God's Peculiar People

Q: What does the Bible say about God's chosen people?

The Bible states that God's people are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9). The concept of God's chosen people is central to Scripture, particularly in passages like 1 Peter 2:9 which declares, 'But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.' These designations reflect God's sovereign choice in electing a specific people for Himself. They signify that believers are not merely randomly selected but are intimately known and valued by God, showcasing His grace and love. This choice underscores the reality that our salvation is rooted in His foreknowledge and election, emphasizing His initiative and the special relationship between Him and His people.

Q: Why is election important for Christians?

Election is important as it showcases God's sovereignty and grace in choosing some for salvation from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Election is a vital doctrine in Reformed theology, emphasizing God's sovereignty and the unconditional nature of His grace. It is rooted in Ephesians 1:4, which explains how believers were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. This doctrine assures Christians that their salvation is not based on their works or merits but solely on God's sovereign choice and purpose. Understanding election cultivates a deep gratitude in believers, as they recognize they have been chosen not because of anything they have done, but purely through God's merciful will. Furthermore, it strengthens faith amidst trials, as Christians grasp that their salvation is secure in God's eternal plan.

Q: What does it mean to be a peculiar people?

To be a peculiar people means to be God's special acquisition, valued and set apart for His glory (1 Peter 2:9). The term 'peculiar people' in 1 Peter 2:9 refers to those whom God has specifically acquired for Himself, indicating a special relationship. This peculiarity denotes both distinction and value; God's people are unique not merely because they are different from the world, but because they are cherished members of His family. This designation carries the idea of being a treasured possession, reflecting the reality that believers are made precious through Christ's blood. Furthermore, being peculiar involves an identity that is often at odds with cultural norms, as Christians adhere to divine truths and values that the world may view as strange or outdated. Hence, this peculiarity is a source of both grace and responsibility.

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

The doctrine of election is affirmed in Scripture, particularly in passages such as Ephesians 1:4 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13, which speak of God's sovereign choice. The truth of the doctrine of election is well-established in Scripture, particularly throughout the New Testament. Ephesians 1:4 affirms, 'According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.' This highlights that God's choosing occurred even before creation, demonstrating His sovereignty over whom He saves. Additionally, 2 Thessalonians 2:13 reveals that God chose believers from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. These passages provide a solid foundation for understanding election, revealing God's purpose and grace in selecting individuals for salvation and reinforcing the necessity of resting in His sovereign will.

