Electing Love

Q: What does the Bible say about electing love?

The Bible teaches that electing love is God's choice to save His people, not based on their merit, as seen in John 15:16. Electing love is a central theme in Scripture, reflecting God’s sovereign grace in choosing His people for salvation. In John 15:16, Jesus states, 'You did not choose me, but I chose you,' emphasizing that this relationship is a divine initiative rather than a human decision. This concept is further supported by passages in Ephesians 1:4-5, where it declares that God chose us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless. This election is not based on foreseen faith or works but solely on God's purpose and grace, underscoring the beauty and security of His covenant love.

Q: How do we know election is true?

Election is affirmed in Scripture, particularly in Ephesians 1:4-5, where God’s choice of His people predates creation. The doctrine of election finds its roots in God's sovereign will as revealed in Scripture. Ephesians 1:4-5 provides a clear foundation: 'He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.' This indicates that election is an act of God's grace, not based on our works or decisions but purely on His divine will. The Apostle Paul reinforces this in Romans 9:11-12, where he speaks of God's purpose in election as not depending on human effort. The assurance that God elects His people brings comfort and security, emphasizing that salvation is entirely an act of His mercy and not a result of human striving.

Q: Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

Election is crucial as it illustrates God’s sovereign grace, ensuring our salvation is secure and His love is unconditional. The concept of election is paramount for Christians as it reveals the depth of God’s sovereign grace. Understanding election helps believers grasp that their salvation rests not on their abilities or decisions but on God's unchanging love and purpose. This encourages a posture of humility; as Paul states, 'What do you have that you did not receive?' (1 Corinthians 4:7). Moreover, the assurance of being chosen fosters a sense of identity and security among believers, knowing they are loved and accepted by God, which empowers them to live out their faith boldly and joyfully.

