Turn, if you will, to Psalm 65. Psalm 65. The scriptures declare, sin shall
not have dominion over you. Let not sin therefore reign in
your mortal bodies. John said these things right
unto you that you sin not. And here in Psalm 65, we read
the language of God's servant, David, this man after God's own
heart. The man who stood head and shoulders
above any in his day. Look at verse three. Iniquities prevail against me. That's a man after God's own
heart. That's a man who walks before
God in righteousness. It's a man born of God and taught
of God, man who lived for God's honor. Iniquities prevail against
me. You have a continual warfare
in your heart and in your soul with iniquity, transgression,
and sin. If you're gods, you would not
sin. If you're gods, you want never to sin. And yet sin is involved even
in the desire not to. Iniquities prevail against me. I can't stop. I can't stop. I cannot not sin. Iniquities
prevail against me. As for our transgressions, have you got it? Thou shalt purge
them away. As for these iniquities that
prevail against me all the time, as for our transgressions, thou
shalt purge them away. Our Lord Jesus Christ, when he
had with his own blood, purged our sins. Is that what the book
says? He sat down at the right hand
of the majesty on high. So David is looking away from
himself to his great son, his Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ,
our Redeemer. He says, though iniquities prevail
against me, though I cannot not sin, though sin is what I am
and sin is what I do, thou shalt purge my sins from me. Purge them away. Believing on
the Son of God. Now watch this next word. Blessed is the man, O blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell
in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the
goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. I want to make another stab at
trying to preach to you something of what this book teaches about
election. My subject this morning is election,
divine election, the source and cause of all blessedness. I want to show you one thing,
and I'll make seven statements trying to show it to you, but
this is the one thing I want you to understand. I want you
to see and see clearly. According to this book and it
doesn't matter what anybody else says according to this book It
doesn't matter what the church has believed or has not believed
according to this book It doesn't matter what the traditions of
the past are or what the circumstances of the present are According
to this book. It doesn't matter what the papers
say or what the Protestants say or what the Baptist say according
to this book God chose a people And God's choice and election
of his people is not the result of something we do, but rather
his choice and election of his people is the cause of all blessedness
we enjoy. God's choice God's sovereign
eternal election of his people unto salvation, now listen, listen,
is the cause of everything God does in time. God's choice God's election of
his people under salvation in Jesus Christ is the cause of
everything God does in time. All that he has done for us is
doing for us and shall hereafter do. All that he has done in us
is doing in us and shall hereafter do. All that he has done in the
world All that he is doing in the world and shall hereafter
do is because he chose you to salvation. Now that makes this
matter of election a rather important doctrine. People have the idea
and they would have you to believe and have others to declare that,
well, okay, if the Bible does teach election, it's one of those
Obscure doctrines Tucked away back in the Old Testament prophets
somewhere and it's it's not to be talked about publicly. Oh
No, it's to be shouted from the housetop There's nothing in the
Bible more important. There's nothing in this word
that's taught more frequently Nothing in this word taught more
fully nothing in this word more important than the doctrine of
election nothing. I Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest now notice it's in the present tense It's in the present
tense. That's strange We're told throughout
the book of God it took place before the world began We're
told throughout the book of God it took place before anything
else took place He chose us from eternity chose us before the
foundation of the world chose us and predestinated us Before
ever he made the stars in heaven. He chose us But here David says,
blessed is the man whom thou choosest. Why does he put it
in the present tense? Because we experience it in the
present tense. Because he works it out in the
present tense. Because election in eternity
cannot be known except by grace in time. We recognize that God's
inscription of the names of his people in the book of life before
the world began cannot be known. except you come to experience
his grace in time. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causest to approach unto thee. The way you folks believe you
act as though God forces people to be saved whether they want
to or not. Well, he does. I won't argue with that. I won't
argue with that. He does that. There was a day,
Frank Hall, when you would not have him. And then suddenly you
want to more life itself. How come? Cause God changed your
will. You mean God, God makes folks
come to Christ. Of course he does. Otherwise
you wouldn't come unless God graciously forces you to bow
at his throne. You will never willingly bow.
And when he forces you to bow, you gladly bow. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causest to approach unto thee. I see fellas all the
time that people say something like, well, y'all believe God
forces folks to start to back up. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.
