Sound Doctrine: God's Purpose of Grace

Take your Bibles if you would please and turn to 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13 will be the start of our text today. And I'd like to speak to you on God's purpose of grace. God's purpose of grace includes the doctrine of election. And I'd like to speak to you on that subject today on the purposes of

God's grace through the doctrine of election. And I pray that it would be not only humbling to us but encouraging and comforting to us as well. As you turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13, I want you to see in the text before our text that the people of the Thessalonian church were disturbed. And this doctrine brings them from a disturbed perspective on life to being a firm perspective on life. They would go from being disturbed to firm in their faith. This is really neat and as they faced some disturbing news from some false prophets, Paul wrote them a letter and he firmed up their faith and he encouraged them. So take a look with me in the Bible in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 13 and following. And let's look at the text and kind of take our time and then get into it. Alright, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13 says, "But we," okay, "but" is a conjunction and it's as opposed to what was ahead. And we'll talk about the first part of chapter 2 here in just a moment, but to get going, "but we," the Thessalonian church, the Christians, "but we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation." And that word chosen there is an amazing word. It means to take out, to select, to pick out with kindness. And so from the mercy of God, from the kindness of our God, he reaches into a depraved being and he helps you be saved, okay?

And now I want you to see if you would just hold your place right there and turn to James chapter 2 verse 5. How this is not only the place where we see this being done, but most people would think of the book of James as the modern or practical book in the New Testament. It has a lot of practical application, maybe the New Testament proverbs. But in James chapter 2 and verse 5, you see this subject as well being brought up. Hold your place in 2 Thessalonians and look with me here in James chapter 2 verse 5. "Listen, my beloved brethren, did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?"

And so James, the apostle here, also believes in this doctrine of election. So back to 2 Thessalonians in regards to this word chosen, not only does James and Paul talk about these things, but it's all over the Bible when you really start to see this doctrine. It's beautiful. God has chosen you.

But with the balance of being chosen by God, hold your place right here and just go up a few verses and read with me in verse 10. I want you to see a balance here so that you don't get imbalanced with this doctrine. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 10, "And with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth as to be saved." They didn't receive it.

You see the responsibility for people to hear the gospel, to repent and have faith in the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so both are taught in the Scriptures.

So back to verse 13, "Because God has chosen you from the beginning." That should sound very familiar, by the way. From the beginning, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, right? It's easy to remember this fundamental truth when it comes to the doctrine of election. God goes first. That's very easy. God goes first. And so in the beginning is a reference to in the beginning, and that word beginning is of God who is the first cause. And so God causes these things. He's the first cause. He is the active agent that regenerates. And this word beginning is referencing the origin. Alright? So God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation.

Here salvation is what you think it is. It's deliverance. Alright? For salvation through sanctification. This Greek word sanctification refers to the process of sanctification, not the final result. And so don't think that you're going to be perfect before you get to heaven. And do not let anybody lead you to believe that either. I know husbands, you say that your princesses are just perfect and sinless and loving and kind, and they see right through your smiles, and they should, but you should build them up as well. Listen to me. We're all sinners in need of a savior, and the process of sanctification is going to be until you get your glorified body. In the Greek, sanctification refers to a process. In the Greek, salvation refers to a one-time event. One and done, okay? So that is comforting. So salvation through sanctification by the spirit and faith in truth. Truth is, in the Greek here, an objective reality. It's not subjective. It's an objective reality, aka or otherwise known as Christian doctrine. The doctrine that we believe is objective truth.

Verse 14, "It was," that's past tense, by the way, "It was for this He called you through our gospel that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught. Standing firm in the faith is to be strong. Standing firm in your faith is to be unmovable. Standing firm in your faith is to be mighty and to master the position which you have.

