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Chosen by God--Part 1

by

John MacArthur
All Rights Reserved (A copy of this message on cassette tape may be obtained by calling 1-800-55- RA!"#

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Our text is 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 1 and 2 as we come to the second message now in our study of 1 Peter...1 Peter chapter 1 verses 1 and 2. Let me read them to you and we'll talk about them together tonight. Peter! an "postle of #esus $hrist! to those who reside as aliens scattered throughout Pontus! %alatia! $appadocia! "sia and &ithynia! who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of %od the 'ather by the sanctifying work of the (pirit that you may obey #esus $hrist and be sprinkled with )is blood* may grace and peace be yours in fullest measure. +ow the essence of this salutation as Peter begins his letter is to emphasi,e that those to whom he writes are chosen according to the foreknowledge of %od the 'ather. "nd thus does Peter take a theological plunge of profoundly deep proportions at the very outset of this letter. -he lesson for us tonight is going to deal with the sub.ect of election! or being chosen by %od. +ow / need to introduce this sub.ect because it is a sub.ect of great controversy and / want you to fully understand it. Let me say at the very outset that / will not be able to complete what / want to say to you tonight and if you do not hear what / say next (unday night you won't have the whole picture. (o it's important that you stick with us so that you'll fully understand this tremendous doctrine. "nd when we conclude our look at .ust these two verses and the doctrine of election! /'m going to show you the practical implications and the necessities of an understanding of this doctrine! not only for those that are saved but for those that are not saved. "nd it has tremendous implications for both. -he gifted &ible teacher! scholar! ". 0. Pink who! by the way! died in 1122! once began a sermon by saying this! / am going to speak tonight on one of the most hated doctrines of the &ible! namely that of %od's sovereign election! end 3uote. )e was right. /t is a hated doctrine. )e later wrote these words! and / find them very insightful! %od's sovereign election is the truth most loathed and reviled by the ma.ority of those claiming to be believers. Let it be plainly announced that salvation originated not in the will of man but in the will of %od that were it not so none would or could be saved. 'or as the result of the 'all man has lost all desire and will unto that which is good and that even the elect themselves have to be made willing and loud will be the cries of indignation against such teaching. -hen he says! 4erit5mongers will not allow the supremacy of the divine will and the impotency of the human will. $onse3uently they who are the most bitter in denouncing election by the sovereign pleasure of %od are the warmest in crying up the free will of fallen man! end 3uote. 0hat he's saying is it's hard for some people to accept the biblical doctrine of sovereign election. /t's hard for man to acknowledge the fact that his salvation is an act of %od. /n his fallenness he wants to assume some responsibility! even if it's a small responsibility! for having believed. )e wants some credit desperately for having made a right choice. 'urthermore! the doctrine of election seems repulsive to us because by our standards it seems unfair that %od should out of all the world of human beings choose some at )is own discretion to be saved and not the rest. &ut you understand! don't you! that the reason man so

desperately wants to have a part is because in his fallenness he wants to exercise his pride. "nd so we can eliminate that as a real issue! it only is an expression of fallenness. 0hat about the part about being unfair6 /s %od unfair6 +o! %od is never to be measured by any human standard! certainly not by the human standard of fairness which is also a reflection of man's...what6...fallenness. "re we so foolish as to assume that we who are fallen sinful creatures have a higher standard of what is right than an unfallen and infinitely and eternally holy %od6 0hat kind of pride is that6 -herein lies the real problem. /n Psalm 27*21 %od said! 8ou thought that / was all together like you! how wrong you are. (o many places in the &ible warn us not to assume that what we believe is the standard by which %od must function. /t says in Psalm 19 verse 2! :ighteousness and .ustice are the foundation of )is throne. :ighteousness and .ustice are the very foundation of the throne of %od. -hat is to say whatever %od does proceeds from a base of righteousness and .ustice. /t may not be human righteousness and human .ustice but it is divine. /n those familiar words of /saiah 22*; and 1! the (cripture says of %od! 4y thoughts are not your thoughts! neither are your ways my ways! declares the Lord! for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are 4y ways higher than your ways and 4y thoughts than your thoughts. 