Today, we're going to begin what I believe, I think, God intends to be three more weeks in chapter 9.
In seeing that the large rejection of the gospel by the nation of Israel does not discredit the gospel.
And that's why Paul is beginning to have this conversation.
The fact that the people who should have gotten it more than any other people by human terms should have understood who the Christ was.
The fact that they rejected him does not discredit the gospel.
And in fact, the unbelief of Israel is consistent with God's promises, with God's person, with God's prophecies, and with God's provision.
You guys proud of me? I'm alliterating now.
We're going to look at those four Ps.
And today, we're going to look at verses 6 through 13 and see that the unbelief of Israel is consistent with God's promises.
But before we do that, let's read together all of chapter 9.
Paul writes,
To them belong the patriarchs.
And from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
But it is not as though the word of God has failed.
For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.
And not all children of Abraham, because they are his offspring.
But through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise who are counted as offspring.
For this is what the promise said.
About this time next year, I will return.
And Sarah shall have a son.
And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,
though they were not yet born and had not done anything either good or bad,
in order that God's purpose of election might continue,
not because of works, but because of him who calls,
she was told,
The older will serve the younger.
As it is written,
Jacob I loved,
but Esau I hated.
What shall we say then?
Is there injustice on God's part?
By no means.
For he says to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
Something that depends not on human will or exertion,
but on God who has mercy.
For the scripture says to Pharaoh,
For this very purpose I have raised you up,
that I might show my power in you,
and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
So then he has mercy on whomever he wills,
and he hardens whomever he wills.
You will say to me then,
Why does he still find fault?
For who can resist his will?
But who are you,
O man,
to answer back to God?
Will what is molded say to the molder,
Why have you made me like this?
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?
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,
in order to make known the riches of his glory
for vessels of mercy,
which he has prepared beforehand for glory,
even us whom he has called,
not from the Jews only,
but also from the Gentiles.
As indeed he says in Hosea,
Those who were not my people,
I will call my people.
And who was not my beloved,
I will call beloved.
And in the very place
where it was said to them,
You were not my people,
there they will be called
sons of the living God.
And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel,
Though the number of the sons of Israel
be as the sand of the sea,
only a remnant of them will be saved.
For the Lord will carry out
this sentence upon the earth
fully and without delay.
And as Isaiah predicted,
If the Lord of hosts
had not left us offspring,
we would have been like Sodom
and become like Gomorrah.
What shall we say then?
That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness
have attained it?
That is,
a righteousness that is by faith?
But that Israel who pursued a law
that would lead to righteousness
did not succeed in reaching the law?
Why?
Because they did not pursue it by faith.
But as if it were based on works,
they have stumbled over the stumbling stone.
As it is written,
Behold, I am laying in Zion
a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense.
And whoever believes in him
will not be put to shame.
Join me in prayer.
Father God,
certainly you have been good
to your people.
You have rescued us
from the mire of sin.
The place where we could not
rescue ourselves.
No effort on our part
could have pulled us out
of such a dark
and terrible place.
But you have plucked us
from that place.
You have brought us out of darkness
into your marvelous light.
This is a great work of yours.
You have also given us the scriptures
that we might be guided
in our understanding
of the gospel.
And I pray that this day
as we soak in these eight verses
that you will find us humble
being spoken to from above
as your words are inspired.
The words on these pages
translated from the Greek
are inspired
and they're for us
for this day.
And I pray that we will
accept them
as such.
I pray, Father,
you will not find us
haughty intellectuals
standing over the word of God
as if we are gods
judging you
for what you have said.
And I pray that all of this
is the praise and glory
of Jesus Christ.
It's in his name I pray.
Amen.
So we're going to hone in together
on verses 6-13.
Let me say to you
that what we're going to be studying
over the next few weeks
is heavy doctrine.
But it is joyful
to understand and to know.
I would expect
that you will wrestle with it.
I have and I do.
It's a continual process.
But I would ask
that you let the word of God
speak to your life today.
So let's look together
beginning in verse 6.
Paul says it's not as though
the word of God has failed.
The things he referenced
particularly in verse 4
the adoption,
the glory,
the covenants,
the giving of the law,
the worship,
the promises.
It's not that these things
have failed to accomplish
their goal.
In fact,
they will accomplish
the exact goal
they were set out
to accomplish.
Isaiah 55-11
reads,
My word that goes out
from my mouth,
it shall not return
to me empty,
but it shall accomplish
that which I purpose.
It shall succeed
in the thing
for which I sent it.
Many of you
are probably familiar
with that.
Proceeding that,
there's another verse,
verses,
that you're probably
very familiar with
and we don't often
put them together.
Verses 8 and 9
of Isaiah 55,
God says,
For my thoughts
are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways
my ways,
declares the Lord.
For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
so are my ways
higher than your ways
and my thoughts
than your thoughts.
So God says to us,
You can't fully understand me
because I am God
and you are not.
and my word
which goes forth
will accomplish
the very thing
that it was sent forth
to accomplish.
So the word of God
has not failed
just because
some of Israel
doesn't believe
that Jesus
is the Son of God,
that He is the Messiah,
their Deliverer.
It doesn't mean
the word of God
has failed.
The word of God
is accomplishing
what it was intended
to accomplish.