We have not yet mastered the position that we have in our salvation and sanctification, especially when we become full of worry and anxiety, and we perhaps tremble over unnecessary things, or we're disturbed like the Thessalonica Church was in the beginning part of chapter 2 here. You have not yet mastered who you are in Christ. And so to stand firm and to hold means to master your position and prevail. Master your position and prevail. Know who you are in Christ and overcome the things of this world. Overcome temptation. Overcome worry. Overcome all of the stresses of this world. Have security in your faith because God did it. Stand firm in who you are in Christ because you are bought with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do not capitulate to the ways of the world. Do not partner with the ways of the world. James 4:4 says that partnership with the world is enmity or hostility toward God. Stand firm in your faith. Do not give an inch to the ways of the world.

Keep your light shining as bright as you possibly can in a world that wants to dim your light. Continue to speak clearly in love. Continue to keep your wellspring of life pure. From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:36–37. So keep the wellspring of your life as pure as you possibly can. Root out sin. Block sin. Be holy.

You know I was told as a young man that I was too heavenly minded to be any earthly good. And it took me a while to kind of figure whether or not that was a true statement or not. And through some good men in my life who said no, be as heavenly minded as you possibly can because the more that you talk about the Bible which was the point of the text or the text, the point of the conversation. They were saying you talk about the Bible too much. You talk about Jesus too much. And I was affirmed to say no, keep talking about Jesus. Keep talking about the Bible. People need to hear about the Lord because people need the Lord. And so don't let people dim your light and say back off on all of that Jesus stuff. It's just too much or too bright.

Well you're doing a good thing if you're speaking loud and clear enough to where people are pushing back. Because at that very moment they're considering Christ, right? The gospel itself is offensive because it reveals the sin nature. And unless people will bow before a holy God and say God forgive me, I repent of my sins, shall I ever be saved? And so keep shining a light. Light exposes darkness and that's who we are. We are to be a light for Christ in this dark world.

So stand firm. Don't let your light be dimmed. You can't put a basket on top of your head and walk around. You can't be a Christian and dim your light.

So stand firm and hold fast to the traditions. Right?

The traditions here is transferred truth. Transferred truth. In Psalm chapter 78, the fathers were exposed for not transferring truth to the next generation. And God blamed the fathers for not transferring the truth to the next generation as to why in the wilderness God had to wait 40 years for that rebellious generation to die off. It was the father's fault, God says in Psalm 78 verses 1 through 8 several times because you did not tell the next generation about the truths of God.

And all they simply had to do was remember the oral traditions, the orally communicate what God has done by delivering their forefathers from Egypt into Canaan land.

This is a very clear metaphor picture from darkness into the light. It's a picture of salvation and along the way God parted the Red Sea. He gave them manna and water in the desert. These are wonderful truths that we need to continuously brag on our wonderful God and savior about.

So fathers have to be talking about God. They have to pass these traditions, but not only the traditions which you were taught, it's whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

And so now that we have the divinely inspired word of God, this authoritative document that is without error, we now have the ability to review, review, and review and take and then regurgitate what we have reviewed. It's much easier now. Praise the Lord.

Now in verse 16 it says, "Now may the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father who has loved us and given us an eternal circle this word, comfort, an eternal comfort and a good hope by grace." Circle this word again, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

You're going to be comforted by this doctrine because it's God who does it, you can't undo what God has done. This is very comforting for those who do not have a complete security in their salvation because they can realize that when God does it, it's a done deal. You comfort one another with this doctrine and then strengthen one another.

The Bible says in verse 17, "To strengthen your hearts."

This means to fix your hearts on the solid truth. This means to set. It's kind of like concrete that sets. And once it sets, it is firm. A firm foundation. Your heart should be like concrete when it comes to your beliefs in God. And so fix yourself, set yourselves. This is to make yourselves sound.

The only way to make yourselves sound and firm is to have a regular diet of God's word. Eat this, digest it, get as much as you possibly can.

In this day, we have MP3, we have media, all kinds of things where you can be receiving and hearing God's word over and over and over.

I highly recommend a regular diet of hearing God's word. Nothing substitutes for God's word. Sermons are awesome. You can be edified, encouraged, corrected by sermons. That's phenomenal. Listen to the right sermons. I'm telling you this though, nothing is a substitute for God's word. A regular reading and studying of God's word. There's nothing better than Bible study. And we want all of our people studying the Bible and making disciples.

