Now, you turn in your Bible once
again to Mark 13. Mark chapter 13. The title of the message is one
word. Election. Election. Now, several times in these few
verses found here in Mark chapter 13, the Lord of glory tells us
about His covenant people. He calls them His elect. Notice verse 20, except the Lord. The Lord had shortened those
days. No flesh should be saved, but for the elect's sake. And
then he describes these elect, whom he hath chosen. He hath chosen his elect. Again in verse 22, it talks about
the elect of God again, for false Christ and false prophets shall
arise and they'll show signs and wonders if it were possible
to deceive the elect, but it is not possible to deceive them."
Again in verse 27 he mentions the elect of God. The elect of
God. Then shall he send his angels
and gather together his elect from the four winds, from the
uttermost parts of the earth, to the uttermost part of heaven.
His elect. His elect. Now, we learn at least
four things in these verses about God's elect. His elect. His chosen. We learn at least
these four things. Many more, but at least these
four things. Let me give them to you. All that God has purposed
from all eternity, He will bring to pass in Notice he says, this
is for the elect's sake. In time, whatsoever God has purposed
and decreed from all eternity, He will bring to pass in time.
He works all things after the counsel of His own infinite and
eternal will, the will of God, will be done. And we know that
all things work together for good. To them, who love God,
to them who are called according to God's purpose. All that God
has purposed, He will bring to pass for His glory, for the good
of His people, His elect. Secondly, these elect, these
sinners chosen by God's grace, these are chosen In Christ Jesus,
they're sovereignly chosen by Him. God has from the beginning,
the scripture declares, has chosen you in Christ Jesus. God does the choosing. It says
that in verse 20 of Mark 13, whom He has chosen. Thirdly,
these elect cannot be deceived. They cannot be deceived. False
Christs, our Lord said, they will come. There will arise many
false prophets. There will be many false gospels
throughout the ages. But His elect can never, no never,
be deceived. Not totally and finally. Not
at all. They shall be saved. They cannot
be deceived. They are kept by the power of
God. Fourthly, these elect will be gathered. at the last day,
saved by grace alone, and they shall glorify the Lord Jesus
Christ forever. For it says in verse 27, he shall
send and he shall gather his elect, his church. No one, and not one of his sheep,
for whom the Lord Jesus Christ stood as servitee mediator can
perish. Find John chapter 6. John chapter
6. Now we're going to be turning
and reading several passages of Scripture throughout this
message because I want to show you from the Word of God what
the Scriptures teach about election. Election. None given to the Lord
Jesus Christ in that covenant of grace can perish. He saves
all by His grace. John chapter 6. Our Lord says
in verse 37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and
him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came
down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him
that sent me. And this is the Father's will which has sent
me, that of all which he hath given me, those chosen, given,
I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which
seeth the Son, with eyes of faith, God-given faith, may have everlasting
life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Not one sheep
of Christ can perish. None for whom the Lord Jesus
Christ stood as surety mediator, none for whom he died can be
eternally lost." He said, I'll gather them. I'll gather them
unto myself. Now, here's the question. What
then is the Bible doctrine of election? Have you ever heard
about it? I remember years ago when I was struggling in this
thing of salvation before God in mercy taught me the truth. I was rummaging through a bookstore
and I was going through some titles of some books, and one
book caught my attention. The title of the book was, The
Bible Doctrine of Election. And I had read enough in Scripture
to know that that word, elect, and election was found in the
Word of God. I picked it up, bought it. I think I paid 50
cents for it. Took it home, and read it, and
the Lord used that Word, His Word, His truth, and it all opened
to me. God used his gospel to reveal
Christ unto me." Now, what then is the Bible doctrine of election?