He goes on to say
the last half,
for not all
who are descended
from Israel
belong to Israel.
And He begins
to frame for us
as He's done
in chapter 2,
verses 28 and 29
of Romans,
that it's those
who belong to Israel
by faith
that are the true Israel.
Those that are
the recipients
of the promise
by faith,
not by the flesh.
Romans 2, 28 and 29
says,
For no one is a Jew
who is merely one outwardly,
nor is circumcision
outward and physical,
but a Jew
is one inwardly,
and circumcision
is a matter
of the heart,
by the Spirit,
not by the letter.
His praise
is not from man,
but from God.
This has always
been the way
of God.
Abraham was a man
justified by
faith.
He believed
in the promises
of God.
He didn't understand
the full realization
of the promises
of God.
He didn't know
how it was
that all the nations
of the world
would be blessed
in his line.
He didn't know
how it was
to happen,
but he knew
that it would,
and he trusted
that God would do
what he said
he would do,
and that is why
Abraham was justified.
Galatians 3,
7-9 reads,
It is those of faith
who are the sons
of Abraham,
and the scripture
foreseeing that God
would justify the Gentiles
by faith,
preached the gospel
beforehand to Abraham
saying,
In you shall all
the nations be blessed.
So then those
who are of faith
are blessed along
with Abraham,
the man of faith.
Isn't that phenomenal?
The commentary
that Paul gives us
on the promise
given to Abraham,
the Abrahamic covenant,
that the scripture
foreseeing that God
would justify Gentiles
by faith,
preached the gospel
to Abraham
saying,
In you the nations
will be blessed.
It's phenomenal.
And he goes on
to expound on that
in verses 7 and 8
and 9
and 10
and 11 and 12
and 13.
Verse 7 he says,
And not all are children
of Abraham
because there is offspring,
but through Isaac
shall your offspring be named.
This means it is not
the children of the flesh
who are the children of God,
but the children of the promise
are counted as offspring.
For this is what
the promise said
about this time next year
I will return
and Sarah
shall have a son.
Now if you recall
the story
of Sarah and Abraham
long,
long into their years
beyond childbearing age
both of them were,
should not have been
able to have a son.
And God comes
and gives to Abraham
a promise
that he will bless
the nations
in his line.
that his descendants
shall be like
the stars in heaven.
You remember this story?
And Abraham believed him.
He didn't have a clue
how that might happen,
but he believed him.
And Sarah
in her faithlessness
didn't believe
that it would be possible
for her
to bear a son.
Gave to Abraham
Hagar,
their servant.
You recall this
and Abraham
took Hagar
and she had a son
named Ishmael.
Sarah became jealous
of this relationship
and sent Hagar
and Ishmael away.
And it's there
that we see
Genesis 18.10
which is quoted
in verse 9.
About this time
next year I will return
and Sarah
shall have a son.
The promise
is re-given
and then in Genesis
21.12
it says
through Isaac
shall your offspring
be named.
And the point
that he's making
is that it's not
Abraham's lineage,
it's not just
that they came
from his flesh
that makes them blessed,
but it's the promise
that God gave
that makes them blessed.
Verse 8.
This means
it is not the children
of the flesh
who are children of God
but the children
of the promise
are counted
as offspring.
So you have
Ishmael.
You know who
the descendants
of Ishmael are?
The whole Arab nation.
She doesn't exclude
them from the gospel
but that is the direction
that that lineage
took off in.
In many ways
God blessed Ishmael
as an offspring
of Abraham
gave him lands
helped him thrive
but the promise
was for Isaac.
Verse 10.
And not only so
but also when Rebecca
had conceived
children by one man
our forefather Isaac
so Rebecca
is Isaac's wife
twins
she had twins
she conceived
children
though they were
not yet born
and had done nothing
either good or bad
in order that
God's purpose
of election
might continue
not because of works
but because of him
who calls
she was told
the older
will serve the younger
as it is written
Jacob I loved
but Esau I hated.
So Rebecca's
pregnant with twins
and in this time
there was great
favor
on the first born.
