Sovereign Election-A Vital Doctrine

Q: What does the Bible say about sovereign election?

The Bible teaches that sovereign election is God's choice of certain individuals for salvation, not based on their actions but on His own purpose and grace. Sovereign election is clearly articulated in passages like Ephesians 1:4-5, which states that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. This doctrine emphasizes that our salvation is solely the result of God's mercy and grace. The election is an act of God's love, showcasing His sovereignty over creation and demonstrating that He is the one who initiates and secures salvation, establishing a firm distinction between those appointed to salvation and those who are not.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

The doctrine of election is affirmed throughout Scripture, being as clearly taught as the Trinity or the virgin birth. The truth of election is demonstrated by its extensive biblical foundation. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, election is a prevalent theme. In Romans 9, the Apostle Paul discusses God's election in the context of Jacob and Esau, illustrating that God's choice is not based on human merit but on His divine purpose. Furthermore, passages in Matthew and Ephesians reinforce this truth, showing that belief in Christ originates from God's choice rather than human will. Therefore, to reject the doctrine of election is to deny the authority of Scripture itself.

Q: Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

The concept of election is crucial because it emphasizes God's sovereignty and grace in the salvation process. Election is vital because it underscores the character of God and His sovereign control over creation. Recognizing our election reveals how helpless we are without God's intervention; we are spiritually dead until He chooses to grant us life through His Spirit. This doctrine cultivates humility and gratitude, as we realize that our faith and salvation are not due to our own efforts but are gifts from God. Additionally, understanding election fosters a deeper appreciation for God's mercy, as He has chosen to save those who inherently deserve wrath, displaying His abundant grace.

Q: What is the relationship between election and salvation?

Election is the divine means by which God purposes to save specific individuals, making salvation possible. The relationship between election and salvation is foundational within Reformed theology. Election entails God's sovereign choice to save certain individuals, ensuring their eventual faith in Christ. Ephesians 1:4 indicates that election happens before the foundation of the world, demonstrating that salvation is preordained by God. Furthermore, this doctrine offers believers assurance of their salvation, as it is God who has initiated the process from beginning to end. This means that our salvation is secure because it is rooted in God's eternal plan rather than in our transient decisions or actions.

My text this morning is 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 9. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to speak to you this morning where I left off last Lord's Day.

You remember last week I preached to you in the morning service on the glorious doctrine of election. Now today I want to talk to you about sovereign election, a vital doctrine of the gospel. And I want to show you just that. I want to show you from the scripture that this doctrine of God's electing grace and mercy in Jesus Christ is a vital doctrine of the gospel.

Now, as we read this verse of Scripture, notice what Paul speaks to us in the passage. First, notice the word us. For God hath not appointed us to write. Now, Paul uses that word both as a word of identification and as a word of distinction. When he says us, he is identifying himself with the saints of God at Thessalonica, and he's identifying himself with us believers, for the epistle was written to the church that is in God and in Jesus Christ at Thessalonica, and the church that is in God and in Jesus Christ in the spiritual sense as well, for it's written to you and me. This epistle was originally designed specifically for that congregation at Thessalonica. But it was also designed by God the Holy Spirit for you and me in this day and in this age at this hour living right here in Vanderbilt, Kentucky. So Paul identifies himself with all God's saints, with all the elect with this word us. But then he uses the word as a word of distinction as well.

He's saying I'm talking to us. I'm talking about us. I'm not talking about them. I'm not talking about them. He uses the word just exactly like you and I would use it. He is saying this word that I'm speaking now concerning God's appointment is about us. It's not about them. God appointed us who are saved, not them who are not saved. It is a word to us who believe, not to them who do not believe. It is a word to us who have the hope of salvation. not to those who have no hope and have no salvation.

Now notice three things specifically in this verse of scripture. First, the apostle speaks of these three things in such a way as to indicate that they were things so commonly known, so clearly revealed in the scriptures, that any believer, any child of God, just knew them. He doesn't mention these three things as though they were things that were far-flung ideas that only a few folks would understand.

But when he talks about them, he talks about them just like you and I would talk about sunshine and rain. Everybody knows what sunshine is. Everybody knows what rain is. He talks about them just exactly like a happily married man or a happily married woman would talk about the blessings of marriage, and speak of it in terms that anyone who's happily married enjoys the marriage, and they just, they just understand him. And what Paul is saying here in this text is he's showing us three facts that every child of God knows, understands, and rejoices in. Three facts that every child of God just, he just finds them comforting and cheering to his soul. First, he talks about salvation. He tells us that there is such a We live in hope of salvation. God has appointed us to salvation. Oh, what a blessed word. Salvation.