It's good to see you again. I'm bound to fail now with such
introductions. God's Word never fails. This is our crutch, isn't it,
Brother Todd? Oh, how we lean upon it. Go back with me to 1 Peter which
Brother Todd read to you. 1 Peter chapter 2. My father left a note for me
on his desk. As you know, they're out of town
and knowing that I would be sitting at his desk studying while here,
he left a note for me on his desk and it was a brief one. It began with a verse of Scripture.
Colossians 4.17. He wrote it out for me. Take heed to the ministry which
thou hast received of the Lord, that thou fulfill it. And then
he added these words, May the Lord give you liberty while you
preach to our friends here. Now that was a word in season
to me. Wise counsel from a wise man.
The ministry. What is the ministry? Well, the
word minister means servant, doesn't it? And we have received
it. The Lord is the master, he calls
his minister, doesn't he? His servant. And his orders to
his servants are this. The last words that he told Peter
were, feed my lambs. Feed my sheep. Feed them. Serve them. Food. Sheep food. Serve them. Preach
the Word, as Paul told young Timothy. Preach the Word. That's
what the sheep need. And as he said to Isaiah, or
through Isaiah, he said, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. Speak ye comfortably to my people,
my friends. God's people are his friends,
just like Abraham. His friends, indeed. So that
is my commission and that's what I want to do this weekend through
these three messages, Lord willing, is to feed God's sheep and comfort
God's people. Now, 1 Peter is addressed to
the church as all the epistles are. God's Word has very little
to say to the world in general except repent. Right? Repent. But the epistles are
full of promises to the church, to the saints, to believers.
Now in chapter 2, which Brother Todd read, speaking of the Lord
Jesus Christ, he calls Him the solid rock. Well, he's just repeating
what somebody already said. The chief cornerstone. And he
says in verse 4, He is disallowed, or that is, despised and rejected
and refused of men, of natural men, but he's chosen of God,
chosen of God and precious. And to you who believe, he said
in verse 7, he is indeed precious. That means valuable. And he's
especially valuable when you come to your deathbed. Then you'll
find out who you're really leaning upon. We have a dear lady who
is just that, on her deathbed. Where's Rebecca? Garnet Guthrie
is not doing well at all. Brother William Hodges is just
not well at all. It's not going to be long for
him. We lost, several years ago, our
song leader and my right-hand man, Brother Joe Parks. And I
visited him on his deathbed. And the last thing I heard him
say on this planet was he said, I'm standing on Christ the solid
rock. Those are the very last words
I heard him say. And I asked Garnet when I went to visit her. I said, Garnet, what is your
hope? She said, I'm standing on Christ the solid rock. That's
a sure foundation, isn't it, for a dying saint and a living
saint to just live by that faith on Christ the rock. He's precious. But to some, he's rejected. In verse 8, He says he's a stone
of stumbling and a rock of offense to some, those who stumble at
the Word. And he says they were appointed
to this, doesn't he? They were appointed to this,
ordained to this condemnation. Is that all right? God's Word
in it. God's prerogative. God's right.
In verse 9, though, here's the good news. But ye, speaking to God's people. But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a
peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises, the power,
the honor, the glory of Him who called you, who hath called you
out of darkness into His marvelous light. You who were one time
not a people, but are now His people, God's chosen So this
is what I want us to look at tonight, these four things that
God uses to describe His people and dwelling mostly on the last
thing. The title of this message is
God's Peculiar People. I want us to see how we are peculiar,
God's people. He says the first thing here
in verse 9, you are a chosen generation. Elect, that is. Go back to chapter 1. Peter begins
this epistle where everything did begin as far as our salvation
went, doesn't it? With God's sovereign choice of
a people, God's sovereign election. Some say you shouldn't begin
there. That's where it began, didn't
it? This is where Peter began, didn't it? This is what Ananias
said to Paul, didn't he, when he preached to him? Peter says in verse 2, Are these
strangers scattered throughout? We're strangers. Strangers to
Him. We want strangers to the covenant of promise, but not
anymore. But He says you're elect according to the foreknowledge
of God. Elect. Do you ever grow tired of hearing
that? Elect according to the foreknowledge of God. That means
the forelove of God. God loved His people before the
world began. And will love them always. and
the foreordination of God, God's sovereign choice of a people.
Now, you know that most people, most people will fight for their
right to elect a government official or something, won't they? They're
very zealous about that, aren't they? The world in general is
very zealous over their right to elect, to choose whom they
will or what they will, aren't they? They're very zealous about
election concerning everything but religion, but God. But God's people are very zealous
about God's right to choose whom He will. This is not just upholding
a doctrine. God's people aren't just upholding
