1 Samuel chapter 16. Let's read
beginning at verse 1. The Lord said, How long, Samuel?
How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from
reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and go,
and I'll send thee to Jesse, Jesse the Bethlehemite. Jesse
lived in the town of Bethlehem, for I provided me a king." God
will provide for his people. God will provide. And he said,
I provided me, my king, among his sons. And Samuel said, how
can I go if Saul hear it? He'll kill me. And the Lord said,
you take a sacrifice, take a heifer with thee and say, I'm come to
sacrifice. to the Lord, and called Jesse
to the sacrifice, and I'll show thee what thou shalt do, and
thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did that which the
Lord spake, and he came to Bethlehem." House of bread, house of David.
Now, without question, David here as God's anointed,
God's chosen. He said, I've exalted one chosen
out of the people. Without question, David is type
and picture of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the elect. Behold my servant, my elect,
and whom my soul delighteth. First time we ever find that
word in Holy Scripture, Isaiah 42.1, it's in reference to the
elect, the chosen, the anointed, the king, The Lord Jesus Christ. David is a picture of God's elect,
God's king. The Lord Jesus Christ is not
only God's elect, His chosen. He said, this is my beloved son,
I'm pleased in him. But he's also God's king. God's
King. Peter preached at Pentecost and
said, this same Jesus whom you crucified, God has made Him both
Lord and Christ. He's not Lord by something we
do. He's Lord by God's decree. He is the King. Psalm 2 said,
I've set my King upon my holy hill, Zion. In the Revelation,
He's called King of Kings. and Lord of Lords. Our God is
King over all the earth. He reigns as King everywhere. He is King. And David is a picture
of God's anointed, God's elect and God's King. David is a picture
of the Lord Jesus Christ who is God's elect and God's King.
But David is also a picture, pattern, type of God's elect,
God's chosen, God's elect. Believers are chosen in Christ
Jesus. And believers in Christ, we'll
read later in Revelation 1 and Revelation 5, believers saying
unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sin in His own blood
and has made us unto our God, what's the rest of it? Kings
and priests. Chosen. Chosen in Christ Jesus. Our Lord said to those disciples,
early disciples, He said, you didn't choose me, I've chosen
you. And I've ordained you to eternal life. Samuel, God's prophet,
was sent to Jesse's house to anoint a king, as we just read.
He was sent by the command of God. He was sent with God's instruction,
with God's message. No doubt about that. I'm sure
that Samuel thought, well, how shall I know? How shall I know
who the elect is? And God said, I'll name him.
I'll make him known to you. I'll show you who the chosen
is. You go with the message. And I'll show you who the elect
are, who my chosen will be. Now, it's not our business, and
it was not Samuel's business, to go down there and for him
to decide, he would have chosen the firstborn Eliab. But God
said, that's not mine. It wasn't Samuel's business to
make a choice. His business was to go and deliver
God's message and anoint God's king. How shall we know? He didn't know who the elect
was, not when he went at first. How shall we know who the elect
are? Our business is not to decide or try to identify who the elect
are. God has chosen the people from
all eternity and ordained them and predestinated them to be
just like Christ. But I don't know who they are
and it's not for me to identify who they are. The command, our
risen Lord, commanded us to go into all the world and preach
the gospel to every creature. And he that heareth that word
and believes that message, as many as were ordained to eternal
life, they will hear it and they will believe it. The gospel we
preach reveals who the elect are. Turn to John. Hold your place there and put
a marker there because we're coming back. But if you'll turn
to John chapter 10. You know, those Jews accused
the Lord Jesus Christ. They said, if you be the Christ,
tell us and we'll believe you. Remember? John chapter 10. The gospel we preach reveals
who the elect are. They will hear that message and
they will love the Lord Jesus Christ. In John chapter 10, the
Jews came around about him in verse 24 and said, how long do
you 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 because you're
not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep,
they hear my voice, I know them, they follow me. And I give unto
them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall 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." The sheep of Christ
will hear the message of grace, will hear the message of Christ,
and they will believe it, and they will love the Lord Jesus
Christ and bow to Him. Turn over here to 1 Thessalonians
for a moment, 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Who are the elect? How are they
known? Well, look at this here. 1 Thessalonians
chapter 1. It's not our business to identify
them. It's our business to preach the gospel and God will call
out His elect with the gospel. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, look
at verse 4. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your
election of God. How do you know? How do you know
you're one of the elect? Look what it says. Here's how
the elect are known. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only, now it did come in word, but in the Holy
Ghost, but in power, the power of God. And with the Holy Spirit,
and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance as you know what
manner of men we were among you for your sake, you became a follower
of us and of the Lord, having received the word. Not as the
Word of men, but as it is in truth the Word of God, having
received the Word in much affliction with joy. Turn over to chapter
2. Look what it says right here in verse 13. 1 Thessalonians
2, 13. For this cause also we thank God, thank we God, without
ceasing, because when you receive the Word of God which you heard
of us, you received it not as the Word of men, but as it is
in truth the Word of God that effectively works in you that
Just believe. The gospel we preach reveals
who the elect are. They will hear that message and
they will love the Lord Jesus Christ. He will, by His grace,
translate them out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom
of God's dear Son. Now look back again to the text,
1 Samuel 16. Now, I've got three points to
this message. Here's the first one. And here's
the question. This is the title of this message.
