Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Good morning. The subject of my message today
is Jesus Christ. My scripture reading concerns
the people of Jesus Christ, his brethren, his elect. My title, and I'm gonna give
you this first before I read the scripture, my title this
morning is one of the most misunderstood doctrines of Jesus Christ, election. It is also, I believe, one of
the most hated doctrines of Jesus Christ, if not the most hated. Now, I'm not gonna use great
theological words or so-called high doctrine. I'm just gonna
plainly use what the Bible says about election. And I'll tell
you this in front of it. There's a lot more about election
in the scriptures than most people know. There's also a lot more
about election in the scriptures than most people want to know.
But that's their problem, not mine. Romans chapter 11 is where
I'm gonna read, And I'm going to begin in verse 1. I say then, hath God cast away
his people? God forbid. For I also am an
Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God
hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. What ye not? What the scripture saith of Elias,
how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord,
they have killed thy prophets, and dig down thine altars, and
I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer
of God unto him? I have reserved to myself 7,000
men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so
then, at this present time, also there is a remnant according
to the election of grace. I wanna point out just a couple
things before I get into the meat of the message. Notice very
carefully When God answered Elijah in the Old Testament, he said,
I have reserved to myself 7,000
men. Then he says, who have not bowed
the knee to the image of Baal. Very carefully understand this,
and this is a key. God did not say that he had reserved
reserved unto himself 7,000 men because they had not bowed the
knee to Baal. God said he reserved them first. That's why they didn't worship
Baal. Folks, very simply, that's a
definition of election right there. Here's the point. Remember this throughout everything
else I say, if you can. God's work always comes before
man's work. You understand, when we talk
about election, and I understand some people may think we put
too much upon it. They're wrong, but they may think
that. But they have a tendency to say, you don't do anything
about man's work, you're always talking about God's work. Well,
that's because God's work is much more important than man's
work. Totally. God's work, there wouldn't be
any man's work without God's work. Because here's the thing,
Paul wrote, it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do
of his good pleasure. Now, he only wrote that once
in the scripture, but I'm gonna tell you something, that's true
out the entirety of your life. That's true up to the entirety
of this whole world. Any good work done was done by
God even though he use you. But here, Paul says this. Even so then, at this present
time also, there is a remnant according to the election of
grace. Understand what Paul just wrote
here. And he wrote this, excuse me,
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, This is as true
as it can get. In Elijah's day, the Old Testament,
there was an election of grace. And in Paul's day, somewhere
around 1950 years ago, whatever it is, 2000 years ago, in Paul's
day, there was an election of grace, in which the Lord, in
Paul's day, had reserved some unto himself. Some people, again, I say, some
people think we make too much of this. Elections, you know,
elections just barely mentioned in the scriptures. You know,
have you ever heard that? That's a load of hooey. That's
a lie, is what it is. Now let's start right here. Election,
the word election, is a translation of a Greek noun, meaning, directly
meaning this. Selection. Selection. Or chosen. This word noun is used seven
times in the New Testament. Six of them by the Apostle Paul,
one by Peter. And the word elect, which is
the adjective form of the word election, is used 16 times. Speaking of the elect, elect
person, elect assembly, elect congregation, elect people. That's used 16 times. Now the
root word of both of those words, the noun and the adjective, election
and elect, I know it's getting a little English lesson here,
but trust me, I got a point. The root word is used, it's a
verb actually, that the noun and the adjective come from.
The root word is used 25 times. So, elect, election, And the
root word are used a total of 48 times in the New Testament. Some of them by our Lord Jesus
Christ himself. Now, see, election's just barely
mentioned in the scripture. Isn't that what they say? Have
you heard that before? I suspect some preachers are
scared of this. Actually, I know some are. They have told other preachers
that I know. I know election's in the Bible,
but I can't preach it. It would split my church. Well, folks, if that's the case,
your church needs to be split because Paul stated in acts that
he had not shunned to preach the whole counsel of God, and
we are to do no less. Besides, Christ's church is his
body, and his body never splits. Oh, I know some may leave, but
Paul also talked about that. They leave because they never
were a part, was it John? They leave and it's making manifest
that they were never of us. Christ's body never splits. He
has placed his members in particular exactly where he wants them.
