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.”
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.
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,
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
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!
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