Well, it's not this idea. This is what it's not. It's not
this idea that some would promote that God voted for me, the devil
voted against me, and then I have the deciding vote. That's not
the Bible doctrine of election. Not at all. It's not this idea
that election is according to God foreseeing that the sinner
would believe and then choosing Him to salvation. That's not
election. And those who promote that idea
get that from 1 Peter 1 verse 2 where it talks about God's
elect according to His foreknowledge. God's foreknowledge is not based
upon seeing what the will of the creature would do. God's
foreknowledge is based upon His decree. That's why He knows all
things. He's decreed all things. Known
unto God are all His works from the beginning. So it's not God
foreseeing that I would believe of my own free will, believe
and then electing me to salvation. That's not the Bible doctrine
of election either. What is it then? Well, here it
is. It is the sovereign, unconditional, eternal choice of God to save
some of Adam's fallen, sinful, guilty race that choose them
unto salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, He is the elect. We are chosen in Christ Jesus. You can take your concordance
and do the same thing I have done. At least 26 times in the
Word of God, we read about God's sovereign electing grace and
electing love. You remember what we read about
in Romans 9, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand? The elder shall serve the younger.
Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. There is a remnant according
to the election of grace. To deny this truth, now listen
to me. To deny this truth of God's saving,
electing mercy in Christ Jesus is to deny the Word of God and
to deny the Gospel of Christ altogether. Well, I contend you
cannot preach the Gospel of God's saving, sovereign grace in Christ
Jesus without preaching election. Can't do it. Christ is the elect. For whom did He die? He dies
for the elect. Who will be called? He will call
His elect. Who will be glorified? His elect. See what I'm saying? And to deny
this is to deny the gospel altogether. Now, someone might say this,
well, why should we preach election? Why should we preach election?
My pastor always gave these four reasons, Pastor Mahan. He always
gave these four reasons, and I think they're four valid reasons
why we should preach the Bible doctrine of election. First of
all, it's because it's found in God's Word. It's found in
His truth. As Paul declared in Acts 20,
I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Am I to keep back from you? Something, I think, that might
be offensive to the flesh, God choosing and passing others by. Am I to leave that page out?
No. As God's servant, I must preach
all the counsel of God, His electing love, His electing grace. Well,
that's the first reason we should preach the Bible doctrine of
election, because it is His Word and it is His truth. The Lord
Jesus Christ clearly taught this precious truth. Turn back to
the book of John. I just read to you John 6.37.
You find John 10. All that the Father giveth me,
they'll come to me. John chapter 10, notice this,
verse 22. The Lord Jesus Christ clearly
taught the Bible doctrine of election. In John chapter 10,
Verse 22, and it was at Jerusalem, the Feast of the Dedication,
and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's
porch. Then came the Jews round about
and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If you
be the Christ, tell us plainly. And the Lord said, I told you,
and you believe not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. But you believe not. Here's the
reason why. You're not my sheep. You're not
my elect. You're not my chosen. As I say
unto you, my sheep, they hear my voice. I know them, I love
them, and they do follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they'll never perish, neither can any man pluck them
out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than
all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
I and my Father are one." Turn to John 15. Our Lord Jesus Christ
taught election. John chapter 15, look at verse
16. Look at verse 16 carefully. John 15,
what does it say there? You've not chosen me, but I've
chosen you. And ordained you that you should
go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that
whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, He'll give
it to you. John 17, look at verse 2. As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, as God he has all
authority and all power, but in the role of mediator and high
priest, given authority of God, that he should give eternal life
to as many as Thou hast given him." And you read the rest of
John 17, he mentions those given to Christ who is elected at least
five or six different times throughout that prayer. So we preach the
Bible doctrine of election because it's in God's Word, it is His
truth. Secondly, the Lord Jesus Christ
taught these precious truths. Thirdly, the apostles clearly
preached and taught this glorious truth of election. Paul, when
he preached there in Antioch in Acts 13, his first gospel
sermon, being sent out of God, preaching the gospel, and those
Jews rejected that message, and he said, lo, we turn to the Gentiles,
and he preached the same gospel message of God's sovereign saving
mercy to sinners, and it says there, as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed. as many as were ordained to eternal
life believed. The apostles clearly preached
and taught the Bible doctrine of election. Why do we preach
election? Because it gives the Lord Jesus
Christ all the honor and glory in salvation. For it is God who
saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace, giving us
in Christ Jesus before the world began. But of Him are you in
Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption, that as according as it is written, He that would
glory, let him glory only in the Lord." You know this? This is true.