0e are in no position as fallen creatures to determine whether what %od does is .ust! right or fair. /n :omans 11*<< the "postle writes! O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of %od! how unsearchable are )is .udgments and unfathomable )is ways for who has known the mind of the Lord! or who has become )is counselor6 8ou've stepped out of bounds when you say that %od does anything that isn't fair. 0hat is divine .ustice then6 Let me give you a definition. 0hat is divine .ustice6 /t is an essential attribute of %od whereby )e is infinitely and perfectly .ust in )imself! of )imself! for )imself! from )imself! by )imself and none other. -hat's a heavy5duty theological definition. 0hat is divine .ustice6 /t is an essential attribute of %od! that is it belongs to )is very essence! whereby )e is infinitely and perfectly .ust in )imself! of )imself! for )imself! from )imself! by )imself and none other. Psalm 11*9 says! 'or the Lord loves righteousness. #ames =sher! many years ago! wrote! -he source of %od's .ustice is )is own free will and nothing else. 'or whatsoever )e wills is .ust and because )e will it therefore it is .ust! not because it is .ust therefore )e wills it. 8ou understand that6 " thing is .ust because %od wills it. )e does not will it because it is .ust by human standards! )e sets the standard. >ivine .ustice is of an entirely different order and character than human .ustice. "nd by the way! .ustice isn't the issue anyway. 8ou don't want to talk too long about .ustice when you talk about salvation because if %od gave us all .ustice we'd all be sent to hell. 8ou see! the creator owes nothing to the creature...not even what )e graciously is pleased to give to the elect. )e doesn't owe that. )ow then could %od be called un.ust when whatever )e does is .ust and the fact that )e elected certain ones to be saved when they didn't deserve it anyway! how could that be un.ust6 (alvation is never a matter of .ustice! it is always a matter of grace! pure grace. "nd it always seems curious to me that %od seems to be gracious most often to those who seem to be the most undeserving. "nd so not only does it to some people seem unfair that %od chooses some but it seems unfair that )e chooses the ones )e chooses. 'or when #esus came )e re.ected the religionists and the do5gooders and chose the harlots! the prostitutes! the outcasts! the poor! the social re.ects and that's the plan! not many noble! not many mighty. )e's chosen the base things of this world. "nd in many cases! in most cases! passed by the mighty! the noble! the religious! the educated. 8ou really don't want to try to figure this thing out from the standpoint of is it fair. %od did it! that makes it .ust. %od sets the standard of what is .ust. /f you don't understand what %od does! that doesn't mean )e doesn't live up to your standard! that means your standard doesn't live up to )is standard. )e is %od. +ow in discussing the doctrine of election! really there is no better more condensed section of (cripture than the one before us. "nd Peter frankly gets into the thick of theology right off the

starting blocks. )e's not even out of the first verse before he introduces chosen. "nd then launches into a very brief but profound statement about the essence of election. +ow as he addresses his readers it is his intention in these first two verses to identify them as the ones who are chosen of %od. )e identifies them in two ways. 'irst he identifies them in relation to their place in the earth and secondly! he identifies them in relation to their place in heaven. "s far as earth goes they reside scattered throughout Pontus! %alatia! $appadocia! "sia and &ithynia. "s far as heaven goes! they are the chosen according to the foreknowledge of %od the 'ather by the sanctifying work of the (pirit who obey #esus $hrist having been sprinkled with )is blood. (o he identifies their earthly identification and their heavenly as well. +ow let's look briefly with regard to their earthly identification. -he readers to whom Peter writes are said to be residing as aliens! or strangers! scattered throughout Pontus! %alatia! $appadocia! "sia and &ithynia. +ow we need to touch that because we need to understand to whom he writes. 0ould you please notice the word scattered. /t is a familiar word to any student of the +ew -estament! it is the word diasporas in %reek. 8ou may have heard the word diaspora! it means dispersion. /n the gospels it is a technical term for the dispersing of the #ews throughout the world. /t is so used in #ohn 9*<2. /t is also used of #ews scattered throughout the world in #ames 1*1. #ames writes to the #ews who have been dispersed. -hat is scattered from their homeland into other parts of the world. 