The Elect of God

Jesus Christ and his apostles,
now note this, were accustomed to calling believers by the title,
the elect of God. Now let me show you that in Mark
13, beginning with verse 20. For, and except the Lord had
shortened those days, no flesh should be saved. But for the
elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And
then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or,
Lo, he's there, believe him not, for false Christ and false prophets
shall rise and shall show signs and wonders to seduce, if it
were possible, even the elect. Then verse 27, And then shall
he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from
the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost
part of heaven. Now turn with me to Luke 18. What I'm showing you here is
that the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles were accustomed
to calling believers the elect of God. In Luke 18, 7, and it
says, And he shall not God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear
long with them." And then to I Peter 5, I Peter 5, verse 13. Here the Apostle Peter says,
ìThe church that is at Babylon elected to gather with you, saluteth
you, and so doth Marcus my son." And then in the book of 2 John,
the little epistle with only one chapter, 2 John, verse 1,
John says, "...the elder unto the elect lady and her children,
whom I love in the truth, and not I only, but also all they
that have known the truth." Then in verse 13, the children of
thy elect sister greet thee." Now these apostles and our Lord
Jesus Christ were not ashamed of the word elect, the elect
of God. They were not afraid to use the
term. They were not ashamed to use
the term. Talked about the elect of God. And then the old church
fathers, if you go back and pick up the old Confessions of Faith,
the Westminster The Waldensee, the Philadelphia and London Confession,
the 29 or 39 articles of the Church of England, the old fathers
in writing these confessions of faith referred to the elect
angels, elect infants, and the elect church. It's only, actually,
you who are students of church history know this to be a fact,
it's only in the last 200 years and especially in the last 150
years that men have become ashamed of that term, the elect of God. It's only in the last 100 years
or so that men have come to the place where they're afraid to
use it and almost totally avoid it, the elect of God. Oh, once
in a while a sovereign grace preacher will preach a sermon
on election to his congregation. But mainly people who are religious,
in general conversation and writings on religious subjects, they avoid
the term, the elect of God. And if a man uses the term, the
elect of God, It'll bring forth a heated argument unless he does
this, and this is what most of them will do. In conversation
or in religious writings, if the term elect or election is
mentioned, they are quickly qualified. And they're careful to explain
that election does not violate or hinder in any way the human
will. But the word of God gives no
such qualifications. When the Word of God uses the
term elect, it just says the elect of God. When the Word of
God uses the term election, it just says election. It doesn't
qualify it, it doesn't try to explain it away, but it just
uses that glorious, God-honoring, Christ-exalting term, the elect
of God. Now, in our message tonight,
we're going to look at these scriptures in which believers
are called the elect of God. There are about eight or nine
of them in which believers are called the elect of God. And
I want you to look at each one of them. First of all, you have
to go to Isaiah 42, the scripture which I read a moment ago. Now,
any sermon, and this is where some folks stump their toes,
this is where some preachers who mean well This is where they
make mistakes. Any sermon on the elect of God
has to begin with the Lord Jesus Christ. Has to begin there. If it doesn't begin there, we're
in trouble. For all things were created by him and for him. And the scripture says, in all
things he must have the preeminence. Scripture says we were chosen
in Him, we were loved in Him, we were accepted in Him, we were
redeemed in Him, we were crucified in Him, we are risen with Him,
we are seated in Him. So anything that we have in elective
purposes and grace is in Christ. Let's start there. And you regard
or consider or present election apart from Christ, you start
out wrong and you'll wind up wrong. It says here in Isaiah 42, now
look at it, I hope, I started to say while I was reading this
scripture a moment ago, this is talking about Christ, but
I thought, well, anybody with good spiritual sense knows this
is talking about Christ. It says, Behold my servant. He
took upon himself the form of a servant. That's what he was.
He was the servant of man, the servant of God. I came to do,
he said, the will of him that sent me. That's what a servant
does, he does the will of his master. Christ said, I'm come
to do the will of him that sent me. When he prayed and guessed
him in his garden, he said, I finished the work you gave me to do. He
said, the works that I do are not my works, they're the works
of my Father. The words that I speak are not
mine, but the words of him that sent me. Behold my servant. That's what the Father says here.