I usually do not make announcements
on this program, but chiefly because these tapes are played
on other stations. There's a station in California
and one in Alabama which receives these tapes and plays them at
a later date. But I have two or three announcements
to make just for this audience here in this area, Channel 13. Now when you Tune in your television
next Sunday morning at 9.30 to get this program. Don't be alarmed
when it's not on. But through the month of February,
February the 13th, the 20th, and the 27th, this program will
not be seen. It's preempted by the Olympics.
Channel 13 has an obligation to CBS and will not be showing
the program for those Sundays. But we'll be back on, the Lord
willing, the first Sunday in March. Now, I preached a message
some time ago in a meeting. I forget where it was, but I
preached on the book of Ruth. And I showed how that the book
of Ruth was written to set forth Christ, the kinsman redeemer.
That the book of Ruth was written not to glorify but to set forth
our kinsman Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, as are all the
books in the Old Testament. He died for our sins according
to the Scriptures. And after the service, a man
came to me and he said, you know, he said, I've never seen Christ
in the Old Testament. I never have seen Christ as the
kinsman Redeemer and Christ as the Passover lamb and these things
that you mentioned tonight. This has opened a whole new avenue
for me in studying the Scriptures, seeing Christ in the Old Testament. Well, that's what the Old Testament
Scriptures, that's why they're written, to give witness to Christ
Jesus. He told the Pharisees, he said,
search the Scriptures. In them you think you have life,
but they are they which testify of me. And Acts chapter 10 verse
43 says, To him give all the prophets witness. Abraham saw
my day, Moses wrote of me, Christ said. So Christ is in the Old
Testament from Genesis to Malachi. Well, I have in my hand a book.
Now, the camera is going to give you a close-up picture of this
book. This book is called Pictures
of Christ in the Old Testament with New Testament Eyes. It has
48 chapters, and I deal with the fall, I deal with Abel's
offering, I deal with the Ark of Noah, I deal with Joseph opening
the storehouses all the way from Genesis to the book of Job, 48
chapters. This book has been translated
into French. It's used in Africa in a French
preacher school. It's now being translated into
Russian, and they'll distribute 10,000 copies of this book in
Russia, Christ in the Old Testament. I'd like for you who are interested
to have this book. It sells for $5. If you want
a copy of this book with New Testament eyes, send $5. We'll mail it to you, the Lord
willing, by return mail. Christ in the Old Testament.
Some of you may already have this book. I've had it for some
time now. But in the event that you do
not have it, would like to have it, write to us. The address
will be given to you later. And order the book with New Testament
eyes. Now, here's one other announcement. The Lord willing, I'll be preaching
Next weekend, February the 11th, the 12th, and the 13th, for some
dear friends in Cottageville, West Virginia. I'll be preaching
there Friday night at 7 o'clock, Saturday night at 7 o'clock,
Sunday morning at 10.30, Sunday night at 6.30. That's the Millsite
Baptist Church, where Brother Doug Weaver is the pastor. Millsite Baptist Church in Cottageville,
West Virginia, and the church is located on one of the main
roads, Route 33 in Cottageville, West Virginia. I'll be there,
the Lord willing, next Friday night, February the 11th, Saturday
night, 7 p.m. each night and Sunday morning
and Sunday night to preach the gospel. I hope you live in that
area. You'll come and hear the Word of God preached. Now, I
want you to open your Bibles this morning to John chapter
15. I'm going to bring you a message
entitled, Electing Love, Electing Love. And John chapter 15, verse
16 is my text. I'll be using several other scriptures.
I wish you'd take your Bibles and follow along with me as I
turn to these scriptures. But we'll speak on electing love. Now here in John 15, 16, our
Lord said to the disciples, you have not chosen me, but I've
chosen you. that you should go and bring
forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. This is in John
15. Now, there's something special. I told our congregation this
not too long ago. There's something special about
these four chapters in the book of John, chapter 13, 14, 15,
and 16. Something very special. For these
four chapters record the last days and the last hours which
our Lord spent with his disciples before he went to the cross,
before he died on Calvary and rose again. And in these four
chapters, he talks with his disciples. He talks with them and comforts
them and instructs them. You see, these men faced an unfriendly,
hostile world. They were going out to preach
the gospel and a gospel which is contrary to the ways and thoughts
of natural men. And they were going to preach
the gospel of God's grace which is so contrary to the gospel
of works and even brings the wrath of religious people upon
them. Not only the natural world but the religious world would
bring their wrath down upon these dear men. And these men would
undergo great hardships and hatred and even die, every one of them
but one. was killed because of the gospel
that he preached. And our Lord said that when he
finished speaking to them in John 13, 14, 15, in the last
verse, in chapter 16, he said, and in this world, you'll have
tribulation, troubles, and trials, but be of good cheer. I've overcome
this world. So if you'll read these chapters,
