Over in the book of 2 Peter,
chapter 1, verse 10 and 11, there's a passage of scripture with which
you're familiar, I'm sure. Peter says, Wherefore the rather
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you
shall never fall. For an entrance shall be ministered
to you abundantly into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ." Make your calling and election sure. If you do these
things, you'll never fall. And an abundant entrance shall
be given to you into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Here's my subject today, our
calling and election. And what is the scriptural doctrine
of election? What is election? What Charles
Haddon Spurgeon, who pastored the Metropolitan Tabernacle in
London, England for many, many years, back in 1850 to 1890,
this is what he said about election. He said the whole of the work,
the entire whereby a lost, ruined sinner is brought from death
to life is the work of our Lord, our sovereign Lover, the whole
of the work whereby a fallen son of Adam is lifted from the
dunghill." He lifts the beggar from the dunghill and sets him
among princes. You remember Isaiah saying that?
He lifts the beggar from the dunghill and sets him among the
princes, the rulers. Well, that whole work whereby
our fallen son of Adam is lifted from the dunghill of sin and
depravity, washed, cleansed, made holy, and seated at the
right hand of God, is the work of our sovereign Lord and of
Him only. Spurgeon continued, he said,
election simply declares that salvation is of the Lord, from
Alpha to Omega, from beginning to end, from first to last. Salvation is of the Lord. I like
to read these old timers. Dr. J.R. Graves, who pastored
down in Texas back over a hundred years ago, I suppose, he was
out in his garden working among his roses and his neighbor came
out and walked up to him and she said, Pastor Graves, I believe
that you preach election, don't you? He said, yes, ma'am, I do.
I believe election. She said, what is election? The
old man looked at her and he said, well, my dear, he said,
are you saved? Are you redeemed, the child of
God, a believer? Oh, yes, indeed, she says, I'm
saved. He said, well, my dear, who saved
you? Who saved you? Did God save you or did you save
yourself? Oh, she said, God saved me. God
saved me. He said, well, let me ask you
this. When God saved you, did he do it on purpose or was it
an accident? Oh, she said, God saved me on
purpose. It was no accident. He meant
to save me. He said, that's election. Every
person God saves, He saves on purpose. Every person whom God
calls, He calls on purpose. And every person whom God redeems,
He redeems them according to His own purpose in Christ Jesus,
given us in Christ before the world began. I want you to open
your Bibles to another very familiar passage of Scripture. This is
Romans chapter 8. I'm going to give you some help
today now on the doctrine of election. What is election? Now open your Bibles to this
familiar Scripture. Romans 8 verse 28. You've quoted
this. You've heard it quoted many times,
almost at every funeral. Almost. Someone will quote at
least the first half of this scripture. But I'm going to read
it all. I want you to open your Bible
to Romans 8, because we're going to stay there a little while.
Romans 8, 28, Paul wrote, And we know, this is what we know,
that all things work together for good to them who love God,
to them who are called according to his purpose. And those who
love God And those who are called according to his purpose, according
to the next verse, are those whom he foreknew. Those who are
called of God according to his purpose and who love God are
those, number one, whom he foreknew. He knew them before the foundation
of the world. That's what he says in 1 Peter.
He said we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father. And he says in Ephesians 1, Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies, according as he chose us in Christ
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before him in love. Those who love God and
those who are called according to his purpose And those for
whom all things work together for their good are those whom
God foreknew. He knew them before they knew
Him. He loved them before they loved Him. He called them before
they called on Him. He said this to Jeremiah. Jeremiah,
before I formed thee in the belly, before you came from your mother's
womb, I sanctified you and set you apart, and I made you Now
that's election. Those whom God has elected, God
foreknew. Now look at the next line. And
whom He foreknew, those whom He foreknew, He also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of His Son. Those who love God
and those who are called according to His purpose will one day be
like Christ. God has predestinated the end
of all those people. They're going to be like Christ.
They're going to be sons of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs
with Jesus Christ. Over in 1 John 3, John said this,
1 John 3, 1, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called sons of God, It doth not yet
appear what we shall be. But we know this, that when he
shall appear, when Christ comes again, we're going to see him
as he is and be what? And be like him. Those whom he
foreknew, he predestinated to be conformed to the image of
his Son, to be like Christ. That's what predestination is.