I have been saved. I've been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. God Almighty sent his Son, who purchased salvation for me, who delivered me from the curse of the law, who justified me and makes me holy and righteous before him. I have been saved. I have been saved by the regenerating power of God the Holy Spirit who came to me when I was dead and gave me life and faith in Christ. I have been saved, but I am being saved as well. God the Holy Spirit is sanctifying me, he is preserving me, he is keeping me, day by day, so that we continually depend upon the spirit of grace for keeping us in grace and bringing us to glory at last. And I shall be saved. Oh, this is the hope of salvation. What a blessed hope it is. One of these days, I'm going to stand before God in the perfection of conformity to Jesus Christ the Lord. So there is such a thing as salvation. If you don't have it, I pity you. If you have no hope of salvation, you live in this world without hope before God. Oh, what a miserable creature. To live with the awareness that there is salvation, and yet live without it.

There is such a thing, and God's saints rejoice in it. More than that, this salvation is from start to finish, in through and by, our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice what it says. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. There's no other way. He's the only way.

We obtain salvation by him who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. That's what it says in verse 10. So that our salvation is is directly a result of Christ's death, and our salvation comes to us by union with Jesus Christ the Lord. So that salvation is that which comes to us by virtue of our being one with Christ, by virtue of Christ having accomplished redemption for us, having redeemed us from the curse of the law, that we might live forever with him. Salvation is that which he obtained by his blood, which he bestows by his grace. We experience it by faith in him, and it is the salvation that we experience because he gives us that faith. He is the one who bestows faith upon us. He purchased it for us, and he gives it to us. And then thirdly, the apostle speaks of an acquaintance.

He tells us that all who obtain this salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ were appointed, chosen, ordained, and predestinated by God the Father unto it. Now, the plain doctrine of our text is this. All who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, believe on him because they were ordained unto eternal life. That's the plain method here. That's what the book teaches.

And Paul writes it in such a way as to put it beyond controversy. He writes to these Thessalonian believers as though to assume, now you fellas understand that, that there's no possibility that you could be God's saints and God's children and not rejoice in this.

You are saved because God appointed you to be saved. You believe because God appointed you to believe. You'll enter into glory because God appointed you to enter into glory. And he never imagined somebody fighting over it who believed God. He never imagined somebody who believed God being upset with that. He says, if you now obtain God's salvation, it's because God from eternity sovereignly appointed you unto salvation.

Now perhaps someone We'll hear this message. I'm sure none of you will do so. But someone might hear this message and say, as I have often heard, well, all right, the Bible teaches election. I don't like it, but I can't get around it. The Bible teaches it. But why harp on it? Why place so much emphasis upon this doctrine? Surely there are more important things to talk about. Dead wrong. Dead wrong. No, there are not more important things to talk about.

My purpose in bringing this message this morning is to answer that particular tablet. I want everyone who hears this message to see and understand that God's election is a vital doctrine of the gospel. And I'm going to give you some reasons for it. I want you to look with me in the scriptures. First, I want you to understand that this is a viral doctrine because it's a Bible doctrine.

That ought to go without too much emphasis, shouldn't it? If God said it, that settles it. That's the end of it. That's the end of controversy. Now, anything that is a Bible doctrine is not an insignificant doctrine. I hear fellows talk about, we won't put too much emphasis on insignificant things. Let me tell you something. If God reveals it in this book, it's not insignificant. It's not insignificant.

We will emphasize what God reveals in his word, and we will emphasize it as God emphasizes it in his word. The Bible is not a catalog from which you may pick and choose the things that you like, and thus make up a hodgepodge of religion to suit yourself. If you believe the word of God, you've got to believe the whole thing. If you take the Bible at all, if you come and say, all right, this is God's Word, then you've got to pick the whole thing.

You can't pick and choose, say, I'll have this, I won't have that. You can't pick heaven and leave out death. You cannot believe in salvation for sinners by Christ and believe in salvation for sinners apart from Christ. You cannot believe in the virgin birth or the new birth and refuse to believe in divine election. If this book is God's Word, then when God speaks about any matter in his word, as far as the believer is concerned, that ends all controversy. That's the end of it.

