Beyond the Basics: God’s Eternal Election

 

Throughout his letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul recounts the blessings God had given to the Ephesians. My dear friends, in Christ Jesus, God has given those blessings to you. Paul the Apostle was not afraid to share the basics of Christianity with the Ephesians and to go beyond the basics and even speak to them about their eternal election by God. Today we are reminded of the basics of Christian teaching and we go beyond the basics to consider the Scriptural teaching of God’s Eternal Election. We will consider the inspired words of the Apostle  Paul in Ephesians 1:3-7 and Romans 8:28-30. I ask that you follow along in the bulletin as I ask several questions and then take the time to fill out the answers in the bulletin to certain statements about the Scriptural teaching of election.

 

Question #1 When did God pick you  that is predestine you to know Jesus? The answer is very clear in the first verses of Ephesians. Ephesians 1:3-7 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” The blessings of the forgiveness of sins, the hope of eternal life and the constant love and protection of our eternal God is ours in Christ Jesus. Look carefully at verse 4 and what the Bible says. For he (God) chose us in him before the creation of the world.

 

Wasn’t it my decision, my idea to become a Christian? Answer: No it wasn’t. God called you by his own glory (guess what—you exist for his purpose!) and goodness (he decided to like you!). Paul writes in Ephesians 2:1-3 that they were and we are by nature objects of wrath. By nature we are spiritually dead with no desire to love God or do his will. Ephesians 2:1–3 “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. “ What is absolutely clear as we look into this box called the teaching of God’s eternal election which is only for the eyes of the believers that your salvation from eternal damnation is 100% God and 0 % you. Take a look at you bulletins and the first statement. Question #1 When did God pick you that is predestine you to know Jesus?Answer: Your election took place in eternity before the creation of the world.

It is so important that as we look into the box of this teaching called election for the eyes of the believers only that we understand the context of this teaching of God’s eternal election. Question #2 What is the context of your election to know Jesus? The answer is in our first lesson today from Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. The God who predestined you or elected before the creation of the world did not stop there. He called you out of the darkness of unbelief to know his Son Jesus who was born as God and man and died a horrible death on the cross for all of your sins. He declared you not guilty by the work of Jesus Christ. He made you holy through the work of the Holy Spirit who brought you to faith through the means of grace. He will finally glorify you when he brings you into his eternal glory. Answer #2 God foreknew you. God predestined you. God called you.  God justified you. God will glorify you.

#3. How are you to use the teaching of election? Remember that the doctrine of election is for the eyes of the believers. Romans 8:28 is one of the most comforting passages of Scripture is in the context of the Scriptural teaching of election. Answer #3 Your election is for your comfort. If you were to talk to pastors about which portions of the Scripture they will often use in a tragedy or crisis you will discover that it is often from the beautiful comforting chapter of Romans 8 and specifically Romans 8:28. Romans 8:28 is in the context of the teaching of God’s eternal election as recorded in Romans 8:29-30. 

 

In 1978 I was serving in Sacramento California. That year out in the field is called the vicar year. I was making a hospital call on Erwin. He was from Zealand, North Dakota. He had gone to a year of Christian high school. He strayed from the Lord and hearing the Word of the Lord. Erwin in his early twenties ended up working in Sacramento. Erwin tried to take his life. He took a shotgun to his chin and blew off his face. He was blind and having his face reconstructed. I had several opportunities to times to visit with Erwin. I looked to the Lord for help and strength every time I visited with Irwin. I often shared with him Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God uses everything for our eternal good. Erwin grew in his faith and his service to the Lord. My dear friend let not situation cause you ever to doubt God’s love for you. Let no situation ever cause you to question the love of God.

 

As we live our lives in Jesus and reach out to those who do not know Jesus we have been asked to go to the nations because God so loved the world. God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. I do not ask another person if he is an elect but I point out his sin and need for a Savior and share the truth that Jesus died for him. Your election is for your comfort and it is a teaching that belongs in a box for the eyes of the believer.

 

#4. What is the end result of the knowledge of your election? Go back to the verses in the epistle lesson,

 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Answer # 4 God’s grace is praised. 100% God 0 %  you.     

 

I remember one day when I took my twelve year old son in a 14 foot sail boat on Lake Mendota. It was the first time he sailed the boat totally on his own as I found a spot on the front of the boat. When we got out to the middle of the lake we discovered why we were going so fast. The wind had come up and there were white caps. We were having so much fun on the lake and we did not realize the lake was empty of boats. When we turned the boat around to go back into the shore we capsized. We both had life jackets on but I made the mistake of pulling out the mast and started to go under. A boat came along and pulled us out of the water. I did not beckon the boat. I did not create the boat. I did not ask the boat to come look for me. The same is true when we look at our eternal rescue by God. God did it everything necessary for our eternal rescue. Without the teaching of eternal election by God you do not have 100% God and 0% you. God’s Grace is praised.        

 

 In Christ Jesus we are sure that we are among the elect because we know and believe that Jesus saved us. We will not want to leave him who rescued us from eternal death to eternal life. Use God means of grace to stay connected to the Lord.  In Christ Jesus we shall experience the full consolatory power of the doctrine of God’s eternal election. We shall be sure that our lives will be shaped in such a manner that God’s eternal and loving purpose concerning us will be accomplished. We shall be sure that at the end of our pilgrimage on earth Jesus will give us eternal life. This teaching of God’s eternal election is God’s truth which we believe and trust as we give all praise and glory to God alone.