All of the present Bible believing preachers and teachers must also believe in election, but most of them do not preach election at all. And those who do, many times, do not teach what the Bible teaches about it.
In this chapter I want to make some general remarks to turn away preconceived prejudice by those who have never gone to the Bible to search what it actually says about the subject.
The elect are ultimately manifest in repentance and faith and good works. These graces, being God-wrought in man, are not the cause but the evidence of election (See I Thes. 1:3-10; II Peter 1:510).
‘Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure'(PhiL 2:12, 13).
‘And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?’ (Luke 18:7).
The man who does not pray, who does not repent of his sins, trust in the Person and work of Christ, and the man who does not engage in good works has no right to claim that he is one of God’s elect.
Chapter 6
THE GOLDEN CHAIN OF
THEOLOGY
IT REACHES FROM ETERNITY PAST
–PREDESTINED–TO ETERNITY
FUTURE–GLORIFIED
.
“MOREOVER WHOM HE DID PREDESTINATE,
THEM HE ALSO CALLED: AND WHOM HE
CALLED, THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED:
AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED,
THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED.”
ROMANS 8:30
ELECTION AND DESTINY
In this chapter I want to make some general remarks to turn away preconceived prejudice by those who have never gone to the Bible to search what it actually says about the subject.
- ELECTION PRECEDES SALVATION.
- Election is not salvation but it is unto salvation. ‘ What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election (elect) hath obtained it and the rest were blinded’ (Rom. 11:7).
‘God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation’ (II Thes. 2:13).
Conclusion – if the elect obtain salvation, and since election is to salvation – election must precede salvation. - ELECTION HARMS N
NE. - Election is not the cause of anyone going to hell, for election is unto salvation. Neither is non-election responsible for the damnation of sinners. Sin is what sends men to hell, and all men are sinners by nature and practice.
It does not follow that because election is unto salvation, that non-election is unto damnation. SIN is the cause of damnation; Election, therefore, harms no one but brings salvation to many. - ELECTION IS THE MOTHER OF A HOLY LIFE.
- Election does not prevent the salvation of any one who wants to be saved. But a very important distinction must be made between a mere desire to escape hell and a desire to be saved from sin. The desire to be saved from hell is a natural desire – no one wants to burn. The desire to be saved from sin is a spiritual desire and is a result of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit – God’s electing grace is the mother of this desire to be saved from sin.
‘. . . he has CHOSEN (elected) us in him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be HOLY and without blame before him in love:’Eph. 1:4.
Were it not for the redemptive work of Christ, there would be no gospel feast; were it not for the convicting, converting and compelling work of the Holy Spirit there would be no guests. A mere outward invitation brings nobody to the gospel feast. - ELECTION IS THE FOUNDATION OF GRACE.
- Electing love belongs to the system of grace. In the epistle of Romans Paul tells us that a remnant among the Jews were saved ‘. . . according to the election of GRACE. ‘The attitude of men toward election is the acid test of their belief in salvation by grace. Those who oppose election cannot consistently claim to believe in salvation by grace. A simple proof is seen in the study of the Creeds of Christendom. The denominations that believe in salvation by works, religious ceremony, or ritual have no place in their confessions for the doctrine of Election. But those who believe in salvation by grace, apart from human merit, have not failed to include the blessed doctrine of election in their written Creeds or Confessions. This is just why we have it as Article Five in our ARTICLES OF FAITH and this is why I am calling it to our attention – we believe in salvation by Sovereign Grace.
The elect are ultimately manifest in repentance and faith and good works. These graces, being God-wrought in man, are not the cause but the evidence of election (See I Thes. 1:3-10; II Peter 1:510).
‘Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure'(PhiL 2:12, 13).
‘And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?’ (Luke 18:7).
The man who does not pray, who does not repent of his sins, trust in the Person and work of Christ, and the man who does not engage in good works has no right to claim that he is one of God’s elect.
Chapter 6
THE GOLDEN CHAIN OF
THEOLOGY
IT REACHES FROM ETERNITY PAST
–PREDESTINED–TO ETERNITY
FUTURE–GLORIFIED
.
“MOREOVER WHOM HE DID PREDESTINATE,
THEM HE ALSO CALLED: AND WHOM HE
CALLED, THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED:
AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED,
THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED.”
ROMANS 8:30
ELECTION AND DESTINY
- IS DESTINY IN A CHRISTIAN’S HANDS BEFORE HE IS SAVED?
The statement we so often hear – that every man’s destiny is in his own hands – is a denial of the whole tenor and teaching of the Bible. The Bible clearly teaches that at no time was the destiny of any Christian in his own hands, neither before he was saved or afterwards. If his destiny was in his hands before he was saved, then he regenerated himself out of the state of spiritual DEATH and, if that were true, salvation would be by man and not by grace. If his destiny was in his hands, he is his own benefactor and can thank himself for his great power and wisdom in determining his own destiny. Perish the thought!
John 1:13 ” Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” This one scripture should forever put to silence such a thought. (Read Eph. 2:1-10; I Tim. 1:9; James 1:18). - IS DESTINY IN A CHRISTIAN’S HANDS AFTER HE IS SAVED?
If so, then he will either keep himself saved or lose his salvation. The Bible says we are kept by the power of God through faith (read I Peter 1:15; Ps. 37:28; John 10:27-29; Phil. 1:6′ Heb. 13:5).
If the Christian’s destiny is not safe in his own hands after he is saved, how could it be thought to be safe in his own hands before his conversion? Matt. 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” This one verse should settle the question. It teaches that the ELECT cannot be deceived. Matt. 24:22 “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened ” This text teaches us that the rigor of God’s punishments are abated – WHY?? For the elect’s sake. In both of these verses we see that destiny is being controlled by God. - IS DESTINY IN A CHRISTIAN’S HANDS AFTER DEATH?
The Christian dies, his body is consigned to the grave and becomes dust. Is his destiny in his own hands then? If so, what hope does he have of coming out of the grave with an immortal and incorruptible body?? None at all.
The theory that destiny is in the hands of man begets self-confidence and self-righteousness; the belief that destiny is in the hands of God begets SELF-ABNEGATION and faith in God.