God's Call in Electing Grace — Rolfe Barnard

God's Call in Electing Grace

The results of hard faith in God's elected grace. Tonight, I want to speak a little bit on God's call in electing grace. And I take my text from the book of Galatians, chapter 1, and then ask you to turn in your Bible while you're turning that, back to the left, keep your finger there on Galatians 1, and then turn to Acts 22.

And I just read one verse from Galatians, chapter 1. I want to read these verses and announce what I'm going to try to bring before you tonight. Now, I want you to help me tonight. I'm going to ask you to do a little thinking tonight.

That's a little hard, isn't it? Put the damper on the meat. That's right. Down our way, we had an old man that used to sit on the steps of a country general's store and pickle and chew tobacco. A fellow came up to him and said, What are you doing?

I see you out here every day. What do you do? Well, he said, Some of the time I sit here and think, and most of the time I just sit. And that's a whole lot easier than just to think. You're looking at a public preacher who believes that it's high time, in the hour in which we are called to be the people of God, to do some real thinking.

Reconsidering Salvation, Service, and Christian Responsibility

I believe our whole program's got to be revamped. I believe it with all of my heart. I may say some things tonight that you'll have to chew on a while. But as I say them, let me help you, if I may. You cannot walk in light that I say I have.

You can only walk in what light you have. But you're responsible to walk in all the light from God you have, and all you could have, if you'd avail yourself of every opportunity. Isn't that right? There are several ways to test a person's spirituality.

One way is your reaction when you say something that crosses the grain of a tradition of yours, or a custom, or a conviction. Now, I had a dear preacher friend. He's gone to glory now, I believe. I used to sit at his feet.

He was older than myself, held many meetings for him. And I would rejoice just to sit and hear him talk to me, out of the accumulated wisdom and knowledge that God had vouchsafed him through the years.

And he used to preach with great vehemence that God didn't save people to serve him, that he saved people to the praise of the glory of his grace. And I rejoiced in this brother's ministry, but he was dead wrong.

One of the greatest injuries that's been done to people of God in our day who at least are trying to understand a little bit of what God teaches so that they can put it in practice, has been the preaching of what they call the truth, that God elects us unto salvation, and then he elects us unto service, and they're two different things.

But they are not two different things. They are not two different things. Election is unto salvation, but a man isn't saved. Because salvation is a call to be engaged in the redemptive program of Jesus Christ.

And now, if you wonder why organized churches have become the greatest enemy of souls between hell and heaven now, reflect upon the fact that we made salvation to be coming to a peace instead of becoming a member of an army.

And there isn't an army or a home or a government on top side of the earth that could keep going if it is made up of men and women, like our church people who constantly sit and listen and never are instructed as to how to pass on what they've experienced to somebody else.

The only religious people this side of God's earth, on God's earth, that are paying much attention to the scripture are the communists, the fastest growing religion this side of hell. And they are not doing like we church people have been taught to do all the days of our lives.

Just sit and come together and meet and rejoice in our salvation. We've got to revamp our program. I haven't talked to you pretty frankly tonight about the fact that in elect degrees God calls men and women to be members of an army and gives them a commission.

And I believe that the situation is so desperate now that God is definitely shutting every door, north, south, east and west. I know just a little bit what I'm talking about. But I've been giving my life to evangelism for 37 years since I left my last pastor.

And the doors are about to close. There's not one church out of 50 of anybody's denomination now that would dare to have what's called a revival campaign. Fundamental Baptist preachers have long since given up the goals.

And they'll look you in the face and tell you that maybe God blessed them back yonder, but he's quit. And they're telling the truth. Now, brother, you can get blue about that or you can face the fact that if God shut one door he may be trying to get us to see another one he's opening.

We're going to get some spiritual acumen and begin to grow churches who are engaged in propagating the gospel outside the church houses. Brother, we're going to be out of business as sure as I'm speaking to you now.

Paul's Call into Gospel Mission

Paul said in Galatians chapter 1 verse 6, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that calls you into the grace of Christ. In God's elective program, he calls men to mission. I want us to turn to the book of Acts chapter 22 and look at the apostle Paul again.