So here, I just want to encourage you, the way that you strengthen your heart is through the word of God. Get as much of Christ as you possibly can in the word of God. This is going to be comforting for you because the purpose of God's grace does this.

Number one, it displays sovereignty. Turn to Romans chapter 9. And I want you to see the display of God's sovereignty in the purpose of grace through election. Romans 9:23. It displays his glorious sovereignty in that this is an act that he did. And when he does it, it brings glory to him. In Romans 9:23–24, the Bible says, "And he also, and he did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy which he prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom he also called, not from among the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles."

Here you see that the riches of His glory is upon the vessels of mercy which he prepared beforehand. That's that beginning action. For what? For glory. To display His glory. To display his attributes. To display God. He did this. So God's attributes on display here because of his glorious work of redemption.

And not only that, it promotes humility. Turn to

1 Corinthians 4:7.

1 Corinthians 4:7 is a very good example of how we see humility in this doctrine. It's a beautiful thing.

Most folks when they're not saved would read quickly through the Bible and see perhaps Paul as a braggadocious man. But that's not true. In 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 7, it's really neat to see him and how humble he is right here.

1 Corinthians 4:7.4, "Who regards you as superior?" Question mark. "For who regards you as superior?" "What do you have that you did not receive?" And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

And so Paul here is saying, not only I received it, and so I have no reason to boast, but you received it. You have no reason to boast. We should be humble. This promotes humility. God's purpose of grace in the doctrine of election not only displays his sovereignty, but it promotes humility.

We know that because he did it. We had no part in it. He saved us.

And so now we look at him from a humble perspective, not as a private perspective, because we had nothing to do with getting a new heart. And believe me, I was just talking with someone here recently who received a new heart. They felt they were saved their entire life. Their entire life they were in church. I'm talking about 35 plus years of going to good churches. And now just as of recent, there has been life change, like a dramatic life change. Like really, really, really big. And what he's describing is a new heart. And God does that. We talked about that through the doctrine of regeneration here, not more than a Sunday or two ago. And so when God regenerates the heart, when he gives you a new heart, when he gives you that, you have new desires. Things actually change. You go from desiring your sin to hating your sin. You go from desiring the things of this world to thinking that those things of this world are worthless. And you change your motives. Your motives have been changed from the inside out. So you see God's glory in it, and it humbles you.

And then from there, it encourages evangelism.

Turn to 2 Timothy with me. 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2. And chapter 2 and verse 6. 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 6 and following. We're going to read down to verse 10. I want you to see how this is going to encourage you to evangelize because you believe in the means. And so the hard-working farmer in 2 Timothy 2.6, the hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive the share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord would give you understanding in everything. Remember that Jesus Christ risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to imprisonment as a criminal. But for the word of God is not imprisoned. For this reason I endure all things. For the sake of those who are chosen so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

It is amazing to see how far the Apostle Paul is willing to go and how much he's willing to endure because he believes in the means.

And when you see this doctrine for what it truly is, I'm telling you, you will not only see His glory and be humbled by it, but be encouraged to evangelize because you believe in the means that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

And that's what you do in the end of Romans 10:17. You believe in it because God said it. And now you do it.

This is something that is so encouraging to be a part of the process.

And then what it does in the end is it promotes assurance.

You are solid in your salvation because God did it. Turn to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 is phenomenal. In verse 28 when it comes to your absolute assurance in the whole process from beginning to end.

You see, God is outside of time. And so not only does God save from the beginning of the foundations of the world, from before the foundations of the world, but he also has already seen sanctification and glorification in your life. God being outside of time sees time in the present tense. He is omnipresent. What does it mean to be omnipresent except to be present at all time? And so he sees time not like we are seeing time unravel. Okay, day by day by day, minute by minute. God has not, has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God? Okay, you follow me?