We wouldn't say that. God causes folks to believe. If God leaves you alone, you're
going to hell. Jacob, son, listen to me. Will, listen to me. If
God leaves you alone, you're going to hell. If God leaves
you alone, you're going to hell. Bobby, if God leaves you alone,
you're going to hell. Oh, God, I thank you. You would
not leave me alone. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causes to approach unto thee, that he may dwell
in thy courts, sinners chosen and called by
the grace of God are calls to dwell. Not visit but dwell. Dwell in the courts of divine
worship. You see, those who are chosen
and called by the grace of God to life and faith in Christ are
kept and preserved by that same grace unto eternal glory. Moreover,
election is the source and cause of everlasting happiness. satisfaction,
the happiness and satisfaction of God's saints in heaven, and
the happiness and satisfaction of God's saints now. We shall
be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Our Father, we shall be satisfied with your
goodness. the goodness of your house, of
your holy temple, the goodness of your provision, day by day,
the bread of heaven you pour upon us, the water of life you
pour out on us, your goodness, the goodness of your house, your
providence, your will, your purpose, we shall be satisfied with the
goodness of your house. Lindsey Campbell, while I live
in this world, I can't tell you how I want that. To always be
satisfied with what God's will is. To always be satisfied with
God's provision every day. To always be satisfied with the
way God works things all the time. And thank God he has a way of
making us satisfied. He has a way of making us thankful
that he does things the way he does them. Oh, it rubs us the
wrong way in our flesh. It sometimes causes us to buck
up against him. It sometimes causes us to rebel
against him, murmur and complain. But before he's done, He'll make
you to be happy for the manna from heaven and satisfied with
it. Happy with the way he does things
in this wilderness. And when he's done, when he's
done, when he's done, we shall be satisfied
with the goodness of his house. We shall be satisfied with all
things that he has done. No wonder David saying, oh, the
blessedness of the man whom thou choosest and causes to approach
unto thee. When he lay on his deathbed. This is where David found his
comfort. He said, although my house be not so with God. My family is a wreck. My sons despise me. My daughters
hate me. My sons and daughters hate my
God. Although my house be not so with
God, Israel doesn't look to be in good shape. The church of
God seems to be tottering. The kingdom of God in this world
seems to be shaken. Although my house be not so with
God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered
in all things insure. This is all my desire. This is
all my salvation and all my desire, although we make it not to grow. All right. I encourage you to
get your pencils out and I'm going to make seven statements
about this matter of election. Seven statements that cannot
be refuted by anyone who reads this book. Seven statements that
cannot be denied. I don't know why anybody would
want to, but some do. Cannot be denied. Seven statements
to go right to the heart of this matter of divine election. Now,
for some of you, this will be a refresher course. I've got
nothing new to say. I've been preaching it to you
for over 30 years. For some of you, what I've got
to say may be shocking, but true it is nonetheless. And I hope
when we leave here today, you'll leave here saying in your heart,
thank God. for electing love. Number one,
God chose to save some to salvation and eternal life in Christ before
the world began. Not all, but some. There are
some who will tell you the Bible does not teach election. Now,
let me tell you something. Anybody who tells you, preacher
or otherwise, that the Bible does not teach election either
has not read this book or they're liars. They said the Bible doesn't teach
election. Either they haven't read this book or they're liars.
Now, I don't pretend that everybody who reads the book understands
what the Bible teaches about election, but you can't deny
that this book teaches election. That cannot be denied. It's taught
on every page, demonstrated throughout the Scriptures over and over
again. This book teaches election everywhere, everywhere. The scriptures
speak of an elect people, elect angels, elect nation, elect lady,
elect churches. God shows some angels passed
by others, cast them out of heaven. They're reserved in chains of
darkness with no mercy held into that day of judgment. The first
two men born in this world, two boys born in this world, Cain
and Abel, God chose Abel and passed by Cain. There was a man
by the name of Abram down in the early counties, an idolatrous,
vile, despicable land. One man, God chose Abram, brought
him out. Nobody else in his father's house,
just Abram, just Abram. There was a fellow by the name
of Noah. The scripture says that Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. And God caused Noah to build
an ark by which Noah saved his household, those eight souls,
those eight souls, and sent everybody else to hell. Well, that's not
right. Who are you to decide what's
right for God to do? Who are you to set in judgment
over God? Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Thank God,
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord. Abraham had two sons, Isaac and
Ishmael. God chose Isaac, said, cast Ishmael
out. God chose Jacob and cast off his brother Esau, saying,
Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. was a nation. God made nations. He scattered
the nations at the Tower of Babel. And He had one nation that He
selected that He would bring out of the loins of Abraham.