So someone pregnant
with twin boys
although we'd say
they're
the same age
in this case
Esau
was born first
and Jacob
was clinging
to his heel
remember the story
when they were born
the same time
they came out
together
but Esau
culturally
was the favored one
Esau was the one
that should have
gotten the blessing
of his father
Esau was the one
that should have
inherited
his father's lands
and then Jacob
was just to serve
the eldest brother
the work here
that Esau
would have done
his work
that would have
merited him
all this favor
was that he was
born first
which we know
isn't actually
a work of Esau
but that would have
been the thing
credited to him
to be the favored one
but what does God say
the older
will serve the younger
and then Jacob
I have loved
but Esau
I hated
for either of them
had done anything
good or bad
we'll talk about
that verse
in just a bit
we'll frame it
in its context
so you can see
that it is
God
who acts
and not
man
I want you to
hone in on a little
phrase
in verse 11
in order
that God's purpose
of election
might continue
not because of works
but because of him
who calls
and it brings us
to the doctrine
of election
we've been anticipating
in chapter 9
it's not the first time
it's been mentioned
in the book of Romans
upon a careful reading
it's introduced
in large part
in Romans 8
verse 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 first foregone
among many brothers
and those whom he predestined
he also called
and those whom he called
he also justified
and those whom he justified
he also glorified
there's a sure confidence
in the act of God
when God decides
something will happen
it happens
God plans the ends
and he works the means
to see that
come to reality
and he's expounding
here for us now
what does that mean
what is election
and simply
election is an act of God
before creation
in which he chooses
a people
for salvation
not on account
of any foreseen merit
in them
but only because
of his sovereign
good pleasure
this is
a biblical reality
it will make your head
spin
I promise
it will cause you
to question
many things
we know to be true
of God
but it is taught
in the scriptures
now with it comes
all kinds
of controversy
throughout the ages
this has been a much
debated doctrine
and I'll say to you
that by and large
those who have held
to the doctrine
of election
have won
that debate
you begin to study
church history
and you will see
that the overarching
understanding
of this doctrine
is that it's true
and it's biblical
it's very clearly
taught
but still
much dissension
has existed
around this
not because of the doctrine
we don't ever blame
the doctrine
for that
because men
don't hold dear
to the scriptures
men want to apply
their own understanding
their own wisdom
and their own logic
to debate
this issue
there have been
many labels
that have been put on
people who believe
these things
Calvinists
Reform
that's the famous
one right now
and I would say
to you
coming to a
new place
in my life
that we should
try
at all costs
to avoid
those kinds
of labels
often it's the
easy way to
communicate
what you may
believe about
a certain thing
but you know
that every label
in this world
comes with
all kinds
of baggage
you have to know
that not just
around this topic
but around
every other topic
in the world
that there is
somebody out there
tossing a rock
in the air
ready to hurl it
at the first person
who says
I am a
because they have
some idea
I had to practice
doing this by the way
to get this right
you can imagine
a rock right
they have some idea
that they do not
like about that
person
and when you take
the label
it all comes
with it
Chris and I
got in a conversation
with a man
who had a bag
of rocks
a couple of months
ago
I am glad
he took them
out one at a
time
and hurled
them at us
rather than
beating us
with a bag
he was
furious
at anyone
that might
say they are
reformed
and I think
that his
emotion
was justified
he had had
some experience
with some
young men
that really
frustrated him
and at one point
I had to say
you are not
mad at me
put down the rocks
let's have a
conversation
let's talk
this out
together
these things
come with
so
much
the doctrine
of election
has not
ever caused
any Christian
to live
one way
or necessarily
another
right
the
Calvinist
that you may
know
that's been
unloving
that's
tried to
shrub
these type
of doctrines
down your
throat
that has
been haughty
has been
arrogant
it's not
the fault
of the
doctrine
it's the
fault
of the
lack
of love
and compassion
in their
life
a couple
of weeks
ago
we talked
about the
danger
of
preaching
truth
but doing
so
without
love
and so
I'm saying
all this
because
what I
want you
to do
if you're
sitting
out there
is put
down
your
rocks
I love
Jesus
Christ
I love
the gospel
I
dearly
love
people
and I
want to
see
God's
kingdom
go rampant
throughout
the earth
I love
the scriptures
I think
that they
are sufficient
and inerrant
they're
complete
there's a
part of
me
that wants
to make
my own
little
theological
system
and then
do my
very best
to read
it into
the scripture
that's
called
isogesis
because I
can kind
of neaten
up the
package
in my
own
mind
what do
I do
when I
do
that
I
become
my
own
God
and what
I'm
really
doing
is
worshipping
myself
and I'm
taking the
revelation
of God
and I'm
patting myself
on the
back
I don't
want to
do that
I want
to be
humble
I want
to say
I am
a created
thing
and you
are the
creator
and if
you have
chosen to
reveal a
truth to
me
even though
it may
not
fully
make
sense
in my
thinking
and I
humbly
!
submit to
that
and then I
ask
why?
why are
you
teaching
me
this?
if this
is a
necessary
thing
for me
to
know
why?
did God
just get
carried away
and begin
writing?
and he's
like
that was
too much
I wish
I hadn't
said that
that's
going to
cause
all kinds
of issues
people are
going to
be so
totally
confused
about
that
if I
could
take
it
back
but it's
already
been
written
the
scrolls
have
been
reproduced
now the
printing
press
is
everywhere
he
didn't
do it
he knew
!
exactly
what he
was
doing
when
he
had
the
writers
of
the
Bible
write
these
words
so
let's
be
humble
together
let me
give you
a great
example
it's a
really
famous
conversation
between
a man
named
Charles
Simeon
and
John
Wesley
Charles
Simeon
in
England
was the
leader
I hope
I'm
getting
this
right
of the
evangelical
movement
of the
Church
of England
so
here's
a man
passionate
about
evangelism
actually
working
to see
the
Church
of
England
become
evangelistic
in their
practice
and
John
Wesley
who
is
the
founder
of
Methodism
also
a
phenomenal
man
John
Wesley
said to be
the
prince
of
Armenians
those
who
would
reject
the
doctrine
of
election
although
he
really
didn't
but we'll
get into
that
later
Charles
Simeon
and
John
Wesley
were
being
pressed
!
to debate
by
lots
and lots
of
us
the
unloving
those
who
really
want
to see
the
big
guys
beat up
on each
other
over
issues
like
this
and
here's
the
conversation
that they
had
as led
by
Charles
Simeon
Charles
Simeon
said
Wesley
A few questions.