God is not waiting to find something out. But we sure are.

I don't even know what I'm going to eat for lunch. But God knows he is omnipresent. He sees everything now. Okay, it's kind of like a flash drive with all the information on it. Can you imagine being able to know 126 gigabytes of information now? Man, I wish I could recall people's names like now. Wow.

Look at Romans 8:28. This is this is great when it comes to building up your assurance. Romans 8:28 and we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose. And for those who whom He foreknew okay from before time before news, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of God. So you are predestined to be sanctified conform to His image in the now. So God is speaking from not only the past tense of what has happened and what he knew what would happen, but now you're being sanctified. Okay, conform to the image of his son so that he would be the first born among many brethren and these whom he predestined. He also called and these whom he called. He also justified and these whom he justified. He also future tense glorified.

We are waiting to be glorified and God to finish sanctifying us. Hurry up Lord sanctify me a whole lot more. I hate struggling with my sin.

That should be our prayer, but God already sees all that he already knows all of that and since it's a done deal it comforts us and it secures us in our salvation with him.

We are providentially secure because it's he who has done the work and it's not up to us to keep it done. It's already been done. So the sanctification is already done.

This is actually hard to comprehend that not only salvation is already a done deal, but even the works that God has for you to do are a done deal. Turn to Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 10.

You've got to see this. It's great. We all know Ephesians 1:4 where he chose us in him from before the foundation of the world. Okay, we get the adoption from before the foundation of the world that he chose us, but not only that, but in our present tense, which is omnipresent for God both the past in the future and now verse 10. God has created us to do good works and he prepared the good works from before time began as well. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

He's prepared the works that you are to do the works that you've already done for Christ. The good deeds. He already knew that you would do those because he pre planned those and so be comforted. God's already got it in control. He already has decided to provide for what he wants you to do. God has ordered these things and believe me God pays for what he orders. Amen. So many times, whether it's missionaries or whether it's pastors or whatever you get a divine understanding that you are to go reach the nations perhaps be a missionary perhaps go. Pastor church perhaps go to seminary perhaps as a layman is a regular Christian go across the street and share your faith or whatever the case know that God has already paid for it and simply walk in the soundness in the confidence of what God has already done and who he is. This doctrine of election includes all of this and it is beautiful because it displays a sovereignty. It promotes our humility. It encourages evangelism and it provides a sense of assurance in our faith. This is God's grace and when we embrace God's grace, it's on display for others to see it. It's wonderful.

Now the call to come to Christ was very evident last week and I will give you this last week sounded perhaps or the week before very Armenian and Charles Spurgeon said when you are a preacher of the Bible sometimes the text will make you sound Arminian. Sometimes the text will make you sound Calvinistic.

Today's message sounds very Calvinistic but you know that we're not given to man's theological frameworks. We just want to be faithful to sound doctrine and preach the Bible.

So wherever we're at, we're going to say what the Bible says and let God get all of the glory and so faithful preaching includes preaching the text and sometimes you just simply have to default on what Deuteronomy chapter twenty nine verse twenty nine says the secret thing is that we are not given to man's theological frameworks. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things revealed belong to us. Even Moses knew that there are things our finite minds cannot understand and even in our text today we see both being chosen from before the foundation of the world and also the fact that they did not repent and believe. I'll prove to you again in second Thessalonians chapter two verse ten they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved sometimes we have to deal with these tensions and preaching by faith.

You believe that right?

If there are things you just simply have to believe by faith.

If you don't believe that I challenge you to explain to me the Trinity.

If you don't believe that I challenge you to describe to me the fact that you know that Christ was incarnate that he was born of a virgin.

If you do not believe things by faith and I challenge you to tell me how can we obtain an invisible God.

Everything is by faith. You push the gas pedal in your car by faith. You push the brake pedal by faith. We are people and without faith it is impossible to please God period and so we are people of faith but we have not a hope so faith but a no so faith. These things are rooted in the inerrant Word of God in the trustworthiness of who God is and so God's purpose of grace today is going to help us to understand these things.