Behold my servant. Jesus Christ is the servant Messiah. I came not to be minister unto,
but to minister and to give my life a ransom for many. Now what's
the next term? Whom I uphold. Mine elect in
whom my soul delighteth. What does that mean, calling
Christ the elect? Well, he was chosen to be the
Redeemer. He was chosen to be the Lamb
of God. He was chosen by the Father to
be the mediator between God and men. He was chosen to be the
head of the church. He was chosen to be the foundation. He was chosen to be the judge
of the quick and the dead. Look at Hebrews chapter 5. Our
Lord was anointed. He was chosen. He was set apart.
He was sanctified for this purpose. In Hebrews 5 verse 4, talking
about the priesthood, talking about Aaron and the sons of Levi. He says in verse 4 of Hebrews
5, No man takes this honor unto himself, but he that is called
of God, as Aaron was called of God. And so also Christ glorified
not himself to be made a high priest, but he that said unto
him, Thou art my son, today have I begotten thee. He chose him
to be the Redeemer. Mine elect, behold my servant,
who comes to do my will, who comes to carry out my purpose.
Behold mine elect, in whom my soul delighted." Christ is the
firstborn of every creature. Christ is the glory of God. We
are in Him. Now this is what I'm trying to
see, and trying to get you to see, and I sat there at the desk
this morning thinking, how can I present this? And the only
way I know is this way. Turn to Ephesians 1. Ephesians
chapter 1. In Ephesians chapter 1, Paul
says in verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ, according as he chose us in Christ. Now look at verse 5. having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ." Verse 6, "...to
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the Beloved." Verse 7, "...in whom we have redemption."
Now Christ is the heir. He's the heir. We are joint heirs
with Him. You see what I'm saying? Christ
is the way. We walk in Him. Christ is the
life, we live in Him. Christ is the truth, we are of
the truth in Him. He's the firstborn, He's the
chosen one, He's the elect, and we are elected, we are chosen
in Him. Look at John chapter 6. And this
must be the beginning of election, it must be where we begin when
we preach on it, because this is where God began when he ordained
it, when he purposed it. Christ. In John 6, verse 37,
All that my Father giveth me shall come to me. We are the
elect given to Christ. and him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. I came down from heaven not to
do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this
is the Father's will which is sent me, that of all which he
hath given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the
last day." That's where election begins. It begins with Christ
in the everlasting covenant In the everlasting council before
the foundations of the world, God decreed to have a people
in Christ, redeemed by Christ, made like Christ. And he is the
Father's elect. He's the heir. We're joint heirs
with him. He's the glory. We share it in
him. He's the life. We live in him.
He's the truth. We are of the truth in him. He's
the head of the body. All right, here's the second
thing about God's elect. Now turn to 1 Peter 1. Now this
is the Word of God in 1 Peter 1, verse 2. Now that's talking
about you and me. Elect. Peter starts out in verse
1. Let's read verse 1. Peter, an
apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Now underscore the word
foreknowledge there. Now watch this, it's used twice.
Now here in Acts 2, verse 23, talking about Christ. Healed,
being delivered. by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God." Underscore it. There's the word again. Christ
was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God. Now look at 1 Peter 1, 2. Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God. That's the same word.
It has the same meaning. And this is what it's saying.
Just as God decreed from all eternity that Christ should be
crucified on the cross. Do you have any doubt about that?
The foreknowledge of God, he didn't look down through the
years and see that Christ would be crucified. He didn't look
down through the years and know that Christ was going to be crucified
and therefore let it happen because he foreknew that it would happen.
He ordained it to happen. That's what the word there means.
It means foreordained. That's what it means, ordained
or foreordained. And just as God foreordained
from all eternity that Christ should be crucified on the cross,
Christ's death was not an accident. It was not a catastrophe, it
was God's purpose and will being fulfilled. He was a lamb slain
before the foundation of the world. Every Old Testament sacrifice
was a type of his death. And just as he was ordained to
die on the cross for our sins, we were ordained to be redeemed.
Christ was crucified according to God's purpose, and we were
elected to salvation according to God's purpose. That's what
these words are saying. Now look at them again, Acts
2.23, Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and full
ordination, purpose of God. You crucified. 1 Peter 1.2, elect
according to the ordination, full ordination, the purpose
of God, Now, there are three things given in this verse, the
cause of election, the means of election, and the end of election.
Now, what's the cause? Well, the cause is God's purpose.