Here in this chapter, he does the talking. Sunday night, last night, or Sunday morning, whenever it was, we talked from the ninth chapter of Acts where Luke is the man who does the writing. But here Paul is making his defense.

He tells about his experience. And I hope that you're acquainted with it. We'll begin reading with verse 10 after Paul meets the risen Lord. Paul's at his feet. In verse 10 he said, What shall I do, Lord?

And the Lord said, Under me arise and go into Damascus and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light being lit by the hands of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

In one and an hour a devout man, according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, this man came to me and stood and said unto me, Brother Stahl, receive thy servant. In the same hour I looked upon him.

And then Ananias, accused of God, tells Paul what God called him to experience and to do in electing grace. Here it is. This is not Baptist doctrine or what I thought of. This is God's call in electing.

Ananias said to Saul, The God of our fathers hath done what? Chosen thee. That's election, is it not? What for? That thou shouldst three things. First, do what? Know his will. Second, see that just one.

Third, what? Hear the voice of his mouth. What do you want these things to take place for? Well, when I called you, blessed God, I called you and equipped you this threefold way. Because here is what it's all about.

Thou shalt be who? Witness. Unto how many people? All men. Of what thou hast what? Separate salvation and service. Here, brother. You can't preach a salvation that doesn't make men servants of the Most High God.

Here, brother. You can't preach this damnable stuff about me. God saves our souls, and our lives can be lived for the devil. The Bible warns about that. What's all this about, brother Ananias? Well, I'll tell you why God set his hand on you, Saul.

I'll tell you why God in his Son met you on the road to Damascus and laid hold on you and apprehended you and brought you to his feet. So you'd know the will of God. So you'd experience a person. So you'd see that just one.

It means exactly what it says. For salvation is not by believing some facts, it's by seeing a person with eyes of faith. And that you might, when he speaks, hear the voice of his mouth. For only people of whom death can be said can be his witness.

God calls in elective grace men and women to be his witnesses. Amen. You see, if I can illustrate what I'm trying to talk about. I was in a church in North Carolina, and one night the dear pastor got up and said, we're so happy tonight to have Ms. So-and-so with us.

She's a missionary. Said she's going to sing us a song and give us a word of testimony. And she got up and gave a nice little testimony and sang a nice little song. And when it came my time, folks were all about to sleep, and I thought I'd wake them up.

Every Christian Called to Be a Missionary

And I said, it's so good to have a Christian here tonight. But you tell me what's the difference between being a Christian and being a missionary. I appreciate it. There isn't any difference. We just invented the difference.

We invented this fool's stuff about now won't you surrender your life to Jesus to be a missionary. Well, that was settled when you got saved. Somebody says, well, I feel like God's calling me to China.

I know. But He called you to be a missionary when He saved you. That's what salvation is. Now, if the commander-in-chief wants to transfer you, that's his business. But all this foolishness about calling out the call, that's just our invention.

Why, it's got to wear now if a fellow acts like he might be half way a Christian. Some fool will say, I believe God called him the preacher. He did that day He saved you. It's a bunch of sassy prayers.

It's not a word of Scripture. It's not a word of Scripture. I'm talking about the inventions we've invented to keep from paying attention to the word of God. Now it's just a word of Scripture. Don't expect it.

They are saved, except what we call foreign missionaries and public preachers. That's all on the Scripture. And how did we get that way? Why, we got that way by using the tactics of an army recruiting sergeant who invites some young man to come down to 5th Avenue and 42nd Street and forget the street.

The Waldorf Astoria Hotel said, cousin, down there, I think you may greatly interest it in. They've got band playing. They've got everything else. And they get the fool to go down there and he thinks he's going to a banquet or a feast and they sign him up.

And when he gets signed up to find out, he's dying to learn it. And he didn't aim to do it. And we filled our church. And Christians did two different things with men and women that thinks being a Christian is having a banquet instead of fighting a war.

And so our churches are hospitals instead of arms. And God bless your heart, the hospitals are going out of business, brother. There's going to be no place for this mild stuff that's a substitute for the real thing.

