GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #417

 

          WHAT DOES THE WORD OF GOD TEACH ABOUT ELECTION?

         

          Pastor Don Fortner

          Grace Baptist Church of Danville

          2734 Old Stanford Road

          Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

 

            There is absolutely no question about the fact that the Bible teaches the blessed gospel doctrine of God’s sovereign, eternal election of some to salvation before the world began. Those who say, “The Bible does not teach the doctrine of election” are either totally ignorant of the Bible or utterly dishonest. Listen to the Word of God.

 

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."

 

Ephesians 1:3-6  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 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: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

 

2 Thessalonians 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: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

          There is no question that the Bible teaches this God honoring, soul-cheering, gospel doctrine of election. The only question to be answered is this - WHAT DOES THE WORD OF GOD TEACH ABOUT ELECTION? Here are eleven things expressly taught in the Word of God about election.

 

1. Election is “IN CHRIST.” No less than fourteen times in the first fourteen verses of Ephesians chapter one the Holy Spirit expressly tells us that every benefit and blessing of grace that comes to sinners from God is in Christ.

 

2. Election is UNTO SALVATION. Certainly, there is a sense in which it must be said that God’s elect were saved from eternity (Rom. 8:29); but we must never be deceived into thinking that election is salvation. Election is unto salvation. Election is not, as some teach, unto “Christian service.”  Election is unto salvation.

 

3. Election is an act of pure, absolute, DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY. God has mercy on whom he will have mercy (Rom. 9:11-18). God was not moved by anything outside himself to choose the people he chose to save.

 

4. Election took place in ETERNITY. God did not choose his people in time, but before time began, in eternity. He chose us before the foundation of the world, from the beginning, when nothing existed except God himself in the tri-unity of the eternal Godhead.

 

5. The source and cause of election is God’s eternal LOVE for his people. He loved us freely, from everlasting, before ever the earth was made. Our love to him is not the cause of his love toward us, but the result (Jer. 31:3; 1 John 4:19).

 

6. God’s election was an act of free, UNCONDITIONAL grace. Grace is always free and unconditional. The moment a condition is put to it, it ceases to be grace. To say that God chose us because of something he foresaw in us, or foresaw we would chose to do, is to frustrate the grace of God, making it the reward of our work (Rom. 11:6).

 

7. Election is God’s PERSONAL choice of specific sinners to eternal life in Christ. Here is a sweet cordial of grace which shall never cease to amaze and rejoice the hearts of believing sinners - The Lord God chose me to eternal salvation in Christ, because he loved me with an everlasting, unconditional love!

 

8. Election is IRREVERSIBLE. “The gifts and callings of God are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29). Those who were chosen to salvation in eternity shall not be unchosen in time!

 

9. Election is EFFECTUAL. There is no possibility that one of God’s elect shall perish (2 Tim. 2:19).

 

10. Election is DISTINGUISHING. To talk of universal love in God toward reprobate men is to talk nonsense. Read Isaiah 43:1-4!

 

11. Election is BLESSED, for it is the cause of all blessedness (Ps. 65:4; Eph. 1:3-6).

 

AMEN.