The title of the lesson, beginning
in verse one of chapter 11 of the book of Romans, is The Election
of Grace. You know, most people who claim
to be Christian, I don't think I'm exaggerating to say that
most people either despise the biblical doctrine of election,
or they don't really know anything about it, And a lot of times
they'll try to discredit the biblical doctrine of election
by claiming that it's a doctrine of pride. Oh, you think you're
elect. You see, that kind of thing.
The chosen few. And then they talk about the
chosen few and the disposable majority. But first of all, the
thing that we have to understand is that the doctrine of unconditional
election is in the Bible. And whatever it says about it,
that's the way it is, whether you like it or I like it or whatever.
You know, this is one of the things, when I came in to really
start studying the Bible, and I didn't, you know, when I really
began to study the scriptures, I came to see, well, I don't
want to put something in there that's not there, and I don't
want to ignore anything that is there. But at the time, I
didn't have a good motive. I've told you all how I went
to the Bible to study the scriptures to prove a gospel preacher wrong.
And so when I began to see these things, I didn't like them, and
I can confess loudly, I don't believe it. I just don't believe
the Bible, but I do now. And that change didn't come about
of my own free will. It didn't come about because
of my goodness. But here's the point. I saw early
on that whether I believe the Bible or not, this is what the
Bible says. And so the doctrine of election,
you know, the Lord, go back to Romans nine just for a minute.
The doctrine of election is set from Genesis to Revelation, but
here's a good, here's one of the best explanations of it concerning
Jacob and Esau. You know how, we studied this,
verse 11. It says, for the children being
not yet born, neither having done any good or evil. Now that
removes all pride if you understand the doctrine of election biblically.
In other words, he's talking about Jacob and Esau. Now people
say, well, he's talking about nations. Well, you know, get
off, that's just a diversion is all. Jacob have I loved, Esau
have I hated. Lord, why did you love Jacob?
No reason. It wasn't because he did any
good or evil. Jacob was a sinner and deserved nothing but God's
hatred. Then God, why did you hate Esau? Well, it had nothing
to do with Esau doing good or evil. See, all this came about.
But Esau was a sinner and deserved, and God gave him what he deserved,
but God decided not to give Jacob what he deserved. Now, you say,
well, I don't like that. Well, okay, take it up with God,
because he's the one you've got to deal with there. It's not
me. And it says here, it says, before
they having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God
according to election might stand. Did you hear that? that the purpose
of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth. It's all of God. And he says
down in verse 15, here's the reason. He said, he said to Moses,
I'll have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I'll have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. And that's God's way of doing
things. And I didn't write these words. These are words that Paul
wrote under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And so it's basically a situation,
you know, of saying, you know, this is the way God is, now shut
up and go on. Really? Now, you know, this is
the way it is, now deal with it. You know, you say, well,
I don't believe it. Well, God says it's true.