Now I want to go back in the top of chapter two with you and give you some more comfort because the Thessalonian church was disturbed because there was a false rumor going around that they had missed the coming of Jesus Christ.

Let's read it and I want you to have a concrete faith as things in this world could perhaps be getting worse, and worse, and worse. In second Thessalonians chapter two verse one I'm going to let this unfold and you receive the comfort of this doctrine yourself because these guys in the Thessalonian church were way disturbed but Paul acknowledges this disturbance. He asked them not to be deceived but then to be comforted and firm in their faith down in our text. Second Thessalonians chapter two verse one now we request you brethren with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed the son of destruction who opposes and exalts Himself above every so called God or object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of God displaying Himself as being God. Do not do you not remember that while I was still with you I was telling you these things and do you know that what restrains him now so that in his time he will be revealed for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work only he who now restrains you will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth and bring an end by the appearance of His coming that is the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders and with all deception of wickedness for those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence it seems like we're at today and the deluding influence so that they will believe what is false in order that they may all be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure and wickedness and then here's the conjunction but but we should always give thanks to God for you brethren beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification. By the spirit and faith and truth it was for this he called you through our gospel that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ so then brethren stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught whether by word of mouth or by letter and with from us now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God the Father who has loved us and given us an eternal comfort and good hope by grace comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good word and work.

Do you see how things getting worse, and worse, and worse should not disturb you but give you comfort and hope because you believe what the Bible says this doctrine of God's election by His grace and mercy should bring you confidence in him so do not be quickly shaken do not be disturbed Paul is telling these guys right here that sound doctrine will bring you from being disturbed to being firm sound doctrine is what does it.

It's not a milkshake all right and you're worried it's it's it's not I don't know talking and talking and talking and talking for endless hours on the phone it's not doing endless amounts of research to see what everybody has to say it's studying the Bible, Bible, Bible, Bible sound doctrine will bring you from being disturbed to being firm in these end times and I'm telling you we need to understand this is by God's grace that we're going to be disturbed. We're saved and it's by God's grace we can be sanctified and it's by God's grace that we can be sound in our faith and so his choosing to us is comforting listen to what the new American commentary says on page two fifty one when it comes to God's electing grace yet the fact that

God chooses is not presented as an act that limits the availability of salvation you see here he is promoting the fact that we need to be evangelizing and there is no direct statement in the New Testament to the effect that the option of salvation is unavailable to certain persons by the way and attending the last ligand nears conference I was very encouraged by the by the pressing in on the people to evangelize to convince people to repent and believe by faith that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again for our sins and then he goes on to finish up by saying this but sadly some will choose to not avail themselves to God's salvation and I believe that that is what God is. Well written so the fact is men love their sin and unless they are shown that they are sinners and they're standing underneath the wrath of God they will never repent and believe and so here we see that chosen is the subject for us to be able to believe that not only do we need to believe that he selects us but we need to preach by faith and proclaim by faith in the gospel because we believe in the means of salvation people come to faith because they hear the gospel one of the secret little lies from hell is this preach if necessary use words you heard that before it's almost like it's getting the gospel it's been widely said that you should just be on display as a Christian and you don't really need to talk about the gospel you don't need to say things that's wrong because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God is so we believe in the means when you believe in God's sovereignty you believe in the means of salvation. Evangelism.

John 13:18 the Bible says I know whom I have chosen. Now for the Thessalonica, it's a very comforting verse. Why is it comforting? Because Satan hasn't any power over what God has chosen. If God has chosen you and you are saved, then you are saved. I like to word it like this, Satan is like a dog on a leash with no teeth. Seriously, he can only go so far, he's on a leash.

Look at the life of Joseph. Look at the life of Paul. Look at all the lives in the Bible. Satan can only do what he wants to do to you to the extent for which God allows him to.

Look at the life of Job.

