Ministry's Only Hope: Election (part 3) - [Ephesians 1:4ff]

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Ministry's Only Hope: Election (part 4) - [Ephesians 1:4ff]

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Well special music is to lead us to be ready for the preaching of God's Word and that certainly happened.
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Thank you for your ministry It is bad preaching etiquette to start off a sermon by saying that you don't feel good because then if the sermon doesn't
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Pan out too. Well, then the preacher can always brain blame his Injury or his sickness, but I have to say this morning that if you hear me in the middle of my sermon go like this
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I do that about every 10 minutes. Now. I was bicycling last Thursday and fell on the asphalt
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Over in Shirley and my ribs are bruised or cracked or something. We'll find out tomorrow but the diaphragm just goes like that once in a while and and Just just translate it that as a punctuation point in my sermon this morning
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I'm going to preach a sermon on a topic that John Wesley called blasphemous Daniel telling us
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April 5th 1614 Wrote a letter to a church
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And he said this if in hell a council of evil spirits came together to ask advice on their of their fellow angels as to what fabrication could best inspire and Draw out the most hatred of man against God No one could imagine or invent anything better suited to this purpose than the decree of Predestination, mr.
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McDonald said talking about the God who elects Jonathan Edwards God he said from all the copies of Jonathan Edwards portraits of an electing
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God however faded by time however softened by the use of less glaring pigments
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I turn with loathing Thomas Talbot said of a
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God who elects I will not worship such a God and if such a God can send me to hell for not so Worshipping him then to hell
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I will go we have too many people in the church today
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Not enough seats. So this morning turn your Bibles to Ephesians 1 for a sermon on election and predestination
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As you're turning there it never ceases to amaze me That God's people want to hear truth they want to hear all the truth
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They want to hear the full counsel of God whether that be a hard saying from God or that be something very smooth and wonderful to the ear
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The first church I ever preached in in California about 15 years ago Has a pastor there and I listened to his sermon this week of a sermon
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He preached two weeks ago, and he did not open the Bible to one verse
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We are committed to this church to teach all of the Bible and if we live long enough Teach through every book from Genesis to Revelation and that includes all topics that God would have to give us
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He knows the Spirit of God is a schoolteacher And he knows what we need to hear when we need to hear it and how we need to hear it and the doctrine of election
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And predestination causes many to not like it to say how could I worship a God like that?
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But friends it is clearly Plainly in the scriptures the trouble is it puts us in our place if you will and Raises God up to his rightful throne
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BB Warfield said our difficulties with predestination arise from No doubt not unnatural unwillingness to acknowledge ourselves to be holy at the disposal of another
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That we are controlled by another that there is a king over us a sovereign over us and this morning
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We want to look again at the book of Ephesians about this doctrine of election that stems from God's total
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Sovereignty over the world God is the supreme ruler. He has supreme authority and he ordains what?
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Whatsoever comes to pass and he is sovereign not just over the weather But he's sovereign over who goes to heaven and hence who does not
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The doctrine of election basically says that God before the foundation of the world chooses certain individuals out of Adam's fallen race to be saved he could have chosen all people, but he just chose some and Everyone has questions about this doctrine
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And so I thought we would have a mini series as we're deviating from the book of Matthew on the doctrine of election with maybe 10 15 20 questions for our outline that I will ask
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And then answer to help us starting very simply working to merit more difficult concepts
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And we did several last week so in review Maybe one two three and four outline again today many questions to ask and answer about the doctrine of election
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Sovereign election and if you believe that God is sovereign you believe in election
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And if you don't believe in election you don't believe God is sovereign It is my desire today to show you what the scriptures teach about sovereignty and election
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So you might give consent to God and you might worship him for such a thing Not say what some of the other men have mistakenly said and certainly women that somehow
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God is not sovereign over the souls of men This is one of those kind of topics that you either love or you hate
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And I would say this morning that if you hate it. I'm really after you this morning
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Not after you in such a way that I want to run you out But I'm after you in such a way that I want to put together a polemic or an argument so that you cannot run
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From this doctrine so that you will acquiesce to it that you will submit to it that you will see that it is
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Plainly taught in scripture, and it will turn from something that is that is awful in your sight to something that is relished and good and wonderful and right 20 questions about election.