a doctrine, trying to prove the doctrine of election, but rather
are upholding the honor and the rights of God to be God. You see, God's people are God-lovers.
You want to know the difference between a true saint of God and
those who just claim to be? God's people love God being God. They love His right to be God.
They defend it, as we sang in that song, on every hand, don't
they? And hate it. David said, I hate
them that hate you. I hate them that bring you down
from your honor. God-lovers love God's right to
be God. You take away God's sovereignty,
God's power, His honor, His glory and all that, you offend His
people. And you take their foundation
out from under them, their hope from under them. And all of God's
people, who believes election? Who believes that God elected
a people? Who? Why, the elect do. Who loves it? The elect do. All of God's people know who
chose whom, don't they? The Lord kept reminding Peter
and the apostles of this, didn't He? Then they got a little too
puffed up and forgot where they came from, He would remind them,
didn't He? Did not I choose you? You didn't
choose me. Peter, Andrew, James, and John
were just fishermen in boats like so many others that day,
weren't they? Have you ever stopped to consider that there were more
than a couple of boats in that water that day? Brother Dale,
have you ever been to the ocean, a little fishing village, in
the morning when they send out those boats? There's a bunch
of them, aren't there? We were recently down in Mexico
with the Groovers in a little fishing village down there, and
there were boats just covering that inland, weren't there guys?
And that day when the Lord came, there were boats full of fishermen,
weren't there? But the Lord chose two boats
with two men in each boat. Didn't He? They knew who chose
Him to be His people. And that's what the Apostle says
over in that passage in 2 Thessalonians. We're bound to give thanks always
to God, aren't we? For you, brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. And he calls us a chosen generation. Look at that. A chosen generation. The word generation, I don't
always look up words, but I did look up this because I've always
been a little bit in the dark about it. Generation means kin. Now, we know that word well in
eastern Kentucky, don't we? Next of kin. Generation is kin. It also means
cause to be kin. Cause to be his kin. You are
a chosen people whom God has caused to be his kin. It pleased
the Lord, he said, to make you his people. What election and
predestination is, is planned parenthood on the part of God
Almighty. I'm not trying to be clever,
but that's exactly what it is. He predetermined who would be
his people and everything about them, how they would look. We
can't do that, can we? We say we decide to have children,
don't we? The Lord said, I make a lot.
We don't plan to have children. We might try. We have a lady
in our church who, her and her husband decided they were going
to wait a while to have children. And they waited. And finally
they decided to have children. And they never could have children.
And then there are those who don't decide to have children. Who think, I am going to wait
a while. And it happens. Doesn't it? God planned every
one of His children. Every one of them. He chose them.
He purposed it. There are no accidents with God.
They were all predetermined and purposed and chosen by Him before
the foundation of the world. Look at the next time. He says
they are a royal priesthood. A royal priesthood. In Revelation
5, it says that the saints in glory are right now singing,
Thou hast redeemed us and made us kings and priests under our
God. Kings and priests. That's what
they're singing in glory. They're singing to Christ the
Redeemer who redeemed them and made them kings and priests unto
our God. Now God's people, Christ's church,
His heaven, this whole thing of salvation is called a kingdom.
Isn't it? Our Lord, when He came preaching,
what He came preaching was repent for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand. That word simply means the dominion
of the king. Those who are under the dominion
of the King, under His sovereign reign and rule. Now Christ is
our King. We are under a monarchy. You
know that's the truest and best form of government? It really
is. That's what God Almighty ordained
from the beginning, a monarchy. It's the truest and best form
of government if you've got a good King. If you have a good King. If you don't, It's one of the
worst. Then you've got a tyrant over
you. Have you ever thought what it must have been like to live
under King David? I asked our people not long ago,
what period of time in history would you have liked to have
lived if you could choose any period of time? And I thought
I would like to have lived under Solomon. under Solomon's reign,
it says, every man dwelt under his own vine and his fig tree.
There were no enemies, nobody to bother them, and knowing Solomon,
knowing Solomon, anyone could go and visit the king. Huh? You reckon? Anybody could have
an audience with him at any time and sit at his table. He'd receive
anybody. You know it's so. Because he
represents a greater king. We do live under a monarchy.
We do live under a king. And we all do have our own vine
and fig tree. Christ is the king, reigning
and ruling. The Scripture says a scepter
of righteousness is the scepter he rules with. Everything he
does is right concerning us and concerning everything. He's king.
King of kings. and Lord of Lord. Oh, my. I stopped and thought about that,
