Election - More Than a Title to Heaven

Q: What does the Bible say about election?

The Bible teaches that election is God's sovereign choice of individuals for salvation according to His grace. Election is a foundational doctrine in Scripture, asserting that God has chosen certain individuals to be saved out of His goodwill and purpose. Ephesians 1:4-5 states that He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love. This choice is not based on our actions or merits but solely on God's grace, illustrating His sovereignty over all aspects of salvation. Romans 11:5 further emphasizes the concept of an 'election of grace,' highlighting that God's choice is not a mere title to heaven but entails a transformative relationship that affects how believers live.

Q: How do we know election is true?

Election is evidenced by believers' fruitfulness and good works as a response to God's grace. The veracity of election can be confirmed through its manifestations in the lives of those who are truly elected. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5, describes how the faith and good works of the Thessalonian believers provided evidence of their election by God. Their labor of love and patience of hope in Christ highlighted that true election is active, producing love and good deeds. Thus, election is not merely a doctrinal statement; it is a dynamic reality that transforms lives and drives believers to serve others and glorify God.

Q: Why is grace important for Christians?

Grace is essential for Christians as it is the source of their salvation and empowers them to live righteously. Grace is the unmerited favor of God that leads to salvation and sanctification. Ephesians 2:8-10 stresses that we are saved by grace through faith, indicating that this grace is a gift from God, independent of human works. Not only does grace absolve believers from the penalty of sin, but it also transforms their hearts, compelling them towards good works and love for one another. Genuine grace empowers Christians to reflect Christ in their character and actions, demonstrating the reality of their faith and election.

Q: What is the relationship between election and good works?

Election is intrinsically linked to good works, as true believers are called to live out their faith through actions of love and service. Election in the sovereign grace framework implies that those chosen by God are not merely set apart for blessing, but are also designated for sanctification, resulting in a life characterized by good works. Ephesians 2:10 articulates that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand. This connection indicates that lack of good works in a professing believer raises questions about the authenticity of their election. Genuine faith leads to a transformed life, where believers actively live out the grace they have received by reflecting that grace towards others.