Who are the elect? Who are the elect? Now, there's
no doubt in our mind that this Book of God, the Holy Scripture
of God, teaches that God unconditionally chose a people. There's a remnant
according to the election of grace. And because it's of grace,
it is no more of work. There is a remnant. There is
a chosen of God according to His grace. Election is all of
God's grace. But who are the elect? Now, there
is an election. There is an elect. They will
hear the gospel. They will believe the gospel.
Who are the elect? Well, they're the unexpected,
the unexpected ones, the least likely ones. David, being chosen
by God, was a surprise to all involved in this story. Did you
notice that? David's brothers had no idea
that this little shepherd boy, David, the youngest, out on the
hillside, tending God's flock, protecting God's flock, was God's
king, God's anointed. His brothers had no idea. Turn
to chapter 17, look at this here. When there was a standoff between
the Philistines and that giant Goliath represented the Philistine
and the ungodly, And when there was a standoff between the Philistines
and Israel, and he asked that an Israelite come forth to represent
Israel and to do battle, and no one would step forward. And
David went down to that battle and said in 1 Samuel 17, verse
26, And who is this uncircumcised Philistine that should defy the
armies of the living God? Well, that's pretty bold, isn't
it? There's this 10-foot giant with a sword, I don't know how
long, a big spear, and mocking God, mocking God's people. And David stands forward and
says, who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy
the armies of God, the living God? And the people answered
him after this matter, saying, so shall it be done to the man
that killeth him. Now look at verse 28. Here's
Eliab, the oldest son. Eliab, his eldest brother, heard
when he spake unto the men, and Eliab's anger was kindled against
David." Well, David, who do you think you are? And he said, why
did you come down here? And with whom has you left those
few sheep in the wilderness? He's complaining. He has no idea
about what David is going to do here. I know your pride. I know the naughtiness of your
heart. Sound like an older brother, doesn't it? For thou art come
down that thou mightest see the battle. You just come out of
curiosity. You're a nobody, David. And David
said, what have I done? Is there not a cause? Is there
not a cause? You see, who are the elect? The unexpected. His own brothers
did not even suspect that David was the one who would slay the
giant and save the people that day. God's elect, God's chosen.
Not only that, but David's father, Jesse. David's father, Jesse,
had no idea that David was God's elect. When he heard that Samuel
had come and invited the family, guess who got left out? He invited
all seven of those boys and left David out on the hillside. His father had no idea that David
was God's elect, God's chosen, His anointed. No idea. Not at all. Look at verse 10
and 11. Again, 1 Samuel 16. Again, Jesse made seven of his
sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord
hath not chosen these. Is there anybody left? And Samuel
said unto Jesse, Here are here all thy children. And he said,
There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keeps the sheep.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, You send and fetch him, for we will
not eat until he comes. He's a sheep. Keeping the sheep.
David's brothers had no idea. David's father had no idea who
the elect was. Not in the beginning. Samuel
himself didn't even know. Look at verse 6 and verse 7.
Samuel didn't know when it came to pass, when they were come,
that he looked on Eliab. And it says, "...surely this
is the Lord's anointing before me." And the Lord said, you're
looking on the outside. God's looking on the heart, this
is not my king, this is not my anointed. Then Jesse called to
Ben-Hadad, made him pass before Samuel, and he said, verse 8,
neither hath the Lord chosen this. Again in verse 9, and Jesse
made Shammah to pass, and he said, neither hath the Lord chosen
this. You see, Samuel, Samuel didn't know who the elect were,
who the elect was. who the elect was at that time.