though, and I corrected myself. I told the folks, I believe I
would have rather lived for three years with Christ. Just those
three years that His disciples were with Him was worth a lifetime.
And the persecution that followed, it was worth it all. Worth it all. But we do live
under this great king. And we are called a royal priesthood,
a royal family. We live like kings. We literally
do, don't we? Everyone in here is rich and
lives like kings. But the greatest riches of all
that God's people enjoy are these spiritual blessings we have in
Christ. And eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared
for them that love Him. Now we're rich and increased
with good, and we feast like kings, don't we? Have you ever
read that story of Solomon's table? What all was on that table
every single day? Cesar, you reckon anybody went
home hungry? Ever? You reckon they could eat
all they wanted to? Well, so it is with God's people. We have this bountiful feast,
don't we, every time we meet together? A vast table spread
with all the riches that is God's Word. We feast like kings and
we have been raised from the dunghill to sit among princes. We sit among princes, don't we?
God's people to me, well, to God, they're the salt of the
earth of whom the world is not worthy. Yes, they are. They're just kings because they're
like Christ, that's why. Just like Christ. A young man
has been writing to me, a young man that's been attending a while. When he first started coming,
he was coming just because he was dating a little girl in our
church. And I could enter into that. But he didn't like what
he was hearing at first. He didn't like it at all. And
he'd argue with this young lady, argue with her about it. Well,
lo and behold, he quit arguing. and started loving it. And the
girl, well I won't say dumped him,
but they're not, yes she did too, she dumped him. They're
not dating anymore. Now this is a good sign that
he's still coming. He still loves what he's hearing.
And he writes me and he tells me things like, he's going to
school at Radford University, and he tells me things like this,
he said, I don't deserve to be there with those people. He said,
I'm unworthy. He said, but I'm just happy to
sit on the back row. You know the feeling, don't you?
Everybody in here felt that way when you first heard the gospel.
I'm sitting among kings, princes. My, my. Don't you know old Mephibosheth
never got over sitting at that table? He says we're a royal
priesthood. Look at it. A royal priesthood. We have a great high priest.
There's but one. We need one, don't we? People
like to have a priest, don't they? Human beings like to have
a priest. They like to have somebody to
go to and confess everything to. They like to have somebody
to go to that they think can absolve them from this guilt,
don't they? They like to have somebody to go to that they think
can go to God, that can pull some weight for them with God,
don't they? And all of these are false. There
are no more priests on this earth, are there? But we have one. We
have a great high priesthood as one, one mediator between
God and men, the mankind. We have one who can indeed absolve
and has absolved us of all of our guilt, hasn't he? And we
confess all of them. We have a high priest, a great
high priest, whom Scripture says alone went into that holy place
and offered up that sacrifice of himself and obtained eternal
redemption for us. Didn't try to, but he did it.
That's the good news of the gospel. He obtained it. And we're priests,
but we're priests. As in the Old Testament when
there was, during the tabernacle and the temple. There was one
high priest who would do this one thing and offer up that sacrifice,
kill the lamb or the turtle dove and so forth, and take that blood
and go into the Holy of Holies. One man entered in, into the
Holy of Holies. God ordained one man, didn't
He, to go in there and offer up that. He accepted one man
on behalf of the people. And that one man represents Christ.
But outside in the courtyard, were priests, common priests. What were they doing? They didn't
have anything to do with the sacrifice. They didn't help out. He did
that alone. But they were washing dishes.
They were cutting firewood. That's it. That's all we did.
We're priests. We're not anything special. We
don't wear a special garb and all that. We're just cooks and
bottle washers. But that's fine. But there's
one great high priest. So this thing of being a royal
priesthood, well, it's an honor just to wash dishes in it. Royal priesthood. And verse 9
goes on to say, and we are a holy nation. God's people are a holy
nation. Go back with me to the book of
Exodus real quick. Exodus chapter 19. You'll get
a blessing out of this. Exodus 19. I wasn't saying something new
here. The more I read through God's
Word, the Old Testament especially, the more I see that what the
apostles said was already written. They were just repeating what
was already said, declaring what God said. Look at this in Exodus
19, verses 5 and 6. God says, now therefore, if you
will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then ye shall
be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the
earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom
of priests and a holy nation." A kingdom of priests and a holy
nation, holy people, nation. Israel, now he was talking at
that time to Israel, wasn't it? Now, do you remember what Paul
said about Israel, though? He said they didn't believe. And he said, but it's not as
