If you would turn with me to
Romans chapter 9 and hold your place there as I give you once
again a somewhat lengthy introduction to three very misunderstood doctrines
and at the same time preach Christ to you. Now let me say this,
I'll let you get to the text first because I want you to hear
this. Romans chapter 9. Just hold your
place there. When I say or talk about three
misunderstood doctrines and then at the same time preach Christ
to you, it's crucial to know that preaching doctrine without
preaching Christ is like endeavoring to serve a feast without food. It's like having plenty of plates
and plenty of silverware, but not serving anything that can
give life or sustain life. Without Christ, all doctrine
in the Scriptures is just empty theology. Now these three grossly
misunderstood doctrines And many of the doctrines of Scripture
are misunderstood, but these are the three we're going to
discuss this morning. God's sovereignty, God's election, and man's responsibility. You ask ten different people
about those doctrines, and you're liable to get as many different
answers as to what they mean and represent. First, God's sovereignty. Though the Bible never uses the
English word sovereignty, it's not found in the Bible, neither
is the word sovereign. But though it doesn't, the reality
of God's sovereignty and His sovereign rule is seen throughout
every page of Scripture. In creation, we see God's sovereignty. In providence, in God working
His will and purpose in this world, we see God's sovereignty.
And most definitely in salvation. There's no greater place that
we see the sovereignty of God than in the salvation of His
people. Salvations of the Lord, only
God can say. Now the Word of God depicts God
as the supreme ruler. He's answerable to no one, doing
all things according to His own will and His own purpose. But
never forget that salvation in Christ is the reason for creation
and providence. Sovereign grace isn't just a
doctrine for us to learn, it's a person to whom we trust. Jesus Christ is the righteous.
We mentioned that in the first hour. He is our advocate. And
He is our hope, an advocate is like a defense attorney. He pleads
our cause in front of the court or in front of the judge. And
Christ is most certainly that. He's our one mediator. How many
mediators are there? Just one. He's the one mediator
between God and man. And He is Himself a man, the
man Christ Jesus. He had to be in order to plead
our cause. So, He's our only hope. From creation, Genesis 1 to completion,
Revelation 22, Christ is all. That's what I've titled this
message. From creation to completion,
Christ is all. God is declared as the one who
decrees, the one who governs, and the one who fulfills His
purposes perfectly. God is one God in three persons. We know that from John 5, 7.
Every work of God in the salvation of sinners finds its source in
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Now,
and if we miss that, then we've missed the teaching of God's
sovereignty and election because nothing else matters. God's sovereignty isn't just
about His power, but it's about Christ and His right to rule.
Jesus Christ is the Creator. He created all things. He is
the Lord. He's the Lord of Lords, and He
is the Judge. The Father has committed all
things into His hand. God has given him all preeminence. You know what preeminence is.
God's given him all the distinction. God's given him all the excellence. In Christ's sovereign work, God
gets all the glory. Secondly, we have God's election.
Misunderstood. Very misunderstood. The word
election only used six times in the Bible. Yet. Like the word
sovereignty, it's the scarlet thread that runs and binds each
page of God's Word together. Election. From the beginning
to the end, God is declared to have chosen a people. Chosen
a people. From the very start, election,
God's choosing, it takes the spotlight off of us. God's election
of grace is seen only in the righteous work and blood of Jesus
Christ alone. Paul said in Ephesians 1 verse
7, in whom we have redemption? In Christ we have redemption.
Through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to what? The
riches of His grace. Not by our works, lest any man
should boast. God chooses us, not the other
way around. I hear men today talk about their
choosing God. I gave God my heart. I let Jesus
have His way. No, sir, you did not. God chose
us in Christ. Redemption is in a person. He says, in whom? If man chose
God, the man would have the right to glory in his salvation. But
he doesn't, and let me add, he can't. Man cannot glory or take
pride in his salvation because if God does not sovereignly choose
him, he'll never choose God. He'll never choose him. But you
and I'll miss the beauty of God's election if we fail to see Christ
as God's elect. and that we are chosen in Him. God said this, Behold My servant,
speaking of Christ, whom I uphold, mine elect. Who's His elect? Christ is His elect. In whom,
He said, my soul delighted, and I have put my spirit upon Him. And Christ is God's elect, in
whom God delights. Man has no reason to boast. That's
why a works religion is so blasphemous. It endeavors to rob God of the
glory that belongs to God alone. In the Old Testament, Israel
is our example. Israel was chosen not because
of their merit, not because they were better people than the rest
of the world. No, they were chosen out of God's
love and faithfulness to the covenant that He made with His
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Israel had nothing to do with
it. They were in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years. And they
were just going along and getting along. In Deuteronomy 7, verse 6, let
me read this passage to you. It's very important. Moses said,
For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God. The Lord thy
God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all
people that are upon the face of the earth. Then what did he
say? The Lord did not set His love
upon you, nor choose you because you were more in number. than
any other people. For you were the fewest of all
people." That word fewest there means the worst. Not just in
number, but you were unworthy. Unworthy. Why then? Because God the Lord
loved you and because He would keep the oath, the covenant,
which He had sworn unto your fathers. That's speaking of Christ.