What does God say? Let's hear it. Now some things I recognize. We will chew those things up and meditate on them and and enjoy the flavor of them and the riches of them and some things you just kind of swamped because you don't grasp them, you don't understand them. But whatever God says is so.

You know, I read what scripture says here about God's election and I talk to you about it and I rejoice in it. I just, oh there's not much does my heart more good than God's sovereign election of my soul to Christ, in Christ, unto everlasting salvation. He chose me. He chose me. I'm going to rejoice in that.

Now I read over in Matthew, where when the Lord Jesus died, the scripture says the saints walked the streets of Jerusalem that night. I've read that thing for 27 years. I haven't figured it out yet. I just know somebody walked the streets of Jerusalem that night.

I take that. I don't understand it. So I don't spend a whole lot of time dealing with it. As a matter of fact, the scripture doesn't explain it. It just states it. And what the scripture says, I take. But here, now this is something. Oh, this is something to chew on a while. This is something to roll over in your mouth and get all the flavor of it. God has not appointed us to that. Now that settles the issue. God says that, and that's the end of the matter. I will not retrace things I said to you last week, but I must assert this fact and demonstrate it again.

Election is a doctrine taught in the Bible more clearly and more constantly and more distinctly than the doctrines of the trinity, the virgin birth, or the new birth. Did you get that? Folks, that's a minor doctrine. That's one of those things we'll agree to disagree on. When you can agree to disagree on the virgin birth, the trinity, and the new birth, then you can agree to disagree on election.

This doctrine is taught more abundantly, more constantly, and more distinctly throughout the Word of God than the doctrine of the trinity, the doctrine of the virgin birth of Christ, and the doctrine of the new birth by God the Holy Spirit. Now that makes it important. That makes it important.

You begin back in Genesis. We get through the garden, and there's Adam and Paul. And in Genesis chapter 4, we find two people born in this world. Two men, Cain and Abel. God passed by Cain, chose Abel. God's election. Founded in the first two men born in this world. You come to Abraham and Isaac, and the scripture tells us that God gave Abraham two sons. He chose Isaac. He passed by Israel. You come to Jacob and Esau, and the scripture tells us God loved Jacob, and he passed by Esau.

He hated Esau. And that's what the word hate means. It means God gave no consideration to Esau. He just passed him by. He left him alone. You follow the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospels. and listen to the Son of God as he preaches. And this was not something he talked about now and then. He talked about this every time he opened his mouth. Every time he opened his mouth, he talked about election. He said, many are called, but few are chosen. He said, I know whom I've chosen. You are not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world. You haven't chosen me, but I've chosen you.

Turn over to the book of Romans. You make your way through this Pauline textbook of theology. And you'll learn the doctrine of election and learn that it's vital. You cannot reject this doctrine without rejecting the writings of the Apostle Paul in their entirety. So much is this a part of Paul's writings that to reject this doctrine is to reject all of Paul's writings. It's to say, Paul is insignificant. His writings don't mean anything. They don't bear any weight. They carry no authority. Listen to what it says in Romans chapter 9. Romans chapter 9. Look at verse 11. for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil. Why on earth does he stress that? Why stress that?

That the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. You see that? That's why he stressed, the children weren't born yet, they hadn't done anything good, hadn't done anything bad, but the purpose of God, according to election, must stand, not of works, but of God who does the saving. It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the governor, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. And somebody said, well, what shall we say then?

Is there unrighteousness in God? That's not right. Why don't you try going into a king's court and tell him that's not right. The king said, but that's not right. Try it sometime, if you haven't been king. You don't walk into God's house and debate with God about what's right.

Men come to the church house and they say, well, I will give that some consideration. I had a fellow come to me one time after I got done preaching. He said, well, you've given me some things to think about today. I said, I didn't intend for you to think about them. I think for you to believe them. This is not up for debate. I've come to you with God's Word. My opinion and your opinion must bow at God's Word. Who are you? Who am I to say that God does not know us? God forbid.

For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that winneth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. 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 hath he mercy, on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he heartless.

And then the smart aleck will come back and say then unto me, why does God find fault? Why does he yet find fault? For you have resisted his will. Nay, but O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Let the potsherds of the earth strive with the potsherds of the earth, but don't you come here fighting with God. This is another story. Who art thou that replyest against God?

Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay? of the same lot to make one vessel into honor and another into dishonor? Yes, sir, he does. He sure does. Look in chapter 11 of Romans. Romans chapter 11, verse 5. God told Elijah, I've reserved myself 7,000 men who haven't bowed the knee to the image of Baal. And then Paul says, even so within at this present time. Right now, there is also a remnant according to the election of grace. And if it be by grace, then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it's no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work.

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which it seeketh for. Israel didn't obtain it, but the election hath obtained it. What about the rest of them? They were blinded. That's what God says. Now, that's not any comment on it. I'm not explaining the passage. I didn't write it to you. Israel has not obtained what it sought for. The election has obtained it. What about the rest of them? They were blinded. They were blinded. God has not appointed us to rest, but appointed us to salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. The only distinction there is in this world between saved folks and lost folks is God's election, the distinguishing grace of God.

When you get to the end of this book, you'll find that no one will be safe. No one will be allowed to enter into No one will be at last brought before the throne of God to cast their crown before him who sits upon the throne, except they whose names were written in the Lamb's book of life from the foundation of the world.

John says it three times in Revelation. In chapter 13, verse 8, 17, 8, and 21, 27, he says everybody's going to worship the beast except the elect. Everybody's going to fall in and be deceived by the beast except the elect. No one shall enter in except the elect. Those whose names are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.

Now, you can believe the doctrine and rejoice in it, accept it and love it, or you can hate it, deride it, and reject it. That's up to you. But if you hate it, deride it, and reject it, you do so at the peril of your soul forever. For to reject the doctrine of God's election is to reject the Bible as the Word of God. And to reject election is to reject the God of election. That brings me to my second point. Election is vital, a vital doctrine of scripture, because it exalts the character of our God.

Turn back to Exodus 33 for a minute. Exodus chapter 33. Moses was about to lead the children of Israel through the wilderness up to the borders of the land of promise. And God told him to do it. Moses saw something of the magnitude of the work set before him. And he asked God for four things.

In verse 13 he says, show me the way, show me thy way that I may know thee. Oh, what a friend, God show me your way. If you called me, show me your way that I may know thee. Then he says in verse 13, and consider that this nation is thy people. The Lord called me, here's your pastor, I came here and I pray, God, don't ever forget this, this is your people, this is your people, they're your people, not mine, your people. And then Moses says in verse 15, if thy presence go not with me, carry us not at all. Jesus said, God, I don't want to take a step I don't want to take a step without you.

Now then, he was building up to this in verse 18, and he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. What a prayer. Show me thy glory. He said, God, show me who you are. Show me what it is that distinguishes you and sets you infinitely above all Show me your glory. Show me your glory. And in verse 19, the Lord said, I will make all my goodness pass before them. And I will proclaim the name of the Lord before them. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. And I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

There it is. That's his glory. Now, as God revealed the glory of his character to Moses when he put him in that place by him, in the grift of the rock, and put his hand over him, when God showed his glory to Moses in that way, even so, he has revealed his glorious character to us in Jesus Christ in his sovereign electing love. You see, election is a revelation and an extolling of the mercy, love, and grace of God. It is a declaration of God's goodness.

His goodness. Unbelieving rebels travel at the doctrine of election and say it makes God hard. Hard, Jay, is passing us by and sending us all to hell. That's hard. And that's just just. Hard is no compassion. Hard is no forgiveness. Hard is no mercy. Hard is no grace. Hard is no love toward those who deserve nothing but wrath and justice. Oh, but election. Goodness. Goodness.

It's not a wonder to me that God should pass by Esau. It's a wonder to me that he passed by Jacob too. It's not a wonder to me that God in his goodness should choose to damn, or God in his justice should choose to damn the whole world. It's a wonder to me that God in his goodness has chosen to save us all. That's a wonder to me. God's election is the revelation of his infinite goodness and mercy.

We deserve wrath. But he chose us unto life. We deserve damnation. He chose us to justification. We deserve hell. He chose us to heaven. That's goodness. That's mercy. We were all by nature children of wrath, even as others, but God. Now, let me tell you something. Do you ever find yourself genuinely, find yourself among the children of wrath? Do you ever find out that you really do deserve God's wrath?

You won't fuss with God about election. Oh, no. But God sovereignly, before the world was, intervened. He stepped in and in electing love, he said, not perish, I'll be his God, he'll be my son forever. That's God's election. It's a revelation of his goodness. Most everyone understands that God is love, that he delighteth in mercy, that he is full of grace, but few understand that God's goodness, love, and grace are always exercised in absolute And that's the next thing. Election reveals and extols the sovereign character of God. Now, I want you to listen carefully to this. I've prepared some things that need to be said and need to be understood, and need to be understood clearly, just exactly as I'm saying them. A denial of election is a denial of God's character. Get that?