though the Word of God hath taken no effect because they are not
all Israel which are of Israel. Are you with me? God was saying
to Israel, you're a holy nation, a peculiar people. But Paul went
on to To explain it, that they're not all Israel. He's not a Jew
which is one outwardly. But a Jew is one inwardly. Circumcision is of the heart. This mark is an unseen mark,
you say, of God's people. And the Israel of God, the people
of God, you cannot see them outwardly, necessarily. They're not recognized
with the outward eye. But in Christ, the people of
God, in Christ, Scripture says, are holy, unblameable, and unreprovable
to God. And He says, don't you call common
or unclean what I call clean. And they're not just declared
that. They're made that. They're actually
made that by regeneration. And let's say they're a generation
Generate means to make something. They're regenerated by the Holy
Spirit. Now, holiness. Holiness is not
an outward dress or outward show, but it's an inward nature. That's
what holiness is. I'll give you an illustration.
It's not seen by the outward eye. It's not known by the outward
dress. When the Holy Son of God was
on this planet, Now Holy Son of God was on this planet and
he stood before the high priest that day, old Caiaphas, Caiaphas,
and all of his elders, and they were seated. You remember that? The Holy Son of God stood before
them, and there they sat in all of their ecclesiastical priestly
robes. John, I bet you old Caiaphas
wasn't even the son of Levi. I'm sure of it. It doesn't say
where he came from. I just bet he wasn't, though,
knowing how corrupt it was at that time. Like, oh, who was
it? Ahab made the worst of the people,
the lowest priest. Remember that? Manasseh, somebody. Well, anyway, the Lord of Glory,
the Holy Son of God, stood before this man who sat there in his
ecclesiastical priestly robes and a big fancy hat and so forth.
And the Lord of Glory, the Holy Son of God, was wearing a plain
brown robe. I'm certain the robe was brown,
Brother Frank, because the tabernacle was. I'm certain it was. It might
have been even badger skin. But anyway, he was standing there,
and here sat this man in these robes, looking real pious. Now,
who's the holy one, and who's the wicked one? To the average
person, they'd look at this scene and say, well, there's a holy
man. Look at him. He looks like one. That's just a common man.
Look at him. There's nothing special about him. Who's the
holy one? Who's the judge, and who's the
accused here in this picture? You've got one seat sitting in
a judgment seat made by man, judging this one standing. You've
got one standing, one seated. Who's judging who here? Who's
got the power over whom here? Huh? To the naked eye. Who's the judge and who's the
criminal? I never get over this passage
of Scripture. God said, That which is highly
esteemed among men is an abomination unto God. Have you ever thought
of the weight of that passage? That. John says that. Does it qualify? It doesn't say
what it is. It says anything that is highly esteemed among
men is an abomination to God Almighty. Name something. Name
somebody. Anybody, whatever or whoever
the world thinks is wonderful and glorious and pious and holy
and good and acceptable, God says they're an abomination to
men. And by the time the whole world turned their thumbs down
on the Holy Son of God, didn't they? Well, this thing of holiness
is not seen with the naked eye. That which is highly esteemed
among men is an abomination to God Almighty. What the world
loves and esteems, God hates and despises. And on the other
hand, whatever the world hates and despises, you can pretty
much count on it. God loves it and esteems it very
highly. God's ways are not our ways.
Holiness. We've got a bunch of those people
who try to be an imitation of the Amish in our area, don't
we, Rebecca? Holy. Our Lord had nothing but
harsh words to say to those holy men on His day, didn't He? And
they accused Him of blasphemy. And that's what God Almighty
is going to hold the whole world accountable for in the end. Blasphemy
means bring God down from what is rightfully His. That's what
blasphemy is, Jason. That's what God Almighty holds
the whole human race accountable for, blasphemy. And the only
man who did not, the Lord Jesus Christ, they accused him of. So holiness. Amazingly, we're a holy people. A holy nation, it says. A nation
is a united people. A nation, this nation, this nation
is made up of people from every tribe and kindred everywhere,
aren't they? This nation was founded by people
of many different ancestors, aren't they? A nation. One nation. It's not under God, that's for
sure. It may have tried to be at one
time. I barely believe it's under God's wrath right now. It's been
left to itself. I believe it's a reprobate society
that we live in, and young people, save yourself from this untoward
generation. This is not New Jerusalem. No,
it is not. But God's church is. God's church
is a holy nation. a united people. They are united
in every way, aren't they, Brother Tom? Every way. Who do they believe? What do they believe? One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty. And what? Justice for
all. That can only really be said
of God's church. One nation. Because they have
one Lord and one faith. One hope of their calling. Look
at the last thing. and to dwell here a little bit.
He said we are a peculiar people, a peculiar people. And I like
this, don't you? A peculiar people. Now when you