I hear people say they don't like the doctrine of predestination,
but will you listen to me a moment? That word's not in the Bible
but four times. That's all. The word predestination
is not in the Bible but four times. It's in the book of Romans
here twice, in the book of Ephesians chapter 1. And all four times
it says the same thing. We're predestinated to the adoption
of children. We're predestinated to be like
Christ. We're predestinated to be sons.
That is the object of God in redeeming his people to make
them like Jesus Christ. And that's what David rejoiced
in. David said in Psalm chapter 17, verse 15, I'll be satisfied
when I wait with his likeness. What is election? Well, everything's
working together for good. to those who love God, to those
who are called according to His purpose, and those people, those
whom He foreknew, before the foundation of the world. You
see, known unto God are all His works from the beginning. God
never learns anything. God never makes any decision
today that He didn't purpose from all eternity. God says,
I'm the Lord. I don't change. I do not change. Therefore, you sons of Jacob
are not consumed. They're those whom He knew. And
those whom he predestinated to be like his Son. Do you want
to be like Christ? Well, God will have to make you
like Christ. You can't do it. And listen to this. And those
whom he predestinated to be like Christ, them he also called. What is election? It's God knowing
us from eternity, God predestinating us to be like Christ, and God
calling us Now, let me quote the old theologians again, back
hundreds of years ago. These men taught that the scripture
teaches a general and effectual call. A general call given to
everybody, and an effectual call given to his sheep. And our Lord
confirmed that. He said in Matthew 22, 14, many
a call, many a call he had chosen. Those who are chosen are effectually
called. Now, what is the general call?
Well, everybody hears it. There's a light that lighteth
every man that cometh into the world. Now, here's the general
call. There's first the call of creation.
God is known by the things that he's made. David said the heavens
declare the glory of God. The stars, the moon, the sun,
the things that God has made. God may be known by creation.
So men are without excuse. Over in Romans 1, it says, when
they knew God, by observing what God made, they glorified Him
not as God, but they worshiped creeping things and snakes and
all manner of evil things. That's the Gentile nation. But
they had a call, the call of nature. And then there's the
call of conscience. It says in Romans 2.15, the work
of God is written in every man's heart. the work of the law, their
conscience bearing them witness, accusing them or excusing them. Every man's got a conscience.
What is that conscience? It's the law of God written on
his heart. He knows wrong is wrong and right is right. He
knows it inside. That's a call. And then there's
the call of the Word of God. People are listening to me preach
right now who will not receive it. People are listening who
will receive it. But Israel heard the gospel back
in the wilderness, back in the 40 years of wandering. The gospel
was preached to them. That's what Paul said in Hebrews.
The gospel was preached to them, but the word preached did not
profit them, because it wasn't mixed with faith in them that
heard it. They didn't believe. So there's
a call of nature. God is known by what he's made.
Call of conscience, the law of God written in the heart, that's
a call. And there's the call of the preaching of the word,
and there's the call of providence. Judgment, things that happen.
Amos said this. Amos talked to these people,
he's speaking for God, and about his works of judgment and providence. He says to them in Amos 4, verse
6, I've sent famine among you. I've withheld the rain when it
was just a few months to the harvest. But you didn't repent,
you didn't return to me. That didn't have any effect on
you. He said, I sent disease, verse 9, and pestilence among
you, and your people died, but you still didn't repent, you
didn't return to me. I sent wars and killed your young
men, and still you didn't return to me. Now therefore, in verse
10, he says, prepare to meet thy God. Prepare to meet thy
God. God hath not left himself without
a witness. All men have some light and a
general call, so many a call. Now watch this. Here's the effectual
call. By his Holy Spirit, by his Holy
Word, which comes to all whom he foreknew and all whom he predestinated
to be conformed to the image of Christ, here's that effectual
call. Christ said, Other sheep I have
which are not of this foe, them also I must bring, and they shall
hear my voice. my voice, and there be one fold
and one shepherd." And Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1, you see your
calling, brethren, your calling. How that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God
hath chosen the foolish things of the world. those whom the
world calls foolish. They're not foolish. God's people
aren't foolish, but the world calls them foolish. The things
which are despised by the world, the things which are not have
God chosen. God's calling confirms His choosing. You see your calling. All right. Look at 1 Thessalonians 1. Listen
here. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your
election of God. What is election? Renew them. He predestinated him to be like
his son, and he called him. And Paul says, You know, brethren,
your election of God, because our gospel came not to you in
word only. It came in power. It came in
the Holy Ghost. It came in much assurance. It
came in conviction. You didn't just hear the voice
of a man. You heard God, the Holy Spirit,
speak through his word. You were born of the Word and
of the Spirit. Any person who's born again,
always there's present the Spirit of God who quickens, the Spirit
of God who begats, the Spirit of God who gives life, and the
Word of God which is the seed. Of his own will begat he us with
the Word of truth. We're born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible seed by the Word of God. Our gospel
came to you in power, in much assurance, and in the Holy Ghost."