People don't get upset with elections. I've never known anybody in my life be upset because somebody said make a choice. Have you ever heard anybody get upset because somebody said make a choice? Nobody. Everybody's happy to make a choice. Folks get upset over the God who makes the choice. That's the issue. The issue is not election. The issue is God. The issue is not, is it right for somebody to have an election at all? That's not the issue at all. Is it right for God to make an election? That's not the issue. So a denial of election is a denial of God's character. It is a denial of God's being. And those who deny God's sovereign election, while they may call themselves Christians, practice atheism.

They tell us that God has no right to do with his own what he will. They would have us to believe that God is obliged to save men whether he wills it or not, as long as they will it. They make the will of man, not the will of God, the governing, overriding principle of everything. They tell us that it is man who runs the universe, not God. That the universe is run according to the will of man, not according to the will of God. That the determining factor in salvation is not the will of God after all, but the will of man. He's the one who must decide.

I had a occasion this morning, I was, I had made some videotapes over the night and I I had the TV on just long enough to hear one of these babbling fools on television. He was talking about Cain and Abel. And boy, he talked about putting a new twist on Cain and Abel. He said, if Cain had just made the right decision, and if he had just exercised his power to control his life, things would have been so different. That's what I'm saying.

They tell us it's the will of man, not the will of God that determines everything. Those who deny God's election would break down the very walls of heaven, break the righteous scepter of God's kingdom, prostrate the Almighty in the dust before man, and shake man and his Almighty will upon the throne of God, and have God worship man rather than man worship God. A God whose hands are tied is no God at all. of God who cannot exercise the prerogative of sovereignty is no God at all. Such an imaginary God is less significant than the governor of the state of Kentucky. That's right, less significant.

Mr. Jones may decide, it's his option, he may decide on the last evening of his term as governor of the state of Kentucky, or at any time until he lays down his mantle as governor. He may decide to pardon any criminal in this state as he wills, just as he wants a reason.

I'll give it to you if I want to, if I don't, I don't have to. It's his prerogative. He's governor. He sits in the capital, and he has the right to pardon or not pardon according to his wills, not according to the desires of the man, not according to justice, not according to what the law demands him to do. Just according to his sovereign will, he can pardon whom he wills. whom he will, and yet men say, God can't do that. It's not right.

It's right for the governor, not right for God. It's right for man to exercise sovereignty, just don't let God exercise sovereignty. A God without election is a God without government, a God without a throne, a God without respectability. You cannot erase election from this book without erasing God from this book. You cannot do away with election without doing away with God. You cannot say, I don't believe in election, without in the same breath saying, I don't believe in God.

For the two go hand in hand. The two go hand in hand. Pastor, you didn't mean to say that. Just to make sure you understand, I didn't mean to say it. You cannot say, I don't believe in election without saying I don't believe in God. The two go hand in hand.

Thirdly, election is vital because it demands submission to dust before God Almighty. That's the only proper place. Nowhere higher than that, just in the dust before Him. And that's where election puts us. Election declares that God rules man, not the other way around.

That God made us, he rules us, and he can dispose of us and will dispose of us as he sees fit. If he wills, he can save us. If he wills, if he wills it, he can save you. Or he can pass you by. Pentecostally well described those words, pass me not, O tempest-saving. Hear my humble cry, while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.

For if God passes you by, you're gone. You're gone. Now let me tell you something you may be shocked to hear. but here if you must, no one ever comes to God by faith. Nobody ever trusted the Lord Jesus Christ. No one was ever saved or ever shall be saved who does not recognize this fact. Salvation is up to you. Not you man, you God.

Salvation in God's You remember when the leper came to the Lord Jesus? He came, and we're told in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, all three of them, they said, he came and fell down on the ground before the Savior, fell on his face and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can take me home. If you will, you can. If you will, you can.

You remember that centurion whose servant was sick and dying? And the centurion came and said, Master, say the word. And my servant will be healed. And the master said, I'll go with you to your house. He still needs to come. He said, I understand you're a man with authority. I'm a man with authority. I say to my servants, go here and go. Do this and it doesn't. All you've got to do is speak the word.