some of the outstanding sovereign
grace preachers of that period. And as I call these names, you'll
recognize them. J.C. Philpott, powerful, powerful
advocate of the sovereignty of God, total depravity, election
of grace, particular redemption, unconditional election, invincible
grace, Perseverance of the Saints. A man of great ability in writing,
preaching. We have some of his sermons in
our church library. William Gadsby, the great hymn
writer. I've got one of Gadsby's hymn
books. He's got an entire hymn book
that he published. Most of the songs I suppose he
wrote. Joseph Hart, William TipTap. and William Huntington. These
were men who were companions with this man John Warburton,
this preacher. They walked together like you
and I walked together, like Brother Fortner, Brother Maurice Montgomery,
Brother Tim James, Brother Gary Shepard, Brother Danny Blair,
Brother Paul Mahan, Todd Nivert, We're friends. We've walked together
for years. And these men, Warburton, Philpot,
Gadsby, Huntington, all these men were fellow preachers of
the gospel of God's grace. They were arrayed together in
a day of great religious compromise. And they stood for truth. And
I write, John, these men that I named stood for the truth of
grace. They all preached and wrote,
traveled, pastored, held meetings. They preached without compromise.
God on the throne, man in the dust, Christ crucified, buried,
risen, ascended, victorious, effectual redemption. They wouldn't
budge an inch. And I appreciate the book. And
I'm grateful to God. I'm so grateful. I've told you
so many times. You know, Paul said in Romans
1, I'm a debtor. I'm a debtor. I know he said
I'm a debtor to the Greeks and to the barbarians, to the wise
and to the unwise. I'm a debtor to these prophets
of the Old Testament. Men whom God used, men who suffered
to give me the gospel. I'm a debtor to these apostles.
I'm a debtor to men I've never met. I'm a debtor to the old
Puritans, Martin Luther, John Calvin. Those men even had much
to do with our freedom. I'm a debtor to you. I'm a debtor to my friends everywhere. And I appreciate the book. And
I'm grateful to God for these men who boldly contended for
the truth of God's grace. And Warburton, Warburton had
a large family. He was married and had six children,
all of them under twelve years of age. You remember reading
about this in the book? He was a preacher of the gospel,
he pastored. Various churches, small churches. Then he got a
large church after a good many years. He preached in meetings
just like I do. But from the beginning of his
ministry, two-thirds of the way through
this book, almost really to the end, the book is full of his
miseries. His miseries. The experiences
of this little family, eight people, mother, father, six children,
a minister of the gospel. As I read the book, this shocked
me. They were always hungry. They were always in need. They
were always in debt, terribly, terribly in debt. So in debt
one time he couldn't go where he was invited to preach. always for the first years of
his ministry nearly starving. You remember that in the book?
And how he talked about miraculously here and there and yonder they'd
get enough to eat, they'd get a sack of bread. He left his
children crying many times, their stomachs were hurting because
they were hungry. And the question that kept arising
in my thoughts And in my mind, as I read, I finally closed the
book and put it down. And I'll tell you why. I got
angry. As I read John Warburton talking
about these times of hunger and nakedness and cold and need and
sickness without care, sickness without medicine, and children
without food, I kept asking, where were his friends? Where were his friends? Where
were these men? Where were these sovereign gracers? Where were these men? Where were
his church members? Where were the people to whom
he preached the grace of God? Where were they when this man
was dealing with that? Wouldn't that bother you? Where
were these men? Where were these people? He talked
about receiving a salary of four shillings a month. I don't know
what a shilling is, but I know it's nothing. And not being able
to meet his obligations or clothe his children. What kind of church
is that? It was a grace church. What kind
of grace is that? Grace that does not make us gracious
is not God's grace. Grace that does not make us generous
is not God's grace. Grace that does not make us care
for others is not God's grace, is it? What is grace? Grace is unmerited
favor. Grace is unearned, unsought,
undeserved favor. In grace, God gives and gives. He giveth more grace and giveth. And I thought as I read this,
where were the churches where this man preached? Where were
the people to whom he visited, with whom he visited and preached
the gospel when he had nothing to live on? The early church
was not like this. Turn to Acts chapter 2. This
was not true of the early believers. Acts the second chapter, listen
to this in verse 41. Acts 2, 41. Then they that gladly
received his word, they received his word, they were baptized.
And the same day there was added to them about three thousand
souls. And they continued, watch this
now, these people continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and
in fellowship. and in breaking of bread and
in prayers. And fear came upon every soul
and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles and all
that believed were together. They were together. They had
all things common. They sold their possessions and
goods and parted them to all men as every man had need. They saw that no one was doing
without. They cared for each other. And they continued daily with
one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to
house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. They cared for one another. I'll
tell you another question that arose in my mind. Not only where were his friends
and where were members of his congregation, and where were
the people to whom he preached the gospel of God's grace? But
another question that bothered me as I read this was, was this
condition the fault of the preachers? Was it the fault of the preachers,
the fact that the, and this exists in a lot of places today, people
are just not generous. They do not see to one another's
needs. They see to their own needs.
They don't care about other people's needs. There are a lot of places