Now, watch this. Let me read that 28 again, verse
28. Listen. We know that all things
work together for good to them who love God, to them who are
called according to His purpose, for whom He foreknew. I said
He knew them before they knew Him. He loved them before they
loved Him. We love Him because He first
loved us. Secondly, He predestinated, predetermined that they're going
to be like Christ. Christ is going to have a people
in heaven like Himself. They're going to love what He
loves, enjoy what He enjoys, rejoice what He rejoices in.
They're going to be just like Christ, joint heirs with Christ. Those whom He foreknew, those
whom He predestinated, He called by His Spirit. He called by his
gospel powerfully, effectually. What's effectual mean? Gets the
job done. That's what he said in 2 Thessalonians
2. Listen to this. Paul said, We're bound to give
thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord,
because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Word. That's
how you're called. sanctified by the Spirit and
belief of the truth, whereunto He called you by our gospel."
There's got to be the preaching of the gospel. If sinners are
saved, there's got to be the preaching of the gospel. Whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how
shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how
shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And
how shall they hear without a preacher? The sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth. Now watch the fourth thing. What
is election? Those whom he foreknew, he predestinated
to be like Christ one of these days, receive and be like him.
And he called them, taught of God. And then he said, whom he
also justified. Justified, cleansed them, washed
them, purified them, made them holy, put away their guilt. Job
asked this question, Job 25. Job said, how can a man be justified
with God? How can he be clean that's born
of a woman? Behold, even the moon, it shines not. The stars
are not pure in God's sight. How much more vomitable and filthy
and less pure is a man that is a worm and drinks iniquity like
the water? How can we be justified before
God? Well, how can God be just and
justify us? Well, our Lord answers these
questions in Romans 3. I want you, if you're not going
to turn to it, write this scripture down and read it later. But in
Romans 3, verse 24, this is what it says. We are justified freely
by His grace. We're not justified by works.
We're justified freely by His grace. We're justified, secondly,
through the redemption that's in Christ Jesus. He represented
us before the law and obeyed it perfectly. He took our sins
in his body on the tree and paid for them, washed us in his own
blood. We're justified through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. Now, what's the next verse? Whom
God set forth. God sent him. God anointed him. God ordained him. God sent him
forth to be our Savior. The angel said to Joseph, call
his name Jesus. He saved his people from their
sins. A virgin shall conceive and bring forth a child. Call
his name Immanuel. God with us. He sent him to... He sent him forth. God sent him
forth way back yonder and promised. He promised in the Garden of
Eden that the seed of woman would bruise the serpent's head. He
promised him to Abraham. promised him to Moses, promised
him, prophesied, pictured him all through the Old Testament.
You see pictures of Christ. The Passover lamb is a picture
of Christ. The high priest born into the
Holy of Holies with the blood atonement is a picture of Christ.