My servant will be healed. And the Lord Jesus said, I've never seen faith like that. Oh, that's amazing. Lord, if you will, you can make me whole. If you would obtain mercy and grace in Christ, make your headquarters into dust. Like the thug looking at the bull, crying, God be merciful to me, the sinner. Super mercy, that's your only option. You got no other. You got no other. I recall when I was a boy, kids do stupid things because they are dared to do them. I ought to have had enough sense.

You folks have any idea how frightful I am with heights? Some of you have been around there. If I get on a ladder more than three feet off the ground, I hit it like this. I don't like being up there. When I fall, I make a big splash. And I don't like to fall.

As the kids dared us to go across the trestle, down the Yankton River at Pyredampton, outside of Tinkerwood Park in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. And so all the other fellows are doing is hiding. And man, I'd get up there and walk and try to ease my way across those cross ties on that fence. Hundreds of feet up there.

I was scared to death. Scared to death. And I thought to myself, what if a train was coming? What if a train was coming? And about that time, I heard one. And I really got scared. But you're talking about a, you're talking about a fellow skedaddling across tracks. I skedaddled across tracks. But just suppose, just suppose I'm out there on those tracks. And suddenly, I hear and see a locomotive thundering down those tracks right at me. I can't get off the tracks. I'm not in the middle of that trackside.

Now, I've got two choices. Two choices. I can either fall flat down between the tracks and hope that train won't run me over, or I'll stand up and fuss with the train. You've got no right to be here. Now, what are you doing on these tracks? You weren't supposed to be here for 15 more minutes. I was on the tracks. First I was on my rights. Boy, that's foolish. That's foolish.

I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd drop. How about you? I'd just drop, right? Lay down between the tracks and hope there were no hooks hanging on the train. I'd just drop. Now I'm telling you, the only thing you can do with God Almighty is drop down before Him. That's all. That's all. Just fall flat on your face and super miss Him. to be merciful to me, said I. I can but perish if I do.

I am resolved to try, for if I stay away, I know I must forever die. But if I die with mercy sought, when I the king have tried, this were to die, the life for God, I say never die. May you drop right now before the throne of God's power and grace. I will tell you something, there's never been a sinner to perish there. Never been one to perish there.

Fourth thing, election is a vital doctrine because election brings salvation. Now let's turn to our text for last week, Ephesians 1, Ephesians chapter 1. Those who say Fortner preaches that God elected some to be saved and some to be damned are lying to you. Comment, do get around, you know. He preaches some are saved, God chose some to save them, chose some to damn them. I've been hearing that ever since I started preaching. Well, it's not so. I've never entertained such a thought. I've never said such a thing.

We are damned by nature, every one of us. Because of sin, we are under the curse and wrath of God by nature. And we would every one have gone to hell except for one thing. God's election. If it hadn't been for election, nobody would be saved. Nobody. Election opens the door of mercy. It doesn't shut it.

Now listen to what the scripture says here. Ephesians 1 verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, that is the whole, the whole bag of gold, everything, all the riches of heaven, he's blessed us with it all in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Now look at the next two words, according as, according as. That is, this is how he blessed us. according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, chose us that we should be holy and without blame before him, chose us in love, having predestinated us under 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 grace, wherein he hath by his electing love and favor made us accepted into the Election brings salvation.

That makes it vital. Without election, there is no salvation. You could just as well talk about salvation without the blood of Christ, or salvation without the mercy of God, or salvation without faith in Christ, or salvation without the Spirit of God, as talk about salvation without election. There would be no salvation were it not for God's election.

Fifth, election is vital because election produces holiness. Election doesn't just promote holiness, it produces it. It produces it. Those who talk about holiness but deny election are like O.J. Simpson's lawyers talking about justice while defending that man.

No man would or could ever be holy without election. The Scripture says that God predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son. The Scripture says that God predestinated us that we should be holy without blame before him. The Scripture says that God chose us through sanctification of the Spirit. Election produces holiness. It produces holiness by producing and providing a justifying savior, a regenerating spirit, a sanctifying grace, and a resurrection hope, so that God, in his electing favor, determined to make Bob Pontcher holy, as holy as God.

How can he do it? How can he do it? Somebody's got to take for Bob's sins to the full satisfaction of justice. Christ said, I'll do it. He got him made holy. God, the Holy Spirit says, I'll come and make him partakers of his iron-made church. And he does. And I will preserve him in holiness and cause him to walk in holiness and cause him to pursue the path of holiness. until at last I bring him up to glory. And Christ Jesus said, I'll come, raise his body, and he'll be conformed just like me. And in the last day, I present him with all my children and say, Father, though I and the children thou hast given me, none of them is lost. None of them is lost. Here they are.

