ELECTION AND GOD'S LOVE

In my previous post I mentioned that people often struggle to accept the doctrine of election. In an interview I listened to recently with John MacArthur on the subject of election, he mentioned that this is a bigger problem in America. It is a doctrine that is easily embraced in other parts of the world but here in America we tend to detest anything that encroaches upon our freedom.

Let me ask you a question. What would you think of a believer who bristled at the doctrine of God’s love? Seems ludicrous doesn’t it? In my recent study on the sovereignty of God, I’ve come to understand that the doctrine of God’s love actually flows out of the doctrine of election. Let’s look at some verses and see if you don’t come to the same conclusion.

Romans 1:6-7a: “…among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints…”

Romans 8:33a, 35a: “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Romans 9:11-13: “for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.”

Ephesians 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will…”

1 Thessalonians 1:4: “knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;”

Jude 1: “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father…:”

Remember our condition before salvation? We had deceitful and desperately wicked hearts, we did not seek for God, we were enemies of God, we had fleshy minds which were hostile to God, we were blinded by Satan, we were dead in our sin, and we were accustomed to only doing evil. Such a condition is only capable of choosing which form of sin is most appealing to itself and such a condition is not worthy of God’s love or mercy, only death!

In choosing us He loved us and He loved us in choosing us. Beloved, how deep the Father’s love for us when we were so utterly deplorable and incapable of responding to Him in any way, when we deserved only to remain in the gun sights of His wrath!

So what choices do we now have after being chosen by Him to receive His mercy, grace, peace, and every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies? Isn’t it the quality of fruit He’s appointed us to bear, proving we are His disciples. Isn’t it the level of obedience we can offer in return for His great and amazing gift to us?! When you consider that He raised us up with Christ in order that in the ages to come He might show us the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us, it should be with great joy that we offer Him acts of service with a servant's heart, loving Him with the good works which He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them!

Beloved, to embrace the doctrine of election is to embrace the loving arms of our heavenly Father, but it is to also recognize and bow at His sovereignty. There but for the grace of God we could have remained in His gun sights of wrath. Whatever God does is glorious. He chooses because it gives Him glory. Why doesn't He choose everyone? Because somehow in this He is glorified as well.

We must take it by faith that this is so. We preach the "whosoever will" passages. We beg others on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God, and then we leave the results up to Him.

Romans 11:36 - "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."

Your Grace Still Amazes Me!

OUT OF THE DOCTRINE OF HUMAN INABILITY FLOWS THE WONDERFUL DOCTRINE OF ELECTION

The following are verses that have shaped my understanding of my condition before God stepped in and granted me salvation.

Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”

Romans 3:10,11: “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;”

Romans 5:10: “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…”

Romans 8:7: “…the mind set on the flesh (our condition before salvation) is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.”

2 Cor. 4:4: “…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Ephesians 2:1 – “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.”

These verses tell me that I had absolutely no ability within myself to respond to or choose God. Without the life of God in me the only free will I had was in the framework of my sinfulness, to pick my own poison, to choose the form of sin that most appealed to me.

Because of my utter inability to respond to God, I look at the verses that say God chooses as His wonderful mercy on my behalf.

1 Peter 1:1-3 says: “…who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ…who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again…”

His choosing me and causing me to be born again was a most wonderful and merciful act.

Why is it such a struggle to accept the doctrine of election? Isn’t it because fallen human nature bristles at the idea that it isn’t in charge of its own destiny? Human freedom wants no restraints and wants the right to make every call. The idea of God being sovereign to the fallen human heart is like scraping ones fingernails down a black board.

Because of our sin we all deserve death. None of us deserve life. Romans 8:29-30 makes it clear that God saved a group of people.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

It doesn’t say He will predestine or will call or will justify or will glorify. It’s past tense. In God’s mind, it’s a done deed, from start to finish! There’s no possibility of falling from grace or walking away from our calling. Our salvation is preserved from eternity past. This just reveals God’s wonderful character and makes me love Him all the more!

God had the writers of these OT passages record this about His sovereignty:

Psalm 135:3-6a: “Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely. For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession. For I know that the LORD is great, And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, He does.”

Isaiah 46:9,10: “I am God and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.”

Psalm 33:11: “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.”

According to these verses:

1) God does whatever He pleases

2) He has a plan from beginning to end

3) He has a purpose and it will be established

4) He will accomplish His good pleasure

5) His counsel stands forever

Then we have these other “choosing” verses besides the 1 Peter 1:1-3 passage:

Eph. 1:4: “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…”

Titus 1:1: “Paul, a bond-servant of God…for the faith of those chosen of God…”

So why does God choose? Because it’s part of His sovereign plan. God is sovereign and can do whatever He wants. Right is whatever God does. He is the Definer of right.

Why would God not choose everyone? Because somehow it glorifies Him. God is glorified in everything He does and everything He does is glorious, even His wrath! Romans 9 tells us He is sovereign in whom He shows mercy and it is arrogant for us to question God in this as we are only the pots and He is the Potter. We have no right to question the purposes of the Potter. God even tells us in Romans 9 that He hated Esau before he was born and it was part of His plan!

Romans 9:11-13: “For though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls. It was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, ESAU I HATED.”

So what are we to do we do with the “whosoever will” passages? We preach them with a clear gospel message! The elect are gathered through the preaching of the gospel.

Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Who the elect are is only known by God and God does His sovereign work through His truth. We preach the gospel and leave the results up to the Lord.

One more verse that shows my condition before God granted me salvation - Jeremiah 13:23: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”

Out of the doctrine of human inability flows the glorious and wonderful doctrine of election! Without it I would still be dead in my sin!

How I long for the day when I can fall at His feet and thank Him for His grace and mercy on my behalf!