They're called Hebrews. They're called the children of
Israel. And He chose the smallest of all, the least significant
of all. Everybody else, He hid from Him. He sent His prophets to Israel.
He sent his word to Israel. He sent his law to Israel. He
sent his temple to Israel. He sent his altar to Israel.
He sent the sacrifices to Israel. Nobody else even knew about him.
Nobody else. Just Israel. God sent Israel
down into Egypt and God's hand was on Joseph. And God blessed
Joseph because God chose Joseph. And then there rose up a Pharaoh
who didn't know Joseph. And he had a boy named Moses.
And God saved Moses. And raised up Moses to call out
his people Israel. And Pharaoh... What did he do
to Pharaoh? What did he do to Pharaoh? Moses
said, what if Pharaoh won't hear me? God said, he's not going
to hear you. But what if he won't let Israel go? He's not going
to let Israel go. Or what if Pharaoh will not submit
to you? He's not going to submit to me,
not willingly. Well, what are you going to do,
Lord? I'm going to harden his heart. And I'm going to harden
his heart again. And I'm going to harden his heart
again. And every time Moses went in
to speak to Pharaoh, with every word done, God hardened Pharaoh's
heart all the more. Pharaoh said, oh, oh, I've done
evil now. Now I've repented. You go out.
And before Moses got out the door, he'd harden his heart again.
With every word he heard and despised, his heart was the more
heartened. Until at last, Pharaoh chased
Israel out of Egypt, giving them all the wealth of the land. And
he said, as he got to the, as Israel walked away, no, I won't
let him go. And he hardened his heart again.
And he went to pursue Israel. unto the Red Sea, and God dumped
him in the Red Sea. Why? Even for this same purpose,
God said, have I raised thee up that I might show my power
in thy name. He has mercy on whom he will
have mercy, and he has compassion on whom he will have compassion.
So then, salvation is not of him that willeth, nor of him
that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Many are called. I'm here today by the preaching
of the gospel to call you to faith in Christ. I call every
one of you to believe on the Son of God. I call on you now
to bow to the Son of God. Many are called, but few are
chosen. And I'll tell you who's going
to believe on the Son of God right here today. Tell you who's
going to believe. Those who are chosen. Blessed
is the man whom thou choosest and causes to approach unto thee.
Our Lord said to his disciples, ye have not chosen me, but I
have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring
forth much fruit. Even so, at this present time
also, Paul says, there is a remnant according to the election of
grace. All right, here's the second thing. Turn to Romans
chapter eight. You got the first point, God
chose somebody. God chose somebody. Number two,
the purpose of God in everything he does. The purpose of God in
all things. That's another way of saying
everything he does. You want to know what God's will is? Pick
up the paper and see what happened this morning. That's God's will.
If it wasn't God's will, it wouldn't have happened. Everything God does, everything,
the purpose of God in all things is the salvation of His elect. Oh, God, teach me this. Helen,
I've had it here a long time. I think I'm beginning to get
it here. Oh, God, teach me this. Everything that comes to pass
in time is brought to pass by my God for the salvation of his
elect everything everything Romans 8 28 We know We know this is not guesswork. We know we know now the smart
Alex educated infidels brilliant idolaters, they don't know anything.
But we know, Skip, I am absolutely certain this is so. I know it
because this book says so. I know because God's taught it
to me in my heart. I know it because he's God. We
know that all things work together. Together. We we look at things
like this. Oh, I don't see anything good
happening there. I don't see anything good happening there.
Well, there's a little something good. That's how we look at it. We
look at things like so many holes made in a target by a shotgun.
We look at just scattered stuff because of our puny brains. We
can't see like we ought to, except we see through the eyes of this
book. All things work together, work together. All those scattered
shells in a shotgun blast, all those scattered pellets, squeeze
them all together, make one hole right between that
deer's eyes. That's the intent to drop the
deer. Listen now. All things work together. They come to one point. Good. All things work together for
good to them that love God. Well, who are those people? Who
are those people? To them who are thee called.
Those who love God are those who have been called of God.
I know you've been taught to say, oh, how I love Jesus all
your life and taught to say, I love Jesus. And we train our
children and raise them up as though they were believers, as
though they were regenerative, as though they were Christians.