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I better not say 20 because It's gonna be a six -week series, but I could get to 20
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I think we're only going to get up to like eight or nine today something like that and This is one of those sermons where I have to tell you you could just start imagining the
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UPS truck that comes here and it backs up and it has a special sound when it backs up doesn't it and That's the sound of the sermon today beep beep beep beep
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We're just gonna back it up and unload it because this is precious freight. This is wonderful cargo
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If you haven't heard sermons about election may I say with kindness yet with authority shame on your pastors
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It's everywhere you look and if you don't hear about it, and you're a mature Christian Well, it could be your fault because you're not reading it
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But it is also your shepherds fault because it is clearly here, and it's a wonderful doctrine
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Question number one in review. Do you view election is something for mature Christians only in other words?
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This is election just something for those Christians who are kind of seminary students missionaries
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Ephesians chapter 1 is interesting when he talks about election in verse 4 of chapter 1
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He chose us when he talks about predestination in chapter 1 verse 5. He is giving this information to those in verse 1
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Saints not leaders not elders not deacons not the mature women
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Who were on the list in a first Timothy? But to the Saints who are at this local church and who are faithful in Christ Jesus He gives the doctrine of election to all
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Christians all Christians young or small should know that God is Sovereign and he chooses and elects or if you put the s in front of elect you get what word he selects
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This is not just for mature Christians I would say on a side note though as you understand this doctrine you will mature it has a maturing
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Sense to it question one. Do you view election as something for mature Christians only no Question number two do you think election stifles praise?
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That is to say election is some doctrine that we better not talk about it much because it certainly doesn't lead to praise and doxology and wonder and Hallelujah praise the
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Lord Some people think it's dull and stifling and fatalistic yet, do you see the refrain here as Paul is blessing
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God the Father and Our Lord Jesus Christ in verse 3 and from the very get -go
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What's the first blessing you find in verses 4 5 and 6 is it the Spirit of God's work?
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Is it Christ's death on the cross? No, it is God choosing Do you remember the verses verse 4 of Ephesians 1 just as he?
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Chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before him
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In love he predestined us to adoption his sons through Jesus Christ to himself according to the kind intention of his will
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For what reason? That we might read down to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved
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Election should not stifle praise biblical thinking about election should elicit should provoke
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It should be like salt on your tongue where it kind of gets you going and and the saliva starts being generated
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If you believe in biblical election, your only response is
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I am moved to wonder and in all why would God choose? me and the word blessed in verse 3
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Means to celebrate with praises God you were to be celebrated with praises because you choose
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When's the last time you celebrated God for his choosing of you? The word means eulogy and this doesn't mean eulogy.
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We're putting somebody to death election should be put to death eulogy means a word spoken well of When you say something good about a person you're giving them a eulogy you're speaking well of them
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God is to be spoken well of because Election he's not to be relegated off to that something for mature
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Christians or we don't talk about that and we'll get to that later Someday when you know, you're in glory. No, we speak well of God when we praise him for Election Paul is praising
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God for his decree That he chose people in eternity past Number three
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Election isn't just for mature Christians number two election should Elicit praise and number three still in review.
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Do you think that all Christians believe in election? All Christians believe in election true or false and the answer is they do
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Everywhere you go election is Discussed. I just have a sampling from the
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New Testament Jesus said and except those days should be shortened. There should be no flesh saved but for the elects sake those days will be shortened
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Insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds
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Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Put on therefore as the elect of God Knowing beloved brethren your election of God Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake according to the faith of God's elect
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Give diligent to make diligence to make your calling and election sure every person here who believes the
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Bible is authoritative sufficient Inspired infallible inerrant clear believes that election is taught.
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It's just what definition do you give it? Everyone believes in election Question number four.
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When do you believe election took place did God as the slogan? Goes look down the corridor of time and choose us on foreseen faith
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Or did he choose us another time and if you see Ephesians 1 4 again in summary and review from last week
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Just as he chose us in him and then it makes it very clear when he chose us and you will notice this answer in the verse is independent of Humans response independent of humans free will if he has it or she has it independent of self will independent of autonomy
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Here it says he chose us in him went before the foundation of the world
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When did this election take place it took place pre Genesis 1 1 way pre
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Elsewhere 2nd Timothy 1 9 but according to his own purpose and grace Which was granted us in Christ Jesus from what all eternity 2nd
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Thessalonians 2 13 God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation Question number five and now we come up to where we left off question number five
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Election is for mature Christians and immature Christians number two election should
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Elicit praise number three all Christians believe in election it just how it depends on how you define it for Election takes place in eternity past and number five.