0henever you see it! #ohn 9*<2 and #ames 1*1! it is the dispersion! definite article! it is a technical term for the whole aggregate of #ews...now follow this...who since the "ssyrian and &abylonian captivity have been scattered throughout the world...the dispersion. /t is my conviction that Peter is not using it here in a technical way such as #ames does. -here is no article here! it is not -)? dispersion! it is simply scattered. "nd the translators of the +ew "merican (tandard have helped us with that by simply translating it scattered. (o that it appears to us not a technical term but a non5technical reference to some scattered people. (ome say! 0ell now! don't you think that it's probably the scattered #ews since Peter was called to be the "postle to the #ews according to %alatians 2*9 and that therefore he would have them in mind6 0ell not necessarily. $ertainly he was the "postle to the #ews and certainly wherever %od gave him the opportunity to minister to the #ews he did so faithfully. &ut the absence of the definite article and the tone of two other verses in this epistle lead me to believe that he really doesn't have the #ews in mind particularly. +otice chapter 1 verse 19! he's writing to these people scattered! he says if you address as 'ather the one who impartially .udges according to each man's work conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth. -he implication here is your earthly duration! your earthly stay which leads us to believe that he's talking about people who are not so much strangers in an alien culture as strangers on the earth itself. $hapter 2 verse 11! &eloved! / urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. "nd again the alien and stranger here seems to be the person who is in environment that is foreign to his nature and is doing war against his soul. (o he's not concerned to talk about a #ew who is nationally an alien as much as he is concerned to talk about a believer who is spiritually an alien. " much wider audience which would certainly include some $hristian #ews as well as %entiles. -he #ews perhaps were in the minority! we would assume that in the %entile provinces to which this epistle is addressed. (o what he is saying is not to you #ews who are scattered throughout alien countries! but to you $hristians who are aliens in the earth. 8ou are true aliens and strangers and pilgrims. 8ou don't belong here. -he church is a group of strangers scattered throughout the world! away from their true home. /n fact in Philippians <*< Paul says! 0e %entile $hristians all of us in the church! #ew and %entile! the whole church! we are the circumcision of a spiritual nature. "nd here / think Peter is saying we are the scattered! the diaspora in a spiritual sense. (o the idea is that he's writing to believers who in the world are aliens or strangers. )e's addressing the church! that's simply it. )e's addressing the church! the church in Pontus! the church in %alatia! $apadocia! "sia and &ithynia. -hose by the way are provinces! they occupy what we know today as modern -urkey. -hey were part of the :oman ?mpire in the time of Peter. Pontus was a province in the far north! mentioned in "cts 2*1! "cts 1;*2. %alatia! a very familiar province moving south sort of in a circle!

%alatia was that area where the cities of >erbe! Lystra and /conium existed to which Paul ministered many times. -hen coming from the north through %alatia to the south and making a little turn west! like a half circle! you come to $appadocia! mentioned also in "cts 2*1. -here were strangers from $appadocia who had come into #erusalem and they were there at Pentecost when the (pirit fell and they spoke in tongues by the power of the (pirit. -hen going west and up a little bit into "sia and then back to the north again! &ithynia. (o Peter in his mind does a circular sweep through all of that area and mentions the various provinces of that area. )e leaves out Pamphylia! a familiar province! and a few others are not mentioned. &ut he is writing to $hristians scattered throughout those :oman provinces and so we conclude then that the letter had a very wide audience. /n those provinces there would be a number of churches. 0e know in the province of "sia! for example! of at least seven or eight churches. (even of the churches in "sia have received letters from the Lord #esus in :evelation 2 and <. "nd there were other churches in "sia! like $olossae! not mentioned in :evelation. (o there may have been a number of churches in Pontus! a number of churches in $appadocia! a number of churches in &ithynia as well. $hristians scattered as aliens in a foreign land! namely the unregenerate world. (o Peter is writing to a lot of folks. "nd why such a wide audience6 &ecause the persecution that had come against the $hristians as a result of them being blamed for the burning of :ome was sweeping through the :oman ?mpire. "nd everywhere that persecution went! $hristians were going to have to pay the price of suffering. "nd so he writes as if to embrace them all in this epistle which teaches them how to face suffering