You believe on Jesus. You love Jesus. You walk with
Jesus to no such thing. You don't know anything about
God's love for you. And you do not love God until
he calls you by his grace and plants his love in you. to those
who are the called. The called? Well, who's called?
According to His purpose. All things work together for
good to them that love God, to those who are the called, and
this is how they work. Exactly according to His purpose. What's that? For whom He did
foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren,
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, then he also called, and whom
he called, then he also justified, and whom he justified, then he
also glorified. Predestination is the all-inclusive
purpose of God for the accomplishment of all things in time to bring
about the salvation of his elect. Everything. Everything. Turn
to Isaiah chapter 14. Isaiah chapter 14. This is one
of my favorite illustrations of God's sovereign purpose of
grace and election. Isaiah 14 verse 12. How art thou fallen? From heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning, how art thou cut down to the
ground which disweakened the nations? For thou hast said in
thine heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount
of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most high. And God just shakes in his boots. Hell's going to try to overturn
me. Satan's going to, he's going to topple my throne. What am
I going to do? Oh, what am I going to do? Satan's not God's rival rod.
He's God's devil. God created Lucifer. He created
him for a fall. He created him for a fall that
he might bring us out of another fall. Now watch what he says. Are you sure about that? How
can you say that? I wouldn't say that for anything
on this earth if it wasn't written right here in the book. You got
your Bible open? Look at it. Verse 15. Yet thou shalt be brought
down to hell to the sides of the pit, they that see thee shall
narrowly look upon thee and consider thee. That is, everybody is going
to see this in the end. They're going to see you in hell,
and they're going to look real close, and this is what they're
going to say. Is not this the man that made the earth to tremble
and did shake the kingdoms? that made the world a wilderness,
and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of
his prisoners. Now, skip down to verse 26. Or verse 24. The Lord of hosts has
sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to
pass, as I have purposed, so shall it stand, verse 26, this
is the purpose that is purposed in all the earth. This is the
hand that's stretched out upon all nations for the Lord of hosts
hath purposed and who shall disannoy it? The Lord of hosts hath purposed
and who shall disannoy it? That brings me to my third statement. The purpose of God shall stand. The purpose of God shall be accomplished. God chose some to salvation. All things are purposed of God
for the salvation of his elect. And the purpose of God shall
be accomplished. That is to say, God Almighty
will save his elect. God doesn't try to do anything. I recall years ago, I've told
you this before, Brother Harry Graham and I were sitting in
his house and we were chatting, as we shall often did, and learned
so much from the old man. And I said, Brother Harry, I
believe God's trying to teach me something. He said, do what? I said, I believe God's trying
to teach me something. He said, oh, no, no. He said,
God doesn't try, son. God doesn't try. If God teaches,
you'll get the lesson. If God does the teaching, you'll
get the lesson. God doesn't try to do things. God does things. Now, people today talk about
God having a plan, and that sounds so sweet. And sometimes preachers
who say they believe in predestination, well, that means God has a plan. No, I have plans. I have plans
and my plans can get shot all to pieces just like that. I have
plans. I sometimes make long-term plans
and my long-term plans just fall right in front of me because
I don't have any ability to arrange anything necessary to bring about
my plans. People say, well, you got to
know the plan of salvation. I'll give you a homework assignment.
Find the word plan in this book. Find it. It's not there. No word like it. Not with reference
to God. It's just not there. God doesn't
plan. God purposes. Ooh, now purpose. That's something else. Fella,
he got purpose. A man who's got a purpose. You
better either get out of his way or be a mighty big fella.
If he got a purpose, he's coming through. He got a purpose. You're not going to stop him.
Not going to stop him. I'm just talking about man. I'm talking
about man. God is a God of purpose. And he's purposed the salvation
of his elect. And all hell's not going to stop
him, but only assist him. Only assist him. You see, everything
in God's creation is created for the accomplishment of this
purpose and is ruled for the accomplishment of this purpose.
Wicked men at Calvary by their wicked wills and wicked hands
went and did exactly what God foreordained must be done and
nailed his son to the curse tree according to God's purpose to
save my soul. Everything, everything's exactly
according to his purpose. God's purpose is his sovereign
determination, his eternal determination. to save his people from their
sins. And that determination was made
before the world began. The purpose of God, Paul says,
according to election, must stand. God says, remember the former
things of old. I am God, there is none else.
I am God, there's none like me, declaring the end from the beginning.