Check me out. You can check this out. All great preachers of the past
that were used of God preached God's sovereign electing love. George Whitefield, John Knox,
John Bunyan, John Newton, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, a
host of others. My dear pastor, for 50 years,
55 years, declaring the message of God's sovereign saving mercy
in Christ Jesus. God's electing love. You bless
that message. It won't discourage sinners.
Not at all. Had he not chosen me, I never
would have believed the gospel. Had he not chosen me and set
his heart, his love and affection on me, I never would have loved
him. We love him because he first
loved us. I want to ask you seven questions
about election and answer these seven questions directly from
the Word of God. This is not... Baptist doctrine,
Presbyterian doctrine. This is not the doctrine of men. This is what God's Word teaches. You interested? Here's the first
question. We've already touched on this.
Who did the choosing? Who did the choosing? Who did
the electing? God chose us before we heard,
believed, or even before we were born into this world. He did
the choosing. He wrote to Jeremiah and said,
before I formed you in the belly, I knew you, I ordained you, I
have chosen you, I have set my love upon you. Now find Ephesians,
the first chapter. Who did this choosing? You stay
right here in Ephesians chapter 1 and we'll find out clearly. You see, election is a personal
thing. God has chosen you. If you're His. If you believe
the Gospel. God chose us before we ever heard,
before we ever believed the Gospel, before we were ever born. Our
believing is the evidence of His choosing. Ephesians chapter
1, look at verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, according as
He hath chosen us." Now, who did the choosing? He hath chosen
us. Hold your place there in Ephesians
1, because we're coming back, and find 2 Thessalonians 2. 2
Thessalonians 2, verse 13. But we are bound to give thanks
always to God for you. You see, God personally chooses
whom He will. Jacob have I loved. We are bound
to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit. and belief of the truth,
whereunto he called you by our gospel through the obtaining
of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." That's pretty clear,
is it not? Our believing is a result of
his choosing us. Now, who did the choosing? He
did. The old hymn writer put it this way, "'Tis not that I
did choose thee, for, Lord, that could not be. This sinful heart
would still refuse thee, had thou not chosen me.'" Here's
a second question. When did this choosing take place?
Now we find Ephesians chapter 1 again. Ephesians chapter 1. When did this choosing, this
electing take place? It says in Ephesians 1, according
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy without blame before him 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, before we had done any good or
evil at the purpose of God according to election." The old preacher
John Newton, do you remember him? Wrote the words, the amazing
grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. He also
said this, had he not chosen me before I was born, he never
would have chosen me afterward. Thank God his choice of me is
an eternal choice. Who did the choosing? He did.
When did this take place? From eternity. From eternity. Thirdly, why? Why did God elect
and determine to save the particular sinners that He did? Why? Did
He see something special in us? No. The reason is not in us. The reason is found in Him. Why
did God elect and determine to save the particular sinners that
He did? Let's see what he said about
it. Are you interested? Turn to Matthew 11. What did
the Lord say about it? Matthew 11. Look at verse 25. Matthew 11 verse
25, At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from
the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes unto his elect
even so father for so it seemed good in your sight it pleased
God. 11 verse 27 all things are delivered
unto me and my father and no man knoweth the son but the father
neither knoweth any man the father save the son and he to whomsoever
the son will reveal him now come unto me all ye that labor heavy
laden I'll give you rest His own good pleasure. His own
good purpose. Here's another scripture on that.
Let's find Galatians chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1. Look at
verse 15. Why did He choose certain sinners
and pass by others? Even so, Father, it seemed good
in His sight. Galatians 1.15, But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me
by His grace, when? When it pleases Him. When will
a sinner be saved? When it pleases God. Here's the fourth question. Turn
back to Ephesians chapter 1 again. In whom did God choose and elect
them? Well, the answer is in Christ.