"'Tis not that I did choose thee, Lord, that could not be. If thou
hast not chosen me, I would never have chosen thee.' We are elect
according to the purpose of God. As many," Acts 13.48 says, "'as
many as were ordained to life believe.'" And that's what this
is, we were ordained, we were elect according to the ordination
of God. Now here's the second thing,
the means of election. Through sanctification of the
Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us life. The Holy
Spirit is the one who reveals our sins. The Holy Spirit is
the one who reveals to us the gospel. The Holy Spirit is the
one who calls us out of darkness. The Holy Spirit is the one who
leads us to Christ. The Holy Spirit is the one who
begets faith and repentance in our hearts. Sanctification of
the Spirit. And then look at the end of election.
Blessed elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the foreordination
of God, through the sanctification of the Spirit, unto what? Unto
obedience. What is that? That's faith in
Christ, that's surrender to Christ, that's submission to Christ,
that's obedience to gospel ordinances, that's good works for his glory.
Obedience. We are elected, we are called
And it all is unto obedience, and look at the next line, and
the sprinkling of the blood of Christ Jesus, the application
of the blood of Christ to our hearts for pardon, for cleansing,
for forgiveness, and it refers back to the Old Testament illustration
of the sprinkling of the blood on the door. or the sprinkling
of the blood on the book, the sprinkling of the blood on the
mercy seat, the sprinkling of the blood on the priesthood,
the sprinkling of the blood on the tabernacle. Almost all things
under the law are cleansed by blood. Even so, without the shedding
of blood, there's no remission seen. All right, now turn to 2 Timothy
2. Elect according to the foreordination,
or the purpose, of God. Now the third reference to the
believer as the elect of God is in 2 Timothy 2, verse 10. Now listen to Paul here. Therefore
I endure all things for the elect's sake, for the elect's sakes,
that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ
Jesus with eternal glory. Now, I cannot improve on the
words of old Dr. John Gill, who pastored New Park
Street Baptist Church for 51 years, who wrote the following
on this verse. Listen to it. Now, this Paul
speaking here, he said he's been talking about verse 9, I suffer
trouble as an evildoer, even unto prison. The word of God
is not bound, therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake
that they may come and obtain that salvation which Christ purchased
for them." Now listen to what Gill said. There are a number
of persons, and I added, countless beyond the stars, an innumerable
company which no man can number, yea, even the sands of the seashore.
But there are a number of persons whom God hath chosen in Christ
unto salvation. who shall certainly be saved.
For these people our Lord Jesus suffered and died, and on their
account the gospel is published, it is preached, it is sent to
the world. And for their sakes, ministers
are chosen of God, qualified by the Holy Spirit, and sent
to minister. And ministers are sent into an
unfriendly world. to suffer whatever they must
suffer, endure whatever they must endure, that these who are
the elect of God might hear the gospel wherever they are and
believe it and be saved by it. We preach the word and whatever
hardships or consequences or difficulties or trial that we
might have to endure because of the preaching of the word,
we do it anyway that the elect might hear the gospel and be
saved because they can't be saved without it. That's what Paul
is saying here, therefore I endure all things, whatever I have to
endure, if it's prison, for the elect's sakes, that they may
obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal
glory. Paul doesn't say I'm going out here helter-skelter hoping
somebody will believe my message. Not going out here beating the
bushes, thinking it's up to me to impress men. I'm not going
out here hoping that maybe somebody will hear my message and believe
it. I'm going out here knowing that God has a people out of
every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue under heaven. And
those whom he hath chosen, the elect, will hear this gospel. And they'll believe it. Christ
turned to John 10. Look at this scripture here in
John chapter 10. Verse 24, the Jews came to him
and said, ìHow long are you going to make us to doubt?î John 10,
24, ìIf you are the Christ, tell us.î Jesus answered, ìI told
you, and you didnít believe me.î Now, preachers today expect everybody
they preach to to believe them, and they get their feelings hurt
if folks donít believe them. But they didnít believe Christ, no matter the ability of the
speaker, no matter the power of the speaker, no matter the oratorical ability of the speaker,
the persuasive powers of the speaker, natural men, to them,
the things of God are foolish. And Christ said, I told you and
you didn't believe me. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. Look at verse 26. You believe
not because you're not of my sheep. I said unto you, my sheep,
hear my voice. I know them and they follow me.