triumphantly. &ut more important than their relationship to the earth is their relationship to heaven. "nd the thing that he wants them most to know is that they are chosen by %od. )e wants them to grasp that tremendously comforting reality. /n the midst of their persecution when they might be 3uestioning so much! he wants them to know they are the chosen of %od. "nd so at the end of verse 1 he says! -hose who reside as aliens scattered who are chosen. Let's take the word aliens who are chosen. "liens means strangers! as we said! those who are dispossessed in a land not their own. /t can mean temporary residence! it can mean foreigners. ?ither way they were temporary residents and they were foreigners. -heirs was a city not made with hands! eternal in the heavens. -heirs was a temporary stay until they were called to the @ion which is above! the writer of )ebrews calls it. -hese aliens! the church! the redeemed! the believers are chosen...eklektos from the verb kaleo and the preposition out! to call out! the called out ones. /t's a verbal ad.ective here! it means to pick out or to select. /n fact! you could even translate it this way! and this would be beautiful! choice aliens...select aliens. /t's a term for $hristians! that's all. -he chosen! the saved are the chosen. 0e don't call ourselves that. /f somebody asks you what's your religious preference! you say! Oh! /'m a $hristian. )ave you ever said! Oh! /'m one of the elect6 0hat6 /'m choice. / am one who has been selected by %od for salvation. &ut that's a term for $hristians. &y the way! it even was a term for /srael of old to identify them. >euteronomy! you perhaps remember this very familiar verse! >euteronomy 9*A! 'or you are a holy people to the Lord your %od! the Lord your %od has chosen you to be a people for )is own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 0ell you better understand that. %od wasn't sitting up in heaven saying! / hope some nation will believe 4e and choose 4e. +o! out of all the people on the earth! / chose you. /srael! 4ine elect. -hat's >euteronomy 9*A. >euteronomy also 1B*2! 'or you are a holy people to the Lord your %od and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for )is own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. )e repeats the same thing again...chosen. Psalm 172*B< calls /srael )is chosen ones. Psalm 1<2 verse B says! 'or the Lord has chosen #acob for )imself! has chosen /srael for )is own possession. /srael was elect. 8ou say! 0ell is that true also of the church6 %od hasn't changed )is plan. %od hasn't changed )is method. -he Old -estament said! +o man seeks after %od. -he Old -estament said! -here's none righteous! no not one. %od chose )is people! /srael! by )is own free choice.

"nd so does )e the church and we are the elect. Let me show you this. /n 4atthew 2B verse 22! .ust pick up the thought that we are the elect. Cerse 22! =nless those days...that is the days of the great -ribulation...be cut short! no life would have been saved. Listen to this! &ut for the sake of the elect! the chosen! those days shall be cut short. 0ho are the elect6 -he believers. Cerse 2B! 'alse $hrists! false prophets will arise! will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead if possible even the...what6...the elect! the chosen! the believers. /t is a term for believers! for $hristians. Cerse <1! 0hen )e sends forth )is angels with a great trumpet at the (econd $oming! they will gather together )is...what6...elect from the four winds! from one end of the sky to the other. /n Luke's gospel chapter 1; verse 9 says! +ow shall not %od bring about .ustice for )is elect who cry to )im day and night and will )e delay long over them6 0e come to :omans the great epistle of Paul! that marvelous eighth chapter verse <<! 0ho shall bring a charge against %od's elect6 0e're elect. $olossians chapter < verse 12! "nd so as those who have been elect of %od! chosen of %od! holy and beloved! put on a heart of compassion! and so forth. 8ou've been chosen of %od to be holy and beloved. )e determined to set )is love on you and me for no reason of ours at all! but strictly of )is own free choice. -he elect of %od! that's who we are. (econd -imothy 2*17! 'or this reason! Paul says! / endure all things in my ministry for the sake of those who are chosen that they also may obtain the salvation which is in $hrist #esus. / am doing my evangelistic ministry to bring the gospel to the elect...the chosen. -itus! when Paul writes that letter he couldn't say it anymore straight5forward. Paul! a bond servant of %od and an "postle of #esus $hrist! for the faith of those chosen of %od. (econd #ohn! that little epistle! describes the church as the chosen lady! the elect lady! 2 #ohn 1D 2 #ohn 1<! the children of your chosen sister greet you. -wo churches! both elect. (o you see! when Peter says / am writing to the elect of %od! or the chosen! he means believers. +ow catch this! will you please6 -he term elect or chosen is synonymous with $hristian! with saved! with born again. "nd the rich reality of that term is to remind us that we are the chosen of %od. )e made the choice! not us. "nd what Peter is saying / think is so wonderful. 