All of these things, all of the apostles, all of our church fathers, they went through these means of suffering because they were evangelists, because they were disciple makers, and God gave them the grace to suffer. And believe me, it takes God's grace not only to be saved but to suffer for His glory to be able to sing a hymn while you're being crucified. That is what God can do for us.

This is comforting even though we have been called not only to be saved but to suffer. It is comforting knowing that God will strengthen you. He will. He will give you the ability to finish the race that he has pre-planned for you. So there's no fear in suffering. God gives you the strength to endure it. There's no fear in evangelism because God has given the ability to share and who cares if they reject you because you've been bought by Jesus Christ. You're an owned entity. You're his. And so you just be faithful, evangelized, share Christ. And if they reject you, Jesus said, "Actually, they're rejecting me because I own you." So just be faithful. Do you realize how comforting this doctrine really is?

In verse 16 and verse 17, it repeats the comfort and that helps us always to understand the emphasis of the text.

And when you have this eternal comfort and good hope by grace and this comfort and you have been strengthened in your heart, it's almost like you are impenetrable. You can steadfast, you can be steadfast. You can be firm in your faith. You can be solid. You can go through life with a sense of assurance and steadfastness and nobody can rock your boat. It's almost like you can sail through the storm with Jesus because you know that he's going to keep you. It's not up to you to patch the boat. It's just up to you to be faithful, to keep trying, to keep working.

So hence this comfort is alongside you. Get this, comfort in the Greek is pericalitis. Does that sound familiar? Because the Holy Spirit is a periclete. This comfort in the Greek is beside you. So do you realize that the amount of anxiety relieving comfort that is available to you, it is right beside you. This comfort is periclete this right beside you and it can cling to you. You can believe and receive this comfort and walk in soundness.

This doctrine of God's sovereignty through election as grace being distributed to you sets you on solid ground because you don't have to keep yourself saved. Cling to this. Be comforted by this.

There's so many folks who have grown up in an Armenian atmosphere where they believe that they can lose their salvation. If they send one time they're going to hell and that is not God's plan to treat you like a yo-yo in your faith and where you go to sleep and you're wondering did I sin? Did I say something bad today? Am I gonna die and if I go to sleep and I die am I gonna go to hell? That's psychologically abusive and God is one who is comforting and he is removing all of this types of fear. In God there is no fear. Perfect love casts out fear the Bible says and so this doctrine is worth talking about to everybody whom we possibly can because there is a ton of churches out there that believe that you can lose your salvation and the pastors and preachers actually believe that they have to Lord that over you to keep you saved and sanctified. Lest they threaten you with losing your salvation they feel like they have the ability to say if you are saved or not lest they threaten you will you keep coming to church keep giving stay sanctified and stay in faith.

That is the flip side of this doctrine and it is worth opposing it. It is worth defending this doctrine.

It's worth knowing that there are lots of folks out there who go to churches who believe they can lose their salvation and all you got to do is sit down and study the Bible with them and show them that not only is there salvation something that happened from before the time before the foundation of the world but also their sanctification their works in Ephesians 2:10 but not only their salvation and sanctification but according to Romans 8:28 and following their glorification it's already done it's a done deal and so if God is omnipresent and all-powerful and this is something that he does rest in this and proclaim it and show people that God's grace not only but it's saved but it sanctifies and it also glorifies and so now as I start to land this plane I want you to know that

God's grace through the doctrine of election has the purpose of saving sinners and sanctifying the saints and it is not up to your merit.

God did not choose based upon your merit.

God chooses based upon whom he selects and

God's grace through the doctrine of election based on foreseen faith. God did not look through the sayings of time to see who might choose him and select them.

That's a common misbelief especially in the Baptist world. God doesn't need to wait and see who will believe and select them or he doesn't look down through time to see who would believe. He's not dependent upon you. You do not have anything to do with that if you did. Listen how dangerous this is.

If you did have something to do with your salvation Paul addressed it in the book of Galatians that Christ died needlessly.

It took the blood of Christ not only to save the innocent little five-year-old girl but it also took the blood of Christ to save the innocent. And so if you believe that somehow by your words you can speak and create a new heart or you can do good works and do enough works and not have enough merit to be good, you're nullifying the cross.