where missionaries are not supported, not like here. I'll be honest with you, and
I really wish this wasn't going over everywhere, but if it weren't for your gifts,
some of these missionaries had to come home. And I wonder, I wonder, maybe
the fact back here, they were so careful to preach salvation
by grace alone, without works, that maybe they neglected to
preach works at all. Reckon? Reckon these preachers
were at fault themselves? Reckon they preached that, what
some people, conclusion to which some people have come. If I'm
elected to heaven, I'll go there no matter what. If God chose
me and Christ died for me, and I know the truth of the grace
of God up here in my head, it doesn't matter how I live. It
doesn't matter whether I care for others. It doesn't matter
whether I show graciousness and generosity and kindness. Do you
suppose we may leave that impression with folks? Do you suppose these
preachers at fault? I've preached here now, like
I said this morning, a long, long time. And I don't suppose
there's a preacher anywhere that believes more strongly, more
strongly in God's absolute, unconditional, unchangeable, infinite sovereignty
in all things. I believe that. God is God. Holy. Almighty. None can stay His hand or say
unto Him, what doest thou? God is sovereign in creation.
Our God is sovereign in providence. He worketh all
things after the counsel of His own will, and He is sovereign
in salvation, salvations of the Lord. We believe that, don't
we? One hundred and ten percent. Man is depraved. No man can come
to me except my Father which sent me, draw him." God did,
in fact, elect a people to salvation. He chose us for reasons found
only in himself. Even so, Father, it seemed good
in thy sight. He elected a people out of every
tribe, kindred, nation, tongue unto heaven. And those people
will come to Christ. They'll hear the gospel. They'll
be brought to Christ. Paul preached there in Acts 13,
it says, as many as were ordained eternal life, believe. And they
will persevere, the Holy Spirit will call them and keep them.
But this election, this election of God, this choosing of God,
is not just a title to heaven, which leaves a man in his old
natural state. This election is unto holiness. This election is unto obedience. This election is unto a new creature. I don't dare leave that impression
that it doesn't matter how I live or how I walk or how I talk,
if I'm elected, I wind up in heaven. That's just not so. In
fact, our Lord one day said to His disciples, they'd been arguing
over who was going to be greatest in the Kingdom of God, and He
said to His own twelve disciples, He said, except you be converted,
except you be converted and become as little children, you're not
going to even enter the Kingdom of Heaven. You see, so many folks, so many
folks, Perhaps get the idea that theology and doctrine is something
to be argued. It's not. It's something to be
lived. Turn to Ephesians chapter 2.
Ephesians the second chapter. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8.
Now listen to Paul here. For by grace are you saved. By grace, by God's grace, by
God's pre-grace, by God's sovereign grace, by God's sufficient grace,
have you been saved through faith? And that faith is not of yourselves.
Repentance is the gift of God. Faith is the gift of God. It's
not of works in any shape, form, or fashion. Works do not enter
into the redemption of a man's soul in any way. Not before he's
saved or after he's saved. It's not of works, lest any man
should boast. But we're his workmanship. We're
his workmanship. We're his creation. We're his
sons. We're his people. We're his prizes. We're his jewels. And we've been
created in Christ Jesus unto good works. which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them. And perhaps as I read
this book and I read about this man's suffering and need and
trials and doing without, and I thought where were his friends?
Where were the people to whom he preached? Where was his brothers
and sisters in Christ? And then I thought perhaps this
man and the men with whom he labored were partly at fault
themselves. Maybe they left the impression
with the people to whom they preached that election was salvation. And it's not. Election is not
salvation. It's unto salvation. Therefore,
this church, I believe if what I found in this book were true
of you, Well, I'd be convinced that my doctrine was faulty.
I really would. I'd be convinced that I'd been
proceeding down the wrong path from this pulpit. But this church
is known all over the world, not only as a people who believe
in the grace of God, but a people who are generous. I tell you,
wherever I go, your doctrine is spoken of. But that's not
all that I hear. Your faith is spoken of. And
your works of grace are spoken of. And your labor of love, your
generous people, your caring people, your people who care
for those in need, your people who support generously and kindly
and abundantly, missionaries and your pastor and all who come
here to preach. And that, I tell you, that's
the best thing you can say about a people. Turn to Romans chapter 11. I
don't know anything that could be said about a congregation
that is more complimentary than to have people say they're the
most generous people on earth. And I'll tell you why. Generous
people are people of grace. In Romans chapter 11, verse 5,
The scripture says, even so then at this present time, there is
an election of grace. There is an election of grace.
Now grace, election is by grace, election is through grace, and
election is to grace. And all three are important.
of grace, by grace, it's election of grace, it's election to grace. And I say six things, now listen
to these six things. An election that a man believes,
election, sovereignty, salvation, holy by grace, the gift of God. But an election that does not
lead a man or a woman to believe the gospel. in heart and confess
Christ with his mouth and worship God with his people and be identified
with his kingdom is not an election of grace. Now that's just so. An election that does not lead
a man to receive, turn to Ephesians chapter 1, listen to this, An
election that does not lead a man or woman to confess Christ in
heart, believe Christ in heart, confess Him with mouth, worship
God faithfully. There are people right here in
this town, now not you, and one reason I'm preaching this message,