Pray, sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature,
so depraved that you would ever have thought of turning to God
if God had not first put it into your heart?
Wesley replied, yes, I do indeed.
Simeon said, and do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God
by anything you can do,
and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?
To which Wesley replied, yes, solely through Christ.
But, sir, supposing you were at first saved by Christ,
are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?
Wesley said, no, I must be saved by Christ from first to last.
Allowing, then, that you were first turned by the grace of God,
are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?
Wesley simply said,
no.
What, then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God
as much as an infant in its mother's arms?
Wesley said, yes, altogether.
And is all your hope and the grace and mercy of God
to preserve you unto his heavenly kingdom?
Wesley says, yes, I have no hope but in him.
To which Simeon concluded, then, sir, with your leave,
I will put up my dagger again.
For this is all my Calvinism.
This is my election, my justification by faith, my final perseverance.
It is in substance all that I hold and as I hold it.
And therefore, if you please,
instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us,
we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree.
To which Wesley responded, to this I add nothing.
And that was their great debate that everyone had pressed them to.
To see that really, both of them were Bible-believing men.
And they had been led astray in their framing of their argument.
And Simeon brought it together in such a beautiful way.
Do you believe?
Yes.
Do you believe?
Yes.
How about this?
Nope.
And they all, and they realized, really?
When it all came down to it,
they were right there on the same page together.
Now, these doctrines are important.
They should be talked about.
They should be taught.
But you have to recognize that most of the people that you encounter,
those of us in this room that may not fully embrace the doctrine of election,
we have so much more in common than those things that we have apart.
You know that?
That we're a pretty conservative denomination being Southern Baptists.
We're not debating things like the inerrancy of Scripture.
That's a blessing to us.
It's good that we're debating things that we can debate with Scripture.
That ultimately, we're all walking on a tightrope
between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.
If I'm going to err, if our church is going to err,
we're going to tend to err off the sovereignty of God's side.
So, I usually balance like this.
If I'm going to fall, it's going to be to the sovereignty of God's side of things.
I'm going to neglect the teaching that we are, in fact, responsible for our actions.
If others are going to err, many of our Georgia Baptist pastors,
it's going to be to the other side.
And they're going to neglect teaching that God is, in fact, in control.
You are to act.
You are to work out your salvation with fear and trembling
because it's God at work in you to accomplish His goodwill.
They'll neglect that side.
Why is there so much contention around this?
I honestly don't know.
But I can tell you that one thing I see as a possibility
is that I get held on the tightrope
by those who don't embrace this doctrine in the way that I do.
Those men keep me from neglecting the teaching
that we are, in fact, responsible,
even though God is fully in control.
So, let's look at the Scriptures together.
I want to remind you, before we do that,
that Paul's discussion of this doctrine
as it relates to the Gentiles and to Israel
ends in chapter 11, beginning in verse 33.
He says,
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom of 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.
This is a great doxology.
And let's keep in mind that that's where He heads.
In His mind, as He's having a proper understanding of this
and He's pinning it down for us,
that's where He ends up.
He starts in the beginning of verse 9
with a lament over Israel,
His brethren according to the flesh,
those that He has a dear, dear heart for,
His nation.
But He ends in His understanding
by praising God
that He can't fully grasp
the height of God's wisdom and knowledge.
So let's recall that.
This week,
my dear mother shared with me
Job 26.14.
Job says,
Behold,
these are but the outskirts of His ways
and how small a whisper do we hear of Him
but the thunder of His power
who can understand.
Isn't that good?
These are but the outskirts of His ways
and how small a whisper do we hear of Him
but the thunder of His power
who can understand.
We are to understand
and know what God has given us
to understand and know
and accept it by faith.
Someday,
our minds are going to be
blown wide open.
So let's let the Scriptures speak.
John 6.44.
Actually,
turn there with me.
I want you to work with me through.
We're going to go in order
through the New Testament.
I have eight Scriptures for you.
Which is not the extent of the Scriptures
that speak to this topic.
John 6.44.
The words of Christ.
No one can come to me
unless the Father who sent me
draws him.
The Greek word draws
is more powerful in the Greek
than it is in English.
It means literally to drag off.
The picture is of us
clinging to sin.
Have you ever seen a child
throw a tantrum?
They don't want to go out the door
and you've seen that parent
that rather than just like
spanking them and dealing with it
plays the game
and drags them across the floor
and they're like clawing on the carpet.
That's the picture of this word.
That is the way that the Father
draws us to Christ.
We don't love him.
We love sin.
That is our natural inclination
before we are brought
to life in Christ.
No one can come to me
unless the Father who sent me
draws him.
In other Greek literature
that term is used
for the bringing of water up
from a well.
How does that happen?
Does the water willingly
climb up the side of the well?
Never.
Right?
Water is fully subjected
to the law of gravity.
Right?
That term there used
draw as a physical forcing
of something
to come to Christ.
John 15, 16.
Jesus says
and I don't know how
you can get more clear than this
but Jesus says
you did not choose me
but I chose you.
Do I have to
give commentary to that?
I didn't write this guys.
I don't have some special version.
Yours might read
slightly different
but it says the same thing.