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice again in Ephesians chapter
1, according as He has chosen us in Him, in Christ. We're not chosen in this denomination
or that denomination. We're chosen in Christ. You see,
He is the elect. Isaiah 42 verse 1, Behold My
servant, My elect, in whom My soul delighteth. Another hymn
writer said, God, Christ be my first elect, he said. Then he
chose us in our head, our representative head, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Chosen in Him. We are accepted, as we read in
Ephesians 1 verse 6, we're accepted in the Beloved, in Christ Jesus. Question number five. Now this
is vital. How are these chosen guilty sinners
justified? And I mean by that, how are they
cleared from all guilt? They're born in sin, shapen in
iniquity. He didn't choose us because we
were holy. Not at all. He chose us in Christ. How are we justified from our
sin? How are we made righteous before
God? Well, here's the answer. Made righteous in Christ. By
the blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, we read these
words in Matthew 121. Call his name Jesus, he shall
save his people from their sin." For whom did the Lord Jesus Christ
die? Let's turn to John chapter 15
and find out. Did he die for all the sins of
all men? That's what we hear today. That's
what most in this country are preaching today, that Christ
died for all the sins of all men. But that's not what the
Word says. I thought what the Lord Jesus
Christ said, he shall save his people from their sin. Look at
John 10. Verse 14, I am the good shepherd,
and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As a father knoweth
me, even so know I the father. I lay down my life for the sheep,
for the elect, for his own. Now find Hebrews, the book of
Hebrews, please. Turn over there. How does the
Lord Jesus Christ justify these sinners chosen of God? By the
blood atonement of Christ. By the Lord Jesus Christ putting
away their sin, coming and living a life that we could not live,
a life of obedience unto God, dying a death that we could not
die, satisfying God's law and justice for us. In Hebrews 10,
look at verse 14. Excuse me, Hebrews 2. Hebrews
2 verse 14, for as much then as the children are partakers
of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same,
that through death he might destroy him that had power of death,
that is the devil, he introduced sin, which introduced or brought
death, and deliver them. who through fear of death were
all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not
on him the nature of angels, but he took on him that seed
of Abraham, his elect. Wherefore in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, his elect,
his chosen." Turn to Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10, how are they
justified? The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses
us from all sin. Hebrews 10, verse 9, Our Lord said, Lo, I
come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that
he may establish the second, by the which will we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest and a daily ministering offering oftentimes
the same sacrifices that could never take away sin. Those Old
Testament types and pictures and shadows, the blood of bulls
and goats never took away sin. But this man, after he offered
one sacrifice for sin forever, sat down at the right hand of
God. From henceforth expectance shall
his enemies be made his foes, for by one offering he perfected
forever them that are sanctified." Them who are chosen, his elect,
his church. He loved the church and gave
himself for the church. God bought us with his own blood. How are they justified? Through
the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. Justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Here's the sixth question about
election. How are the elect called? Now,
they must be called. How are they born again? They
must be born again. Our Lord said, except you're
born again, you can't see the Kingdom of God. Except you're
born again, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. How
are the elect called to Christ? By the preaching of the gospel.
You remember our Lord said, My sheep, they'll hear Me. I know
them and they follow Me. The elect are called with the
gospel, called out of darkness, translated out of the kingdom
of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. It pleased
God through the preaching of the gospel to call out His people.
Aren't you glad He sent you the gospel? Aren't you glad He sent
you a gospel preacher to tell you the truth that salvation
is in Christ? How are they elect called? How
are they born again? Through the means that God has
ordained. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the Word of God. You've got to hear the gospel.