They're going to. Other sheep I have, he said,
which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. They too shall
hear my voice and be one fold and one shepherd. So that's what
Paul's saying over there. I endure whatever I endure for
the elect's sake. That doesn't stop us from being
burdened for people and stop us from grieving our Lord Jesus
Christ when he spoke to the rich young ruler who had many possessions,
who turned and walked away. He didn't keep our Lord from
the apostle reporting that Christ looked on him and loved him. Then in Titus 1 verse 1, Titus
chapter 1 verse 1, listen to this. Paul, a servant of God and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect. Paul says, I am a bondslave of
God, I'm an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith
of God's elect. I'll tell you what this is saying.
It is denoting It is Paul revealing the agreement
between his ministry and the faith of all the saints of God
under every dispensation. What Paul is saying here, I'm
saying what Moses said. I'm saying what Isaiah said.
I'm saying what David said. My ministry, my message, my apostleship
is according to the faith of God's elect in every generation,
for there is but one faith. There is but one faith. And all
of the elect of God have the same faith. There's one faith,
one foundation, one Savior. Abraham saw my day, he said,
and was glad. Turn to Romans 1. I'll show you
an illustration of that. Romans chapter 1. Paul, a servant, bond slave again,
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the
gospel of God, which he had promised afore by his prophets in the
Holy Scriptures, concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Paul says, my gospel is the gospel of the Old Testament. My gospel
is the gospel of Isaiah, the gospel of Jeremiah, the gospel
of Moses. It's according to the faith of
God's elect. They may call themselves by different
names, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Nazarene, what have you. They
may worship in different places, cathedrals, synagogues, churches,
temples, brush arbors, tents. They may worship under different
forms of church government, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, or what have
you. They may have two pulpits up
here, one to read from, one to preach from. But wherever you
find one of God's elect, he knows he's a sinner who has been lifted
by the grace of God from the dunghill and washed in the blood
of Jesus Christ and given the grace to believe and the grace
to repent and the grace to continue in Christ, and he knows God did
it, he didn't do it. I don't care where you find them.
That's the faith of God's elect. You find someone who believes
that he contributed something to the salvation of his soul,
he's not one of God's elect, because that's not the faith
of God's elect. You find somebody who felt, feels
like that Jesus Christ paid an installment and he pays the rest
of them, that's not the faith of God's elect. Jesus paid it
all, all the debt out. You find somebody that believes
that he took the first step and God made him halfway, that's
not one of God's elect, because that's not faith of God's elect.
Jonah said salvation's of the Lord, that's the faith of God's
elect. David said the salvation of the righteous is of God and
of him only. That's the faith of God's elect.
The Apostle Paul said it's all of grace and not of works, that's
the faith of God's elect. The Apostle wrote, Not according
to our works, but according to His mercy He saved us. That's
the faith of God's elect. And it's the same. The faith
of God's elect. That's what Paul's saying there
in Titus. He said, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to
the faith of God's elect. And it doesn't matter. Names
don't mean anything. But that faith means something.
It's the faith of God's elect. Now turn to Romans 8. Here's
the fifth statement about God's elect, Romans 8, 33. Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? You see, the apostles
weren't ashamed of that term. Why should we tremble? Why should we be afraid? Why
should we be ashamed to use Bible language? And why do we take
the time to try to take the edge off of it? I tell you why. We're trying to win friends and
influence people to our way of thinking instead of bringing
them to the knowledge of God. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? Now, wait a minute here. Are
the elect of God chargeable with nothing? They certainly are. They certainly
are. The elect of God are charged
with Adam's sin. We fell in Adam. The elect of
God are chargeable with an absence of personal righteousness. There's
none righteous, no, not one. That's true of God's elect, too.
The elect of God are chargeable with multitudes of sin before
conversion. Paul said, I persecuted the Church
of God. Is he not charged with that?
He sure is. The elect of God are chargeable
with infirmities by the multitude, failures, throughout life, after
conversion, who charges them? Well, we charge ourselves. What
did Paul say? I'm the chief of sinners. O rescued
man that I am. David said, My sins are ever
before me. The elect of God charged himself. We charge one another.
Don't pretend you don't have any sin, or I'll be careful to
point out that you do. Paul said, I withstood Peter
to the face. He was to be blamed. He didn't
hesitate. Satan charges us. Satan is the
accuser of the brethren. Where you headed, preacher? Right
here. But all these charges amount
to nothing. Nothing. Since none of the divine
persons lay anything to our charge, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You charge me. That's all right. You're right.