David's brothers had no idea. Who are the elect? The unexpected.
The least likely. The unexpected. His brothers
had no idea. David's father had no idea. Samuel
didn't know. David himself was amazed that
God would set His heart of love upon him. Turn over here to 2
Samuel 7. Do you remember this story here?
2 Samuel 7. when Nathan came to David and told him of all
the blessings that God was going to pour upon him and bestow upon
him and establish his kingdom. And David, verse 18, 2 Samuel
7, 18, then went David in and sat before the Lord and said,
Lord, who am I? Who am I, O Lord my God, and
what is my house that you have brought me hitherto? Lord, I'm
a nobody. Like Paul said, Lord, I'm the
chief of sinners. I'm a nobody. My friend, this
is a way of sovereign grace. The least likely made the trophy
of God's grace by His sovereign mercy. I'll tell you another
good example of that is old Saul of Tarsus. Breathing out threatening
and slaughter against the Lord's people and yet When God got through
working on him and giving him a new heart and making him a
new creature, this same tongue spoke praises to God. One time
he's cursing God, the next time he's praising God and preaching
God's gospel. Those people in that day were
completely surprised. The least one, the unexpected,
was chosen and sent to preach the gospel of God's grace. You
see, my friend, Turn over here to 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians
1. You see, it's not the wise, it's
not the big one, it's not the proud. He said, you see your
calling brethren, 1 Corinthians 1.26. You see your calling brethren,
how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not
many noble are called. God hath chosen the foolish.
You can underscore this right here. In verse 27 and following,
God hath chosen. You see that? The foolish things
of the world confound the things that are wise. God hath chosen. The weak things of the world
confound the things which are mighty. And the base things of
the world and the things which are despised. That's exactly
whom God uses, God chooses. You know why? That He receive
all the honor and glory. Hath God chosen, yea, into things
which are not, to bring to things that are, that no flesh should
glory in his presence." Who are the elect? The least likely,
the unexpected. Isn't that true of you? Can't
you say with David, O Lord, who am I and what is my house that
you have brought me hitherto? I think of my own case. Like
Jesse. Jesse had eight children. And in my family, my mother had
eight children. And as far as I know, none of
my family has the least interest in spiritual things. They have
no interest at all in the gospel of God's saving grace. Why me? Why did the Lord set His affection
and His love and His gospel and His power upon me and call me? All you can say is this, "'Even
so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight.'" Why you? Why did the Lord choose you?
The least likely! "'Even so, Father, He's hid these
things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babe.'"
You see, my friend, this all gets back to God's sovereign
mercy, doesn't it? I am what I am. Turn to John
chapter 5. The testimony of old Saul of
Tarsus. I am what I am by the grace of
God. By the grace of God I am what
I am. John chapter 5. Look at this. As the Father raises up the dead,
verse 21, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quicken whom
He will. He quickens whom He will. Sovereign
mercy. Sovereign grace. Turn to John
17. John 17, and look at this. Who are the elect? Those chosen
of God. The least likely, the vile, the
base, the ungodly. Look what it says, John 17, verse
2, "...Thou hast given Him power," John 17, 2, "...over all flesh,
that He should give eternal life to as many as the Father hath
given Him." that He should give eternal life to as many as thou
hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that
they might know Thee, the only true God." This is eternal life,
that you might know Thee, the only true God. Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent. Who are the elect? Those chosen
of God, the least likely. Christ died for the ungodly.
He didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners. Sinners to repentance. He came to seek and to save that
which is lost. Now, turn back to the text again,
1 Samuel 16. Who are the elect? Second point
in this message is this, and this is the heart of it. They
manifest marks of inward grace. They manifest marks of inward
grace. Look at verse 7, 1 Samuel 16,
7. And the Lord said unto Samuel,
Look not on his countenance, on the height of his stature,
because I have refused him. For the Lord seeth not as man
seeth. Man looks on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks on the heart." On the heart, the real you. Salvation, my friend, is a heart
work. God said of David, I found a
man after my own heart. Now, did David have that by nature? No. He said, I was born in sin,
shapen in iniquity. This heart that he had, a man
after God's own heart, was a new heart given in regenerating grace. Who are the elect? They manifest
marks of inward grace. Salvation is a heart work. God
who has begun a good work in you will perform it, will finish
it. God's sovereign designation was made known by a sovereign
operation upon the heart. God's choice is always revealed
and involves regeneration, revelation, and reconciliation. Now, let's
look at those. Regeneration. Regeneration. Our Lord said, except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Except a man
is born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Thurman
Ephesians chapter 2. God's choice is always revealed
and involves regeneration. being called out of darkness
into God's marvelous light, being translated out of the kingdom
of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Ephesians
2.1, And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and
in sin. God regenerates and makes new
creatures in Christ, and it's by a sovereign revelation. Turn back to 1 Corinthians chapter
2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2. God's sovereign designation was
made known by a sovereign operation upon David's heart. Revelation. God who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give us the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Now look at chapter 2, 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Look at verse 9, "...but
as it is written, I hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath
prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto
us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things,
yea, the deep things of God." God's sovereign choice always
is revealed and involves regeneration, revelation, and reconciliation
unto Him. Turn to II Corinthians 5. 2 Corinthians
5, He reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ. Sin separated
us from God. How we brought together in reconciliation? Only through and in Christ Jesus.
He reconciled us unto Himself. Look at 2 Corinthians 5 verse
17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, this is 2 Corinthians
5 verse 17, He is a new creature, a new creation. Old things are
passed away, behold, all things are become new. And all things
are of God." This is the work of God. "...who has reconciled
us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry
of reconciliation, to wit, that is, namely, God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto Himself, that is, the world of His elect,
not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you
in Christ's stead, now be ye reconciled to God. For God made
him sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him." Salvation is a heart work, my friend. It's
an operation of God, the Holy Spirit, upon our hearts. Don't look on the outward countenance.
God looks on the heart. On the heart. Salvation is a
heart work, an operation of God upon the heart. And I mean by
that, what is the heart? It involves the mind, the thoughts,
the will, and the affection. The heart, the heart. The thoughts,
the mind. He gives us a readiness of mind,
a willingness of mind. Turn to Acts chapter 17. You
remember those Bereans? And this is what he does. He
manifests the elect are known by inward marks and manifestation
of grace upon that new heart given in Christ Jesus. And this
is what happens. He changes our mind. He works
upon our mind. Acts 17, look what he says here
in verse 11. These were more noble than those
in Thessalonica, and that they received the word with all readiness
of mind." Now man doesn't have that by nature. A readiness of
mind and search the Scriptures daily whether these things be
so. He changes our mind. Turn over here to Acts chapter
20. Here is Saul of Tarsus when he is departing from those elders
in Ephesus and he calls them to give them the last message.
He recalls his three years that he spent with those people there,
living with them and preaching to them there in Ephesus. Verse
19, "...serving the Lord with all humility of mind." It's a
humble mind. He changes our mind. He operates upon the mind. I'll
give you another example of that time, Mark chapter 5. Mark chapter
5. Who are the elect? The unexpected.
Who are the elect? They manifest marks of inward
grace. God works on their heart. You remember this story of this
wild Gadarene in Mark chapter 5? And he was possessed with
a legion of demons, but when he met the Lord and the Lord
found him and saved him by his grace, verse 15, and they would
come to Jesus, they see him that was possessed with the devil,
and had allegiance sitting, clothed, and in his right mind." A willing
mind, a mind of humility, and a right mind. He operates upon
the heart, our mind. Not only that, He changes our
thoughts. He changes our thoughts. He does.
Turn to Isaiah 55. God operates upon the heart,
the mind, the thoughts, You see, our thoughts by nature are all
wrong. We think too highly of ourselves and too low of God.
That's our problem. Isaiah 55, look at verse 6, "...Seek
ye the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon." For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
my ways your ways, saith the Lord." We need our thoughts to
be changed. And I'm saying that God alone
is the one who sovereignly, powerfully changes our mind and our thoughts. And this must be. Not only that,
He works upon our mind, our thoughts, and our will. Our will. Our will
is in bondage to our nature. Contrary to what men say in our
day, our will is not free. Our will is in bondage. Man is
not a free moral agent. They're wrong on all three counts.
Dead in sin. He must operate upon our will.
Men love darkness, not light. We're in bondage to our nature,
the will is. He must make us willing in the
day of His power. He says, no man can come to Me.