It is by God's plan that you would be a gift to Christ as a believer.

Read John chapter 17. "You saved, sanctified, glorified entity, a soul. You are a gift to Jesus and God is already foreordained it."

And so God did not look down through time as if he is waiting to have an epiphany to see who would believe and then choose them. That's not true from before the foundation of the world. God predestined us to be saved in Ephesians 4 and also

God's grace through the doctrine of election is very consistent with man's free will. First Timothy 2, 1 to 4 talks about how God wants all people to be saved. And so the responsibility to repent and believe is there upon us.

Here we see that God's grace is not only consistent with all of the word of God, it is consistent with God's justice.

And I want to drive this point home one more riveting time. It is consistent with God's justice.

Election deals with the condemned, those who will be rightfully punished for eternity in hell.

And the fact that anyone is saved is by God's grace and mercy. The fact that anybody is saved is a matter of God's kindness, his pure grace. There is no injustice to God. But if you do not believe that, you do not believe in God's sovereign grace, you are in fact indicting God. This is dangerous ground. You are in fact accusing God of injustice. And in Romans chapter 9 makes it very clear that you're on shaky ground.

Turn there with me. I want you to see how you cannot in yourself indict God of being unjust by selecting some and not selecting others. That is not what the doctrine of salvation is all about. It is about the kindness of our God saving some so that they would be saved. This is dangerous ground.

And the Bible says in Romans 9:20, "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded? Will it not say to the molder, Why did you make me like this, will it? Or does not the potter have the right over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and the other for common use? What if God although willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And he did also so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy which he prepared beforehand for glory even us whom he is also called not from among Jews only but also from among Gentiles."

Folks, let me tell you, it is God's active work to save. It is not his active work to condemn to hell. His active work is reaching into a condemned humanity and saving those whom he elects. So God's active work is only to save. His active work is not to destroy. Praise God that he saves anybody.

So be careful not to charge a just God with injustice. If you do not embrace this doctrine to the fullest extent for which the Bible makes clear you are in fact charging a just God with injustice.

And I'm asking you, embrace this doctrine by faith. Believe it.

This is something that requires folks to come to terms with.

One of our own said here recently, "

When you first get saved, you're an Arminian. And then when you get sanctified, you're a Calvinist." When you sanctify, did I say that right?

When you first get saved, you're an Arminian. And when you get sanctified, you're a Calvinist.

What he's saying by that is that when you first get saved, you truly, experientially believe, "I chose God." I mean, I believed in him. I repented. And that is true. It's your responsibility to repent and believe. But then as you grow and you study God's Word, you see, well, it was from the foundation of the world. He did have all of this all planned out.

And so now you embrace the doctrines of grace. You see what theologians in the timeless past have written down. You see that this is true. You see that God is just, not unjust in doing this.

And so this doctrine of grace, it displays God's glorious sovereignty. It promotes humility. It encourages evangelism. And it provides assurance to the believers.

I want you to listen to me as I read this hymn, and then we'll stand and sing it as we close. God's grace is greater than all of our sin. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord. Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. Yonder on Calvary's mountain out poured. There where the blood of the lamb was spilled. Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that will pardon and cleanse within. Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that is greater than all of our sin. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace. Freely bestowed on all who believe. You that are longing to see His face. Will you this moment His grace receive.

Pray with me, Father. Thank you for this marvelous hymn. Help us to embrace this doctrine by faith and to be comforted by it, strengthened by it, to proclaim it freely. Dear God, we pray. We pray as well, Father, if anyone has not received your marvelous grace, your electing grace, that they have not repented and placed their faith and trust in you, that they will, during this invitation, not waste another moment, not depend upon another day that is not promised to us, but today, bow before you and say, God, I am sorry. Forgive me. I repent my sin. Save me. Dear God, I pray that that would be the condition of their heart. And whether they say it or whether they believe it, you would save them. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.