What does the Bible say about unconditional election?

The Bible teaches that God has chosen certain individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world, emphasizing His grace and mercy. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, the Bible clearly states that God has chosen certain people for salvation through sanctification and belief in the truth. This doctrine, known as unconditional election, emphasizes that God's selection is not based on any foreseen merit or choice of individuals but solely on His sovereign will and purpose. It highlights God's initiative in salvation, asserting that it is God's grace that enables one to believe and be saved. The reality of unconditional election is echoed throughout Scripture, such as in Ephesians 1:4, where it states that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, reaffirming that our election is entirely grounded in God's grace and love.

How do we know unconditional election is true?

Unconditional election is supported by multiple scriptural passages that affirm God's sovereign choice in our salvation. The truth of unconditional election is well-supported in Scripture, particularly in verses such as 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, which states that God chose us for salvation. This doctrine is foundational to Reformed theology, as it affirms the belief that God’s grace operates without any conditions imposed by human actions or qualities. Support is also found in Ephesians 1:4, where we see that our selection in Christ occurred before the foundation of the world, indicating God's timeless and sovereign plan for salvation. Furthermore, passages like Jeremiah 31:3 reveal the everlasting nature of God's love toward His chosen people, further solidifying the reality of unconditional election in both the Old and New Testaments.

Why is unconditional election important for Christians?

Unconditional election is vital as it reassures believers of God's sovereign grace and emphasizes the certainty of salvation. The doctrine of unconditional election is crucial for Christians as it highlights the foundational truth that salvation is a work initiated by God rather than a result of human effort. This assurance brings comfort and joy to believers, knowing that their salvation is secure and entirely dependent on God's sovereign choice and grace. It also encourages evangelism, as knowing that God has a people He intends to save incentivizes our efforts in ministry. Furthermore, unconditional election underscores the depth of God's love—indicating that He chose us not based on any attribute within us, but purely out of His grace and goodwill, which cultivates a deeper sense of gratitude and worship among the faithful.

Unconditional Election - Wayne Boyd | Full Transcript & Audio

Open your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2. The name of the message is Unconditional Election. Unconditional Election. We're going to read two verses in 2 Thessalonians 2, verses 13 and 14. Wonderful verses. Wonderful verses that tell us that we have been chosen to salvation, and that's by the Lord Jesus Christ. And salvation is all of the Lord in its planning, in its execution, and in its application. And it's wonderful, wonderful.

2 Thessalonians 2, verse 13 and 14. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit, belief of the truth whereunto he called you look look at that he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ let's read verse 13 again and just let it let it sink into our hearts and our minds but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord so Paul's writing to born-again blood-washed believers in the city of Thessalonica. This is the second letter to them. And he says, we're bound. Oh my, we're bound by the grace of God to give thanks for each other, aren't we? Oh, it's wonderful.

He says, for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, divinely loved ones, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. So according to the Holy Scriptures, the very first work of God's grace in saving his people was that of election, that of choosing them in Christ before the foundation of the world. As Brother D.J. Ward used to say, if God hadn't chose some, heaven would have none. But God in the first work of His grace in saving His people, chose us in Christ. And we see that very clearly brought forth here in this verse, because it says, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth. That beginning there is before the worlds were ever made, in eternity, before there was ever anything.

God chose a people in Christ. And this doctrine of election is the most delightful doctrine to the people of God. And it doesn't hinder our evangelism amongst the lost. It actually encourages it. It encourages it because we know that God has a people. Therefore, our preaching isn't in vain, right?

No, because God's still saving, isn't he? If there was anyone else, if he had saved all his sheep, then it'd be all over. But we know he'd not come back yet, because there's still sheep that need to be saved. There's still sheep that he purchased 2,000 years ago that haven't been born again. Oh, my.

But what a comforting doctrine that God has chosen us in Christ before the world was. And this is a doctrine called unconditional election. And it's not a doctrine taught in a few isolated passages of the scripture. It's actually prominent through the word of God. Prominent through the word of God. The doctrine of election is simply stated as the teaching that God chooses that God chose some of Adam's race, we all fell on Adam, but that God chose some of Adam's race to be objects of his grace, to be objects of his mercy, and predestinated them unto eternal salvation in Christ before the world began. This is marvelous. So does the Bible teach this doctrine? Well, we saw it in verse 13. But does it teach this doctrine in other places? Well, of course it does.

It's all through the word of God. It's all through the word of God. Here's a section in Psalm 65, verse four. Listen to this. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest. That's from Psalms. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causes to approach unto thee. See, there's none that seeketh after God. There's none that understand. God causes us to approach Him. We're made willing in the day of His power.

