God's Choice In Election - Part 1

Moore's Corner Church

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God's Choice In Election - Part 2

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Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts.

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Morse Corner is a non -denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist

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D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's Word through the ministries of the local church.

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If you'd like more information, visit our website, morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message.

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Good morning. Election is the topic of this morning's sermon, so turn in your

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Bibles to the book of Genesis, Genesis chapter 25. Genesis 25, election.

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So the term elect or election simply means to choose.

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So I've titled this morning's message, Chosen by God. And in Genesis 25,

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Jacob, before he was ever born, was chosen by God.

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Jacob later, as most of you know, had his name changed to Israel. And what does the

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Bible say about Israel? Isaiah 45 verse 4, the Lord refers to Israel as Israel, my elect.

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So don't miss this before we get into the subject. Jacob was chosen individually as a man.

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And Israel is also chosen corporately as a nation.

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So there is an individual choosing and a choosing of a group.

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So when God chooses, He does it individually and corporately. Do not forget that.

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Now before we begin reading in Genesis 25, the version of the Bible that we use, or at least most of us,

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I think, I use it anyways, the New King James Version, the term elect or election appears well over 30 times, around the same number of times as the word hell.

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And hell is a pretty big subject in Christianity, right? It's a pretty big deal. So I would submit to you that election is a pretty big deal.

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Now this is one of those subjects that Christians, well some don't like this topic.

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Some find it too confusing, too complicated, they can't understand it. Others will outright reject this teaching.

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And to be fair, some have taken the doctrine of election too far, or they have distorted it.

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So I can understand why some may be a little cautious. But what we are going to do this morning is we are simply going to look at what the

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Bible says about the elect, election, and also predestination.

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And it's true, there are a variety of viewpoints. But I just want to present as plainly and simply just what does the

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Bible say. So with all of that said, in Genesis 25, Abraham's son

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Isaac, he had married his wife Rebekah, and they had not yet been able to conceive.

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And this is where we pick up in Genesis 25 verse 21. Now Isaac pleaded with the

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Lord for his wife because she was barren. And the Lord granted his plea.

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And Rebekah, his wife, conceived. But the children struggled together within her.

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And she said, if all is well, why am I like this? So she went in to inquire of the

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Lord. And the Lord said to her, two nations are in your womb.

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Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.

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So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.

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And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called his name

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Esau. Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called

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Jacob. And Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them.

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Now turn, if you would, to the book of Romans chapter 9. And we will see what the

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New Testament says about this event. Now as you're turning there, as I said at the beginning,

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God chooses both individuals and groups. And this is the error that many people will make when studying this subject.

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They think it's either one or the other. Well, it's simply not. God chooses both. Jacob is chosen individually.

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We're going to see that in a moment. And of course, the nation that came from him was also chosen.

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So the Lord speaks to Rebekah about the two boys as individuals, but they are also representatives of these two nations,

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Israel and Edom. And before we go any further, why did

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God, or why did, in the providence of God I suppose, but why did Isaac and Rebekah name him

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Jacob? What was the reason? Well, the name Jacob means supplanter.

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Okay, and if you look up the definition of supplanter, it basically means one who takes the place of another, usually by deceit.

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And of course, that's what Jacob did. So Esau was born first. So as the elder child, the birthright and the blessing legitimately belonged to Esau.

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But as they were being born, Jacob grabs his heel as if to say, hold on, not so fast,

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I'm going to be first. And that's of course what happened. Now listen, after reading

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Genesis 25, someone could read that and say, yeah, but aren't you reading into this a little too much?

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God knows the future. So maybe all the Lord was doing to Rebekah is telling her of future events.

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Who says that God chose Jacob and didn't choose Esau? So maybe you're reading into it.

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And you know, I might agree with that if that's all the Bible ever said about it. But in the book of Malachi chapter 1, we're not going to turn there, but you see those memorable words, the

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Lord speaking, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated.

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We're going to see that again here in Romans chapter 9. So Romans chapter 9 gives us the

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Holy Ghost inspired interpretation of Genesis 25.

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So the context before we read Romans 9 starting in verse 6, the context of the book of Romans, Paul is explaining the gospel in all of its fullness.

