that world of people, God in His Eternal Purpose has already charged the condemnation of their sins to Christ [
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them]
Hence He was in the Purpose of God, the Lamb slain [for sins imputed] from the foundation Rev 13:8
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Appointed before the foundation 1 Pet 1:20
20 Who verily
was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
And so the Gospel Message is that of Non Imputation of Sin 2 Cor 5:18-19
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit,
that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
The question is when exactly was God in Christ reconciling the World to Himself, and not imputing their trespasses to them ? It was before the foundation in the Everlasting Covenant !
In John Gills excellent Paper on Eternal Justification, we read this:
. The everlasting transaction, the same excellent writer thinks, is imported in #2Co 5:19. "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them". And the very learned Witsius {17} is of opinion, "that this act of God may be called, the general justification of the elect." And, indeed, since it was the determination of God, and the scheme and method he proposed to take in Christ for the reconciliation of the elect, not to impute their sins to them, but to his Son, their Surety; then seeing they are not imputed to them, but to him; and if reckoned and accounted to him, then not to them; and if charged to him, then they must be discharged from them, and so justified; and a non-imputation of sin to the elect, is no other than a justification of them; and thus the apostle strongly concludes the imputation of Christ's righteousness; which is the "formalis ratio", or the form of justification, from the non-imputation of sin, and the remission of it, #Ro 4:6-8.
http://www.mountzionpbc.org/Index/index04.htm
So the Non Imputation of sin is an Gospel Doctrine[2 Cor 5:19] is based upon Paul's Knowledge of the Eternal Purpose of God in Christ 2 Tim 1:9
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace[In the Everlasting Covenant], which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