I read that book and it just got all over me. Don't let that
happen here. Don't let anybody to whom we
preach get the idea that because they believe the doctrines of
grace, because they believe in election, because they believe
that salvation is the gift of God, because they're against
Arminianism and against free willism and against self-righteousness,
because they believe these things in their head. Don't let us leave
the impression that with any of them, that a person is saved
because he believes those things in his head. He's not. He's not
at all. The devil believes those things. Ephesians 1 verse 13 says, In
whom you trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation. In whom also, after you believed,
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. You heard
the gospel, you received the gospel, you believed the gospel. And you were sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise. Now here's the second statement.
In election, like I started to say, there are folks in this
town that believe in election, who never worship God. They never
attend church. They never fellowship with God's
people. They don't support the ministry. The only way you know
they believe it is they claim to with their mouths. Secondly, an election that does
not give a man a new heart. A heart to love others. And a heart that not only loves
others, but expresses that love. That's not an election of grace.
The scripture says, now watch this, true election of grace
gives a man a heart to love Christ, to love others, and to express
that love in kindness and tenderness. The scripture says, if any man
loves not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. And the
scripture also says, he that loveth not his brother whom he
hath seen. How can he love God whom he hath
not saved? And it says also, he that loveth
not knoweth not God. Now that's serious. Election
leads us to love God and love one another and express that
love, not in word only, but in deed. Thirdly, an election that
does not result in a new walk. in a new attitude, in a new spirit,
in a spirit of fellowship, unity, togetherness. Like I read a while
ago, that early church, they were together. They were together
in fellowship. They were together in worship.
They were together in heart. Like John Flaming told me before
the service, he said, our Lord was up preaching one time, His
mother and brothers and sisters came to the place where he was
preaching and they came in and interrupted him. And they said,
your mother and brothers and sisters are outside wanting to
see you. And he said, who is my mother?
Who are my brothers? Who are my sisters? These who
do the will of God, the same are my mother, my brothers, and
my sisters. And I'll tell you, in an election,
it does not form that kind of relationship. that does not result
in a new walk and a new spirit and a new attitude and a spirit
of fellowship is not the election of grace. The scripture talks
about endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and fellowship. I just cannot believe, I cannot
believe that people who are contrary and hard to live with and hard
to get along with. I just cannot believe that they
are objects of grace. They are objects of religion,
but not grace. Grace breaks the heart. Grace
breaks the proud heart. Grace gives us a contrite spirit. Grace, the grace of God. Grace,
graciousness. It may be an election, but it's
not an election of grace. And fourthly, now listen, an
election that does not make a person generous toward the needs of others. I
mean generous. I don't mean tipping folks once
in a while. I'm talking about generosity.
I'm talking about liberality. An election that does not make
a person generous and liberal In his help of others, in his
support of the gospel, in taking care of the needs of others,
it does not, an election that does not loose his hands. The way he's a giver, he's a
channel through which God sends mercies and blessings to others. I just don't believe that's an
election of grace. It may be an election, but it's
not grace. You know over here in Matthew
25, let me show you something. I read this the other day, Matthew
chapter 25. Now all of us, we who are redeemed,
we who are elected by God's grace, we're stewards. That's what we're
called, stewards of the grace of God. Stewards of the grace
of God. Election of grace makes us stewards of grace. Well, our Lord is speaking here
in Matthew 25, verse 14. He said, the kingdom of heaven,
Matthew 25, verse 14, is as a man traveling into a far country
who called his servants and delivered to them his goods. To one he
gave five talents, to another two, to another one. Now, that's
the way God dealt with us. We're his stewards. The Lord
Jesus Christ has gone back to heaven. He's delivered unto us
various talents. various abilities, various gifts. He's given certain, and they're
not all the same. Some people have more ability
to speak or to sing or to preach. Some people have more riches,
more possessions. Some people have more strength.
more of talents and knowledge and gifts about fixing things
and building things and doing, they're just different gifts,
they're different talents, some five, some two, some one. And
then he went on his journey. Verse 16, then he that had received
the five talents went and traded with the same and made five others.
He took this that God gave him, that his master gave him, and
he put it to use. He put it to use. He became a
channel. He just used it. Put it in use. Put it in the flow. And likewise,
he that had received two, he gained two others. But he that
had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's
money. He just put it away. Use it some other time, you know. Hide it. Keep it. And after a
long time, the Lord of the servant cometh and reckoneth with them.
So he that had received five talents came and brought other
five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered unto me five talents.
You trusted me with this. I have gained besides them five
talents more. The Lord said, Well done, thou
good and faithful servant. I have been faithful over a few
things. I make you rule over many things. Enter thou into
the joy of thy Lord. He also who received two talents
came and said, Lord, you delivered two talents to me. I have gained
two other talents besides them. The Lord said, Well done, good
