Sermon #1875 — Miscellaneous Sermons

      Title:                                 “Your election of God”

      Text:                                 1 Thessalonians 1:4

      Subject:               Election and Its Evidences

      Date:                                Sunday Morning—September 12, 2010

      Tape #                 Z-96b

      Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

1.    Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians [which is] in God the Father and [in] the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

2.    We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3.    Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4.    Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5.    For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

6.    And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

7.    So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8.    For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

9.    For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Introduction

What were Paul’s first inspired words? What was the very first doctrine he taught by Divine inspiration? What was the very first doctrine he was inspired of God the Holy Spirit to pen? Let’s see. Open you Bibles to 1^st Thessalonians.

The Apostle Paul was the instrument God used to establish the church at Thessalonica. After leaving there, he sent Timothy to the young church to more fully establish those young converts in the faith of the gospel, to instruct them in the things of God and to encourage them to steadfastness in the grace of God. While Paul was at Corinth, Timothy came to visit him; and he brought him words of great joy about the saints at Thessalonica. Timothy spoke to Paul in glowing terms as he told him about the faith, hope, love and commitment of the church at Thessalonica.

Having received this good report from Timothy, Paul sat down to write his first inspired epistle to that congregation. As you read this epistle, remember this was Paul’s first word and work inspired by God the Holy Spirit.

·      What will he say in his first inspired letter?

·      What will be the first inspired words of instruction that flow from his pen?

·      What will be his first subject?

First things are always important things. In composing a letter, or manuscript, the first thing written is (or should be) the most important thing written. It gets the reader’s attention and sets the tone and direction for everything else. Whatever it was that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write about first must be of tremendous importance. Have I gotten your attention? Do you want to know what Paul’s first inspired words were? Here, in 1^st Thessalonians 1:4, are Paul’s very first words of inspiration, his first subject, his first doctrine, his first inspired message. — “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:4)

I want to follow Paul’s example. The title of my message is “Your election of God.” — “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” I pray that God the Holy Spirit, who inspired Paul to write to the Thessalonian believers about their election, will now enable me to preach to you about “your election of God.”

“‘TWAS with an everlasting love

That God his own elect embraced;

Before he made the worlds above,

Or earth on her huge columns placed.

Long ere the sun’s refulgent ray

Primeval shades of darkness drove,

They on his sacred bosom lay,

Loved with an everlasting love.

Then in the glass of his decrees,

Christ and his bride appeared as one;

Her sin, by imputation, his,

Whilst she in spotless splendor shone.

O love, how high thy glories swell!

How great, immutable and free!

Ten thousand sins, as black as hell,

Are swallowed up, O love, in thee!

[Loved, when a wretch defiled with sin

At war with heaven, in league with hell,

A slave to every lust obscene;

Who, living, lived but to rebel.]

Believer, here thy comfort stands,-

From first to last salvation’s free,

And everlasting love demands

An everlasting song from thee.”

—John Kent

Proposition: If you are a child of God, if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, if you are redeemed by the Savior’s precious blood, born of his Spirit and called by his grace, your salvation and your faith in Christ are the result of “your election of God.”

Divisions: In this message I want to show you three things about “your election of God.”

1.    Election is a blessed doctrine of Holy Scripture.

2.    Election is a doctrine that is often misrepresented and therefore misunderstood.

3.    Your election of God is something that may be known.

A Bible Doctrine

First, I want you to see and see clearly that — Election is a blessed doctrine of Holy Scripture. When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, he spoke confidently to God’s saints there about the indisputable fact of their election. He gave thanks to God for them, their faith in Christ, their love to one another and the other blessings of God’s grace upon them, because he knew that all these things were to be traced to their election unto salvation by God.

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. Just read the Word of God (Psalm 65:4; John 15:16; Romans 8:28-30; 9:8-23; Ephesians 1:3-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). You may not understand what the Bible teaches about election; but if you read the Bible you cannot deny that it teaches something about election. The language of our text is clear. — “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” Just listen to the Scriptures.

(Psalms 65:4) “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.”

(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.”

(Acts 13:48) “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

(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.”

(2 Timothy 1:9-10) “Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

I repeat — There is no question that the Bible teaches this God honoring, soul-cheering, gospel doctrine of election. Do you see that? I am sure you do. There no denying it. This God honoring, soul-cheering, gospel doctrine of election is plainly taught throughout the Book of God. But I don’t just want you to see it. I want you to rejoice in it, When you think about “your election of God,” your heart should sing with David, — “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee!”

Election is God’s eternal purpose of grace to save his people. It is God’s gracious choice of some to salvation. In eternal election the Lord God infallibly secured the salvation of all who are saved by him in time. If you are saved, it is because of your election by God before the worlds were made. If you are saved, it is because God has done for you what he has not done for those who are not saved.

·      He chose you as the object of his love before the world began.

·      He redeemed you by the precious blood of his darling Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

·      He called you and gave you life and faith in Christ by the omnipotent mercy and irresistible grace of his Spirit.

·      Election is by God’s distinguishing favor and love (1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).

(1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”)

(1 Thessalonians 5:9) “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

11 Things Taught

What does the Bible teach about election? Here are eleven things expressly taught in the Word of God about election.

1. In Christ — 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, — “according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.”

2. Unto Salvation — Election is unto salvation. Certainly, there is a sense in which it must be said that God’s elect were saved from eternity (Romans 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. — “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation.”

3. Divine Sovereignty — Election is an act of pure, absolute, divine sovereignty. God has mercy on whom he will have mercy (Romans 9:11-18). God was not moved by anything outside himself to choose the people he chose to save. — If you belong to God, it is “because the Lord loved you” that he chose you, redeemed you and called you.

4. Eternal — 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. Love — 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 (Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 4:19).

6. Unconditional — 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 (Romans 11:6; Matthew 11:25-26).

(Matthew 11:25-26) “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.”

7. Personal — 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!

Does God give names to the stars? Even so, he calls his own children by name. He did not choose an unknown mass, but a great, innumerable host whose names he wrote in the Lamb’s Book of Life from the foundation of the world. He chose us all at once; but he chose each of us personally and individually. I am talking to you about “your election of God!”

·      God chose Abel, but not Cain.

·      God chose Noah, but not his neighbors.

·      God chose Abraham, but not Nahor.

·      God chose Isaac, but not Ishmael.

·      God chose Jacob, but not Esau.

·      God chose Lot, but not his wife.

·      God chose David, but not Saul.

·      God chose Peter, but not Judas.

·      God chose me, but not my nearest companion.

·      God chose you, but not your brother.

8. Irreversible — Election is immutable, unalterable and irreversible. “The gifts and callings of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29; Malachi 3:6). Those who were chosen to salvation in eternity shall not be unchosen in time! Our God is immutable. Because he changes not, his chosen shall never cease to be the objects of his grace.

9. Effectual — Election is infallibly effectual. There is no possibility that one of God’s elect shall perish (Romans 8:28-30; 2 Timothy 2:19). All who were chosen in eternity were redeemed at Calvary, shall be called in time, and shall be preserved unto heavenly glory in Christ.

(Romans 8:28-30) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. 29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 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.”

(2 Timothy 2:19) “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

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

(Isaiah 43:1-4) “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I [am] the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt [for] thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.”

Election made an eternal, unalterable distinction among men. Goats will never become sheep; and sheep will never become goats. The elect shall never become reprobate; and the reprobate shall never become elect.

11. Blessed — Election is blessed, for it is the cause of all blessedness (Psalm 65:4; Ephesians 1:3-6).

(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.”

Election is not a hard doctrine; but a blessed doctrine. Those who deny God’s election preach a terribly hard doctrine. — They blasphemously assert that there is nothing sure and certain about God’s grace and God’s salvation. Indeed, if (as all will worshippers declare) everything hinges upon the will of man, no promise of God can be trusted!

Election Misunderstood

Second, I know that election is a doctrine that is often misrepresented and therefore misunderstood. I know that many have never even heard of God’s electing love and grace; and many who have heard about it are terribly confused about it. Here are three practical statements, which may help to clarify some things regarding this soul-cheering, God honoring, gospel doctrine.

1.    Election is not the first thing to be learned.

Precious, delightful, important as this doctrine is, it is not the first thing to be learned. We preach this doctrine without apology. I preach it everywhere I go. We teach it in our Bible classes, beginning with the toddlers. We are not, in the least, bashful about proclaiming God’s electing love. However, it is not our mission in this world to convince people that the doctrine of election is true. A person can go to hell believing election as well as he can go to hell denying it. Our mission is to get sinners to believe, trust, and come to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Any sinner who bows to Christ as Lord will have no problem with the doctrine of election. Yet, the first question to be settled in your heart and mind is not, “Am I one of the elect?” It is impossible for you, me, or anyone else to determine that until the matter of first importance is settled. — “Do I trust the Lord Jesus Christ?” — “Am I a believer?” That is the matter of first importance. — “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” If you trust the Son of God, your faith in him is the proof of your election. The first thing to be learned is faith in Christ. Where faith is found in the heart, election is believed and loved.

2.    God’s sovereign election of some to salvation and eternal life in Christ is in no way inconsistent with the promises of God in the gospel.

All the promises of God in Christ Jesus are yea and amen. You may not be able to see how election can be true and the promises of the gospel to sinners are also true; but they are! Hear the promises God makes to sinners in the gospel. Come to Christ, whoever you are, believe on Christ, whatever you have done, trust the Son of God, and these promises are yours! (Read Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 16:15-16; John 3:36; 6:37; 7:37-38; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:8-13; Revelation 22:16-17).

(Matthew 11:28-30) “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.”

(Mark 16:15-16) “15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

(John 3:36) “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

(John 6:37) “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

(John 7:37-38) “In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

(Acts 16:31) “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

(Romans 10:8-13) “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

“12 ¶ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

(Revelation 22:16-17) “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

3.    God’s election, this gospel doctrine of sovereign electing grace does not, to any degree or in any way, remove or destroy your responsibility to obey the gospel.

God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Our responsibility is not derived from the decree of God, but from the Word of God. We are not responsible for what God has purposed; but we are responsible for what he has commanded. We are all responsible to be perfectly holy, but we can’t! We are responsible to make complete atonement for our sins, but we can’t! We are responsible to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our only righteousness and our only redemption.

(Isaiah 45:22) “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

(John 6:29) “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

(1 John 3:23) “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”

But we cannot even believe! Faith is the gift and operation of God. We are, therefore, shut up to God’s sovereign grace in Christ! When all things are finished, it shall be said, as we read in Romans 11:7, — “The election hath obtained it, and the rest were hardened.” And all those elect ones, all who obtain God’s salvation say, “Amen!”

Election Known

Third, I want you to understand that — Your election of God is something that may be known. Everyone who reads the Bible, even casually, knows that it teaches the doctrine of election. All God’s saints rejoice in that doctrine. Nothing sounds sweeter in the believer’s ear than the voice of the Son of God saying, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.”

Yet, no mere man can open and read the Lamb’s Book of life. No mortal can ever know who the elect are until they are regenerated and called by God the Holy Spirit. However, each of us can prove our own selves. We can make our calling and election sure, as Peter admonishes us.

The Apostle Paul, writing by Divine inspiration, tells us that he knew those men and women in the Church at Thessalonica were elect, chosen of God and precious. He could not read their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Yet, he said he knew they were numbered among God’s elect. How? How did he know?

·      By the way they dressed?

·      By what they ate and refused to eat?

·      Where they went?

·      What they knew?

·      The Church they attended?

·      Their isolated acts of good or evil?

·      Their show of religious devotion? — Waving their hands in prayer? — Praying in restaurants? — Carrying big Bibles? — Wearing religious garb?

Your election cannot be known by those things. But there were some things about these men and women at Thessalonica by which Paul knew their election. He knew their election of God by five distinct marks of grace upon them. If you are numbered among God’s elect, these five marks are upon you. If I am one of the elect, these marks are upon me.

Who are God’s elect? Look into the Word of God, and you will see. There is no need for guess work about this matter. The Holy Spirit shows us five evidences of God’s election in 1 Thessalonians chapter one.

1.    God’s elect are people who hear the gospel preached and receive the gospel as it is preached in the power of God the Holy Spirit (v.5).

(1 Thessalonians 1:4-5) “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

The elect are those who are called by the effectual, irresistible power and grace of God the Holy Spirit. They are called by the Spirit through the preaching of the gospel (Romans 1:15-17; 10:13-17; 1 Corinthians 1:21-23; 15:1-3; Hebrews 4:12; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23-25). God does not save sinners by the sound of chirping birds, or by the babbling heresies of Arminian, free-will, works religion. God saves his chosen through the preaching of the gospel of his free and sovereign grace in Christ.

2.    God’s elect are those who follow Christ (vv. 3, 6).

(1 Thessalonians 1:3) “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.”

(1 Thessalonians 1:6) “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”

Chosen sinners, when saved by the grace of God, are made disciples, followers of Christ, voluntary servants of King Jesus. Believers are not perfect, and never pretend to be. They know something of the corruption of their own hearts. Yet, in the tenor of their lives, those who are born of God follow Christ. We follow his doctrine, his example, his Word, his Spirit and his will as it is revealed to us by his Word and the direction of his Spirit. We follow our Savior by faith, constrained by love and motivated by gratitude. And those who follow Christ follow his servants, receiving the Word of God preached unto them. — “Ye became followers of us, and of the Lord”. In all things, let us “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

3.    God’s elect are a people who are committed to Christ and the gospel of his grace (v.8).

(1 Thessalonians 1:8) “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.”

As the saints at Thessalonica sounded out the gospel to perishing sinners in their generation, so God’s saints today make it their business to make the gospel known for the glory of God.

4.    God’s elect experience repentance and conversion by the power of his grace. — “Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (v. 9).

When called of God, they turn from their idols to serve the living God (v.9). Believers forsake their idols and the idolatrous religious practices of their former manner of life. They are not found worshipping a false god. You do not find God’s children kneeling before a pagan deity, kissing a crucifix, or professing faith in a helpless, frustrated god whose purpose, will and work are prevented by man’s imaginary free-will!

5.    God’s elect are waiting for Christ (v.10).

(1 Thessalonians 1:10) “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Believers live upon the tiptoe of faith, looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing his Word, we live in hope and expectation of the resurrection. We are waiting for Christ to come again.

·      In Death (2 Corinthians 5:1)

·      In the Second Advent (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14)

·      It really doesn’t matter which!

Every child of God rejoices in God’s electing love. We rejoice, like the hymn writer, to say…

Come, sing of God’s electing love

And His eternal purpose good.

Let sinners saved by sov’reign grace

Lift heart and voice in praise to God.

Before the angels sang His praise,

Before God made the earth or sun,

He chose the people He would save

And gave them to His darling Son.

Without condition we must meet,

God’s choice most sov’reign, wise and good,

Was fixed by free, eternal love.

He loved us just because He would.

Nothing in heaven, earth, or hell

Can alter God’s most wise decree.

Each chosen sinner shall be saved,

And shall at last God’s glory see!

Immutable, His purpose stands,

Immortal as it is sublime!

God’s justice, mercy, truth and grace

United make salvation mine!

Amen.

Don Fortner

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