And from ancient times the things that are not yet done say, my
counsel shall stand. I will do all my pleasure. All my pleasure. God chose some
to salvation. The purpose of God in all things
is the salvation of his elect. The purpose of God must be accomplished. Now here's the fourth thing.
Turn to Ephesians chapter one. Election is in Christ. I recall years ago, a man I knew,
a good preacher, he wrote a little book called The Hated Doctrine
of Election. That's a bad way to put things.
The Hated Doctrine of Election. Why would anybody hate this doctrine?
Now, I know that all men by nature hate God's choice of his people. Nobody hates election. No, no,
no, no, no. Nobody hates election. Well,
preacher, you don't talk to the same people I do. They hate election.
No, they don't. They hate God doing it. They
hate God doing it. What they want is for them to
be God and let them do the electing of God. They hate that that's
not the the doctrine of election. They hate it's the god who does
the electing they hate. There's a big difference That's
big difference. It's one thing for you to hate the suit. I'm
wearing another thing for you to hate me Folks don't don't
just hate the doctrine of election. They hate god doing the electing
Elections wonderful thing look at it. This is one. This is in
christ. It's the most lovely doctrine Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus
and to the faithful in Christ, in Christ Jesus. Grace be to
you and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ. Bob, it looks like everything
he's talking about's in Christ. in Christ. Now what's this? He's blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places according as. According as. This is the only way God blesses
anybody. This is the only way God blesses
anybody. Doug and I were talking last night sitting on the patio
about something that's a blessing in disguise. We often see that.
That's so if we had Christ, if we had Christ, but blessings,
what men call blessings. Oh, if they keep you from Christ,
that's another story. Oh, look how the Lord's blessed
me. Worshiping God. Now, are you? Oh, well, I wouldn't
say that. I wouldn't call this a blessing
then. Oh, look, look how the Lord's blessed my family. David
looked out over his neighbor's house, and he said, look how
God blessed him. Boy, all of his children look
right and act right and dress right and talk right. And all
of them sit at his table. They're all there every Thanksgiving,
all of them there every Christmas. And all this ooh and ah. He said, look at daddy. He's
the greatest daddy there ever was. Look at mama. Oh, she's the best
mama in the whole world. And David looked at his house. He said, it's useless to worship
God. Oh God, forgive me. I was as
a beast before you. Read it for yourself, Psalm 73.
Read it for yourself. Men, look at those things. Let
us not be so foolish. No, no, no. Carnal, material,
physical things may be a great curse if you have them all. Indeed,
If you have them all and don't have Christ, they are a curse.
They are a curse. He blessed us with all spiritual
blessings and heavenly places in Christ, according as he has
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Chosen us that
we should be holy and without blame before him. Chosen to make
us holy. He said, you shall be holy. You
shall be holy. I'll see to it. I'll see to it.
Read on now. in love, having predestinated
us unto 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 made us accepted in the beloved. Election took place in eternity
before the worlds were made. Our eternal election in Christ
is the source and cause of all these other benefits of grace
that we enjoy. And this election is for the
glory of God. Three times in this first chapter
of Ephesians, Paul says, this is for the praise of his glory,
to the praise of the glory of his grace. All right, here's
the fifth thing. Turn to 2 Thessalonians 2. Election, God's election of sinners
in Christ is unto salvation. It is unto salvation. Election is not salvation. But Brother Don, weren't we saved
in eternity? Of course we were. We just read it a little bit
ago in Romans chapter eight. called, sanctified, justified, and glorified
before the world was in Christ. You can read it plainly in 2
Timothy chapter 1, verse 9. God saved us and called us with
a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. But that's not all there is to
salvation. Something else is necessary for
salvation. Election alone won't get it done. The blood of Christ
alone won't get it done. There's more involved in salvation
than election or even redemption. Oh, how can you say that? You've
got to be called of God, born of his spirit, given life and
faith in his son. And if you don't believe on the
son of God, you're going to hell, election notwithstanding. I meant
to say what I said. If you don't believe on the Son
of God, you're going to hell, election and redemption notwithstanding. You can believe all you want
to about election and sovereignty and predestination and particular
redemption. If you don't believe on the Son
of God, you're going to hell. God, look at this. 2 Thessalonians
2, verse 13. We're bound to give thanks all
the way to God for you. Brethren, beloved of the Lord,
because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. Now watch this. Through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you
by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ. What a definition of election. Yes, those who are chosen of
God to serve him here or there, they were ordained to that from
eternity. God loved Jeremiah before the
world was and said he ordained him a prophet while he was still
in his mother's, before he was in his mother's womb. We understand
that. I'm standing here as a preacher
because God, before the world began, chose me and set me apart,
not only to worship our Redeemer, but also to proclaim his grace.