But I haven't told you yet what is the root form of election,
the verb. which denotes action, a verb
does. Another English, I don't know. The root word that's used
25 times in the New Testament for elect and election is this
word, chosen. It's the exact same word. It's
the root word, and this is the way the Greek seems to work from
my little bitty studying of it, The verb seems to be the main
word, and then it branches off, adds on to it to change it to
a noun or to an adjective or an adverb. Don't need to know
that. I just threw it in for some reason.
But the word used 25 times in the New Testament, the root form
of the word election is this word chosen. So what? did Jesus Christ say about your
choice? On John 15, he was talking to
his disciples, and he said, henceforth, I call you not servants, for
the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth, but I have called
you friends. For all things that I have heard
of my Father, I have made known unto you. Now listen, here's
the verse. ye have not, have not chosen
me, but I have chosen you. That's the word elect in election
comes from. And ordained you that you should
go forth, you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit
should remain that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in
my name, he may give it to you. Now I suspect Some of you might
have heard this before. It's way too common. Election
is like this. God's voting for you, and the
devil's voting against you. And you, oh, you've got the final
vote. You cast the deciding vote. No. No. And no, election, scriptural
election, is not like that. I know preachers like to say
it is. It's been a great story, it's been handed down. I've heard
it 30 some years now. But it's a lie. It always has
been a lie, it always will be a lie. Matter of fact, it's what
we call a bald-faced lie. Because here's what Jesus Christ
said. You didn't cast the deciding
vote. You didn't choose me. You understand? He didn't say, well, you didn't
choose me until I chose you. He said, no, you didn't. Now
what did Jesus Christ mean by that? He meant that you did not
choose him. He meant that his disciples,
they didn't choose him. Matter of fact, he told him one
time, have I not chosen you 12, and one of you's a devil. He
knew from the beginning that Judas would betray him. But this,
where he's talking to these disciples, says you have not chosen me,
I have chosen you. That's election. Election is
the work of God. And Jesus Christ is God manifest
in the flesh. And here's the question. Who
are you gonna believe? Preachers? Men? Or Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ said, you have not
chosen me. And he meant it. He meant it. What did Paul go on to say? This
election, this election is of grace. Election is of grace. He clears it up. If by grace,
then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, it's not grace. It is no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. You understand, God's not waiting
on you to cast the deciding vote. The voting's over. This is an
election of grace. And if it's of grace, it's not
of works. Now, I have also heard the story
The fable, the lie, that the way election works is
that God looked ahead. Because he does say it here. God has not cast away his people,
which he foreknew. It's Romans 11 and 1 and 2. Romans
11 and verse 2. God looked ahead. And he saw
that you would choose him, or that you would believe, or that
you would respond, or that you would come to him. And that's
why he chose you. That's a lie. It's not a works. Paul says that. It's not a works.
It's not a works. It's of grace. The election is
of grace. You understand, Paul is incredibly
clear here, and that's usually the way it works. The Bible is
clear, and men stir up mud, or throw in mud, or add mud, any
time and any place they can. They can't take the clear, clean
word of God as it is. Because here, I wanna tell you
something. The Bible is not a book about
what you can do for God. The Bible is a book of Christ. The Bible is about the work of
Christ. It's not about you, it's about
God. And you see where he says that
here? I'm gonna give you the definition of foreknowledge.
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. That's not
like seeing into the future. No, no, no, no. The best definition
for foreknowledge I've ever heard is in Acts chapter 15, where James, I believe it is,
says this. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning. That's foreknowledge. You understand,
any of our works are because he worked in us both to will
and to do of his good pleasure. but known unto God are all his
works. Oh, from the beginning. Election
is all of grace. This is the crux of the matter. Paul writes in Ephesians two
and eight, what did he write about grace? He said we are saved. We are saved by grace through
faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. And guess
what? Here in Romans 11, he tells us
that election is of grace. Election is of grace. What's
that mean? That means election and salvation
are connected in grace. And what's that mean? Well, election
and salvation are not of works. choosing by God has absolutely
nothing to do with man or man's works. Paul tells us here very plainly.