The gospel. Preached by sinners. Paul said,
I'm a servant of God. I am your servant for Christ's
sake. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord." That's
the message that God uses to draw these sheep to Himself. And this is a message sent and
blessed by God the Holy Spirit. He'll quicken it to the hearts
of His people. He'll give them life through
this quick, powerful, two-edged sword. The gospel is the power
of God unto salvation. How are they called? To Christ? with the truth. Our Lord said
the truth will set you free. Blessed of God. Number seven. Suppose you're sitting there
this morning and wondering, I'm sure this has crossed your mind,
I wonder if I'm one of those left. Now, only a fool will deny the
Word of Truth that teaches clearly that God has sovereignly chosen
a people. How can I know if I'm one of
those chosen? Our election is made known by
our calling. Listen to this scripture. You
find 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Let's turn over there. 1 Thessalonians
chapter 1. Election is known by our calling. 1 Thessalonians this time. 1
Thessalonians chapter 1, let's read it here. Peter wrote this
in 2 Peter 1. Wherefore the rather brethren
give diligence to make your calling and election sure. Your calling
and your election. For if you do these things you'll
never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, look
at verse 4. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your
election." Oh, here, here it is. Knowing, brethren, beloved,
your election of God. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only. It came in the Word. You heard
the gospel, but it didn't come only that way. But in power,
also in power, the power of God, the power of the Holy Spirit,
And in the Holy Spirit, His power, and in much assurance as you
know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And
you became, look what it says in verse 6, you became a follower.
These are evidences of that calling. These are evidences of that electing
grace. Believing the gospel. Resting
in Christ. You became followers of us and
of the Lord. You received the Word. I mean
you received the Word. in much affliction, but with
joy in the Holy Spirit. So that you became an example
to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. From you sounded
out the Word of the Lord. You became an evangelist. You went home as that wild Gadarene
did. Went home. Our Lord said, you
go home and tell how great things the Lord had done for you. And
he went home and he began to publish what God had done for
him. That's what he's saying here.
From you sounded out the Word of the Lord. Your faith to Godward
is spread abroad. The faith of God's elect, Titus
1.1, the faith of God's elect acknowledges the truth, loves
the truth. Faith to Godward is spread abroad
so that we do not speak anything, verse 9. For they themselves
show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you." How you
turn to God from your idols. You left all those idols in the
background. You turn from your idolatry.
You turn to the living God. You turn to God from your idols
to serve the living and true God. And then verse 10, these
are evidences of election, "...to wait for His Son from heaven."
whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us
from the wrath to come. He had delivered us from the
wrath to come. How can I know if I'm one of
those elect? Let me ask you this. Do you rejoice in the sovereign
Christ of God? Do you rejoice in the sovereign,
electing love of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you rejoice in the
Christ of God and God who is almighty and sovereign in all
things? Do you find delight and pleasure
in Him? Abraham did. Abraham was chosen
of God. Abraham did. Our Lord said, Abraham,
your father Abraham, he rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and
was glad. Abraham was persuaded that all
that God has promised, that he was able to perform. Abraham
rejoiced in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how election's known,
by your calling. David rejoiced in God's sovereign
mercy. Psalm 65, blessed is the man
to whom thou choosest. and cause us to approach unto
thee that he may dwell in thy courts, we shall be satisfied
with thy goodness, the goodness of thy house, even thy holy temple."
Do you rejoice with David? Do you rejoice with Abraham?
Peter rejoiced in this electing love, electing grace, 1 Peter
2.9. But you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation. A peculiar purchased people that
you should show forth the praises of Him who called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light. You see God commanded the light
to shine in our heart to give us a light of a knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. That's how I
like to know. Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ?
I didn't ask you if you joined the church. I didn't ask you
if you prayed through. I didn't ask you if you were
baptized. Salvation is not in membership.
Salvation is not in baptism. Salvation is in Christ. Do you
love Him? To you who believe, He is precious.
We are bound to give thanks. Paul rejoiced in election. We
are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because He has chosen you. We are bound to give thanks
to God. I do pray. I do pray the Lord
be pleased to show us our only hope of salvation in Christ.
And that our hope of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. He
that believeth on the Son hath life. I do pray that the Lord
will give us love for Him. I do pray the Lord will grant
us faith to believe Him. Give us grace to rest in Him. He is the Beloved. We're accepted
in the Beloved. Romans 5 declares, therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory
of God. I say this. How about you? Thank God for His electing, sovereign
love. Without that, I would not believe
the gospel. Without that, no sinner has any
hope of mercy apart from Christ, the elect of God.