and faithful servant. I've been faithful over a few
things. I'll make thee rule over many things. Enter into the joy
of thy Lord. Then he which received the one
talent came and said, Lord, I knew that you're a hard man. I knew
you're a powerful man. I knew you reap what you don't
sow and gather where you've not struggled. You're able to use
means or no means. You get your will done. You'll
do whatever you want to. He's a sovereign gracer. of a sort. And I was afraid,
and I went and hid the talent in the earth, and lo, here it
is. Here's what you had. You still
got it. The Lord answered and said, You're a wicked and a slothful,
a lazy servant. You knew I reaped where I sowed
not, and gathered where I have not strung. You oughtest therefore
to at least put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming
I'll receive mine own with interest. Take therefore the talent from
him, and give it to him which hath ten talents, for unto every
one that hath shall be given he shall have abundance, and
from him that hath not shall be taken away even that that
he hath. And cast this unprofitable servant into outer darkness,
there be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Now watch this, "...and
when the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory,
and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he will separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divides sheep from the goats,
and he will put the sheep on his right hand and the goats
on the left. Then shall the king say to them on the right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world. I was hungry, you
gave me meat. I was thirsty, you gave me drink.
I was a stranger, you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed
me. I was sick, and you visited me.
I was in prison, and you came to me. And then shall they say,
Lord, when did we ever see you hungry, and fed you thirsty,
and gave you drink? When did we ever see you a stranger,
and took you in, or naked, and clothed you? When did we ever
see you sick, or in prison, and came to you? And the king shall
answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you
have done it, unto one of the least of these my brethren, you've
done it to me." That's what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about grace, God's grace. His gift, His unspeakable
gift, the gift of His love, His grace. His grace is His mercy,
His grace is His love, His grace is the forgiveness of sin, His
grace is righteousness, His grace His acceptance, His grace, His
redemption, His grace. He elected me, He elected you
in grace. By grace, through grace, by grace,
He put that in us. He's made us His sons, His children,
His ambassadors, His witnesses, His people here on the earth.
A holy people, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. stewards
of that grace. And if I claim an election that
does not result in being a good steward, then I'm not talking
about an election of grace, I'm talking about an election of
doctrine or religion or dead letter or whatever, but it's
not grace. Grace loves, grace gives, grace reaches out, grace
lives, grace walks, grace prays, grace worships. Grace grows. Isn't that so? And then fifthly,
an election that does not produce the fruit of the Spirit. Turn
to Galatians chapter 5 verse 22. Now I know every one of us
here, we're conscious, we're sinners. We're conscious and
we know there's nothing good in us. Nothing good in us. But there's something good in
His grace. There's nothing good in me. There's nothing good in
the vessel, but there's something good in what God puts in the
vessel. Isn't that right? There's nothing good about
the vessel. Nothing good about this vessel
of clay. And it'll go back to the dust from whence it came.
But if God has put in this vessel and in this earthen vessel of
clay, a new man, and a new heart, and a new nature. And put his
spirit, know ye not your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?
Well, if the Holy Spirit is there, then will not the fruit of the
Spirit flow out? All right, read it, Galatians
5, 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, and joy, and peace. longsuffering and gentleness
and goodness and faith, meekness, temperance, against such there
is no law. I believe an election that does
not produce that fruit to some degree and also to a groove. I don't think it's an election
of grace. And in the sixth place, an election
that does not deliver us. Now this is something that troubles
me as much as anything I know. Troublesome. An election that
does not deliver us from materialism and vanity and the pride of this
world. I just don't know whether that's
an election of grace or not. How in the world we can talk
about, you know, Abraham journeyed through this life, journeyed
through this world, dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob. He's looking for a city. But
sometimes folks give the impression that they're pretty well here
to stay. It's like, turn back to that psalm that Jim read a
moment ago, Psalm 49. There's some incriminating things
here. In Psalm 49 verse 11, and I know
we've got to have food and clothing and shelter, but do we have to
be taken up with these things? Do we have to be taken up with
them? In Psalm 49 verse 11, Their inward thought is that their
houses are going to continue forever. And they're dwelling places to
all generations. They call their lands after their
own name. They put their names on everything, you know, like
it's here to stay. Like they're here to stay. Nevertheless,
the man being in honor, the man that gets the most and knows
the most and has the most, he's not going to buy it either. He's
going to die like a beast, going back to the dust. And this, their
way, is their folly. This way is a way of folly. Our
Lord said, don't lay up for yourselves treasures on this earth. Where
moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves break through and steal,
lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Where your heart is,
your treasure is. And where your treasure is used,
that's where your heart is. Now 1 Thessalonians. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 1,
and I'm just going to be very, very brief here and leave this
with you. But the thing I'm trying to point
out, I have pointed out, election and grace is not just a doctrine
and a title to heaven. It's a way of life. It's a new
