Chosen in Him Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Ephesians 1:4
Ephesians 1:4
Election definition - Review
“Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of His sovereign good pleasure” - Grudem
Review outline from last week:
Election is a Biblical doctrine.
Election is a difficult doctrine.
Election is a profitable doctrine.
How does the Bible portray election?
Election is always seen in a negative way by the majority of people who debate it and discuss it. It is always seen as this dark, dreary thing that we should avoid and not talk about.
But the Bible doesn’t look at it that way at all.
Election is a profitable doctrine.
What does it mean that election is a profitable doctrine?
Election is presented as a comfort to the church.
Ephesians 1:5 says that God predestined (elected) us to adoption through Jesus Christ according to the “kind intention of His will”
“kind intention of His will” seems like something that would be looking out for our good wouldn’t you say?
Back to our Romans 8:28-30 passage from last week...
God causes all things to work together for our good (present)
God foreknew us and predestined us to become like Jesus (past)
God will ultimately glorify (take to heaven) those who are predestined (future)
So if we could summarize - we could say that in the doctrine of election God has been focused on our GOOD in the past, the present, and the future.
It’s safe to say that God is focused on our GOOD in this doctrine of election and this should be a comfort to us.
2. Election is shown to be a reason to thank God.
Back to our definition - “Election is an act of God before creation in which He chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of His sovereign good pleasure.”
When you realize that God saved you and that you had NOTHING good in you for Him to redeem you, then it makes you thankful. You had NOTHING good in you for God to look and see “oh hey, he’s a good guy - or she’s a nice lady”.
NO. He saw your SIN. But yet, He loved you anyway. Isn’t that when we really know the test of love when someone sees us at our worst and loves us in spite of it? Have you ever been there before? Has someone ever loved you when you were at your worst, and loved you no matter what?
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Election should drive us to thankfulness. It should immediately put us on our knees in thankfulness for what God has done for us despite our rebellious heart. Ephesians 2:1 says “you were dead in your trespasses and sins”. I once was lost, but now am found right? We didn’t find ourselves, GOD found us.
We should be so thankful that God set a plan in motion in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world to redeem us from our sin. The gospel of Jesus Christ should make us a thankful people.
3. Election should drive us to evangelize.
Some people take the notion that election means that we don’t have to evangelize, that God is going to get people saved and that we have no part in it at all. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Paul is the predominant writer in the New Testament about election, so if there would be anyone who would be anti-evangelistic in the New Testament it would have been Paul.
What do we know about Paul’s evangelism efforts?
24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
Think Paul would say that election gives him an excuse not to evangelize?
No, he endured all of these things for the sake of the elect. He agonized over telling others about Jesus because he knew that God had ordained human means for the salvation of others.
Objections about the doctrine of election - Grudem
Election means that we don’t have a choice at all in the matter.
If you were here last week, you will remember that we discussed this idea of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility working together and not against one another. It’s almost as if when you try to reconcile them you nullify them both. The Bible teaches both and we should believe that both are true.
It’s like I told you last week, I don’t believe God drags us kicking and screaming to the altar. Our choice is voluntary. Somehow within the realm of God’s plan, he works it out to where we can have a voluntary choice in the matter.
Now if you were to ask me at the time of my salvation - “are you sure that God didn’t coerce me into desiring Him?” I’m quite certain that He did. But I’m also sure that the decision I made was a real decision.
Election means that unbelievers never had a chance to believe.
We said last week that when the Bible says “whosoever may come” it really means that.
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let him who hears say, “Come.” And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price.
The Bible never places the blame on God for a person rejecting God. It is up to the person to make a personal decision whether or not they will yield to God’s call.
People oftentimes are UNWILLING to come to Christ. They are unwilling to give up their sin and their sinful lifestyle and repent of their sinful ways and submit to God. They don’t want to and they chose not to respond.
Election is unfair
Many people say that this doctrine of election is unfair or harsh.
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
Who are we to say what is fair or what is unfair? Who are we to make judgments based on our very limited understanding?
Many people resent this doctrine. They go so far as to hate it. But again, the Bible doesn’t portray this doctrine as something that we should resent. It should be seen as a comfort, as a security to the believer.
Why the resentment?
Jane & I - 4H camp. Would Jane “resent” the fact that I adored her, cherished her long before we even started dating?
Conclusion -
Two sides of the same door - Barnhouse
Over the door to the cross reads: “Whosoever will may come”
Once inside, glancing back it reads “Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world”
The famous American Bible teacher Donald Grey Barnhouse (1895–1960) often used an illustration to help people make sense of election. He asked them to imagine a cross like the one on which Jesus died, only so large that it had a door in it. Over the door were these words from Revelation: “Whosoever will may come.” These words represent the free and universal offer of the gospel. By God’s grace, the message of salvation is for everyone. Every man, woman, and child who will come to the cross is invited to believe in Jesus Christ and enter eternal life.
On the other side of the door a happy surprise awaits the one who believes and enters. From the inside, anyone glancing back can see these words from Ephesians written above the door: “Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.” Election is best understood in hindsight, for it is only after coming to Christ that one can know whether one has been chosen in Christ. Those who make a decision for Christ find that God made a decision to save them in eternity past.
There should be an extreme thankfulness that comes over us when we come to this doctrine of election. We should be so thankful that God was merciful enough to save anyone (yet a wretch like me)!