...in order that the purpose of God according to election might stand...
Romans 9:11
Election is sovereign—"the purpose of God." The Bible reveals God to be sovereign in creation, providence, and salvation. When men object to God’s sovereignty exercised in election, we do well to point them to the apostle’s words in Romans 9:20,21, "Nay, but, O man, who are you to reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, "Why hast thou made
me thus?" Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?" Men have been told for so long that God is in their hands, it is no wonder that many are astonished to hear that the Bible says it is just the opposite.
David Pledger
ELECTION
When the natural ear first hears of the glorious doctrine of God's election,
there is usually an accusation (toward God) of unfairness. How could a loving
and merciful God choose one and pass by another? Surely (they say)
everyone has the right to accept or reject salvation. Though this thinking
makes sense to the natural mind, it's not consistent with scripture.
Scripture sets forth the fact that man is a depraved (spiritually dead) creature
that cannot choose right or reject wrong. Man is born with a heart that hates
the things of God. He delights in drinking iniquity like a man would drink
water. He loves darkness and hates The Light. If he is left to himself, that
man will gladly rush headlong into hell.
Election (though viewed by the natural mind as unfair) is never unto death.
The God of holy scripture has but to leave a man to his own filthy lust for that
man to have no hope. Man (in Adam) is predestined to destruction (if left to
himself), for in Adam all die ... but because of God's electing grace ... some of
those shall be plucked as brands out of the fire.
Marvin Stalnaker
"THE PEOPLE WHICH THOU HAST PURCHASED"
Exodus 15:16
Moses speaks of God's people as "the people,” a specific number of people distinguished from all others, "which thou hast purchased." In His divinely inspired song of praise to God for redemption, salvation, and grace, Moses tells us that the Lord God has a people in this world whom He has purchased.
Who are these people? They are the people of God's choice, His peculiar people. These purchased people are those men and women with whom Christ's delights were from everlasting. They are peculiarly and distinctively His (Deut. 7:7-9), chosen in electing love (John 15:16), redeemed by His precious blood (1 Peter 1:18), called by almighty grace (Psalm 65:4), and given faith in Him by the operation of His Spirit (Col. 2:12). The people of His purchase are the people He predestinated to eternal salvation and the people for whom He prays (Rom. 8:29-30; John 17:9, 20). If you are a believer, you are one of the people He has purchased.
Christ alone is the purchaser of His people. Moses says, "Thou hast purchased." He alone is able and willing to do it, for He alone is both God and man. He alone has the lawful right to do it, for He alone is our near Kinsman able to redeem us. And He alone has done it. When the Word of God speaks of redemption, it speaks of it as something already finished. "Thou hast purchased." "Ye are bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6:20). "Christ hath redeemed us" (Gal. 3:13).
The price by which Christ has purchased His people is His own precious blood (1 Peter 1:18; Rev. 5.9; Acts 20:28). Nothing so thrills a ransomed sinner like meditating upon the precious blood of Christ and the purchase He has made with His own blood. It is a special purchase. Christ purchased a special people, with a special price, for a special purpose, because of special love, to enjoy special blessings of grace and glory forever. It is a legal purchase. The people were named who would be purchased. The price was agreed upon. The purchase was made. And it can never be invalidated (Isa. 43:1). It is a full and complete purchase. This is the greatest purchase ever made. Christ has redeemed and purchased a great multitude, which no man can number, who could not have been redeemed by any price other than His own precious blood. Thank God for Christ and the purchase He has made with His precious blood!
Pastor Don Fortner |