And this is why the Lord, Jesus Christ, has brought you out with
a mighty hand, sovereignly, and redeemed you out of the house
of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. That's what the
Old Testament teaches. God chose a people. He chose
a nation. Then in the New Testament, we
see that believers are chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world. We didn't believe and then God
chose us. God chose us before we were ever
born, before we did anything good or anything bad, because
God determined to be merciful and gracious to us, to some,
in Christ. Again, Paul in the same chapter
of Ephesians chapter one wrote, according as He had chosen us
in Him. before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him
in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children."
How? By Jesus Christ. To Himself. According to what? The good pleasure
of His will. I'm going to get tired of hearing
that. To the praise of the glory of what? His grace. His mercy. His forgiveness. wherein He,
God, hath made us accepted. How? In the Beloved, Jesus Christ. Do you feel tired of hearing
that? No, sir. Tell me again. Tell me again
and again and again. God's sovereign election, listen,
slaps pride right out of us. Absolutely nothing that we can
both stand. Salvation is all God's doing. It's all according
to His sovereign good pleasure. God's election doesn't center
on us. It magnifies and it glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He gets
all the glory. Salvation is according to the
sovereign purpose of God and for the praise of His glorious
grace. Who's the reason for God's glorious
grace? Christ is. Christ is. And you can talk about sovereignty,
and you can talk about election, and you can talk about forgiveness,
but if you leave Christ out of it, it won't mean anything. Because God is Almighty and omnipotent in the
salvation of His people, He chooses them for Christ's sake. God has
forgiven you for Christ's sake. And sovereignty and election
go hand in hand. They're both sides of the same
coin, someone once said. The head side is God's sovereignty,
and the tail side is God's election. But Jesus Christ is the coin.
You see, the Lord Jesus is the treasure. He's the pearl of great
price. God's sovereignty is heads of
the coin because he sovereignly causes election. God's sovereignty
is independent. God's purpose is sure. God's
electing is an expression of his sovereignty. Now listen,
God doesn't become sovereign because he elects. Rather, His
sovereign will determines His electing purpose. And how are
we chosen? We're chosen and elected in the
Lord Jesus Christ. You can't preach sovereignty.
You can't preach election rightly without preaching Christ. There
are many that do. Just empty theology is all it
is. It's like the sun shining on the earth. We go out, especially
in these hot days, And we feel the heat of the sun upon us from
the light of the sun, but that light doesn't create the sun.
The sun exists and shines because that's what the sun is and does
in the purpose of God. God elects because He's sovereign. Are you following me? He's not
sovereign because He elects, He elects because He's sovereign.
God sovereignly chooses whom He wills. He saves some, and
He passes by others. And those He chooses, He gives
to Christ. And He gave them to Him when? Before the foundation of the
world. Why did He do that? So you and I can't take any credit
for it. before the foundation of the
world, proving that we had nothing to do with it. Now listen, God
does not elect people to hell the same way that He elects believers
to salvation. That's what a lot of folks think.
Oh, you're one of those people that believe in election. In
other words, you believe God chooses some to salvation and
God chooses some to hell. No, that's not what we believe. The lost are condemned because
of their own sin. The lost are condemned because
they believe not. They believe not on the Lord
Jesus Christ. For God so loved His people in
the world that He gave. What did He give? No. Who did He give? He gave His
only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish,
but have everlasting life." We're chosen in Christ. God's judgment
is always righteous. God's judgment is based on what
people actually do in rebellion against Him. Many today think
that those who believe in sovereign election believe that God determines
salvation for some and reprobation for others. That's only half
true. God does determine salvation for some. but He does not elect
sinners to hell. And we need to be careful what
we blame on God. God can't be charged with evil.
