Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Brought up not really understanding the doctrine of election
• The main church creeds were different to what I thought
• God had freely, graciously chosen a people for Himself
• Taught by many great evangelists and missionaries
• Our creed and belief must come from the Bible
• We must come to Biblical conclusions
• The understanding really helped me
• Fearful: has God chosen some and not others?
• Nobody ever deserves salvation - but God has chosen us for salvation
• God has elected many for salvation
• The doctrine of election is not argued or debated in Scripture
• We must understand both sides of the coin
• We must understand the teaching in faith
• Every spiritual blessing in Christ (v3)
• The Father (v3-6)
• He chose us
• He predestined us
• The Son (v7-12)
• Redemption of blood
• Forgiveness of sins
• An inheritance
• The Holy Spirit (v13-14)
• Sealed
• Focusing on v4
• Every spiritual blessings
• In the heavenly places
• We are seated with Christ in the heavenly places
• Our new nature is united with Christ
• The first blessing: 'chosen in Him'
• Teaching and purpose of election

What does it mean?

• We were chosen before the foundation of the world
• This is an awesome truth
• The Trinity made a pact, a covenant to save man
• God know man (in Adam) would fall
• God has given a people to His Son
• The choice of God is not because of anything in us
• 2 Tim 1:9 - He saved us because of amazing grace
• The apostle Paul was conscious of this
• Gal 1:15
• Paul was chosen in eternity past
• How do we feel about and talk about our salvation?
• Does our mind ever go to eternity past?
• The apostles spoke about their salvation in terms of God's will and choice
• God freely choosing men and women for salvation
• Why me?
• Would we have chosen God if He had not chosen us?
• Quote of Spurgeon

The Evidence from the Bible

• Acts 13:48
• Those who were appointed believed
• Rom 9:11-16
• God had already chosen Jacob
• Is God unrighteous? "Certainly not"
• It is merciful for God to choose any of us
• God gives His common grace to all
• God gives His special grace to those He loves
• 2 Thess 2:13-14
• Chosen for salvation and called through the gospel
• John 6:37, 39, 44; 15:16
• People find this difficult because of our pride
• We want to choose
• We want to say it is our faith
• Matt 11:25-27
• God chose the lowly of the world
• The Father wills people to be saved
• The Son wills to make the Father known to them
• Study the Bible for the evidence

The Relevance

• God has a sovereign will
• Eph 1 - the counsel of His will (v5)
• God rules and reigns in the universe - He is in charge
• The doctrine is given to humble us
• There is nothing in us that merits salvation
• Our salvation is all of God
• We do not have faith in faith, but in Christ
• The doctrine should give us confidence in evangelism
• It doesn't stop prayer
• It doesn't stop preaching
• Quite the contrary - it spurred Paul on to preaching and prayer (Rom 8:30)

Concluding Remarks

• The greatest barrier to accepting this doctrine is our own intellect
• There are great mysteries we accept by faith
• Examples of mysteries
• It God has revealed it - then I believe it