Jesus says
you did not choose me
but I chose you.
Acts
13, 48.
Paul's in Antioch.
And he preaches
a beautiful sermon.
I would encourage you
to go through the book of Acts
and just read the sermons.
The times when
Paul and Stephen,
Peter are before people
and they're preaching the gospel.
And at the end of all that
it says in verse 48,
chapter 13,
as many as were appointed
to eternal life
believed.
Can we get around that language?
Those who were in this presence
who heard the preaching
of the gospel,
the word of God
went forth
and it accomplished
what?
Exactly
what it was intended
to accomplish.
As many as were appointed
to eternal life
believed.
Ephesians,
chapter 1,
verses 3 through 6.
Paul writes to the Ephesian
believers,
blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ
who has blessed us
in Christ
with every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places
even as he chose us
in him
before the foundation
of the world
that we should be holy
and blameless
before him.
In love he predestined us
for adoption as a son
through Jesus Christ
according to the purpose
of his will
to the praise
of his glorious grace
with which he has blessed us
in the beloved.
I'm already here
so we're just going to do it.
It wasn't my plan.
About 2, 8, and 9.
Ephesians 2, 8, and 9.
For by grace you have been saved
through faith
and this is not your own doing.
Referring to the faith,
you'll hear arguments otherwise.
Through faith
and this is not your own doing.
It is the gift of God
not as a result of works
so that no one may boast.
All praise and honor
belongs to the one
who saves us.
1 Thessalonians 1, 4, and 5.
You can always turn right,
I promise.
I double checked.
1 Thessalonians 1, 4, and 5.
For we know,
brothers loved by God,
that he has chosen you
because our gospel came to you
not only in word
but also in power
and in the Holy Spirit
and with full conviction.
Paul writes to the Thessalonian believers,
brothers, we know
that you're brothers loved by God
and that he's chosen you.
Why?
Because the gospel came
with the power of God
not just in word
but with the Spirit
and with full conviction.
These people's lives
had been changed.
And Paul witnesses this
in Thessalonian believers
and what does he say?
We know,
brothers loved by God,
that he has chosen you.
It wouldn't have happened
otherwise.
2 Timothy 1, 9.
We're almost there.
He saved us
and called us
to a holy calling
not because of our works
but because of his own purpose
and grace
which he gave us in Christ
before the ages began.
1 Peter 1, 9.
Peter calls us,
you don't have to worry about this one,
Peter calls us
a chosen race.
Revelation 13, 8
speaks of what will happen
to those
whose names
have not been written
before the foundation
of the world
in the book of life
of the Lamb
who was slain.
Again,
in chapter 17, verse 8.
Speaks of the eternal destruction,
the praise of the beast
that will happen
to those whose names
were not written
in the book of life
before the foundation
of the world.
So,
many,
I have heard argue
that, yeah,
Peter,
or Paul,
seems to be a bit
Calvinistic.
He speaks a lot
of this doctrine
of election.
But what about Jesus?
You can find
his words in red.
That's what God will say.
Right?
We've got here
Jesus Christ.
We've got a record
of what's happening
in Acts.
We've got Paul writing
to a number
of the churches.
We have Peter.
We have John
who wrote the book
of Revelation.
You can't
embrace the doctrine
of election,
not understand it
necessarily,
but say,
the Bible teaches this.
Then you really
should at Matthew
tear it out,
throw it away.
And you know,
actually,
all of the New Testament
is in great way
commentary
of the Old Testament.
So why don't you
just go ahead
and take the entire
thing and toss it?
It doesn't mean
you have to be
comfortable with it.
Again,
you don't have to
fully grasp
how it works out
in daily living.
the fact that
God is sovereign
and completely
in control
over all things
and yet I experience
day-to-day choices.
Every day,
I experience that.
That's what I feel
to be true.
How do those things
interplay?
How is it that
I'm held fully
responsible for all
of my actions
yet God is
totally in control?
I don't know.
I would like to be
the wisest guy
and be able to
just lay it all out
for you.
Just have you
completely be able
to wrap your mind
around it.
Convince you
with my reason
that this is the case.
I can't.
I can't do it.
There's some gaps
in there.
But again,
rather than writing
my own
salvation plan
and then having
to hop around
in the scriptures
piecemeal together
little things
that I like
that support
my opinion
of things,
stand over God
and judge Him,
have Him play
my game
my way,
I would much
rather
be humble
and a bit
confused.
Put myself
as the creation
trying to understand
how it is
that God's
working out
His glorious
plan of salvation
in this earth
and why
I am any part
of it
at all.
I'll tell you,
you hang out
with us much,
you're going to hear us
say,
we do not
serve God's grace.
We fail to be grace.
We did.
We are
humble recipients
of God's work
in our lives.
So,
you ask the question,
why does
God's inspired word
make us privy
to God's
elective purpose?
Why?
What purpose
does it serve?
If it seems
that it serves
more harm
than good,
it seems
that this division
and these issues
are rooted
in this type
of teaching,
why?
It causes
confusion.
Why?
Why did
God do this?
How is it
practical?
Have you ever
heard the term
practical theology?
I despise it.
High theologians
talk about
practical theology.
All theology
is practical.
The study of God
has reality
for our lives
every single day.