chapter 13, 14, 15, 16 of John, You'll find our Lord instructing,
comforting, and encouraging His people. And it's for you and
for me. We're His people. We're His disciples. We're His
children. And the same thing that He said to them, He says
to us. In John 13, when He washed their feet and gave them that
example, He said, No pride is to exist among you. No contention,
no strife, no envy. There's no place for pride and
envy in the family of God. He who would be your leader,
let him be your servant. He who would minister, let him
be a servant of all. And our Lord said, if I, your
master, have washed your feet, you ought to do the same for
one another. See, pride and grace are inconsistent. They just don't
go together. And then in chapter 14, they
were so troubled and downcast, He told them He was going away
and going back to the Father. And they were troubled and He
said to them, Don't be discouraged. Let not your heart be troubled.
You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are
many mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to the cross, to the tomb, to the right hand
of God to prepare a place for you. And My promise is sure.
If I go and prepare a place for you, I'll come again and receive
you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Show us
the Father, they said. He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father. You've seen the Father. I and my Father are one. And
then in John 15, having left that room where they were having
the meal, in John 13, 14, it says in the last verse of chapter
14, He said to them, Let's go hence. Come on, let's go. And they left the room. In John
15, having left the room with these disciples, in some way,
I believe, they passed a vineyard. Vineyards were very plentiful
in that area. And I feel like perhaps the Lord
and His disciples walked by a vineyard. Because that's when He picked
up this conversation. He said, I am the vine, and you're
the branches. You see, He says, just as that
Vine and those branches are one. You and I are one. But I'm the
vine and you're the branches. He said when he prayed to the
Father, he said, I in them and thou in me that we may be made
one. And that's what he says to these
disciples. You see that vineyard? See the
vine, see the branches, see the leaves, see the grapes, see the
fruit? Well, I'm the vine, you're the
branches. You see the branches, he said, have no life in themselves.
The life's in the vines. And the branches live because
they're in the vine. Apart from the vine, the branches
would be withered and die and be fit only to be burned. Even
so, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you see,
you have life. I'm the life. I'm the vine. And
you're the branches. And you abide in me, you have
life. And these branches, they do not bear fruit of themselves.
That fruit there is the fruit of the vine. Oh, the branch bears
the fruit and the fruit is on the branch, but the branch bears
fruit because of the vine, because of the life and nourishment and
strength it receives from the vine. Even so, he said, without
me, you can do nothing. So that's the relationship we
have. I'm the vine, you're the branches. Then look down in verse
16 of John 15, this same chapter here. And he says this relationship,
I'm the vine, you're the branches, you live in me. You bear fruit
because of me. What you have, I give you. You
participate and partake of me, my life, my redemption. And this relationship between
you and me is not something that you've done, it's something I've
done. This relationship between you
and me, it's not because of a choice which you made, it's because
of a choice which I made. The vine's not of the branch,
the branch is of the vine. That's when he said this in verse
16, see, you didn't choose me, I chose you. And I chose you
that you should go and bring forth fruit, my fruit, my will. my purpose, my glory, and that
being in the vine and a branch of the vine bearing fruit, my
fruit, that fruit will remain because it's from me. You have
no cause to be proud. You were children of wrath even
as others, but God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith
he loved us even when we were dead in sin hath made us alive
in Christ. We have no reason to be proud. The glory is His. God forbid,
Paul said, I guess one of the greatest preachers who ever lived,
the greatest writer who ever lived, the man who suffered more
than any preacher who ever lived said, God forbid that I should
glory saving the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
You have no cause to boast before men. Who maketh you to differ?
What do you have you didn't receive? Now, if you received it, why
do you boast as if you didn't receive it? You have no cause
to glory in what you have. A man can receive nothing except
it be given him from above. You have no cause to glory in
who you are. Paul said, I am what I am by
the grace of God. You have no cause to glory in
what you know. Like our Lord said to Peter,
Peter said, you're the Christ, the son of the living God. He
said, Peter, flesh and blood didn't reveal that to you. but
my Father which is in heaven. Jeremiah the prophet speaks to
all of us in chapter 9 and he says, Thus saith the Lord, Let
not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man
glory in his strength, let not the rich man glory in his riches,
but let him that gloryeth glory in this, that he understands and knows
me, saith the Lord." How does a man know God? How can a man
know God? Only in Christ. That's what our
Lord said to the disciples. He that has seen me has seen
the Father. No man knoweth the Father but