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Do you believe election is based on a person's faith? Do you believe election is based on a person's faith?
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God chooses before time and this choosing word just means you've got a bunch and you choose some out of the bunch and It's a kind of tense in the
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Greek that's middle that means he doesn't choose them for anyone except himself He himself chooses and he chooses for himself
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He chooses some out of the bunch and so God chooses some of the fallen out of all the fallen
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That's what the word is And we look last week that Ephesians 2 8 it says that you've been saved by grace through faith and that not of yourself it is the gift of God and I tried to labor on the point that faith is the result of Salvation and not the cause that is to say that you can't just go along and say you know what?
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I know faith is a gift, but it also is a cause it's either one of the other Faith either cause you to be saved or it is the result of your salvation
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And the text in Ephesians 2 is clear that we are not saved because of faith We are saved through the instrument of faith faith is a gift
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We exercise that gift, but that gift is the result of salvation not the cause Now there's a detractor and someone says what about foreknowledge?
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Well, let's turn there. Please to Romans chapter 8. What about foreknowledge is foreknowledge as Defined by some who don't believe in election the
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Kings X over all these verses that I've given You take all the verses about election and just go
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Kings X. I don't have to believe in election because of foreknowledge Well, let's just take a look at Romans chapter 8 and find out and I think we'll easily find out and quickly find out
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That it is not the Kings X that somehow gets rid of God's unconditional gracious sovereign selection
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What about foreknowledge? Romans 8 here's this chapter about no condemnation in Christ and how
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God's going to keep his people to the end Love of Christ found after that we we read in chapter 8 verse 28 about how
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God causes things to work together for good And then in this what some scholars call the golden chain of redemption
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It says in verse 29 for those whom he foreknew He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son
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So that he would be the firstborn among many brethren and these whom he predestined He also called these whom he called he also
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Justified and these whom he justified he also Glorified That's it.
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He didn't look down in eternity past and Say no one would choose He looked down in eternity past and said yes, they will choose and since they've chosen then
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I'll predestined That's what many think many think the word foreknowledge is just the standard
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English word of to know beforehand to have prescience to say I Understand something from afar because I I'm omniscient and I know ahead of time
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Certainly the English word means to know ahead of time. That's no denying it But wonder what the Greek says and I wonder what the theology in these verses
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Would drive us towards Let me say this first of all
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Nowhere in the passages about foreknowledge. Will you see this God foreknows people's faith?
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That God somehow with an attribute of foreknowledge knows faith ahead of time That is not what's found in Acts 2 first Timothy.
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Excuse me. First Peter 1 First Peter 1 again here in Romans chapter 8 It's not talking about something that they have done our thought our believed
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Market, well foreknowledge isn't really an attribute. I love pinks book It's my favorite book outside the
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Bible, but he puts foreknowledge as an attribute. It's not an attribute Foreknowledge is something he does do you notice the text?
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It doesn't say he foreknew anything about what they did their faith And when you look at Romans 11 or Acts 2 or this passage, you will not find the foreknowing of faith
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Furthermore if you believe that God just looks down the quarters of time and know something ahead of time
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Everyone's going to heaven because how many people does God know with his omniscience ahead of time?
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How many does he know? Well, look at the passage for those whom he foreknew How many does he foreknow if it's raw intellect of knowing ahead of time prescience?
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He knows everyone He doesn't look and say I know everyone. Therefore. I Predestined everyone
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I call everyone I justify everyone and I glorify everyone It's just a pretty much a simple
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Misunderstanding of what the Greek language is and here's a way that you will praise God more when you understand it the biblical word is prognostico and it means
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Much, but it means something that has Nothing neutral to it.
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It's personal. It's aggressive It is not some kind of neutral foreseeing as one man said but an aggressive bringing about Personal involvement personal relationship
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Foreknowledge is not something that God does it is something rather that God does not something that he knows beforehand personal involvement our relationship conduct contact activity one writer says
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Let me use the same word in another Bible verse first Peter 1 20 Jesus indeed was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times
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The idea is a predetermination to set love on someone God and the in the councils of eternity
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Decides to put his love on an object and that object is a person in this particular case
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It's a group of people It can't just mean mere prescience
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Acts 2 23 this man delivered up by the predetermined plan and what?