So,
never buy the lie
that there are
some things
that are just to know
and there are
some things
that you know
so that you can do.
We know
so that we can
do,
think properly,
deal with emotions
properly.
So,
how is this
then
practical
for us?
And I have
three things
for you
and this is
going to
wrap us
to an end.
Three things
that the
doctrine of election
accomplishes
and was intended
to accomplish.
Firstly,
is to serve
as a comfort
to our souls.
It's where
we started
in Romans
chapter 8,
verse 28.
I think you guys
all know,
828,
and we know
that for those
who love God,
all things work
together for good
for those who
are called
according to
his purpose.
And then he
goes on
into his
explanation.
For those
he before
knew,
he also
predestined
to be
conformed
to the
image of
his son.
Because this
life is going
to be
difficult.
We are
going to
suffer.
Can you
imagine how
precious
the doctrine of
election would
have been
to first
century Jews?
Those who
were paraded
in Rome
into the
Colosseum
and fed
the lions.
Those who
were put on
stakes and
lit on fire
to light
Nero's
garden parties.
Those today
who when they
accept Christ,
they lose all
ties to their
family.
They may not
be able to
go to
university.
They may be
thrown in
prison.
They may be
killed.
Can you
imagine how
precious this
doctrine would
be to them?
But we're
all so
comfortable.
Right?
We don't
suffer.
We sit on
our couches
and we read
our Bibles
and say,
no, that's
not my
God.
It is
your God
and it's
for you
because you
begin to
live for
Christ.
You will
suffer.
You will
be persecuted.
Even in
this nation,
we begin to
put ourselves
out there
for him.
People are
not going
to like
us.
beyond that,
we suffer
physically.
I have
health issues.
That's part
of the
suffering
that's
included
in this.
And praise
God, I
know that
I am
his in
all the
things I'm
experiencing.
Everything
that goes
on in
my life,
internally,
externally,
are all
for my
good.
Further,
I am
fairly
wretched.
I sin
still.
I've been
delivered from
it and yet
I enslave
myself to
it.
Praise
God that
he's in
control of
my salvation.
That I
can't do
anything to
reject that.
I have
been bought.
I am
in him.
He holds
me firmly
in his
hand.
Nothing can
pluck me
out of
his hand,
even
myself.
John 10,
27-30,
Jesus says,
My sheep
hear my
voice and
I know
them and
they follow
me.
I give
them eternal
life and
they will
never perish.
No one
will snatch
them out
of my
hand.
My
father who
has given
them to
me is
greater than
all and
no one is
able to
snatch them
out of
the father's
hand.
I and
the father
are one.
The doctrine
of election
does that.
It serves
as a comfort
to our
souls.
Secondly,
it causes
us to
praise God.
Rightly
understood,
it causes
us to
praise God.
Malachi 1,
2,
and 3.
I told
you we
would talk
at least
in brief
about that
phrase at
the end
of verse
13,
Jacob I
loved,
but Esau
I hated.
Let's
understand the
context.
Malachi 1,
2,
and 3,
God says,
I have
loved you,
says the
Lord,
but you
say,
speaking to
Israel,
how have
you loved
us?
God says
to Israel,
I have
loved you.
And their
response is,
how have
you loved
us?
And he
said,
is not
Esau
Jacob's
brother?
By the
flesh,
descendants
together,
declares the
Lord,
yet I have
loved
Jacob,
but Esau
I have
hated.
I have
laid waste
his hill
country and
left his
heritage to
jackals of
the desert.
I have
loved you
by bestowing
blessing on
you who
did not
deserve it.
That's the
context.
to the
praise of
his
glorious
grace.
Ephesians
1,
5,
and 6
says,
he
predestined
us for
adoption
of sons
through
Jesus
Christ
according
to the
purpose
of his
will.
We read
this
earlier,
to the
praise
of his
glorious
grace,
with which
he has
blessed
us in
the
beloved.
To
cause
us
to
praise
him.
We
were in
1 Peter
1,
9.
I've
got to
go back
there.
Because I
didn't write
it down.
1 Peter
1,
9.
Peter
says,
you are
a chosen
race,
a royal
priesthood.
I'm
almost
there.
No,
not 1
Peter
1,
9.
2
Peter
1,
9.
Nope.
2,
9.
I'm
sorry.
But you
are a
chosen
race,
a royal
priesthood,
a holy
nation,
a people
for his
own
possession.
Why?
That you
may proclaim
the excellences
of him who
called you out
of darkness
into his
marvelous
light.
That we
might be
objects of
mercy so
that we
will make
God's
merciful
attributes
known to
the world.
Which brings
me to the
third.
Practical
reality,
the doctrine
of election.
The doctrine
of election
should encourage
us to
evangelism.
You hear me?
The doctrine
of election
should encourage
us to
evangelism.
the doctrine.
I'm
going to
do what
he wants
to do.
Why
should I
have any
part in
it?
It's a
good
objection.
I can
see the
logic in
that.
But in
fact,
it should
encourage
us to
it.
2 Timothy
2.
10.
Listen
carefully to
these words
of Paul.
He says,
after talking
about some
suffering he's
endured,
he says,
I endure
everything
for the
sake of
the elect,
that they
also may
obtain salvation
that is in
Christ Jesus
with eternal
glory.