0hat he's saying to these persecuted $hristians is! )ey! you may not be the choice of the world but you are the choice of %od. $an you grab that6 -hat's comforting. -hat's a rich reality. "nd listen! it was intended to be an encouragement to persecuted believers. +ow as we look a little more closely at this! /'ll give you a little list of the elements of election. Let's see how far we get. +umber one! the nature of our election...and we're .ust going to take it phrase by phrase! it is so rich...the nature of our election. Cerse 1! 0ho are chosen...who are chosen. $hapter 2 verse 1! please notice it! Peter says! 8ou are a chosen race! a royal priesthood! a holy nation! a people for %od's own possession. 8ou are a chosen race. &eloved! can you grasp that reality6 8ou are a $hristian because you are chosen to be one by %od. -hat's what the &ible says. /t is the chosen who are the saved. -he term! as / said! means to select! to pick out! to call out from among. "nd Peter is simply saying that $hristians are people %od has chosen to belong to )imself. -hat's the nature of election. -he nature of election is %od has chosen a people to belong to )im! and we're that people. %od chooses people out of all the world to belong to )im. /n "cts 12*1B! / think that's the right verse! we read this! yes! (imeon! or Peter! has related how...this is the $ouncil of #erusalem...how %od first concerned )imself about taking from among the %entiles a people for )is name. %od's whole plan is to take out a people! to choose a people. +ow something inside of you resists this! doesn't it6 8ou say! +ow wait a minute! you mean we're .ust chosen6 "nd you fight against that. 8our fallenness fights that because we would like to think in part it depended on us...that's pride. 0e'd also like to think! 0ell it sounds unfair! that's pride saying! %od! /'ll straighten you out when / get to heaven. 8ou don't understand what fair is. 8ou have to retreat to faith! my friend. 8ou have to retreat to faith. 0hat does the &ible teach6 >oes the &ible teach that we are chosen by %od or doesn't it6

Let's have a little &ible lesson! okay6 %et your &ible! open it to 4atthew chapter 27 and get ready! we're going to move. 8ou must understand this. 8ou have a parable here! the Eingdom of )eaven! like a land owner! went out in the morning to hire labors for his vineyard. )e agreed with the laborers for a denarius! he sent them into his vineyard. )e went out the third hour! saw others standing idle in the marketplace! went through the process! hired them....hired them...hired them...hired them. (elected them! the whole parable all the way down to the bottom! he picked out who he wanted and he rewarded them with eternal life! that's the essence of the parable. Cery simple. )e selected them. $alled them into his service. (ent them out to serve. :ewarded them fairly! faithfully! generously. -hat is a picture of election. #ohn 12! #ohn 12! do you remember this verse6 #esus said it to )is disciples! 8ou did not...what6...choose 4e but / chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatever you ask of the 'ather in 4y name )e may give it you. 8ou didn't choose 4e! / chose you. 8ou say! 0ell wait a minute. / chose 8ou! too. +o! you didn't choose 4e! / chose you! that's what / said. -hat's how it is. Look at #ohn 19*1! )e says of $hristians! praying to the 'ather does our Lord! / ask on their behalf! this is the high priestly prayer of $hrist! / do not ask on behalf of the world but of those whom -hou hast...what6...given 4e. -he 'ather chose us and gave us to $hrist as a love gift! for they are -hine. Look at "cts chapter 1<...most interesting! most interesting. "cts chapter 1< and verse B;! here Paul is preaching to the %entiles! huge crowd on the (abbath day and it says! verse 27! -he #ews aroused the devout women of prominence in... pardon me! verse...closes the sermon! verse BA! let's pick it up there! Paul and &arnabas spoke out boldly! said it was necessary that the 0ord of %od should be spoken to you first since you repudiated it and .udge yourselves unworthy of eternal life! behold we're turning to the %entiles! that is turning from the #ews to the %entiles! for thus the Lord has commanded us! / have placed you as a light for the %entiles that you should bring salvation to the end of the earth. "nd when the %entiles heard this! that is the gospel message! they began re.oicing and glorifying the 0ord of the Lord and as many as had been appointed to eternal life...what6...believed. -he chosen believed. -hose appointed to eternal life believed. Look at :omans chapter 1 and verse 1B. )ere is the obvious antagonist who's going to reply. %od is talking about choosing. )e says! #acob / loved! ?sau / hated. %od made )is choice. Cerse 1B! 0hat shall we say then6 -here is no in.ustice with %od is there6 4ay it never be. Me gennetos! in the %reek! no! no! no. /t's...it's not in.ustice! for )e said to 4oses! / will have mercy on whom / have mercy! and / will have compassion on whom / have compassion! which is to say / will do precisely what / want to do. Cerse 1A! look at this! (o then it! salvation! does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs but on %od who has mercy. (overeign mercy. "nd somebody in verse 11 says! 0ell then how can )e find fault with somebody6 0ell who can resist )is will6 On the contrary! 