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for knowledge of God He knows He determines to choose them.
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He sets his heart on them steel and Thomas says John Murray said it is synonymous with love
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Now when we think of the word no in the Bible it means many things Some of the
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Bible characters knew their wives It wasn't just somehow intellectual knowing but is a deep relationship and intimate knowing and that's the exact same thing here
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Before time began God said I will for know I will for love. I will have a relationship with this group if you make it the other way a
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Everyone goes to heaven because he knows all about them and B God then only ratifies the choice of these people
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God looks down the quarters of time and says yes They'll believe and therefore I pick them you say yeah
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But if it's for knowledge like you're saying pastor, then there's no freedom. Everything's just kind of mechanistic kind of determination well
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More about that in just a minute But here's what I would say if you believe that God looks down the quarters of time and sees who believes and Therefore that's who
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God elects and predestines. You are stuck in the same loop that I'm stuck in Because if God sees that they will believe they will have to believe there's no other choice.
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They are stuck There is no kind of free will or anything else. They will have to believe
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That's not a good reason not to do it A election can't be on God on man's foreseeing faith because man does not choose
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God does Mark it again. I've said it election is not based on God's foreknowledge of faith.
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It's on God's foreknowledge for loving of people He sets his heart on people
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How about this verse Titus 3 5 he saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness
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But according to his mercy May I translate that verse another way with a meaning and he did not save us on the basis of future deeds
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Which we will do in righteousness, but he saved us according to what his mercy He loves people ahead of time when
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David reached down and picked up how many stones? Five we don't say well out of that choosing word those stones somehow made themselves willing to be picked up It's the same language
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God picks up and swoops up some people even though they don't deserve it and he says, you know what? I'm gonna save you and or and bring you to faith
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Spurgeon said it this way. It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee. It is Christ It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee.
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It is Christ It is not even thy faith though that be the instrument. It is
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Christ's blood and merit true or false
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Many are called But few have chosen many are called but fewer chosen
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You say I have more questions good. So do I question six? We're working our way up Do you view election as unloving?
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Do you view election as unloving? I mean, come on God hating people no affection for them
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All these people that he didn't choose that is the most unloving doctrine that I've ever heard of Matter of fact one televangelist
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He said that the doctrine of election That John Calvin came up with has sent more people to hell than anything else in the history of the church
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And if you don't understand election that stems out of the love of God, you might think this exact same thing but back to Ephesians chapter 1 as I would say to the college group if I taught them or the high school group or the junior high group this
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Passage rocks This is it. You kind of think some kind of arbitrary Kind of choosing, you know, and I used to play hockey and you want to split up teams
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Put all your hockey sticks together in a big clump and then somebody just pushes them one day over here and one over here
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And if wherever your stick lands, that's what team you're on kind of this arbitrary impersonal kind of divvy up God chooses in Love that's amazing
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Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4. He loved it's a loving thing It shows how much
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God loves you if you have this idea of election that you chose yourself and you are robbing
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God glory because he could be praising him because it magnifies and intensifies God's love for you
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Right there in the text in Ephesians 1 for the last two words of how the translators in the New American Standard chopped up.
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These verses is in love All one sentence verse 5 what in love he
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Predestined us. It is a loving thing election and predestination is not unloving If you think it is then may
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I encourage you to line up with what the Bible says? By the way repentance means what?
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To change your mind. The Bible says God predestined us in love. We say done seem loving
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I say to you then line up That's what I've had to do over the years line up with God how
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I'm using this word on purpose How does it make you feel? The fact that God before eternity chose you and said
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I love you. I'm gonna set my love on you That's amazing One man said
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God's eternal choice is warm and smiling far from the dispassionate stereotype so often thought of I Didn't impress him.
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I couldn't get him to like me. I couldn't be better. He just said I know all about you I know what all your sin.
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I know about Adam sin I know everything that'll ever happen and I'm going to make a determination before time begins to love you.
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I love you In love it's right there in your Bible. How are you gonna get it out in love?