So Paul
doesn't
neglect his
responsibility in
carrying the
gospel,
but Paul
recognizes that
he's the
means to
the end.
That he's
the tool
being used
to accomplish
God's
purpose.
So he
endures the
suffering so
that he
can be
involved in
that process.
Why does
God not just
snap his
fingers,
save those
he's going
to save,
leave the
others behind,
done deal?
Because he
loves his
people.
And he
wants us
to proclaim
his name
because it's
good for
us.
It is a
great joy
to join
God in
his eternal
purpose.
Let me
speak from
history.
Many,
many great
men of
missions and
evangelism,
I would
argue some
of the
greatest men
of missions
and evangelism
held to
the doctrine
of election
not loosely,
they held
to it
tightly.
Let me
run through
a few
of them
for you.
Martin
Luther
catalyzed
the Protestant
Reformation,
so loved
the word
of God
that he
by himself
stood
against
the Catholic
Church,
loved the
doctrine of
election.
William Tyndale
translated the
first English
Bible in
its entirety
from the
original Hebrew
and Greek.
There was a
man that
wanted to
see the
gospel advance
through his
scriptures.
John Knox
led the
Protestant
Reformation
in Scotland.
George
Whitfield
is the
best-known
preacher of
the British
Great
Awakening.
Charles
Simeon,
we talked
about him
a bit
ago,
leader of
the
evangelical
movement
of the
Church of
England.
William
Carey was
a Baptist
missionary to
India,
and he
founded the
Baptist
Missionary
Society.
Adoniram
Judson,
the first
international
missionary sent
from North
America.
Good fact
for you who
want to be
international
missionaries.
He's a
Baptist
missionary,
and he
went and
served in
Burma for
40 years.
John G.
Patton,
one of my
favorites,
from Scotland
also,
went and
served in
the New
Hebrides,
a group of
islands now
called
Vanuatu,
cannibals.
He lived
for three
years on
an island
and saw
one convert,
and the
entire time
he was in
danger of
being killed
and eaten.
He left
and came
back and
saw the
whole island
converted to
Christ.
When he
first got
there,
his wife
of two
years and
his newborn
son both
died of
a disease,
and he
stayed and
he served,
held dearly
the
doctrine of
election.
William
Wilberforce,
familiar with
him?
He gets
talked about
a lot here
lately.
He's the
British
politician that
spent his
life ending
the English
slave trade.
Untold
thousands of
people owe
their life to
William Wilberforce,
and he endured
the lifelong
struggle to
end that
slave trade
because he
knew God
was in
control.
John
Newton,
he was a
slave trader,
became an
Anglican
preacher.
He wrote
Amazing Grace.
You know
those precious
words that we
all sing with
such gusto,
written by a
guy that
believed in
the doctrine
of election,
when he
says Amazing
Grace?
That's what
he's talking
about.
Jonathan
Edwards,
was heralded
as the
greatest
theological
mind that
North America
has ever
produced,
and was a
key figure
in the
North American
Great Awakening.
a great
evangelist.
Charles Spurgeon,
the British
Baptist
preacher,
it's estimated
that he
preached to
10 million
plus people
in his
lifetime.
10 million
people.
And often
throughout his
life, he
preached 10
sermons a
week.
I barely
feel like I
get through
one every
week.
He preached
10 sermons
a week.
A man who
loved the
doctrine of
election.
And then
I've got to
tell you about
my favorite.
I'm going to
read you a
quote from
him.
George
Mueller.
If you get
to know me
much at
all, you
know that
George
Mueller is
one of my
heroes.
In the
earlier stages
of his
life, he
pastored a
church and
he had an
orphanage.
And throughout
his life,
was directly
and indirectly
involved with
caring for
10,000 or
more orphans
that came
through his
care.
He traveled
later in his
life over
200,000
miles preaching
and sharing
the gospel.
I guess the
orphanage was
running efficiently
and he took
off.
He traveled
around the
states.
200,000
miles.
He started a
missionary society
that supported
187 international
missionaries.
Hudson Taylor
being one of
them.
You guys are
missionary
historians.
Hudson Taylor
who worked in
China for many,
many years.
And when I say
supported, it
doesn't mean
that he wrote
a little bit
of money each
month and
it was part
of their
support.
His missionary
society fully
funded 187
missionaries
around the
world.
A phenomenal,
phenomenal
activist for
the kingdom
of God.
And I want
you to listen
to what he
wrote.
Many will
say in his
autobiography he
didn't write
an autobiography,
he journaled.
But he wrote
this.
He said,
Before this
period I
had been
much opposed
to the
doctrines of
election,
particular
redemption and
final preserving
grace, so
much so that
I called
election a
devilish
doctrine.
Some of
you sit
there that
way this
morning.
I called
election a
devilish
doctrine.
Before I
read on,
let me tell
you just
an interesting
side story
about him.
In a
gathering of
believers
sharing the
Bible, he
firmly supported
what is called
paedo-baptism,
the baptism of
infants, and
rejected credo-baptism,
which is
believer's baptism,
what we hold
to here.
Firmly supported
the one, rejected
the other, and
afterwards an
old lady, elderly
lady came up to
him and said,
Mr.