0ho are you! O man! who answers back to %od. Eeep your mouth shut! it's beyond you. -he thing molded will not say to the molder! 0hy do you make me like this! will it6 >oes not the potter have a right over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use6 "nd what if %od although willing to demonstrate )is wrath and make )is power known endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. Listen! %od has .ust as much right to use )is attribute of destruction and wrath and put that on display against ungodly! as )e does to put )is grace and love and mercy on display for those )e elects. Cery clear! don't argue with %od. 8ou're only showing your pride! and the ignorance of your finite mind. /f you can't understand it! believe it. -hat's what it says! that's exactly what it says. /t doesn't depend on the man who wills or the man who runs! but on %od who will have mercy on whomever )e decides to have mercy.

$hapter 11 of :omans! verse 2! /n the same way then as in the case of the prophet ?li.ah and seven thousand men who didn't bow the knee to &aal! in the same way then there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according...listen to this...to %od's gracious...what6...choice. %od's choice. 'irst $orinthians 1! .ust moving through! verse 1! %od is faithful through whom you were called into fellowship with )is (on. 8our salvation was a direct work of %od. )e called you into fellowship with )is (on. Look at ?phesians chapter 1 verse <! &lessed be the %od and 'ather of our Lord #esus $hrist who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in $hrist! verse B! are you ready! .ust as )e chose us in )im! that is in $hrist! before the foundation of the world. 0hen did it happen6 0hen were we chosen6 &efore we were born. &efore anybody was born. &efore there was a world we were chosen. $an you handle this thought6 "s long as there is %od! we've been chosen. %rab that one. 8ou say! )ow long has %od been around6 'orever...forever. 8ou want to know something6 8ou were chosen in eternity past. "s long as %od has existed! )is elect have been in )is mind. 0hewF =nbelievable. $hosen. On the basis of )is choice! verse 2! )e predestined us to adoption as sons through #esus $hrist to )imself according to the kind intention of )is will! so that it would be to the praise of the glory of )is grace! not ours. )e chose us. "s long as )e's been %od we've been chosen. 0hewF -hat's an unbelievable thought. "s long as %od has existed! #ohn 4ac"rthur was in the plan. / was in )is mind...so were you if you belong to )im. -hat is an intensely thrilling thought. Look at 1 -hessalonians chapter 1 verse B. Paul is so encouraged by the -hessalonian church he says in verse 2! 0e give thanks to %od always for all of you! making mention of you in our prayers. Like the Philippian church! this was a beloved congregation. )e didn't know them as well. )e hadn't stayed there as long! only three (abbaths. &ut he loved them. "nd he says! / look at your life and / see...in verse <...your work of faith! your labor of love! your steadfastness of hope in our Lord #esus $hrist in the presence of our %od and 'ather! knowing! brethren! beloved by %od )is choice of you. )e chose you...that's apparent. )e chose you. (econd -hessalonians chapter 2 verse 1<! listen to this. 0e should always give thanks to %od for you! we shouldn't thank you! we should thank %od! &rethren! beloved by the Lord. /sn't that good6 &ecause %od has...what6...chosen you from the beginning. 8ou say! 0hat's that6 / don't know.../ don't know what that is...the beginning. 0hat beginning6 / don't know. 'rom the beginning for salvation. >id you get that6 %od has chosen you from the beginning for salvation. / don't know how it could be said more clearly than that. )ow could anyone not see what that says6 (econd -imothy chapter 1 verse 1! here's another one of these mind bogglers. )e talks about %od at the end of verse ;! then he says! %od who has saved us and called us with a holy calling! not according to our works but according to )is own purpose and grace which was granted us in $hrist #esus from all eternity. +ow we're finding out what the beginning is...all eternity. )e has known that we were the elect from all eternity. )e has granted us in )is mind as long as )e has existed that we would be saved. "nd it's all according to )is plan and )is purpose and )is grace and not us. :emarkable...remarkable truth. Look at 2*17! 2 -imothy! Paul says! /n my ministry / endure all things! and he endured a lot. 'or the sake of those whose name has been written from the foundation of the world in the &ook of Life of the Lamb who has been slain. 0hen was your name written down6 'rom the foundation of the world. 0hen was that6 / don't know. &ut as long as %od has existed )e's had me in )is mind. "s long as %od has existed )e's had you and / who are $hristians in )is mind and predetermined to love us and to make us like )is (on and )e wrote our names in )is book before the world began.