It's going to be all out for antichrist or all out for Christ and it'll be that way in your day and mine. Of course, men and women, boys and girls. Commission. Commission. He'd say, do you believe God called women to preach?

If he saves them, he does. Now there's a difference between preaching and having a ministry, an apostle, an evangelist, a pastor, and so forth. But if you ain't preaching, you don't know nothing about salvation.

That's what it means to be a Christian. A witness. A hero. A proclaimer of the gospel. And I'm trying to say to you that the days are closing in on us when we're going to have to face the fact that instead of churches being training grounds to go out and get into war, we're going to have to come to that.

We've been training for church membership all the days of our lives. By the time we got the shotgun, we went to shooting barracks. When God calls in elective grace, he calls men and women to three things.

Hearing God's Voice Through Scripture

First, he calls men and women to hear his voice. I'll not take the time. You've got a business meeting. I don't want to take too much time. But read the Old Testament again. Hear the word of the Lord.

Come to the New Testament, my sheep. So Paul say, knowing therefore, brethren, your election of God. How you know it, Paul? For our gospel came not unto you.

In word only,.

But in great power, and of the Spirit, and in my church. Somebody else is talking, except the preacher. I turn over to the next chapter, and says, I thank God upon every member. Cease not to thank God upon every member.

There are people over there paraphrasing it. He says, When you receive the word of God from us, you receive it not from men, but from 167 times in the New Testament, people are said to be saved through the gospel.

I've mentioned it that many times, as if it wasn't rather important. Oh, and amongst a group of people who are members of the only kind of folks.

This side of eternity that have ever heard a word from God.

For nobody but God's sheep ever hear and speak. And brother, that don't bring responsibility. There's no hope for you. You mean to tell me you've heard from God? Don't you refuse the voice of Him that speaketh.

My Lord, we share in the days of this flesh, the Father will say therein that thou wilt back to them. Yes, says the Son of my Lord. Listen, for nobody will except to show by some kind of force that thou shouldst face it and not obey it and not believe it and let it go in one ear and out the other.

We might change our churches from folks who are listening to something except Him and never are hearing from Him. Ladies and gentlemen, there's no hope. The time ain't turned to anybody except as he hears God talking to him.

Stand up and say, I believe I've found the will of God. You are a devil if you see it unless deep down in your heart you really believe God has spoken to you. Our sheep will. But you tell me to hear from God don't put burdens on a man's shoulders.

Listen to the house and look at me. I've heard from God. That's what I pray. There's a bunch of little babies running around bellyaching and half the time the pastor has to have it a little soothed and served to give.

Most of us were full of aches and pains. Why? Because I don't have any spiritual exercise. Yes, consuming but not producing. Oh, the responsibility the awesomeness of being a person whom God calls to listen to me.

Holiness as Conformity to God's Will

Heh. Election calls men and women to reflect the holy character of God. Read again and again the Old Testament one thing it's just on nearly every page of it the dealings of God with that elect nation who lost their election.

One reason they did is they didn't pay any attention to him when he said Even as I am holy I'm not going to get into what it means to be holy. Take an hour and a half I guess it don't mean some things we don't do.

It don't mean a few of the little rules were passed. But holiness is utter conformity to the will of God. Just to be whole solely dedicated to one truth that God shall be done in my life if He kills me.

Holiness is the cry of my Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane when He said Who's on you? God calls in His elective grace men and women to hear His voice to reflect His character and to yield themselves as instruments of God to reveal Christ to me.

Israel lost her election because she rejoiced in privilege and refused responsibility. I was up in Pennsylvania last fall and they took me out to the new tribes training camp where they train missionaries where nobody else has been where the gospel has never been sent.

I got my eyes open. I went out there three times during the meeting and tried to investigate a little bit. It shocked me. Missionaries are trained to live on berries or bark. Missionaries are trained right there to learn how to sleep outdoors.

They find their food in the forest. They put them through the rigors of the way the folks they're going to preach to have to live and the way they'll have to live if they go out there. And I thought about our nice little comfortable stuff we call Christianity in America myself included.