God chooses to save some, and He simply leaves the rest to
the just consequence of sin. If you go to heaven, it's God's
doing. If you go to hell, it's your
own fault. When sinners are condemned to
hell, it's their fault. Those who declare that God is
not fair in saving some and passing by others, ignore the truth of
Scripture that God would be fair to send all of us to hell. And
every believer will agree with that. You won't find opposition
from a child of God on that. They'll say, that's exactly what
I deserve. And God's grace is Him not giving
me what I deserve. Salvation is entirely of God's
mercy and the Lord Jesus Christ, and everything, everything that
God does is for Christ's sake. Why are we forgiven? God, for
Christ's sake, has forgiven you. That's pretty plain. Ephesians
4, 3, God, for Christ's sake. has forgiven you. Why does God
show mercy? It was according to the mercy
that He saved us through Jesus Christ, our Savior, Titus 3.6.
It's all through the Scriptures. The unbeliever's condemnation
is entirely deserved. Listen to Romans 2, verses 5
and 6. You don't have to turn there.
Listen to this. But after thy hardness, your
hardness, an impenitent heart." Whose impenitent heart? Yours! "...treasures unto thyself wrath
against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment
of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds."
That means that none of us, in and of ourselves, has any hope
of redemption. We all deserve hell. People that
say that it's not fair for God to send people to hell have yet
to seen who God is. He's holy and He's just. He will
not pardon the guilty. And then thirdly, and boy, this
is really a misunderstood doctrine. Though we see that God is sovereign,
we also see that man is responsible. People today struggle with reconciling
this truth. That's what they said to Paul.
Well, if God is sovereign and God elects and God chooses some
and passes by others, then how can you hold those that he passes
by accountable? Because they're sinners. They've
chosen darkness over light. That's what they deserve. OK,
Romans chapter 9, told you I'd get there. We've looked at these
verses so many times, I want us to see them again in light
of this subject. Verse 11, for the children, speaking
of Jacob and Esau, being not yet born, neither having done
any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. Salvation
is of the Lord." Verse 12, it was said unto her, the elder
shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have
I loved, but Esau have I hated. And it's here that we see God's
sovereignty in election. Paul here uses Jacob and Esau
as an example. God chose Jacob over Esau. Why? Because he saw that Jacob
was gonna be better than Esau? No. He chose Jacob over Esau
before they were born, before they could do anything good or
evil. Election is rooted in God's mercy. God's mercy is found in Christ
alone. God says in verse 14, what shall
we say then? Is there unrighteousness, unfairness
with God? God forbid. For he, God said
to Moses, I'll have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. I'll have
compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then, it's not
of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that
showeth mercy. And again, we see that God's
choice to save is based solely, completely, and totally upon
His mercy. It's active on His part. It's
intentional on His part. He saved a people on purpose. But never forget, He saves them
in Christ and in Christ alone. There's no other name by which
we might be saved. Verse 17, for the Scripture saith
unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,
that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might
be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore he, God, hath
mercy on whom he'll have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth.
And here's where people think that God elects to help. See,
it says right there that he hardens. Well, what does he have to do
to harden the sinner? Nothing. Just leave them to themselves.
That's all you've got to do. They're born condemned. They're
born hardened. God just leaves them alone. God
just lets them have their own way. That's why we prayed, Lord,
don't let me have my own way. You intervene. You give me your
way. Give me Christ, who is the way,
the truth, and the life. Because I know that no man comes
to the Father but by Him. You know, Pharaoh was already
a proud, arrogant, and rebellious sinner. You remember what he
said to Moses? He said, who is the Lord? Who
is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? He said, I know not the Lord,
neither will I let Israel go. That's why God raised him up,
to show His power in him. To show us who and what we are,
apart from God's divine intervening grace. God's hardening was a
judicial act. Pharaoh got what he deserved.
