The Elect Of God - part 2

INTRODUCTION

Question: How many of you here this morning think of yourself as a theologian?

[Pause for response]

Theologian - a person who engages in or is an expert in theology

Question: What if I told you, by that definition, every one of you in this room is a theologian?

Every Christian who thinks about God and tries to live according to the Bible is a theologian.

Every Christian should be intensely interested in the study of God and what He has revealed.

Every Christian should strive to be the best theologian possible.

As brought to light through last week’s message, it is not always easy to be a theologian… yet, we must always seek to rise to the occasion.

A major struggle in the theological life of many believers is reconciling the concepts of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility, particularly as it relates to salvation.

Systems of theology have been developed utilizing one or the other as the central focus of salvation (all sovereign grace or all free choice).

Some systems seek to find a balance in their teaching, but struggle to fully incorporate one or the other. Or they misdefine or misinterpret one or the other.

A lot of Christians make the mistake of dismissing the topic all together, relegating it to being “unimportant and divisive.”

Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology No human mind will ever harmonize sovereignty and free will, but ignoring or downplaying one or the other in the interests of a supposed harmony will solve nothing

There is no way for us to perfectly know for certain how these truths work together. We must seek a balance and live with the unresolved tensions.

Charles Spurgeon Sermon: Jacob and Esau January 16, 1859 Opening statement: DO NOT IMAGINE for an instant that I pretend to be able thoroughly to elucidate the great mysteries of predestination. There are some men who claim to know all about the matter. They twist it round their fingers as easily as if it were an everyday thing…he who thinks he knows all about this mystery, knows but very little. Later in the sermon, on the issue of God’s election and man’s choice: “How,” says some one, “do you reconcile these two doctrines?” My dear brethren, I never reconcile two friends, never. These two doctrines are friends with one another; for they are both in God’s Word, and I shall not attempt to reconcile them. If you show me that they are enemies, then I will reconcile them…there are many things in God’s Word that are difficult, and that I cannot see, but they are there, and I believe them. I cannot see how God can be omnipotent and man be free; but it is so, and I believe it.

Romans 11:33–36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

All of this overview brings us back to Titus 1:1-4, where our study introduced the topic of election last week, and brings us to another aspect of election: sanctification.

Read Titus 1:1-4.

Paul is a slave of God and a messenger of Jesus Christ, to bring the gospel so that God’s elect can be saved and for the sake of…

The Elect’s knowledge of the truth

God’s election alone does not save people; though, it does give the assurance of their salvation.

People are saved through faith in the substitutionary death of Christ

In order for that to happen, they must be brought to that knowledge through the preaching of the gospel

Read Romans 10:14–17

Paul understood his calling by God as an Apostle to the Gentiles to first preach the gospel.

Paul’s method from city to city was to start in the synagogue, with the Jews, and then to go into the common places, with the Gentiles.

But after the gospel was preached and received by those who would believe, Paul committed himself to training them up in the faith.

The Message - Titus 1:1 I, Paul, am God’s slave and Christ’s agent for promoting the faith among God’s chosen people, getting out the accurate word on God and how to respond rightly to it.

It is not enough for a Christian to make a mere profession of faith. If it were, then preaching the gospel to humanity would be all that God would call us to.

Matthew 28:19–20 Go… make disciples… baptizing them… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

A genuine profession of faith will lead to a life committed to the faith.

Baptism - the public proclamation of commitment to Christ Read Romans 6:4 - walk in newness of life.

Learning - the consistent transformation into the image of Jesus Christ Read Romans 8:29 - to be conformed to the image of his Son Read Romans 12:2 - be transformed by the renewal of your mind

Application:

Where are you at today? Have you called on Jesus for salvation? Are you prepared to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ? Hebrews 9:27 it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Acts 17:30–31 God… commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

Maybe you are here and you already believe on the Lord Jesus for salvation, but you have not put feet-to-faith.

What holds you back from stepping in the waters of baptism?

Why don’t you want to make a public proclamation of your faith?

Do people know that you are a believer by your conduct? Or is there hardly anything different about you?

Matthew 5:14–16 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Charles Spurgeon Be a nuisance to the world; be such a man that worldlings will be compelled to feel that there is a Christian in their midst.

Ladies and Gentlemen, These are the very matters that we are elected to.

We are not just saved from our sins.

We are saved to newness of life (sanctification)

In order to walk in newness of life, we need newness of mind. In order to have newness of mind, we need newness of truth. In order to have newness of truth, we need the consistent teaching and preaching of the gospel and the Word of God.

John Calvin Paul makes this knowledge of truth a proper function of faith, he makes it clear that there is no such thing as faith without knowledge… truth is that right and sincere knowledge of God which frees us from all lies and error. And surely such knowledge should be very precious to us, since there is nothing more miserable than for us to wander around all our lives like dumb cattle.

Divine truth and godliness are unable to be separated.

No matter how sincere our intentions might be, we cannot obey God’s will if we do not know what it is.

We cannot be godly if we do not know what God is like and what He expects of those who belong to Him

Charles Ryrie Do not let your mind ask the theoretical and useless questions. Let your mind and your life concentrate on doing what is God’s will and making sure you act responsibly.

Ephesians 1:4 he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

God’s very purpose for choosing and saving us is to make us like Himself - holy, pure, blameless, righteous, and perfect.

The evidence of our election is found in our justification.

The evidence of our justification is found in our sanctification.

And one day the evidence of our sanctification will be manifested in our glorification.