Satan can charge me. I can charge myself. But the
scripture tells me, verse 33, look at it, "...who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect? God justified." So if
God be for me, who can be against me? The Son certainly doesn't
lay anything to my charge. He redeemed me. The Holy Spirit
certainly lays nothing to my charge. He sanctified me. On
earth there's plenty to be laid to my charge. In heaven, with
his holy spotless garments on, I'm as holy as the Holy One. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them who are in Christ. None. And that's what counts. Romans 8.34, who is he that condemneth? Why, it's Christ that died, that
is risen again, who's at the right hand of God, who'll make
us intercession for me. So who shall lay anything to
the charge of... Ain't no use me trying to say
the church member, the believer, the born again, the saint. It
says the elect. That's what it says. You can't
make it say anything else. All right, turn to Colossians
3. Here it is again. Here's Paul talking to the Church.
He says in Colossians 3 verse 12, "...put on, therefore, as
the elect of God, holy and beloved, vows of mercy, kindness, humility,
meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another and forgiving one
another." If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave
you, so also do ye." Now, over here in verse 8, turn back one
page to verse 8, chapter 3, the Apostle exhorts the elect of
God to put off some things, to put off some things. He says,
Now you, verse 8, put off all these, anger, Wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Don't lie
to one another. You've put off the old man with
his deeds. You've put off these things that
are unbecoming, that are not characteristic of God's children. Now look back at verse 12. Now,
put on these things. Put off those things and put
on these things. What things? Bows of mercy. What
is that? Well, I'll tell you what it is.
Bows of mercy. That's inward, deep feelings
of mercy. That's a sympathizing spirit.
That's weeping with those that weep, suffering with those that
suffer. That's having a deep, sincere,
unfeigned pity and feeling for those who are weak and those
who are full of infirmities. Be tenderhearted. I'll write
the word kindness. What is kindness? Now here's
what kindness is. Kindness is that inward, tender,
genuine mercy put into action. That's exactly what kindness
is. That's doing unto others by deed and by word and by act
that which you feel for others. Humbleness of mind. What is that?
Well, that's looking on myself as being the chief of sinners.
less than the least of all the saints, inferior to others in
knowledge and gifts and graces, in ascribing all that I am and
all that I have and all that I know to the glory of God, in
doing good works without boasting and without recognition. That's
humbleness of man. He says, put on meekness, which
shows itself in not envying others. avoiding covetousness, being
content with what I am and what I have, and submitting to the
will of God and the hand of God quietly. Long-suffering, what's
that? That's patiently bearing misfortunes
and trials and persecution, wrongdoing. That's patiently bearing these
things over a period of time without vengeance. Verse 13, forbearing one another. forgiving one another. Any man
have a quarrel against any, as Christ forgave you, so do you.
These are things which are becoming to the elect of God. Put on, therefore, as the elect
of God these things which are becoming to the elect of God.
All right, let's look at another one now. This is number seven.
In Luke 18.7, I read that a moment ago, maybe some of you glanced
at it and remembered it, so let's look at it again. Luke 18.7.
Now this is important here. And shall not God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto
him, though he bear long with them? Now watch this. God's elect sometimes,
many times, suffer from the hands of wrongdoers and evil people. There's not a person here who
is the elect of God that hasn't at one time in your experience,
in your life, suffered wrongly from the hand of somebody else.
And this is for our good. This is for God's glory. Whatever
transpires in my life, whatever takes place in my life, Whatever
human instrumentality he uses to bring it to pass, it may be
a great misfortune, it may be a great loss, it may be a great
wrong, but it's all in the purpose of God. But what he's saying
here, he will avenge that wrong. One of these days he's going
to right all wrongs. One of these days he's going
to deliver his children from their adversaries. He may suffer
them to be in the hands of their adversaries for a while, like
he did his son. Behold his son in the hands of
wicked men for thirty-three and a half years. Behold his servant
Joseph in the hands of brothers who hated him, and slaves who
hated him, and magistrates who hated him, and in prison. Behold
John Bunyan in the hands of his tormentors for twelve years. But he'll deal with them. He
will someday avenge his elect. Will not God avenge his own elect? who crowned him day and night.
Yes, they may be in Egypt for 400 years, but he's going to
avenge them. They may make them make bricks
without straw, but the folks that made them do it are going
to pay for it. That's what he's saying here.