No man. and come to me except the Father
which sent me draw him." And He makes us willing in the day
of His power and He willingly draws us. You see, salvation
is a heart work. That's why we don't stand there
here at the end of the service and sing 20 verses of Just As
I Am and beg you to come up here and make a decision. That's not
salvation. That's man's religion. That's
all that is. God must operate upon your heart,
your mind, your thoughts, your will, and your affections. On your affections, God must
change what you love by nature and make you love Him by His
grace. Our affection, we need God to
operate upon us. Set your heart, if it be true,
Colossians 3, 1, if it be true that you are raised up with Christ,
set your affection on things above, not on the things of this
earth. I know we have to live here and we have to work. But
my friend, the believer's heart has been changed. His affection
is upon Christ. His heart is for Christ. His
love is for the Lord Jesus Christ. To you who believe, He is precious. He is altogether lovely. This
is what He does when He operates upon the heart. You see, my friend,
David's heart naturally was no different from Eliab, no different
from those other brothers. God made his heart to differ. I found a man after my own heart. Why? God gave him a new heart. You see that? That's what He must do to us.
Give us a new heart. Who makes you to differ from
another? It's God who has made us to differ. Now look at this. David was given a broken heart.
A broken heart. Turn over here to Psalm 34. Psalm
34. This is what the Lord, the Lord
must do this. My pastor has been preaching
this for over 50 years. Salvation is a heart work. It's
a heart work. It's God operating upon the heart. The heart. David was given a
broken heart. Psalm 34. Psalm 34, 18. The Lord is nigh them of a broken
heart. and save us such as be of a contrite
spirit." A broken heart. David was given a believing heart.
A believing heart. Turn to Psalm 23. He writes here,
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. That's a believing
heart. He was given a believing heart.
He maketh me to lie down in pastures. He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth
me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. That's a
believing heart. He was given a broken heart.
He was given a believing heart. He was given a humble heart.
Turn to Psalm 115. David, where is your God? Our
God is in the heavens. He is done whatsoever He is pleased.
Look at Psalm 115, verse 1. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto Thy name. Give glory for Thy mercy. And for thy true sake. He was
given a humble heart, a believing heart, a broken heart. He was
given a meditating heart. Turn over to Psalm 42. A meditating
heart. We are instructed to give ourselves
wholly to these things and meditate upon them. Psalm 42, look at
verse 1. As a heart, that's a deer. panteth
after the water brook, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for Thee, the
living God. When shall I come and appear
before my God?" You see his heart? Meditating, humbled, believing. He was given a loving heart.
Turn to Psalm 119. He was given a loving heart. Psalm 119. Look at verse 97. Oh, how I love thy law. It is my meditation all the day. He loved God's Word, God's truth. Psalm 119, the local verse right
across the page, verse 113, I hate vain thoughts, but thy law do
I love. And then verse 140, thy word
is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it. Loveth it. We love His Gospel. We love His
Word. He was given a rejoicing heart, a broken heart, a believing
heart. Turn to Psalm 103. He was given a thankful heart. These are manifest marks of the
Spirit of God upon the heart. The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance, faith. Psalm 103. He was given a rejoicing
heart. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
all that is within me. Bless His holy name. Bless the
Lord, O my soul, forgetting not all of His benefits, who healeth
all thy iniquity, who healeth all thy diseases. Oh, He was given a rejoicing
heart. All my sins, all my iniquities,
all my diseases are gone. He says so much so, verse 10,
In Psalm 103, He hath not dealt with us after our sin, nor rewarded
us according to our iniquity. For as the heaven is higher above
the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As
far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions
from us. He was given a believing, broken
heart, a meditating heart, a thankful heart. All this by the sovereign
gift of God's grace. Our election of grace is known
by the effectual calling of grace. And what begins in grace will
end in glory. That's right. Who are the elect? The unexpected, the weak, the
base, the foolish, the sinful, the ungodly. God has chosen them
that He might get all the honor and glory. Who are the elect? Well, they manifest marks of
inward grace. God has operated on their heart.