God condemned Pharaoh for the sin that he had chosen. And this
displays God's glory in judgment. God gets glory in judgment the
same as He does in salvation. The soul that sins, it shall
what? Die. Because God's just. He can by
no means clear the guilty. The wages of sin is what? Death. He who sins deserves death. Look at verse 22, what if God,
willing to show His wrath to make His power known, endured
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction,
that He might make known, reveal, elect, make known the riches
of His glory on the, who? The vessels of mercy, those He
gave to Christ, which He had aforeprepared unto glory. Well, I don't believe in election,
and you don't believe in the Bible. You don't believe in the
God of the Bible. Did you notice the terminology
used there? God prepares vessels of mercy
for glory, but God did not prepare the vessels of wrath in the same
way. God simply let those vessels
of wrath have their own will, have their own way, and follow
their own sin into judgment and condemnation. Don't let me have my way. Lord,
please don't let me have my way. There's a way that seemeth right
unto man, but the end thereof is what? The ways of death. There's only one sin that will
send a man or a woman to hell. What is it? Unbelief. And that's
unbelief in Christ. And it's here that we see man
is responsible. God is sovereign. Man is responsible. Turn with me to John chapter
3. I'm going to hurry. John chapter
3. Man's responsibility is clearly
seen in our Lord's conversation with Nicodemus. That's what we
have here in John chapter 3. It says in John 3 verse 3, Jesus
answered and said unto him, Nicodemus, Verily, verily, truly, truly,
in other words, I'm telling you the truth, Nicodemus, I say unto
thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God. If you're not born again, if
God doesn't give you life, you can't see. You came here, you
came to live. Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of
God. We must see Him. Verse 4, Nicodemus
saith unto him, how can a man be born when he's old? Can he
enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? And
Jesus answered, barely, barely, truly, truly, I'm telling you
the truth, Nicodemus, I say unto you, except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
He can't believe me. He can't trust me. That which
is born of the flesh is flesh. It's dead. It has no life. And that which is born of the
Spirit is Spirit. God gives us that life. He didn't cry. He said, marvel
not, don't be amazed, don't be marveled that I said unto you,
you've got to be born again. Listen, that's what I'm telling
you this morning. You must be born again. You must be born of God. You
must be given a new creation in Christ. You must become a
new creature in Him. Look at what He says in verse
8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the
sound thereof. But ye can't tell where it cometh,
or where it goeth. So is every one that is born
of the Spirit. Now listen, the new birth is
God's work. It's a sovereign work. You must
be born again. It's an imperative work. It has
to be accomplished for it. How are men and women born again?
He said of His own will, beget He us with the Word of truth. Who's the Word of truth? Jesus
Christ. In the beginning was the Word,
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It all comes back
to Him. Preaching doctrine without Christ
is not true preaching at all. The wind blows where it wills
and pleases. That's what the word mystic means.
The wind blows where it wills. You and I can't control the wind.
We hear the sound of the wind. We feel it on our skin. We see
its effects in the trees and on the dust of the ground when
it kicks up the dust. But we can't tell where it came
from and we can't tell where it's going. So is everyone that
is born of the Spirit. What does that mean? That means
that the new birth, being born again, is invisible and it's
sovereign. It's God's doing. It's God's
choosing. The Lord compares the mysterious,
uncontrollable movement of the wind to God's mysterious, sovereign,
uncontrollable work of the Spirit in salvation. You can see the
effects of the wind, but you can't predict or dictate it.
It's the same with God's Spirit. The Spirit works according to
His own will, not ours. Not ours. God chooses whom He
wills. We don't see the Spirit enter
into the heart, do we? We see the results of repentance.
We see the results of faith. We see the results of a new nature.
But just as we didn't have any say in our first birth, we don't
have any say in our second birth. Look at verse 16 of John 3. Whosoever believes in Him, Christ,
should not perish, but have eternal life. Whosoever doesn't believe
is condemned already. Why? Because he hadn't believed.
The condemnation is because of unbelief. Not because God forced
them into damnation. Not because God said, I'm going
to send you to hell because I want to. God said, I'm going to let
you have your way. Hell's what you want, then I'll
let you have it. You see, His Spirit would not
always strive with man. That's why He destroyed the world
in the beginning in Noah's day. Because man's mind and heart
and will was only evil and only evil continually. And God said,
OK, have your way. Go ahead and have your way. His condemnation is because of
unbelief. Verse 19, and this is the condemnation. What is it? That light is coming
to the world, and men love darkness rather than light. Why did they
do that? Because their deeds were evil.
For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, Christ is the
light, and neither cometh to the light, neither comes to Christ,
lest his deeds should be reproved. Why do people love darkness?
They're evil. There was a time I loved darkness.
Why? Because I was evil. Dead in trespasses
and sin. And God simply gives some what
they want. Thank God He didn't give me what
I wanted. Thank God He didn't give you what you wanted. He
intervened. He divinely interrupted. and He gave you mercy and grace. Salvation is 100% grace. Judgment, based on our deeds.
God will render to each according to their works. You see, friends,
the rejection of Christ is chosen, it's willful, and it's a sinful
action. The Lord said, you will not come
to Me that you might have life, John 5.40. And again, God chooses
sinners before they were born. Men, when born by nature, willingly
choose sin. God draws sinners to Christ.