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And as he comes to chapter 9, he's addressing the question, what about Israel? They were a chosen people, a chosen nation, and yet they rejected their

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Messiah. So how does that work? Now what? What about Israel? Is God finished with Israel?

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That's the way it looked. Of course in chapter 11, the Lord through Paul gives the answer.

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The answer is no, God is not finished with Israel. But Paul, what is he doing? He is shedding light on the plan and purposes of God.

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Look at Romans 9 verse 6. But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect, for they are not all

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Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham.

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But in Isaac your seed shall be called. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

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For this is the word of promise, at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.

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So one thing we see here is that just because someone was a physical descendant of Abraham, that did not automatically make them a spiritual descendant of Abraham.

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The Apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 2 verses 28 -29, for he is not a

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Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh, but he is a

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Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart.

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So, God made a spiritual promise to Abraham. And Isaac, who is the son of promise,

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Isaac or Ishmael? Isaac. You know the fact is God chose

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Isaac and not Ishmael. God chose Jacob and not

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Esau. So one of the things that Paul is bringing out is that it's not really about bloodline, it's about the purposes of God.

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And then consider Ruth and Rahab, neither one of them were Israelites, and yet they played a role, a significant role in the plan and purposes of God.

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And of course they responded in faith. And that's what God's election, what does that mean? God's elect.

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The elect are those who express faith. Look at verse 10, and not only this, but when

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Rebekah, this is going back to Genesis 25, but when Rebekah also had conceived by one man, even by our father

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Isaac, for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls.

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And it was said to her, the older shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.

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And again, that's a quote from Malachi chapter 1. So election is based on what?

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What a person does? Election is based on their works? No, obviously not.

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This is where we get the term unconditional election. It is not based on what they do, it's not based on any condition regarding the person.

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So the scripture says that God chose Jacob before he was ever born.

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Why? For what purpose? That the purpose of God according to his choosing, election might stand, not of works.

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You see, God did not choose Jacob because of Jacob. Because he knew that Jacob was such a righteous man and he would do all of the right things.

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Those of you who are attending our Wednesday evening Bible study, you know that's not the case. Jacob had many failures at times, he lacked faith, he often did the wrong thing.

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He started out his life in deception and trickery, and yet he was prospered, he was blessed.

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And why is that? It's because of God, not because of Jacob. So it's not of works.

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So understand it has less to do with Jacob and everything to do with the plan and purpose of God.

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You know what Psalm 115 verse 3 says? But our God is in the heavens and he does whatever he pleases.

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Amen? That's the way it is. And this is where people start to react against the doctrine of election and they start to think to themselves, well wait a minute, that's not fair.

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This isn't fair that God would choose Jacob and not Esau before they were even born.

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That's not fair that God would choose one nation over another. It's not fair.

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It should be based on merit. Right? That's the way we think today. If one is getting a benefit or chosen, it should be based on merit.

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That's the way people think. But is that really what we want? It doesn't really matter what we want, it's just how it is.

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But is that what we want? Do we want God to do what is fair or do we want his grace?

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And in chapter 11 verse 5 that's what election is called. The election of grace.

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So it's of grace not of works. You know if God made his choice based on Jacob the man, if God gave

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Jacob what he deserved, where would Jacob be right now? He'd be in Hades right now instead of paradise.

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So for those who don't like election or disagree with election, you know you better realize that without election nobody would be saved.

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All right? Without God's choosing no one would be saved.

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God did not have to pour out his grace upon anybody. We are not deserving.

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If God gave us what we deserved we would not have a hope in this world.

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Election is glorious because it is the election of God's grace.

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God chose you if you are a believer. God chose you not because you are so righteous.

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God didn't choose you because you are so amazing. No, on the contrary, the scripture says in Romans 5 8 that God demonstrates his own love toward us and that while we were still sinners

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Christ died for us. Now someone might say okay

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I get it God is choosing election I understand all this but how do I know if I'm elect?

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How do I know if I am one of the chosen? Believe the gospel. Place your faith in Jesus Christ.

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If you do that you are among the elect. And then what do we do?

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We live for God. We give our lives in service to God.

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We do what Peter says in 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 10. Make your calling and election sure.

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Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry visit our website

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MorrisCornickChurch .com and we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett.