Prayer Service 3-13-24

Intercession and Supplication

Keith Rogers: Mysterious Infection, Pain

Pam Cody: In ICU from head-on collision

Tammy Orr: Stage 4 Colon Cancer

Luke Thacker (age 17): Second Cancer Diagnosis

Jackson Norris: Recovery from Concussion

Becky Carpenter Morris: Serious Health Problems

Amber: Successful Mending from Procedures

Iva Lee: Significant Back Pain and Fatigue

Dan Larsen: Stage Four Cancer (Nonie)

Hope Sanders: Liver Issues

Others? (Privately: Tim?)

The Legges:

Successful Furlough

Wisdom and Direction for the Future

Provision while here

Provision for the work back home

Successful REST

The Lord’s Blessing:

Our County

Our Country

Our Families

“Our” Church

Doctrines of Grace

Unconditional Election

The Debate is NOT…

“Does God Choose people for Salvation?”

What’s Debated, is...

Does God choose his people...

Conditionally?

Unconditionally?

Does God choose those He saves...

Based on their own merits or actions?

Or...

Based upon his own kind intentions and purposes?

-That’s the position that is being asserted in that phrase:

Unconditional Election

We read this definition:

The doctrine of election declares that God, before the foundation of the world, chose certain individuals from among the fallen members of Adam’s race to be the objects of His undeserved favor...

His eternal choice of particular sinners for salvation was not based on any foreseen act or response on the part of those selected, but was based solely on His own good pleasure and sovereign will.

Thus, election was not determined by, or conditioned upon, anything that men would do, but resulted entirely from God’s self-determined purpose.

Those who were not chosen for salvation were passed by and left to their own evil devices and choices. — Steele, Thomas, and Quinn

Everyone either receives:

Grace

Justice

(From the hand of the Lord)

No one, has/will ever receive:

Injustice

(From the hand of the Lord)

-We’re going to study it categorically

The Over-arching concept of a “Chosen People for God.”

We looked at this:

Deuteronomy 7:6–7 (ESV)

6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,

Deuteronomy 7:8 (ESV)

8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you...

-The NT picks up the language of election...

…but with a more particular focus.

Passages like Matthew 24...

…help us to see that there is a spiritual elect...

…that goes further and deeper than the physical nation:

(Remember whom He’s speaking to/about)

Matthew 24:22 (ESV)

22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Matthew 24:31 (ESV)

31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The inescapable conclusion:

Romans 9:6–7 (ESV)

6 ...not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,

7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring...

And, that’s what we see clearly in the Epistles:

Titus 1:1 (ESV)

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,

1 Peter 1:1–2 (ESV)

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

1 Peter 2:8–9 (ESV)

8 ...They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:10 (ESV)

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Colossians 3:12 (ESV)

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

1 Thessalonians 5:9 (ESV)

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:10 (ESV)

10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

-These truths are NOT meant to make us proud.

They’re meant to:

Humble us

Comfort us

2 Examples:

Romans 8:28–30 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:33–34 (ESV)

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Revelation 17:14 (ESV)

14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

-Remember this?

Luke 18:7 (ESV)

7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?

Yes, he will!

Why?

Because He set his eternal love on them before time began.

Because, by his own decree, they are...

Chosen

Precious

Sacred

Holy...

…in His sight!

Ought that to comfort us?

Ought that to humble us?

Amen, let’s pray and thank him for the privilege