Here's the last point. Who are the elect? They also
manifest marks of outward grace. The grace of God that works in
the heart is manifested outwardly as well. Look back at the text
again. Here's a picture of this. When Jesse brought David before
Samuel, And God said anointing, this is He, verse 12, and He
sent and brought Him in and He was a ruddy, ruddy little fellow. There's some discussion as to
what that word means. Some think it refers to His complexion. Some think it refers to the ruggedness
of His youth. And with all a beautiful countenance
and goodly to look to, the Lord said, anoint him, this is he. And Samuel, verse 13, took the
horn of oil and poured it on him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of God came upon
David from that day forward. And Samuel went back home satisfied
that he had anointed God's King. Who are the elect? They manifest
marks of outward grace. They manifest the presence of
God the Holy Spirit upon them. Turn, if you will, to Ephesians
chapter 1. The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance, faith.
These things that God gives us and what He works in comes out. Manifest marks of outward grace. Look what it says here in Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 11, "...in whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh
all things after the counsel of His own will, that we should
be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ,
in whom you also trusted after you heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and whom also after you believed
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the
earnest token or pledge of our inheritance and to the redemption
of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. They
manifest marks of outward grace. They believe the truth. The faith
of God's elect believes the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2, turn over
there. 2 Thessalonians 2, the love of
God is shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit of God. As many
be led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. No
longer walking after the flesh, but walking after the Spirit,
seeking salvation in Christ Jesus. Look what it says here in II
Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse 13. We are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord. Well, how
do you know that? Because God has from the beginning
chosen you to salvation. Well, how do you know that? Read
on. through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth. And when God sanctifies you by
the Spirit, what is that? That's the new birth. That's
regeneration. The fruit of that is belief of
the truth. Whereunto He called you by our
Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. who are the elect, they manifest
marks of outward grace. They stand firm for the gospel
of God's saving grace and will not budge an inch. They publicly
own and confess the Lord Jesus as everything in salvation. As
Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It's the
power of God unto salvation. God's people identify with the
gospel and they identify with God's people where the gospel
is preached. You remember what? David said
in 1 Samuel 17, 29, is there not a cause? And we stand for
the cause of God in truth and will not budge. They manifest marks of outward
grace. They are called by the Spirit
of God. They are blessed and anointed by the Spirit of God.
They confess the Lord Jesus Christ publicly. Thirdly, they will
be hated by the enemies of the Gospel. You know who became David's
chief enemy? Old King Saul. Old King Saul
tried to kill him. David said, but on many occasions,
there's just but a step between me and death. He said, I feel
like a hunted bird. Old Saul at one time took a javelin
and tried to kill David. David took a stand for the gospel.
King Saul sought to slay him. And my friend, if you take a
stand for the gospel of God's saving and sovereign grace in
Christ, the enemies of the gospel will come out of the woodwork.
Our Lord said, if the world hates you, you know it hated me before
it hated you. David's last words on his deathbed,
although it be not so with my house. God hath made with me
an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and assured. This
is all my hope and all my salvation. Well, the manifest marks of outward
grace. You know, David was crowned victorious. David was crowned an anointed
king in all Israel. Turn to 2 Samuel chapter 5. 2
Samuel chapter 5. Look at verse 3. So all the elders of Israel,
this is 2 Samuel 5 verse 3, came to the king, to Hebron, And King David made a league
with them of Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David
king over Israel. And David was thirty years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. Manifested marks of outward grace,
blessed by the Holy Spirit. They publicly own and confess
the Lord. They will be hated. Believers
will be hated by the enemies of the gospel. But as David was
crowned at last, and recognized as God's King. Even so, the believer
in Christ Jesus at last will be crowned victorious, thanks
being to God who has given us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. Now find Revelation 1. I told you that David was anointed
king in the beginning, and I told you that David is type and picture
of the Lord Jesus, but also of the believer. We have been and
are anointed kings and priests. And one day, we'll see the reality
and experience the reality of what God has given to us. Revelation 1, verse 5, and from
Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, Revelation 1, 5, the
first begotten of the dead, the Prince of the kings of the earth,
the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us,
and washed us from our sin in his own blood, and hath made
us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Amen. Turn over here to Revelation
5. And they sung a new song, saying, verse 9, Thou art worthy
to take the book, to open the seals thereof, for thou wast
slain, and hast redeemed us, O God, by thy blood, out of every
kindred, tongue, people, and nation, and hast made us unto
our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth."
He is going to make a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness, and there will be one eternal worship service
Well, we sing unto the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive all honor, power, riches, wisdom, glory, blessing
both now and forever. Forever. Who are the elect? The
least expected. Who are the elect? They manifest
marks of inward grace. Who are the elect? They will
be crowned at last. Victorious. because of their
Lord who is victorious.