$hapter 19 of :evelation verse ;! and here again the beast will be worshiped and adored and it says! "nd those who dwell on the earth will wonder whose name has not been written in the &ook of Life from the foundation of the world. "nd again we are told in a backhanded way that $hristians are those whose names have been written in the &ook of Life from beginning! from eternity! from the foundation of the world. (o when someone says to you! 0hat religion are you6 you can say! /'m one of the chosen. $hosen by whom6 %od. :eally! when6 'orever! as long as %od has been %od )e's chosen me! loved me. 0hy6 $ertainly had nothing to do with me. / .ust showed up and / was elect. 0ell did you do some good works to deserve it6 +o! there was no me when %od decided it. Cerse 1B of :evelation 19! -hese will wage war against the Lamb! that is the host of the "ntichrist! and the Lamb will overcome them because )e is Lord of Lords and Eing of Eings and those who are with )im are the called and...what6...chosen and faithful. 0e're the chosen. One final mention! chapter 27! this is ama,ing. 'inal .udgment! %reat 0hite -hrone! /f anyone's name was not found written in the &ook of Life he was...what6...thrown in the lake of fire. 0hen were names put in the book6 'rom before the foundation of the earth. &oy! elect...that's .ust part of what (cripture says about it. 0e resist that. (omething in us struggles with that. Look at Luke B! it will comfort you! you're not alone. Luke B! interesting! #esus in this marvelous synagogue event in +a,areth! opened the book of the prophet /saiah! stood up in the synagogue! opened the book! read it. -his is what )e read! verse 1;! and here was a prophecy that )e was fulfilling right out of /saiah A1. -he (pirit of the Lord is upon 4e because )e anointed 4e to preach the gospel to the poor! )e has sent 4e to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind! to set free those who are downtrodden to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. "nd )e closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon )im and )e began to say to them! -oday this (cripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. "nd all were speaking well of )im and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from )is lips and they were saying! /s this not #oseph's son6 (o far so good...so far so good. &ut watch what happens. Cerse 22! / say to you in truth! there were many widows in /srael in the days of ?li.ah when the sky was shut up for three years and six months! no rain! when a great famine came over all the land. -here were many widows. "nd yet ?li.ah was sent to...what6...none of them but only to @arephath in the land of (idon to a woman who was a widow. "nd there were many lepers in /srael in the time of ?lisha! the prophet! and none of them was cleansed but only +aaman the (yrian. 8ou know what )e's telling them about6 (overeign grace...lots of widows and lots of lepers and %od picked none of them but a widow in @arephath and a leper named +aaman who wasn't even a #ew! he was a (yrian. "nd all in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things! they rose up! they cast )im out of the city! they led )im to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built in order to throw )im down the cliff. Let me tell you something. -he respectable religious leaders of /srael despised the doctrine of election...especially when it pointed out that they were not the elect. 8ou can't debate the truth! this is the truth. 8ou can't debate it. -hey didn't want to hear it. 4any today don't want to hear it! but it's the truth. 8ou see! in :evelation 11*A we are told! -he Lord %od omnipotent reigneth! %od in heaven is the controller and the disposer of all creatures. (cripture says! "s the 4ost )igh )e rules amid the armies of the heavens and none can stay )is hand and none can say unto )im! 0hat are 8ou doing6 )e is the almighty who works all things after the council of )is own will! )e fulfills all )is own purposes! makes all )is own promises come to pass. )e is the heavenly potter who takes the lump of clay! fallen humanity and fashions it the way )e wants to fashion it. )e is the decider and the determiner of the destiny of every person. )e is the controller of every detail in every individual's life which is simply another way of saying that %od is %od.