Look at the next line. Though he bear long with them,
he sometimes allows evil to prevail a long time. He sometimes puts
up with injustice after injustice after injustice until the trial
of his elect is over, until the purpose of his grace is accomplished,
until his servant is molded as he wants him to be molded, or
until his son has gone through the thirty-three and a half years
and been crucified, until the cup of his wrath is full and
then their foot will slide. That's what he said. Their foot
will slide in due time. Our Lord was taken by wicked
hands in Jerusalem, scourged, spit upon, mocked, ridiculed,
taken outside the wall, nailed to a cross, but seventy years
later, God tore that place to smithereens and plowed up the
ground and sowed salt in it. He will avenge his elect. Now,
you and I get in a hurry. Something happens today, we want
paid for tomorrow. Something happens this week,
and we want the adversary struck down next week. But God doesn't
operate that way. And as I've advised people so
often, when you're wronged and mistreated and lied about and
cursed, these trials are brought to bear, God's the first cause.
And he's doing it to mold you and to break you and to humble
you and me and make of us what he wants us to be made, and he's
using human instruments to do it. And he may bear with them
a long time, but he'll take care of payday. That's his business. That's God's business to pay
the wages of sin, and he'll pay them. It's God's business to
deal with rebels, and he'll deal with them. And I'll tell you
this, he'll deal with them sooner if we'll learn our lessons a
little sooner. And he'll deal with them for his glory if we'll
back off and let him do it. We say the battle is the Lord's,
and then we turn around and do all the fighting. We say God
adds to the church and takes away as it seemeth good in him,
we go out and drag them in, then discipline and kick them out. And we're not letting God do
his work. We're not giving God the glory. Just preach the word
and back off. Watch God move. And it'll amaze
you what he'll do. He'll do it for his glory. God
will avenge his elect. And God deals permanently with
folks. It's a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of an angry God. All right, look at Mark 13, 22.
Now, what's this? And it's something that, right
here, that needs to be emphasized strongly, and that is, the elect
cannot be deceived. Now, Satan's subtle and he deceives
men, but not the elect. False teachers will cause many
to run after them, but not the elect. False Christ, Antichrist,
A fella like Leroy Jenkins can get multitudes of people
to run after him, charlatan, thief. Christ said,
uh, they come in their own names and you believe them, I come
in my father's name and you believe me not, but not their left. It
says here in verse 22, "...for false Christs and false prophets
shall rise and show signs and wonders to seduce, if it were
possible, even the elect." But it ain't possible, because they
just hear one shepherd and another shepherd they will not follow. Sure, the heart is deceitful
and desperately wicked. Sure, men are given strong delusions
to believe a lie and be damned for believing it, but not the
other way. No, sir. John said they went out from
us because they never were of us. If they had been of us, they
no doubt would have continued with us. Old Queenie won't follow anybody
but her Master. She knows his voice. She doesn't
recognize the voice of another shepherd. Matthew
24, verse 31, and he shall send forth his angels This is the end of the world,
with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together,
he is elect, from the four winds, from one
end of heaven to the other. Sweet rivers of redeeming love
lie just before my eyes, had I the pinions of a dove, I'd
to those regions fly. I'd rise superior to my pain,
with joy outstrip the wind. I'd cross death's cold and stormy
main and leave this world behind. A few more days or years at most,
my trials will all be over, and I will join the Heavenly Host
on that eternal shore. My raptured soul shall drink
and feast in love's unbounded sea. The glorious hope of eternal
rest is ravishing to me. O come, my Savior, come away
and bear me through the sky. Don't let thy chariot wheels
delay, make haste and bring it nigh. I hope to see the glorious
face and in his image shine. I'll triumph in victorious grace,
I'll be forever He shall send his angels and
gather his elect. Our Lord knows them. He knows
where they are. And in his own good time, he'll
go out and gather them and bring them home. His elect. Our Father, for thy word we give
thee thanks. How comforting, how rich, how
precious. We need to sit at Thy feet and
close our mouths and open our ears and listen. Let us be slow
to speak and swift to hear and ready to obey. Still the clamoring voices about
us, O Lord, and let us hear Thee speak through Thy Word. Precious
Word. Anoint this message and use it
for thy glory. We submit to thee and to thy
divine purpose. Thou doest all things well. In
the name of Christ we pray, amen.

The Elect of God

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The Elect of God

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