EVIDENCES OF ELECTION

THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCES OF ELECTION

          How can we know the elect? That we are elect?

     These questions are answered clearly!

            1. See Acts 13:48        "As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed."

            2. See John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me."

            3. See 1 Pet. 1:2 "Elect...unto obedience."

4. See 1 Thess. 1                                    4. See 1 Thess. 1::3-5 "Knowing...your election of God... Gospel...followers of us."

                                    vs. 3 "work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope."

5. See 2 Pet. 1:1                                     5 See 2 Pet. 1:10 with 5-7 "To make your calling and election sure" --‑

                        "do these things"

Conclusion: It is nothing but utter foolishness for any man to regard himself as one of the elect while he is living in open sin, rebellion and disobedience to the known will of God. This does not mean that one of the elect may not fall into sin, but he will be very unhappy and will hear the voice of the Good Shepherd - "My sheep hear my voice." John 10:27

WHY DOES GOD ELECT SOME

THE BIBLICAL PURPOSE OF ELECTION

  

 Many find difficulty because they persist in thinking of Election apart from its great ethical and spiritual goal.

     The elect are always elect to some holy and useful end.

            Eph. 1:11-12 "That we should be to the praise of his glory".

            1 Pet. 2:9         "That ye should show forth the praises of him."

            Eph. 1:4           "That we should be holy and without blame."

            Rom. 8:29       "Did predestine to be conformed to the image of His Son."

            John 15:16       "That ye should go and bring forth fruit."

              Nowhere in the Bible are men ever said to be elect to salvation as a mere place of divine favor apart from ethical considerations.

                         True that men are said to be elect to a prepared kingdom (Matt. 25:34), elect to                        adoption as sons (Eph. 1:5), and elect to glory (Rom. 9:23).

                         But all these have ethical implications: the kingdom is a kingdom of righteousness; the adoption is a position demanding a personal holiness; and the glory is first of all a moral glory.

            The election of God includes both the means as well as the end, both the obligations as well as the blessings.

            2 Thess. 2:13-14 "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

                                   here the means: "Sanctification of the Spirit"      end: "to salvation and belief of the truth"

            1 Peter 1:2 "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

                        means: "Thru sanctification of the Spirit"    end: "unto obedience and sprinkling of the  blood"

            John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

                        means: "ordained you"   end: "go and bring forth fruit"

BIBLICAL GROUND FOR DIVINE ELECTION

THE BIBLICAL GROUND OF DIVINE ELECTION

            Why Did God Elect Anyone to Salvation?

                        - This is the crux of entire subject - THREE POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

                                  (1) God elects those who are good.    Basis: personal goodness.

                                  (2) God elected those He foresaw would believe. Basis: Foreseen Faith. Almost                             makes election a permissive decree.

                                  (3) ***God elected those He purposed to save through faith in Christ. - Is the reason in man or in God? Basis: God's Sovereignty.

           Negatively - the Bible teaches:

                                  (1) Election not based on the will of man - Rom. 9:16 "Not of him that willeth."

                                  (2) Election not based on the works of man - 2 Tim. 1:9 "Not according to our                               works, but according to his own purpose and grace."

                                  (3) Election not based on the choice of man - John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me,                         but I have chosen you."

           Positively - the Bible teaches:

                                  (1) The ultimate source of Election is God's grace - Rom. 11:5-6 "According to                              the election of Grace"

                        -           can't go back of this

                        -           rules out all merit on part of man

                                  (2) Our election is according to the "good pleasure" and "purpose" of a sovereign                           God.

                                    Eph. 1:5, 11     "According to the good pleasure of His will."

                                    "Being predestinated according to the purpose of him."

                                  (3) Our election is according to the "foreknowledge of God". 1 Pet. 1:2 "Elect                                according to the foreknowledge of God."

                        -           this foreknowledge is not merely fore-sight. Cf. Amos 3:2

                        The word “known” means more than mere knowledge. If that were all, then God knew all nations. It includes the determination and communication of good. God knows that ALL are sinners which gives the Creator rights to use as He purposes to bring about eventually His Kingdom here on earth where His chosen will rule and reign with Him where they abide in mansions prepared for them.

                        -           It is a foreknowledge of special favor toward those whom God in His

grace purposes to save. Cf. also Gal. 4:9 "Are known of God."

                             -           Whatever it means, it cannot mean that God elects men on the basis of some meritorious act which He merely foresees they will do. In the case of Amos 3:2, God knows demerit, and for this He shows love and grace.

            Summary: God's election is of His Grace - this rules out all human merit.

BIBLICAL MEANING OF ELECTION

BIBLICAL MEANING OF ELECTION “AS APPLIED TO SAVED PERSONS”

                     A tentative definition of election: That God, before the foundation of the world, chose all believers to salvation in Christ with all its attendant blessings and obligations. 2 Thess. 2:13-14 with Eph. 1:4 

"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."

                         The place of election within the total divine plan (predestination)

                                     (1) Predestination refers to the total plan - includes all things. - Hence includes                               both causative and permissive decrees.

                                  (2) Election refers to that part of the total divine plan which deals with the saved.

                        -           God predestines all things - He elects the saved. He does not elect the lost to be lost – they do through the refusal to accept the grace He offers to all.

                        -           Election deals only with personal beings.

                        -           Election always a causative decree. God causes that thing to take place. He                                    allows sin but it is in His plan. And since all are sinners He has the choice of how He wants to use a person therefore He has a whole creation to use in this process. Psa. 148:8-12. He has Judas, He has Pharaoh, He has John the Baptist, He even has you and I. Many things have happened in my experience over 66 years at this point and of a few I know that the God and King of this universe has a plan that I still have trouble comprehending.

He elects none to perdition but by grace He saves a few. This has to do with the saved.

ELECTION & HIS TREATMENT OF SINNERS

ELECTION & HIS TREATMENT OF SINNERS

Matt. 19:30 “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”

Matt. 20:16 “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”

Bible never seeks to soften or modify the doctrine of Divine Election.

                   1. Our Lord defends the principle of election from the ordinary facts of human life.

                        Luke 4:25-27 “But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.”

            Note the context.        Widow of Sarepta-Naaman the Syrian

                        Christ elected some for favor. 1 year after the start of His ministry-came back home-went to synagogue to read scripture-stood up to ask permission to read and talk-He knew beforehand the scriptures to be read-Isaiah 64-Read right up to the middle of the sentence-sat down as the official position of a teacher just after beginning. Here He gave a lesson on Divine election.

                   2. Paul defends it on the basis of Biblical History.

                        Rom. 9:6-13 “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”           

Note peculiar force of argument to the Jew. Children of promise; seed of Isaac; Jacob not Esau.

                   3. Its ultimate defense rests on the sovereignty of God.

Matt. 19:30 -                                                 Matt. 19:30 - 20:16 First shall be last and last shall be first. He gave all in this account a penny. They all started at different times of the day. Ones that started late He still paid a penny because He wanted to. God does not have to treat all sinners alike which is the definition of grace. Some murmured, "Didst not thou agree with me for a penny?"

             Note: Many arguments against the principle of election are based on the fallacy that God must treat all sinners alike.

- This takes us back to the question of Grace. Grace is unmerited favor. God is not dealing in justice but grace. And until you get that straight you cannot understand His elective moves with sinners which includes all of mankind except Jesus. Some sinners are not saved because they do not want to be. But still others are saved because God dealt in grace.