Mueller, I
would suggest
to you that
you not draw
opinions until
you have read
the scripture
concerning them
and walked
away.
and he was
so convicted,
really realized
that he
hadn't really
addressed the
scriptures on
the matter,
that he went
and he read
the whole New
Testament through
with that in
mind, baptism.
What does the
Bible teach about
baptism?
At the end of
that was
converted.
He then
believed in
credo-baptism,
in believer's
baptism.
Then he made
it a habit in
his life to
do that with
anything he
didn't have an
answer to.
Isn't that
phenomenal?
When it was an
issue that would
have been
addressed primarily
in New
Testament, he
would just read
the New
Testament, but
it was an
issue that was
addressed throughout
the scriptures,
he would read
the entire
Bible with
that topic in
mind to gain
an understanding
of it.
So here we
go.
I went to
the Word,
reading the
New Testament
from the
beginning with
a particular
reference to
these truths.
To my great
astonishment, I
found that the
passages which
speak decidedly
for election and
preserving grace
were about four
times as many as
those which speak
apparently against
these truths.
And even those
few, shortly
after, when I
had examined and
understood them,
served to confirm
me in the above
doctrines.
In the course of
time, it pleased
God then to show
to me the doctrines
of grace in a way
in which I had not
seen them before.
At first, I hated
them.
If this were true,
I could do nothing
at all in the
conversion of
sinners, as all
would depend on
God and on the
work of His
Spirit.
But when it
pleased God to
reveal these truths
to me, and my
heart was brought
to such a state
that I could say,
I am not only
content simply to
be a hammer, an
axe, or a saw in
God's hands, but I
shall count it an
honor to be taken
up and used by
Him in any way.
And if sinners
are converted
through my
instrumentality, for
my inmost soul, I
will give Him all
the glory.
Catch what he
said.
When he came to
the place where
he could say,
not only am I
content to be a
tool in God's
hands, but I'm
also content with
whatever the outcome
of that may be.
When sinners are
converted, I will
give Him all the
glory.
That's what he
just said.
Then he says,
when he arrived at
that place, the
Lord gave me to
see fruit.
The Lord gave me to
see fruit in
abundance.
Sinners were
converted by
scores.
And ever since,
God has used me in
one way or other
in his service.
How precious the
doctrine of
election.
We're not going
to arrive at all
the answers in the
next couple of
weeks.
There are some
answers.
It is worth
wrestling with.
But at the end of
it all, you have to
decide if you're
going to be humble
and submit yourself
to the scriptures,
to the God who
wrote them, or if
you're going to be
arrogant, and
stand in judgment
of them.
And I know I'm
saying harsh things
to you, but it's
true.
The rest of chapter
nine.
Chapter nine has
within it twelve
Old Testament
quotes.
Twelve Old
Testament quotes.
Nine of them are
first person God
quotes.
So God wrote all
scripture inspired.
Nine of them,
though, are first
person record of
what God has to
say.
And what I
believe Paul is
saying to us when
we ask questions
that the scriptures
don't answer is,
be quiet.
Who are you,
oh man?
Who do you think
you are?
That's what he's
saying in our
language.
Who do you think
you are to ask
such questions of
God?
Look what he said
here, and here,
and here, and
here.
That is the
reality.
I pray that as a
church, and you
as individuals,
will embrace the
doctrines of
scripture, including
the doctrine of
election, and see
how it serves your
good.
you'll see that
it compels you to
have a soul
satisfied in
Christ.
It helps you
bear up under
suffering.
I pray you give
great praise to
God for his work,
because you can't
take any credit
for it.
And I pray that
it moves you to
evangelism, that
you become radical,
because you know
that the outcome
is in God's
hands.
I started
hunting this
year.
I bought my
first camouflage
hat this past
week, which is
really kind of
odd.
But Wes took
me rifle hunting,
we saw nothing,
last year,
twice, and I
decided I'm going
to be a bow
hunter.
So I've been
working on that.
And this
Saturday, both
season opened
up, and so I
went out and
killed my hopes
and nothing
else.
It was kind
of a boring
time, but
there's no
guarantee at
all that I'm
going to shoot
a deer this
year.
None, whatsoever.
Some things I
can do to
prepare for it,
there's a bit
of a science
to it, but
there's zero,
zero guarantee.
And I've
already said,
let's see how
long I stick
with this, because
if this just
keeps happening
and I go sit
in the woods
beginning at
six o'clock in
the morning for
three hours and
nothing happens,
I may not be a
hunter.
It may not be
my hobby of
choice.
But what if
God had said
to me, oh
no, you're
going to kill
stuff.
You do it the
way I told you
to do it, I'm
in control.
They're coming
your way, I
promise.
They're coming
by.
I intend for
you to kill
deer.
I'd go every
time.
Not that every
time I go, there
would be a deer,
but you know
what I would do?
I'd say, well,
God did not
intend for me to
kill a deer
this day.
But next time
I go, maybe
that day I
will.
the doctrine
of election.
Get out and
share your
faith.
Be the means
for the end.
He does it
for you.
He wants you
to be involved.
Sit on your
hands if you
want to and
deny yourself the
joy of advancing
the kingdom.
He'll use
someone else
because he
will accomplish
his eternal
purposes.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
!
Let's pray
!
Let's pray