think of the word peculiar, you think unusual, you think odd,
don't you? I was going to bring up somebody
in here, but I won't do it. There are certain people who
seem very peculiar. Well, we all, everybody seems
peculiar to each one of us individually. We all have our own peculiarities,
that's for sure. That's not what this is talking
about. Although it is. This word peculiar
is unusual, it's odd, but it means special. It means purchased.
It means an acquisition. A strange acquisition. Are you with me? A strange acquisition,
a peculiar treasure. God said, you read it with Him.
He said, you're my peculiar treasure. Now, I love this passage over
1 Corinthians. He said, do you see your calling,
brethren? Do you see your calling? I think Peter did and the apostles.
All God's people do. They have not many wise men after
the flesh. Not many mighty. Not many noble
are called. But God had chosen the foolish
things of the world. God had chosen the weak things
of the world. God had chosen the base things of the world.
Things that are not. Nobody's. Nothing's from nowhere. Peculiar, isn't it? Peculiar
choice, isn't it? Peculiar people. Peculiar treasure. You see your calling? Peculiar.
You say, why did He choose me? God's people don't. That's the reason I ask you,
do you ever get tired of hearing about God's sovereign election?
God's people never get over, cease to be amazed that He chose
them. Far from arguing it. They can't
understand why He would choose anybody, let alone them. Peculiar
choice, peculiar treasure. And God said it's for this reason,
to the praise of the glory of His grace. It's to the praise
and the glory of His mercy and His love and His choice. That's
what it's all about. That's why He did it. That's
why He chose whom He chose. The ones He chose. Peculiar choice. God's people are called His bride.
Every one of them are ugly. That's right. When he finds them,
they're like old Gomer down there. He told Hosea, go down there
and marry a wife of whoredom. Don't marry the prettiest woman.
Marry the worst one. The one nobody will have, isn't
it? Why? Why would he do that? Well, he
gets great glory and do that. Great glory and do that. All
God's sheep are black when he finds them. You say, I was a
black sheep of the family. All God's people were that way
when he found them. All of them. Because He gets great glory in
saving the world. He said with man it's impossible.
Oh, you can't save Him. He's beyond saving. Oh, is that
right? You mean you can't save Him.
He gets great glory in that. Riding the unrideable. Breaking
the wild ass's coat. little family and I, for a while,
were taking turns cooking. And I got so good at it, they
all quit. Honestly. But it was quite by
accident on my part. One night though, and Mindy will
tell you, she'd been baking and cooking for years, I made an
apple pie. And she said that it was the
best she'd ever tasted. Honestly. Brother Frank, it was
all by accident. Believe me, it was by accident.
Man, was I fit to be tired in that kitchen. And she was too
when she saw her kitchen. But I had good ingredients though. I had the best ingredients to
make that pie with. And I just, I don't believe in
accidents, but that was an accident. But now try making a good pie
with bad apples. You get the point? We're all
rotten to the core. All God's people are bad apples.
He scraped the bottom of the barrel. That's right. Chief of
sinners. Paul said, I'm an example. I'm a pattern of salvation. How
God saves the worst. Why? To give Him the greatest
glory. Only He can do that. And He does. Peculiar people. Peculiar. Why'd
He choose them? To get great glory. That's why.
It gets greater glory. And a treasure. This word treasure
is something you value. Everyone has something they treasure.
You do. You have something you don't
want to lose. You want to keep it, right? Something of value to
you. Some keepsake, don't you? It's
a treasure. You keep it for yourself. It's dear to you. And he says
that his people are a peculiar treasure to him. And I thought about this. A man
goes down into a deep coal mine, coal mine, deep, dark coal mine. He comes out with a big lump
of coal. And Chip, he says, look what
I found. I'm going to keep this. Look
what I found. This is mine. That's peculiar. Looks like the rest of the lump.
Doesn't it? Looks like the rest of it. It's
of the same lump. What if God, willing to show
His power and His mercy, of the same lump, made a vessel unto
honor and glory and salvation? Same lump. Peculiar treasure. But the wonder of it all is He
takes that lump and makes a diamond out of it. Make something beautiful
out of it, of the same blood. Now, listen in closing. Listen
to some things that make God's people peculiar. We talked about
God's choice, this peculiar choice of a peculiar people. And the
word peculiar means purchase, acquisition. He took a purchase,
and that purchase was Christ's blood, wasn't it? Great price. We'll be wondering in amazement
at this throughout eternity, won't we? That He would shed
His precious blood and pay such a price for it. That's why we
say, worthy is the Lamb. He died for a bunch of unworthy. Unworthy, no good. Do you remember
Old Brother Donnie Bell's illustration about the zeros? Anybody? Good. I'll never forget this
when I heard it. Much of zeroes. We're all worthless.
I mean really, that's not just a doctrine, it's so. Much of
zeroes. Look at this. How much does that work? Eric, how much does that work?
Can you see it? Three zeroes. How much do three zeroes work? Okay, let's raise it a little