So we don't know what discipline means. I used to go over to Camp Wheeler down in Bennett, Georgia. I was in another field and watched them train infantry, infantry men in the army. Foot soldiers. You been in it?

You know what I'm going to tell you. I stand there in horror as boys on their bellies, hands and knees and bellies crawl through and under the barbed wire hundreds of yards. And down yonder and here there are men with rifles and they're aiming and they got real bullets and boys ought to get killed in training.

I questioned one of the officers and said it looks to me like it's awful cruel to use real bullets and kill boys. He said it sounds that way but he said it's better to kill a few of them in training than all of them after they get where the fighting is.

He said if we put blank in those guns we'll never get those boys learning how to crawl. If they don't learn in training to crawl like a lizard on the ground as they're going from this place over yonder.

Yeah! ...upon the fact that the Apostle Paul he must have been talking about what we're facing today. Days have crept upon us when nothing's sure. ...quit and I never thought we were going to quit. Maybe I'll talk a little more about it tomorrow.

The Church Must Prepare Believers for Spiritual Conflict

Listen to me. I have a personal friend who was an art chaplain in the Second World War. He's a Baptist preacher. He got in as a chaplain and had his heart broken as any chaplain that even smelled like a Christian did.

If you served in the armed forces. He found out one thing ladies and gentlemen that whatever else our churches as we call them are doing they ain't making Christians. Two weeks after your boy got in the army all his little religion was gone, brother.

Unless he had the real thing and not many of them did. I was chaplain one field with 30 ,000 soldiers. I count on these two hands the boys who had a testimony for Christ. I'm telling you the truth. This is all Baptist.

This is Catholic press or something. Brother, when the influence of mothering home and congregation is gone and you're in that Barber's atmosphere nothing but the real thing will stand. This young fellow had his heart broken.

When he got out of the army he didn't take a church. He got him a job and for three years he studied the Bible trying to find out what it meant to claim to be a Christian and what it meant to have a group of people meeting together claiming to be a church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, five young couples in the subdivision where he and his wife had a little home they got acquainted with him and they got to meeting. They met together twice a week to study. Then the six families organized what they called a church.

Church Membership as Wholehearted Commitment

It takes three years to become a member. You have to go to school to that church. Three years before you can be a member. They're trying to do what I sense you want to do here. I didn't say you've done it.

I think you're shooting in that direction. Find out what it means to be a member of the church of God. Evident though it means a whole lot. Evident that there's no room for any spectators. No room for anybody that just want to study about war and not go to it.

I'm going to close. I believe that one of the cardinal doctrines of the Bible that we give lip service to. I'm not going to speak on it tonight but fool around with time. I think I'll speak on it maybe tomorrow night or Wednesday night.

Change up the sermon. It won't make any difference. What we claim to believe but we don't. The priesthood of the believer. I believe God's calling us back to the New Testament. I believe the biggest task we face is to find out how the membership of our churches can exercise their ministry as priests.

Obedience to Christ as Evidence of True Discipleship

My brother challenged the message and I hope we shall not soon be forgetful hearers. Amen. I thought as he preached what Jesus said in Luke 6, 46. Why callest thou me Lord, Lord? And doest not the things which I say.

Professing Christianity and being a Christian are poles apart. I'm as sold as I can be on the proposition that if a man's in Christ Christ becomes his total master. He'll either be the Lord of or he won't be your Lord at all.

Prayer for a Church Engaged in God's Will

It's a shame we have to have a business station but that's part of divine service too. I'll have you stand and relax yourself. We'll have a word of prayer if you please. Our Father, we thank Thee tonight for the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ask that You'll help us to really become a people of God involved in doing the will of God. We pray that Thou shalt jar us if it's necessary lest we become compassionate and filled with a God-forgiving self-sufficiency.

God forbid that we should congratulate ourselves boast of our piety boast of our soundness while the world around us rushes madly on its way to a Christless eternity. May we more and more become involved in doing justly in loving mercy and in walking humbly with our God.

We ask in Christ's name Amen. You may be seated.