GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #507
DO YOU REJOICE IN
ELECTING LOVE?
Pastor
Don Fortner
Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road
Danville,
Kentucky 40422-9438
Do you rejoice in electing
love? Paul did. He said,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he
hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world"(Eph. 1:3-4).
"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" (II Thess. 2:13). Do
you rejoice in electing love? Peter did.
He said, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvellous light...Elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father" (I Pet. 2:9; 1:2). Do you rejoice in electing
love? David did. He leaped and
danced before the ark of God, because God had chosen him above Saul. He said,
"Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an
everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure: for this is all my salvation
and all desire"(II Sam. 23:5). Do you rejoice in electing love? Our Lord did. He said, "I thank
thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: Even so, Father,
for it seemed good in thy sight"(Matt. 11:25-26). Yes, our Lord Jesus
Christ taught the doctrine of divine election plainly and clearly. He rejoiced
in it and gave thanks for it. On the night before his crucifixion, in order to
comfort encourage, and strengthen his disciples, he told them about his
marvelous electing love in these words - "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 my Father in my
name, he may give it you"(John 15:16).
Do you rejoice in electing
love? Surely, every true believer should be filled with joy and praise toward
God when he hears the good news of God's electing love in Christ. And every
believer who reads the Word of God, and understands the gospel of the grace of
God, does rejoice in electing love. God's eternal choice and election of his
people in Christ to salvation and eternal life is the source and fountain of
all the blessings of grace. All the blessings of Divine grace flow down to
needy sinners from the throne of God, through the mediation of our Lord Jesus
Christ, "according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of
the world". Do you rejoice in electing love? I hope that you have learned
to do so. I hope that your heart is as full of joy at the thought of Divine
election as David's was. When he thought about God's eternal, electing love, he
sang - "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach
unto thee"(Ps. 65:4) As for me, I do rejoice in electing love. I most
gladly acknowledge God's election.
'Tis not that I did choose
Thee, For Lord that could not be, ,
This heart would still
refuse Thee, But Thou hast chosen me.
Thou, free the sin that
stained me, Washed and set me free,
And to this end ordained me,
That I should live to Thee.
"Twas sovereign mercy
called me, And taught my opening mind;
The world had else
enthralled me, To heavenly glories
blind.
My heart owns none before
Thee, For Thy rich grace I thirst,
This knowing, if I love Thee
- Thou must have loved me first!
Thank
God for his free, sovereign, eternal, electing love in Christ! AMEN.