3:6 Just as God has appointed the elect to glory, so He has by the eternal and completely free purpose of His will foreordained all the means. Therefore, those who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ and effectually called to faith in Christ by His Spirit working at the appropriate time. They are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power through faith to salvation. None but the elect are redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 chosen by the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,… 1 Peter 1: 1-3
12 in order that judgment will come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. 13 But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth. 14 To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.… 2 Thessalonians 2: 12-14
…9 For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that,whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.11 Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.… 1 Thessalonians 5: 9-11
29 For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those He predestined He also called; those He called He also justified; those He justified He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?… Romans 8: 29-31
4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials… 1 Peter 1: 4-6
…25“I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. 26 But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.…John 10: 25-27
…8 For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9 I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours. 10 All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine; and in them I have been glorified.… John 17: 8-10
…63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.) 65 Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”… John 6: 63-65
3:7 The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care so that those heeding the will of God revealed in His Word and obeying Him may be assured of their eternal election by the certainty of their effectual calling. In this way this doctrine will give reasons for praise, reverence, and admiration of God, as well as humility, diligence and rich comfort to all who sincerely obey the gospel.
…9 But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.… 2 Peter 1: 9-11
For God has consigned all men to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all. 33 O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways! 34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”… Romans 11: 32-34
…5 In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works.Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. 7 What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,… Romans 11: 5-7
…19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.… Romans 11: 19-21
…19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you,but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 At that time, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.… Luke 10: 19-21
Great video below, short clip on election from one of the best teachers of our age.
…7 And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”… Acts 16: 7-9
…13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14 Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.… Acts 16: 13-15
These are difficult doctrines, contrary to our natural, fallen, humanist minds. It goes against most of the evangelical churches teaching in our day. It is not the gospel my way or the gospel according to man. God does not change and neither does His gospel. When we look out across pews and see empty spaces, this has no bearing on what pastors are supposed to preach. When we share the gospel and people laugh, throw you in prison, or say all manner of evil against you, slander you, it is not a queue to change the message. Jesus presented difficult teachings to people He had performed miracles in front of, people he had given physical food to, but when He spoke of His body and blood, denying ourselves and taking up the cross, many turned away. God does not apologize for the gospel, but rather refers to it as His power unto salvation, and for that Paul says, I am not ashamed.
The doctrines of grace should uphold God's sovereignty, but also encourage us to boldly proclaim God's salvation to a lost world. It is not on our own might or in our own power, but by God's Spirit. The Lord opened Lydia's heart to receive the message.
which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a divine curse! 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you embraced, let him be under a curse!… Galatians 1: 7-9
…7 Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.…John 3: 7-9
When I was a child I came forward at the end of a sermon, it was a moving, emotional experience, and they played that great old hymn, "Just as I am." I said a repeat after me prayer, and then someone let me know that I now had Jesus in my heart, and they wrote it down on a registry, they recorded how many people came forward, how many people attended church, slam, bam, thank you, mam. They had it down to a science, people making decisions, joining the church, some referred to themselves as deal closers. I think what we call the church today has gone back to a Roman Catholic understanding of salvation, that has entertainers instead of priests, dynamic speakers instead of Popes, but just like Catholicism it has men providing assurance rather than the Holy Spirit and the fruit of a changed life. I hated the doctrine of election as a young man, or examining myself in comparison to Christ or His word. It was just easy to walk down the aisle, say a prayer, get a certificate, but whatever registry the church owned, it was not the Lamb's book of Life. I had no remorse over my sin, no desire to repent, yet the call to everyone was repent and be saved. I had sins that I did not want to call that, even though God called them that, and what I could hide from people I could not hide from a God that looked at my heart. I had a form of godliness but denied the power thereof. I was happy with someone from the church telling me I was born again, and I always reverted back to that for my comfort, but there was no change of heart, no continued conviction over sin, no mourning, no shame in that my actions betrayed the name of Christ. I didn't want to go to hell because I heard it was a bad place, but I didn't want to die to myself either. I wanted to go to heaven because I heard that was the better place, but when I thought of a Holy God, I didn't want Him to be there. I wanted salvation on my terms, but all along, the Scriptures maintain that Salvation is of the Lord.
I love these doctrines now, not for the sake of debate, not for the lineage of great men who have preached them, but because it is what the Scriptures teach. I will be just as happy to call Wesley, George MacDonald, Ravi Zacharias, and C.S. Lewis brethren as I am to be numbered among reformers like Calvin, Spurgeon, MacArthur and R.C. Sproul. These are doctrines that divide, but let us discuss these things in love, not to my own honor, but that Christ be glorified.
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I decided to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.… 1 Corinthians 2: 1-3
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