It's wonderful. And He may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Again, that's Psalm 65, 4. Listen to the same verse in the Septuagint, the Greek. Translation of the Old Testament. Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and adopted. He shall dwell in thy courts. We shall be filled with the good things of thy house. Thy temple is holy. Whom thou has chosen and adopted.

That ties in with Ephesians 1, 3, and 4, doesn't it? And 5, and 6, and 7. Because we're redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, the very one who we were chosen in. Oh, it's wonderful. My. And then tie in these words with John 15, 16, where our Lord says, you've not chosen me, but I've chosen you and ordained you. That 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 will give it you. Oh my. So what does the scripture teach about God's electing grace? Well, election is in Christ, number one. We were chosen in Christ.

We were chosen in the very one who would come to this earth and live a perfect life in our room and place and then die in our room and place and shed his blood to redeem our eternal souls. He died for a chosen people, beloved. He didn't die for everyone in this world. He died for a chosen people, those who the Father gave him.

Just look at John 17 too. God's given him all power. And he has all power to give eternal life to as many as the Father had given him. My oh my, it's wonderful. So election is in Christ. We were chosen in him, chosen to be like him. We're being conformed to the image of Christ. We don't feel that way, do we? But we are. We're being conformed by the Holy Spirit of God to the image of Christ. That's why we see more and more sin in our life, because now we're being conformed in the image of Christ. We know what sin is now. We never did before. And we have been accepted in Christ from before the foundation of the world.

Isn't that amazing? My and all grace is in Christ as All that God does for sinners is because of Christ And the Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnate in the flesh beloved And he came to save his people from their sins. Listen to Ephesians 1 for so clear Listen this according as he has chosen us in him. That's a Christ before the foundation of the world How do you argue with that? And I was there. I used to argue against this.

Beautiful biblical truth. Until God showed me, revealed to me, who he was. Saved my soul. I was religious and lost. But listen to this. Ephesians 1, 4. According to this, he has chosen us. Who chose us? God did. In him. That's in Christ. Before the foundation of the world. That has nothing to do with us. That's why it's called unconditional election. Because it's all according to God's grace and mercy. He did not look down through time and see who would choose him. That's a lie from the pit of hell.

He chose us based on nothing in us. Because it pleased him to do so. that we should be holy and without blame before him love. How are we going to be holy and without blame? How are sinners made holy and without blame? Before God, only in Christ. And we're being conformed to his image. It's wonderful. Then listen to Jeremiah. Well, actually, number one or number two, election is unconditional. God does not choose us because he foreknew us. No, that that would He didn't look down through time and say, well, they're going to choose me. No, there's no good in us. He looked down and saw all humanity dead and trespassed as sin.

And he chose to save some because it pleased him to do so. And you know, he's loved us with an everlasting love. And he chose us in Christ in eternity. And his love is everlasting. That means it's according to his everlasting love that he chose us, beloved. My, even though he foreknew we were sinners, dead in sin.

Listen to Jeremiah 31.3. The Lord is appointed of old unto me saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. He didn't say I've loved everybody in the world with an everlasting love. He said to Jeremiah, one of his sheep, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee.

Oh, the unwilling are made willing. My. Election, number three, is unto salvation. Election is not salvation, but there could be no salvation without it. We could never be saved had God not chosen to save us. We'd still be dead in trespasses and sins. But listen to this 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 9. For God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. What a comforting doctrine. Number four.

Election took place before the worlds were made. The Lamb of God is the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. And the Lamb's book of life is not being written every time someone comes to Christ. He's not writing their name in then. No, their name's been written since before the foundation of the world.

It's wonderful. Oh my When the world has been destroyed Marvel Marvel at this And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names were not written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world Listen to that Our names are written in the lamb's book of life beloved and you know when it happened in eternity when God chose us in Christ. Oh my.

So election is the fountainhead of all grace. Read the first chapter of Ephesians carefully and we will see that every blessing of grace from adoption to redemption, to forgiveness to regeneration, to the resurrection of the body, to the inheritance of the saints in glory flows freely to chosen sinners according as God has chosen them in Christ. Beloved of God, the doctrine of election does, you know what it declares? You know what the doctrine of election declares?

Salvations of the Lord, Jonah 2.9. It's not the will of man and time that is the determining factor in our salvation. but the will of God in eternity, beloved, as he declares, I will have mercy on him I have mercy. Amen and amen.

Unconditional Election

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What does the Bible say about unconditional election?

How do we know unconditional election is true?

Why is unconditional election important for Christians?

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Unconditional Election

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about unconditional election?

How do we know unconditional election is true?

Why is unconditional election important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Wayne Boyd

Comments

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