"rthur Pink again said! -he only reason anybody believes in election is because he finds it taught in %od's 0ord. +o man or number of men ever originated this doctrine. Like the doctrine of eternal punishment! it conflicts with the dictates of the carnal mind and is repugnant to the sentiments of the unregenerate heart and like the doctrine of the holy trinity and the miraculous birth of our (avior! the truth of election must be received with simple un3uestioning faith. (o the nature of election...%od's divine will selects some for salvation. /s that hard for you to handle6 / confess to you that / struggle with that. / believe it with all my heart because the &ible teaches it. -here's something pretty thrilling about it! don't you feel that way6 (omething pretty exciting about that reality. -here's something immensely humbling about it...immensely humbling. / mean! it literally destroys pride. / mean! what can we claim...nothing. 8ou say! 0ell what about...what about the people that aren't elect6 0ell the &ible says they go to hell because of their unbelief. "nd %od takes no responsibility for that. 8ou say! / don't understand that. -hat's right! / don't understand that either. &ut / understand my %od and / understand what he said in )is 0ord. "nd )e said you're condemned because you believe not on 4e. 8ou say! )ow do you harmoni,e this6 / don't! %od does in perfect .ustice. -he reason %od gave us the doctrine of election was to tell us two things. One! )e's in charge. -wo! )e is so gracious to those of us who could never have earned it that we ought to spend our eternity praising )is glorious name. -he doctrine of election is not given to us to confuse us. /t is given to us to devastate our pride and to elicit our praise. "nd we're going to find out more about that next Lord's day. -hat's one out of five! #ohn @immer didn't think /'d finish one. Let's pray together. Lord! there's so much more to say about this. 0e have .ust touched the surface. &ut! Lord! we're beginning to understand what 8our 0ord says! even if we can't fully grasp in our minds all that that implies. )elp us to walk in faith knowing that 8ou're a %od who is consistent! perfectly .ust! perfectly righteous and that 8ou have absolutely no contradiction in 8our person. 0e who are saved are saved because we were chosen in 8our mind for as long as 8ou have been %od! and we did nothing to contribute. 8ou even produced the faith in us! 8ou even produced and granted us repentance. 8ou produced obedience by 8our (pirit. "nd! Lord! we also understand that those who go out into eternity and don't know 8ou are responsible for their own unbelief because that's what (cripture says. "nd so we cry to the unsaved to believe and we praise 8ou for choosing us and leave the resolution to 8ou. -hank 8ou! %od! for choosing us. 0hy oh why! we are so grateful. "nd may that gratitude come forth in a life of loving thankful commitment to 8ou. "nd we long for the day when we can be in 8our presence and praise 8ou unhindered and unrestricted forever and ever and ever for choosing us. 0e pray for those who do not believe. 0e pray! O %od! that men might not turn their back on 8ou for #esus said! )im that comes to 4e / will in no case cast away. "nd may we who are saved be comforted by the doctrine of election and may the lost not be turned away by that doctrine but hear the words of #esus! $ome unto 4e all ye that labor under heavy laden and / will give you rest. 0e've .ust begun to study this! we want to understand it as best our finite minds are able. &e with us. )elp us that we might fully praise 8ou for 8our sovereign grace in the (avior's name. "men.
) (000 race to *ou

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