Man, in sin, rejects Christ who is the light. God grants faith
and repentance to some, but men in general, their flesh loves
darkness rather than light. God saves by grace, but man is
condemned because of unbelief. Turn over a couple, three pages
to John chapter 6. Look at verse 37. John 6, 37. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out. Now listen, that's God's giving. This giving is God's eternal
election. Everyone the Father gives is
going to come. Every one of them. The coming is our responsibility. The giving is God's election.
But the coming, we're responsible for, right? Thank God that His
calling is effectual and we can't help but to come. I'm so thankful
for that, because if He let me have my own way, I'd have never
come. Human inability is real. Apart from God's drawing, listen,
nobody would come. God's calling is effectual. Those
He draws will be raised up. He said, I'll raise them up at
the last day. But human responsibility still stands. In verse 36, Well, it's back in John 3. The Lord said, you also have
seen me and believe not. Let me make sure that's right. Chapter 3, verse... No. So it must be John 6. Yeah, the Lord said in verse
36, that you've also seen Me and believe not. Then look at
verse 38. The Lord said, For I came down
from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him that
sent Me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that
of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of
Him that sent Me, that everyone would see of the Son, and believeth
on Him may have everlasting life. And I'll raise Him up at the
last day." What's the Father's will? To see Christ the Son. To believe on Him. Those who
do have everlasting life, those who believe, they're going to
be raised up. And those who don't, they'll be condemned. Man is
responsible. Men's unbelief is blamed on them,
not God. They saw Christ because they
didn't see Christ because they didn't believe on Him. Turn over
a few more pages to John 10. It's all through the Scripture. Verse 26. John 10, 26. The Lord said, but you believe
not. Why don't you believe? Because
you are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. Because My sheep hear
My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. Now listen, the
shepherd knows his sheep by name. It's personal. Salvation is personal. He knows them, and what's the
result of Him knowing them? They follow Him. salvation following
Christ. And this is security for the
believer. Verse 28. and I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of
My Father's hand." Why? Because He's sovereign. He's
omnipotent. He does what He wills. What's
the cause of this eternal security? The Shepherd gives them eternal
life, and none can snatch, pluck them out of His hand. What? Isn't
that so comforting? Salvation of the sheep is guaranteed
by the shepherd in his power. The lost are accountable and
responsible. Believers are not excused because
they're not sheep. They're still responsible for
rejecting the shepherd's voice. Look back at verse 24. Then came the Jews round about
him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt that
thou be the Christ? Tell us plainly. And Jesus answered
them, I told you. I told you, and you believe not
the works that I do in my Father's name. They bear witness of me. But you believe not, because
This is why you're not of My sheep, as I said unto you. God's
sovereignty is seen in the Father giving and drawing the believer
to Himself. But they've still got to come.
And they've still got to believe. You're responsible to. If you're
Christ's sheep, you must hear and you must follow. And if you
don't, then you never were one of His sheep. Salvation is secure in God's
hand, but unbelief is just willful rejection. For that, we're responsible. So again, if you believe, it's
because God chose you and God drew you. Now I want to finish
driving home the truth that everything that God does for sinners is
for Christ's sake. If we leave that out, then we've
left out the most important thing. Christ's person, His obedience,
His sacrifice is the sole reason for God showing mercy and grace
to sinners. We didn't earn it. Christ earned
it for us. We're accepted where? In the
beloved. Jesus Christ is God's beloved.
God's first promise after the fall of man points to the Lord
Jesus Christ, the seed who would crush the serpent's head. God
made Christ to be sin so that we might be made the righteousness
of God. Where? In Him. Isn't that right? This exchange is always because
of Christ's doing, Christ's account. In the end, God will present
the church faultless before the presence of His glory. And it
says this, with exceeding joy. God's happy about it. God's joyful
over it. He delights to show mercy. Why? How? Because they're clothed
in Christ's righteousness. From start to finish, the story
of salvation is God doing everything for Christ's sake. Without Christ,
there's no covenant, no grace, no forgiveness,
no hope, no salvation. Election is being chosen in Him
for Christ's glory. Justification is being righteous
in Him through Christ's merit. Adoption is being children in
Him. In Christ's Sonship. Sanctification
is being made holy in Him. Because Christ holds us. Glorification
is being perfect in Him. We're conformed to Christ's image.
This means all our hope and all our security is found in Christ. Christ in me. Christ in you. What is He? The hope of glory. The hope of salvation. The hope
of being conformed to the image of Christ. In Him is every promise
of God is yea, yes, and amen. It will be done. That's what
amen means. So be it. It will be done. So
what do we say to this thing? Amen. Yes. His will be done. May God be
pleased to make it so, for Christ's sake, for our good, and for God's
glory.