the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him. No man has seen
God at any time. The only begotten Son hath declared
Him. The Son quickeneth, you see,
whom He will. So our Lord says to these disciples,
you didn't choose me. I chose you. I chose you. But preacher, these men did choose
Christ, didn't they? They did come to Christ, didn't
they? They did love Christ, didn't they? They did follow Christ,
for didn't they say, Lord, we've left all and followed you? Of
course they did. But they love Him because He
loved them. They chose Christ because He
chose them. You see, herein is love. Not
that we love God, but that God loved us. We love Him because
He first loved us. You see that? We choose Him in
response to His choice. We call on Him in response to
His call. We cast ourselves upon Him in
response to His drawing. Our Lord Jesus said in John 6,
37, All that my Father giveth me shall come to me. Yes, they
do come. They come because the Father
called them. They come because the Father drew them. No man
can come to me except my Father which sent me. Draw him, and
I'll raise him up at the last day. They shall be taught of
God, and every man that hath learned and heard of the Father,
he comes. He comes. What do you say? I'm
saying this. Our Lord Jesus Christ says to
His disciples, I love you. I love you with an everlasting
love. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn you. We're
one as the vine and the branches. But I want you to understand
this. This relationship and this grace and this mercy is not because
of something you've done or a choice you made. I did the work and
I chose you. You didn't choose me. I chose
you. AND WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. AND WE DO
COME TO CHRIST BECAUSE HE CAME TO US. WE DO CALL UPON HIS NAME
BECAUSE HE CALLED UPON US. HIS PEOPLE, DAVID SAID IN PSALM
110, SHALL BE MADE WILLING IN THE DAY OF HIS POWER. THAT'S
HIS PRECIOUS ELECTING LOVE, ELECTING GRACE. PAUL SUMMED IT UP IN EPHESIANS
1. LISTEN TO HIM. Thank God He didn't pass us by.
Thank God He didn't leave us in darkness. Thank God He loved
us first. Thank God He called us. Thank
God He chose us. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, even as He chose us in
Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy. And without blame before Him, In love, having predestinated
us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, according to
the good pleasure of His own will. Who? God. What? Chose us. When? Before the world began. For what
purpose? That we might be holy, adopted
sons of God. Why us? Because it seemed good
in His sight. according to the good pleasure
of his own will. Can you think of any other reason? Why would
God love you and me? David said, When I consider the
heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars, the work of thy hands,
the things you've made, what is man that thou should be mindful
of him? David, even King David, man after
God's own heart, said, Who am I? What is my people that you
should show such mercy to us? Why? Our Lord Jesus Christ one
day was rebuking the cities in which his mighty works were done,
Chorazin, Bethsaida, those others, Capernaum. He said, Woe unto
you. If the mighty works which are done in you had been done
in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. And then he lifted
his eyes to heaven and he said, Father, I thank you. I thank
you. You've hid these things, these
mysteries, this glorious gospel. You've hid these things from
the wise and the prudent And you've revealed them to babes,
for even so, Father, it seemed good in thy sight." What am I
saying? I'm saying what he said. You
didn't choose me. I chose you. You didn't love
me. I loved you. You didn't call
upon me. I called upon you. I have chosen
you. That's so clear in the scriptures,
the children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, electing
love, might stand. It was said to her, the elder
shall serve the younger. Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. What shall we say to these things?
Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. He said to Moses,
I'll be gracious to whom I will be gracious. I'll be merciful
to whom I will be merciful. So then, it's not of him that
willeth, It's not of him that runneth, it's of God that showeth
mercy. That's what the scripture says,
II Thessalonians 2. Paul said to the church at Thessalonica,
he said, I'm bound, I'm bound to give thanks to God for you
all, brethren, beloved of the Lord. Why? Because God has from
the beginning chosen you to salvation. Who chose whom? Well, I choose
Jesus. I'll tell you if you do, it's
because He chose you. Well, I love Jesus. Sure, you
do. I do. But I love Him because He first
loved me. I came to Christ. I came brokenhearted, repenting,
believing to Christ. You know why? He drew me. He
made me willing. He gave me the grace. He gave
me the repentance. God chose you to salvation from
the beginning of this world. through sanctification and belief
of the Spirit. Now, watch this. Christ said
to these beloved disciples, you didn't choose me. You didn't
choose me. Oh, what a horrible indictment.
What a charge, what a serious charge to bring against us, considering
who He is, considering what we are and who we are, and considering
what we need, and yet we won't come to Him. This is a universal
charge. It goes throughout the Scriptures.
He was in the world. The world was made by Him. The
world knew Him not. Isaiah wrote about it. He said
He grew up as a tender plant, as a root out of dry ground,
and there was no beauty about Him that we should desire Him.
He was despised and rejected of men. A man of sorrows, acquainted