You understand? He's not leaving anything to
chance. If you can read and comprehend, work and grace are complete opposites. Grace has nothing to do with
work, and your works have nothing to do with grace. And grace has
everything to do with salvation. Therefore, salvation is not of
works, it's of Christ. Therefore, election is not of
works, it's of Christ. It's of grace. I have chosen
you, and he said, what? And ordained you. Why? To bear fruit. And your fruit's gonna remain. Election is not of works. Ephesians
one and four says this. According as he hath chosen us
in him. Guess what? That's a root word
for elect and election. He has chosen us in him when? When did election happen? Before
the foundation of the world. You weren't even there. I wasn't
even there. Paul the apostle wasn't there. The only ones there was what?
Who? God. that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love. Ah, I like that, I like that.
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will,
to the praise of the glory of his, what, grace. wherein he
hath made us accepted in the beloved, in Christ, in Christ. He hath chosen us, God hath chosen
us in him, in Christ. I told you I was gonna preach
a message about Christ and here I am talking about election.
Oh no, election is in Christ. Election is by God, the choice
is by God, the choosing is God, but that choosing is only in
Christ Jesus. And then Christ Jesus brings
in his elect. God has chosen us in Christ Jesus,
not according to our works. And thank God for that. See, election is a doctrine. It's a sound teaching of God. But here's the thing, our election
is in a person. the Lord Jesus Christ. God has
chosen us that we should be holy and without blame before him
in love. And we believers are those that
God chose before the foundation of the world. I know a lot of
people hate that, but I love it. I love the work of God. I don't
understand it all, no way. But here's the thing. According as he has chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love. Understand, God
loved us from before the foundation of the world. God chose his people. before the foundation of the
world. And God never changes. Never changes. You understand,
if God loves you now, he's loved you before. And if God's loved
you before, he loves you now, and he will always love you.
Because he never changes. We change all the time. Usually
not for the best. If it is grace, and it is, It's
not a works, not of what man does and not of what man will
do. Let's be clear. One thing I want
to do, want to point out election is not salvation. It is unto
salvation. So you get a little picky here.
Well, yeah, yeah. Election is unto salvation. According as he has chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy. What? And without blame, before
him in love. Things happen because of election.
Oh yeah, they happen, they do. Because of the election of God,
he reaches down on a dunghill and he lifts up a beggar off
of that dunghill. And he does this for the express
purpose to sit him with kings and priests. And I'm going to
tell you something. I was one of those beggars sitting
on that dunghill. I don't want to go back to that
dunghill. By his grace, I'm not going back to that dunghill.
You understand, it tells you to remember the pit from which
you are digged. You didn't dig yourself out of
it, but remember the pit from which you are digged. Election
is not salvation, election is unto salvation. Here, Jeremiah
31 verse three. I gotta wrap this up. Jeremiah 31 verse three. You
wanna know a bit, maybe just a glimpse into the source of
election. The Lord hath appeared of old
unto me, saying, yea, I have loved thee, with an everlasting
love. Therefore, what? Therefore, because of my love
for you, with loving kindness, I have drawn thee. Those that
the Lord loves, he draws to himself. And I believe God's election
is in God's everlasting love. Now you're gonna say, Doesn't
God love everyone? Well, that's a whole other sermon,
I don't have time for it. But here's the short answer,
no. Because if he loves you like
this, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee, and that is
drawn in, drug in, like you're drawing a bucket up from a well. God's word states that God's
love results in the salvation of God's people. elect. Other sheep I have, Jesus Christ
said, them I must bring. They're not in this fold right
now, but they're coming in. Why? Because I'm going to bring
them. Yes, I am. And they're going to come.