Sixthly, election is vital because election destroys the doctrine of salvation by works. Election lays the axe to the root of the tree in Babylon. That's the reason why men despise it so. Let a man acknowledge God's sovereign election and forever gone are the Antichrist's notions of salvation by the will of man, the work of man, and the worth of man.

We're not talking about man being saved by doing something, we're talking about man being saved by his will. Any motion of your will is a work. As much so as any thought of your heart is a work. And I'm telling you now, salvation is not of him that will it. I didn't say that, God did. Salvation is not of him that will it. I didn't say that, God did. Salvation is of him that said it. Who said it? Of God that shall have mercy.

God had saved us and called us with the holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began. One last thing, election is vital because it makes saved sinners see, feel, and acknowledge total dependence upon the triune God for salvation. By the grace of God, I am what I am.

I was running fast as I could to hell. And I wasn't interested in God or salvation or righteousness. I wasn't seeking the Lord, I was seeking destruction. I wasn't trying to do the best I could, I was trying to do what I wanted to do. I was bent on having my will, having my way.

Thank God he said, no, I'll have my will and you'll walk in my way. God's election purposed my everlasting salvation. Father, I thank you for that promise. Oh God, I thank you. by having never turned from your purpose. God the Son, by his blood sacrifice, rendered unto God perfect, complete propitiation for all my sins. Oh, Son of God, I thank you for total propitiation. That means that he has totally, completely satisfied divine justice on my behalf.

And in the deep of my soul, in the deep of my soul, I trust his blood atonement. Oh, I thank you for the blood. Precious, precious blood of Christ. And God the Holy Spirit swept down on my soul in sovereign power. He said, behold, thy time was the time of love. He spread the skirt of Christ's righteousness over me. And he said, live. He spoke life into this dead He breathed life into my dead soul, and he preserves and keeps me in life to this day. I've been walking in this way better than 27 years. Bush arrived on the door 28, and I would have long time ago quit I would have long ago quit.

Except for one thing. He won't let me go. I persevere in this way. If time stands and God lets this building stand a few more hours, you'll be here at six o'clock tonight, you'll find me here. You'll find me here. Same thing Tuesday night, same thing next Sunday, same thing Sunday night, Tuesday night. It's been that way 27 years. It'll be that way 27 more. Time stands. Because he holds me in his work. He holds me in his work.

He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it hallowed. Hallowed is a good saying. Until the day of Jesus Christ. That's hallowed. I thank you for sovereign regenerating power. I thank you for that grace that keeps and seals me unto life everlasting. Perhaps some of you are thinking, well, you got me convinced, Don. I believe the Bible teaches election. So if I am elect, I'll be saved no matter what.

That may be your conclusion, but you didn't hear that from this point on. Do not be so foolish. You will never be saved unless you trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Election is not salvation. Election is unto salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. Now, if God kills you, you'll believe on his side. if you believe on his son, because he chose you. Perhaps the devil whispers in your ear, well, what's the point of seeking the Lord? If you're not elect, you can't be saved, you must be damned, no matter what.

Don't listen to him, he's a liar, always has been. You'll only be damned, now listen to me, you'll only be damned if you refuse to believe the Lord Jesus Christ. What does the book say? He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

You will be saved if you come to Christ. Indeed, if you come to Christ right now, right where you are, it's because you have been saved. You have been called. You have been regenerated. You have been redeemed. You have been chosen. Your name was inscribed by the finger of God in electing love in the Lamb's book of life before the world began.

Try to picture with me. Here's a door open in heaven. Cleanse it. Talk about it this morning. Revelation 4. John saw the door open in heaven. The door of mercy, door of grace, door of life, door of salvation, it's open. And out here, this text reads, whosoever will, praise God. Whosoever will. I don't know what all that means, but I know it includes me. Here I go, I'll intervene. And you walk through the door, and you turn around and look, and is written over the door, chosen in him before the foundation of the world. That's God's electing call. Enter into the door of Christ Jesus, and you'll see it, and you'll rejoice in it. Amen.

Sovereign Election-A Vital Doctrine

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about sovereign election?

How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

What is the relationship between election and salvation?

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Sovereign Election-A Vital Doctrine

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about sovereign election?

How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

What is the relationship between election and salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Don Fortner

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