The brazen serpent lifted up is a picture of Christ. God sent
him forth through all the Old Testament scriptures in picture,
in prophecy, in promise, in pattern, in type. Then one day, He set
him forth on this earth in person. In person. Unto you the angel
said to the shepherd, Unto you is born this day in the city
of David a Savior, Christ the Lord. Ah, he came. He, the Word, in the beginning
was the Word. The Word was made, was with God. The Word was God. All things
were made by Him. And the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us. Jesus Christ, God, set him forth. set him forth in person, and
then on the cross, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, that
we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Then God set him
forth, risen from the grave. He said, Because I live, you
live. Then God set him forth, ascending up on high, and he
seated him at his right hand, till his enemies be made his
footstool." Oh, my! My! And then Paul asked this
question, who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect,
it's God who justifies. He justifies. Salvation is of
the Lord. What did David mean when he wrote
that in Psalm 37? Psalm 37, 39, David wrote salvation,
the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. He meant exactly
what Paul has written here. Whom he foreknew, he predestinated
to be conformed to the image of his And whom He predestinated,
He called. And whom He called, He justified. Justified Him perfectly, perfectly
holy. Washed Him, cleansed Him in the
blood. Now what's the next thing? And whom He justified, He glorified. Everybody whom He knew and predetermined
to be like His Son, and whom He called effectually, on purpose,
by Spirit, by His Word, by His Gospel, and justified them by
his blood, he's going to glorify them. That's exactly right. They're going to be in heaven,
every one of them. Not a one going to be missing.
And there's only one song in heaven. You know what that song
is? Unto him, unto him who loved us and washed us from our sins
in his own blood, and hath made us kings from the dunghill to
the throne, and priests priest of God to offer spiritual sacrifices
of praise and worship and thanksgiving, and priest unto God his Father,
unto him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, unto him who
loved us, and watched us, and justified us, and called us,
and saved us, and glorified us." Now there may be people on this
earth, religious folks, who boast of what they've done for God.
They may be. I'm sure they are, who boast
of what they've done for God. But that's not the song in heaven.
The song in heaven is what He did for us, not what we did for
Him. There may be folks on this earth who feel like they do some
praise and some credit for their teaching or preaching or giving
or their works, but not in glory. Your works might look pretty
good down here, but they won't look too good before God. Not
compared to Christ's perfect work. perfect holiness, perfect
righteousness, perfect love. Ah, nobody there is talking about
what they've done. They're talking about what He
did. He washed us. He redeemed us. There may be
folks here who feel like they deserve a reward, that they deserve
a crown, that they deserve some special attention up there for
what they did down here, but nobody up there feels that way.
From first to last, from the last to the first, every one
of them are saying unto Him, who loved us and washed us from
our sins in his own precious blood. Here's some more comments
from David. David wrote in Psalm 3, salvation
belongs to God. In Psalm 37, the salvation of
the righteous is of the Lord. In Psalm 62, my soul wait thou
upon God, from him cometh my salvation. Oh, my friends, everything
and all things in eternity in time, past, present, and future,
all things in heaven and earth, all things pleasant and unpleasant,
all things in life and death, work together for good, for the
glorification, for the salvation of those who are called according
to His purpose. We love God and who are called
according to His purpose. Now, I want to close with this.
In those next verses, Romans 8, 31 through 39, Paul declares the foundation and ground
of our assurance, who believe him, who love him, and who are
called by his grace. Here's five questions. Listen.
If God be for us, who can be against us? If God's for me in
election, calling, justification, who can be against me? Secondly,
he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for our
sins, I shall not with him freely give us all things. The next
verse. Who can lay anything to the charge
of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Are
they not chargeable? Oh, yeah. Do they not charge
themselves? Oh, yeah. Does not Satan charge
them? Oh, yeah. But God doesn't. God is justified. We are justified in Christ. Verse
34. Who is he that condemneth? Christ
died. We can't be condemned if Christ
died for us. God's justice cannot twice demand. First at the bleeding shirt,
his hand, then again at mine. We're justified. Who can condemn
us? Christ died, He rose again, He
ascended to heaven, and He prays for us. And then He asks this
question. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Who
can separate us from that everlasting, eternal love of Jesus Christ?
He loved me. He will not let you go if He
loves you. You love Him, and you're called
according to His purpose. Calling an election. You want
this tape? On the other side is a message
I'll preach next week on this subject, the joy of giving. You want these two messages,
send two dollars, we'll mail them to you. Until next week,
God bless you.