I tell my grandson as often as I get a chance to, tell him now
publicly, oh, I pray God will save you, give you the privilege
of preaching the gospel of his grace. Oh, what a hopeful boy. What a hopeful boy. I'd rather
be a preacher of the gospel of God's grace at some stump out
here behind in the middle of the woods, anywhere, than be
president of the most powerful nation in the world. I'm as serious
as I can be. No greater honor. But that'll
only happen if God has thus ordained it. But election is not to service. That's not what the doctrine
of election is about. Well, God chose him to be a missionary.
God chose him to be a song leader. God chose him to teach Sunday
school class. God chose him to catch fish. No, that's not the Bible doctrine
of election. God chose somebody to salvage. to salvage, chose you to salvage,
and this is how he accomplishes it. He didn't just ordain the
end, he ordained the means to the end through sanctification
of the spirit. God chose to save you, you who
believe. The reason you believe is God
chose to save you through the regenerating work of his Holy
Spirit, by giving you life in Jesus Christ the Lord. Not only
that, but he chose to save you by the belief of the truth. A man comes and preaches the gospel, and you believe it. You believe it. Well, since since
I believed in Jesus, God saved me. Oh, no, you got that backwards. No, you got that all wrong. Since
God saved you, you believe in Jesus. A huge difference. He chose you to salvation through
the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, by which faith is
conveyed to you and is chosen a means of doing it. The truth. The truth, the preaching of the
gospel, I'm sometimes asked why I go all over the world, try
to preach the gospel of God's grace, do things we do as a congregation. Why do you do those things? Why
do you spend your life doing that? You've got to be wore out.
Because God chose to save his people through the preaching
of the gospel. And if he'll let me find some
of his sheep, Oh, if God used me for the benefit of some of
his elect, if God be pleased to let me be an instrument by
which he calls out his own. Oh, God. What a useful life. What are you? What a blessed
life. He's chosen to save folks through sanctification of the
spirit and belief in the truth. Where unto he called you by our
gospel? to the obtaining of the glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Two more statements, I'll quit.
I had near done, but I'll give you the two statements. Number six, God's election is
a free, sovereign, unconditional election of grace. What's that
mean? That means you cannot attract
God to you by anything you do. Well, God chose because he looked
out in the long telescope of omniscience and saw who would
pretty please let Jesus be his Lord. And he said, well, since
you decided to let me be God, I'll choose you. Barnyards are full of that stuff. You understood me, didn't you? That's blasphemy. That's blasphemy
to suggest that God is controlled by you or motivated by you or
can be influenced by you. Oh, no, no, no. God's choice
of his people free and unconditional without regard to face or race
or place. Without regard to what you have
or don't have. what you do or don't do, good
or evil, the children being not yet born, neither having good
nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might
stand, he said, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Number
seven, God's choice of his people is
effectual. Effectual. Man, that's a big
word. It ain't so big. Effectual. I remember years ago, I was talking
one time along this line. My sister came to hear me preaching.
Next day we were chatting. She said, what does that word
effectual mean? I said, Juanita, that means it
gets the job done. Effectual. It gets the job done. You mean, Brother Don, if God
chose to save somebody, they're going to be saved? Man, I preach
it good, don't I? That's just exactly what I meant. That's just exactly what I meant.
If God shows, salvation's sure. He gets the job done. Well, what
if folks are somewhere where there's not any gospel preacher?
God has a Philip and he says, Philip, hang on, buddy, fix and
take a whirlwind trip. And it lands him right beside
a eunuch's chariot. He walks along. Here's that fellow
reading Isaiah 53. And that fellow said, do you
understand what you're reading? He said, how can I? How can I? I understand this. I can memorize
it. And I can recite it frontwards
and backwards. But I can't understand it. How
can I? Except some man showed me. Philip said, scoot over. That's
the reason I'm here. That's the reason I'm here. It's
no problem for God to get the chosen sinner under the sound
of the word. Maybe the reason he sent you
here today. Maybe, maybe the reason he sent
you here today was that he might call you by our gospel. to the obtaining of the glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you believe on the Son of
God? If you do, God has from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth. Oh, blessed is the man, blessed. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causes to approach unto thee. Amen.