creation. It's Christ in you, the hope
of glory. It's that which produces godliness. generosity, graciousness. And
that's what he says here. The book of Thessalonians, 1
Thessalonians, Paul, you see, let me give you something before
I read this. Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica and they preached
there about three weeks. And that's when the foundation
of this church was laid. They preached the grace of God,
the sovereign grace of God, the elective grace of God, the effectual
work of Christ. And that's when the foundation
of this church was laid. And then Timothy came back later
and established these people and taught them and comforted
them, and then he came to Paul and brought them the good news,
brought Paul and Silas the good news about this congregation. And you know what he reported
to Paul? Well, it wasn't so much that they were strong in doctrine,
though they were. But you know what he reported
to Paul? Verse 2. We give thanks to God always
for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering
without ceasing your work of faith, your labor of love. and your patience of hope in
our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God. That's what Paul
said. Timothy told me. He told me about
your works. You know, about anywhere you
go and ask about a church, they say, well, do they preach the
truth? Well, I tell you this, you can
preach truths and not preach the truth. You can preach truths, a whole
series of truths, and be accurate. But when you preach the truth,
you're preaching Christ. And you're preaching that life
that comes from a living relationship with Christ. And when folks talk
about you, here's what they talk about. Your works of faith, and
your labor of love, and your patience, and hope. And then he said this. Knowing,
brethren beloved, your election of God. I know you're God's elect. I know you're God's elect. And
I'll tell you how I know it. Our gospel, verse 5, came not
to you in word only, not in doctrine only, not in creed and catechism
only. It came to you in power. It came
to you in much assurance in the Holy Ghost. As you know what
manner of men we were among you, and you became followers. You
became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the
word in much affliction and much persecution with the joy of the
Holy Ghost. And you were examples. That's
how I know your election. You were examples to everybody
in Macedonia and Achaia, people around the world. You were examples
to them in your generosity, in your works, in your labor, in
your faith, in your love. And from you sounded out the
word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, not only in your local
place, Achaia, but also in every place in this world. Your faith
to God is spread abroad so that we need not to speak of anything.
For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we...
These works and these truths show of us what manner of entering
in we had among you, and how you turned from your idols to
serve the living God and to wait, and to wait for His Son from
heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now believers, they look for the Lord to come. And it's not
just a doctrine of premillennial or postmillennial or amillennial
position. And they're not too concerned
about the events and advents when he comes. They're looking
for him to come. They believe he's coming. Isn't
that right? He's coming. We're looking for
the person. Like if a boy's coming back from
the war, his mama doesn't care whether he comes by plane, train,
bus, or car. She's not interested in the band
that's playing when he arrives on the depot platform. She's
only interested in that boy. See you in here. And we're interested
in his coming. And secondly, we know this. There's
an accounting to be given at his coming. Isn't that right? Watch what Scripture says. There's
an accounting. There's an accounting to be given.
Stewards have to give an account. You know, over there in Hebrews,
let me turn over there just a moment. Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13. And you know, Brother
Jim Eccles prayed a while ago, he thanked God for Pastor Faithful
to the Word, faithful to the Gospel. Dare I be anything else? I've got to give an account. Listen to Hebrews here. It's
chapter 13, verse 17. Hebrews 13 and 17. Listen. Obey
them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for
they watch for your souls. As what? As they that must give
an account. That they may do it with joy
and not with grief. Grief, that would be unprofitable
for you. I've got to give an account. For what I preach, and
the way I preach, and the faithfulness, my walk, my leadership, I've
got to give an account. But is that only true of me?
Am I the only one who's got to give an account? I believe I'll resign if I am.
I believe I'll run down there and let somebody else up here.
But I'm not the only one. I believe everybody has to. I
believe so. Give an account. Lord, make us
good stewards of the grace of God. And like I said at the beginning
of this message, early on in the introduction, I give thanks
for you, you don't know. how grateful to God I am for
what he's done here. And I preach this message that
it might go out and that any inclination or leaning of any
sort towards an indifferent and careless attitude toward obedience
and graciousness and generosity and blaming it on election I
want to run as far as I can the other way. Just as far as I can. I hate that as much as free willism. I hate that as much as free willism.
Fatalism and hardshellism is just as dangerous as free willism.

Election - More Than a Title to Heaven

What does the Bible say about election?

How do we know election is true?

Why is grace important for Christians?

What is the relationship between election and good works?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

Joshua

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Election - More Than a Title to Heaven

What does the Bible say about election?

How do we know election is true?

Why is grace important for Christians?

What is the relationship between election and good works?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

More from Henry Mahan

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Henry Mahan

Books by Henry Mahan

Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book