with grief, and we didn't come to Him. We hid, as it were, our
faces from Him. He came unto His own. His own
received Him not. He said to the religious leaders,
you search the scriptures. In them you think you have life.
There they which testify of me, and you will not come to me that
you might have life. O Jerusalem, how often would
I have drawn you, but you would not. He said in John 5, I come
in my Father's name, and you won't receive me. Let another
come in his own name, and him you will receive. Why? You didn't choose me. Left to
yourself. You'd perish in your sins, or
in your religion, or in your self-righteousness, or in your
morality, left to yourself. God has to quicken. God has to
awaken. God has to call. God has to move
upon us in love and grace, or we'll never move toward Him.
That's right. It's the Spirit that quickeneth,
the flesh profiteth nothing. Not by might nor by power, but
by my Spirit, saith the Lord. Preaching of the gospel is foolishness
to them that perish, but unto us, it's the wisdom and power
of God. Who's the us? I've chosen you. Now why, why do men not choose
Christ? Why do they not come to Christ?
I'll give you four reasons. The first reason is this, they
don't know who He is. They just don't know who He is.
They do not. when he talked to the woman at
the well. Here's a woman, a great sinner who needs a Savior desperately
just like you and I need a Savior. And here's the Savior standing
looking her in the face and she said, he said to her, if you
knew, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that's speaking
to you, you'd ask me and I'd give you living water if you
knew who talks to you. I Corinthians 2.8 said, if the
leaders of this world, had known who he was, they'd have never
put him on that tree. But they didn't know. And they
cried, give us Barabbas. Well, what'll I do with Jesus,
which is called Christ? Crucify him! They didn't know who he was.
And that's the reason people do not choose Christ. They don't
know who he is. Secondly, the reason men do not choose Christ,
you have not chosen me, he said. The second reason is this, they
do not need Christ. They do not need His blood to
cleanse because they don't think they're sinners. They do not
need His righteousness to cover their guilt because they think
they've got a righteousness. That's right. Matthew chapter
9, our Lord was having a meal with a group of sinful people
and the religious men were watching and He said to His disciples,
the religious fellows turned to His disciples and they said,
Why does your master eat with publicans and sinners? And our
Lord knew what they were saying. He looked back at them and He
said, The well do not need a physician, but they that are sick. You go
learn what that means. I'm not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance. People do not come to Christ
and do not choose Christ because they don't think they need Christ.
Those Pharisees said, We be not sinners. We be not born and in
original sin. We'd be not born of fornication.
God is our father. Abraham was our father. Christ
said, if God were your father, you'd love me. I came from God. If God, if Abraham were your
father, you'd do the works of Abraham. The third reason why
they do not choose Christ is this. They do not see the wisdom
of God in the death of Christ. They see no reason for him to
die. Do you? He didn't die as an example or
a martyr or a reformer. He died as a substitute. You
see, there was a law. There was a law to satisfy and
a justice to honor. And He died for us that God may
be just and justified. Do you see that? That's right. There's a law to be honored and
a justice to be satisfied. And Christ, as our sin offering
and substitute, came and fulfilled the law, kept it, every jot and
tittle. giving us who believe on Him
a perfect righteousness, went to the cross and died and paid
our sin debt. Now people who realize that,
they look to Christ, believe on Him, receive Him. The fourth
reason is this, that people do not have any desire to walk the
walk of Christ. They do not desire the life of
a disciple, the walk of a disciple. No man can serve two masters.
People don't want to give up the world. don't give up the
world. They want a religion that leaves
them alone, leaves them where they are, with whom they are,
doing what they do, making money like they do, living like they
live. They want a convenient religion
and that's what the churches and preachers today are giving
them. Nobody's demanding. Nobody's demanding. Turn from
your idols to the living God. Come to Christ in repentance
toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. People do not They
do not know who He is. They do not need Him. They do
not see the wisdom in Christ's death. And they do not want to
walk with Him as Lord of their lives. That's right. You didn't
choose me. I chose you. And you want this
message, Electing Love. Two dollars, we'll send it to
you. You want the book with New Testament eyes? Believe it'll
help you in your Bible study. right for us, send $5, that's
what the book calls it. Until next, not next week, till
March the 6th, that's when we'll be back here. Three weeks we
won't be on, Olympics. But March the 6th, we'll see
you again. God bless you, everyone.

Electing Love

What does the Bible say about electing love?

How do we know election is true?

Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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Electing Love

What does the Bible say about electing love?

How do we know election is true?

Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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