bit. Now how much does it worth? Mike,
how much does it worth? Got six zeros. Got a bunch of
zeros. How much do they worth still? Scripture says God looked down
from heaven to see if there were any. He said they're all unprofitable. That means worthless. But one came. One that came of infinite value,
altogether lovely, and in Him, they're priceless. Isn't that good? I wish I could
say that was my own. That's Brother Don Bell. One, and in Him, and like Him. And that's the only way we're
of any value to God, made like Him, made like Christ. and the
peculiar purchase that Christ made, a great price He paid.
And God's people are peculiar, and I clothe them. They're peculiar
in their beliefs. They have strange beliefs, don't
they? The word peculiar means odd and strange. The more this
world goes on and the further it gets from the truth, the more
strange will be the truth. It was strange back when Paul
was preaching. They said, we want to hear this
strange God, this strange doctrine. It's never been stranger than
now, has it? So everybody said, no, nobody
believes like that. Yeah, they do. All God's people
do. All God's people actually believe
that God is God. You know that? All of them. There
is no such thing. He wrote an article on it. There
is no such thing as a believer in God who doesn't believe He's
God. He's not trying to be. It's the difference between our
God and theirs, isn't it, Frank? He tries to be. He wants to be.
He fails. He can't unless they cooperate. Not our God. Isaiah
43, 13. I love this passage. He said,
I will work, and who will let it? You can't do that. I just did. I've spoken it. I'll do it. That's our God and
we love it that way. We love Him that way, don't we?
Who in the world believes that God had anything to do with 9-11?
Have you run into anybody that thinks God had anything to do
with that whatsoever? All God's people do. They know
Deuteronomy 32, 29 says, I kill and I make a life. No, no. 39. All of them know that. There's
not one single exception. Who have you run into that believes
that God had anything to do with that Virginia Tech massacre? All God's people do. And that's
their hope. That's their coming. If we didn't
believe God was God, we ought to hole up in a cave somewhere,
shouldn't we? Stack our arms, shouldn't we?
Get our guns. David said on behalf of all of
us, Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I be afraid? The Lord
is my refuge. God reigns. Say unto my people,
Thy God reigneth. Oh, my. We love that. Oh, God's
people. Isn't that peculiar? That's peculiar,
but it's so. And they believe that man, like
I said, is a worthless, dead, helpless, hopeless, damned, doomed,
and dying creature, don't you? Without exception. Because they
know it by experience. And they believe that Christ
is Christ. Their Christ really did redeem
them. All of them believe that when Jesus Christ came down here
to save them, He did just that. And they die believing that.
And they die in peace. You mark the perfect man. The
righteous man. The end of that man is peace.
Why? Because Christ is his peace. They all believe that. peculiar
today in this day of this pitiful Jesus. They all believe that
this Christ is coming not to try to get anybody to do anything
but to destroy this planet. I have a very dire outlook for
this planet because that's what God said. We actually believe what Christ
said. He said, I've come in with a sword. Peculiar. Real peculiar in this
day and age. God's people, their ways are
peculiar. We worship very peculiarly, don't
we? Very odd. There aren't many people
really worshiping the way we worship now, are there? This
seems real old-fashioned. I'm glad. Aren't you? Someone
once made the observation that we ought to worship in such a
way that the Apostle Paul could walk in our assembly and say,
this is the way it's supposed to be done. Prayer, reading the Word, a man
with a Bible, preaching. Worship in spirit and truth.
No props, no gimmicks, no tricks, no entertainment. Worship. That's
peculiar to them, very peculiar. And peculiar speech, and we could
go on and on with this, couldn't we? They have a peculiar speech. God's people have a peculiar
speech. They don't use words like luck
and chance and accident, although I did. It's hard to get out of
your vocabulary, but God does eventually. And when they say
the Lord willing, they really mean it. They say, He hath. He hath chosen us. He hath saved
us. He hath washed us. He is worthy. That's peculiar
language today, but that's the language of all of God's people. Yep, they're peculiar people. Are those your peculiar beliefs?
That's a good sign. Well, I'd kind of like to announce
what we're going to be speaking on next time and so you can prepare
ahead of time. Tomorrow morning, Lord willing,
we'll be looking at Nehemiah chapter 8 on something that will
give us great mirth, a cause for great mirth. Nehemiah 8,
if you want to read that, prepare. Lord bless you.

God's Peculiar People

What does the Bible say about God's chosen people?

Why is election important for Christians?

What does it mean to be a peculiar people?

How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

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God's Peculiar People

What does the Bible say about God's chosen people?

Why is election important for Christians?

What does it mean to be a peculiar people?

How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Mahan

Comments

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