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He predestined us you want to know what the divine motive is for your salvation is
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God's love You have all these sappy preachers running around Oh God loves you so much then if he does and he does then tell the people why and how he loves he loves
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Many ways Demonstrates his love for us that while we are what yet sinners Christ died for us and Lest we somehow rob
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God of glory by predestine us predestinating us. I Don't have to impress
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God to get him to like me He loves me and if you for one nanosecond
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Somehow think that election is not loving then you've missed the point of the passage
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Don't let you don't let anyone tell you differently that election is An expression of God's love it is
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If you look at verse 5 there says in love he predestined us to adoption to adoption
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Election is kind of who the people and predestination is how he did it how he carved those people out for himself
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When I say the word election in a word association game, you should say love
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When I say predestination in a word association game, you should say love That's what
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Paul said 25 years after he had his Damascus Road experience He could not get over the fact that God loved him so much.
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He chose him I was singing this to the kids this morning the wonder of it all
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You know that song the wonder of it all the wonder of it all just to think that what I chose him
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Oh the wonder of it all the wonder of it all to think know that God what?
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Loves me you look at the cross You should think of the love of God when you think about the plan of salvation that God loved the world
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He sent his son to die for humankind. He sent them to rescue them Yes, but you should also think about the plan that sent the
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Sun. I know lots of people say well Have you given your friend the plan of salvation? good language
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But the plan of salvation started in the eternal counsel of God planning there was a plan
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Election is loving number seven. It gets better. Oh, it gets better.
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I've been waiting to preach this all week Haven't even grunted because of my ribs yet This is worthy of that though in your opinion is election impersonal and sterile
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In your opinion is election impersonal and sterile, you know
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Dry Intellectual It's not practical
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Well, what does Ephesians say? It's just right in the text. How do you preach just let the passage preach?
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In love he predestined us to adoption as robots There it is
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Greek word for robots. I don't know why they put sons in there. Well, maybe I have the wrong version He predestined us to adoption as mechanistic wind -up toys danger danger
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Will Robinson No Think about this passage and what
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God is saying By the way, if it's just such a normal thought why would Paul spend all this time talking about it?
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Praising God because it doesn't come naturally. This isn't some natural doctrine. We just go. Oh, yeah, of course
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Because we are our own little sovereigns And when your kids play out in the backyard and in the porch are on the sandbox
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I don't know if kids playing sandboxes anymore We did all the time and we make our teams and I would have here these army guys
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And this was the good team and this was the bad team and this good team beat most of these bad guys And I was this general right here this foot soldier and I was the one who won it all and I survived and everyone else was crushed underneath my feet
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I Control the whole thing Well part of it is we are made in God's likeness and image and we are
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Image bearers and God is sovereign and we bear that where we want to to rule and to reign
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And we will have no sovereign here But all that has been tainted by the fall and we don't want anybody telling us are doing anything that we don't like because Rubs us the wrong way, but the text is so clear.
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It's so wonderful He predestined us in a very personal and in sterile way as adoption as sons daughters
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When you sing that song, I'm a child of the king It is because God's love in election and predestination has caused it
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Election doesn't make people robots. That's Satan's lie. The text says he adopts us as Sons, he gives us his very nature
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He doesn't make us little gods like the whacked -out people on TV teach you but he gives us the divine nature
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That's clear in 2nd Peter chapter 1 Romans chapter 8 verse 15 you have not received the spirit of slavery
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Leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out robot maker robot maker
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How sad? Abba in the old days
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When people couldn't have children and they'd want to adopt they'd pick somebody who was a good servant
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They would pick a trusted friend Abraham would say, you know what that Eleazar of Damascus?
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I'm going to pick him but on the contrary when God chooses, he doesn't pick the good servants
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He doesn't pick the good slaves. He doesn't pick the trusted ones He picks the untrustworthy and the bad and says
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I'm going to love them anyway, I'm gonna be their father Could anything be more personal than that?
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We are children of the Living God and God is our father Paul ends in his wonderful theology book talks about adoption back in the old days
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And he said four things about adoption Let me read those four to you because it magnifies and highlights how wonderful this is
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The adopted person lost all rights in his old family and gained all the rights of a fully legitimate son in his new family
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Can you imagine here's my old family? Who was our old family before we got saved?
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John chapter 8 Jesus said your father who? Satan so here your old family has no more ties and no more strings or can't control you.
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That's your old family Here's your new family ends also says he became heir to his new father's estate
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Everything that the father owns this person now becomes an heir to I check in the
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Bible and see in Romans chapter 8 Who are we in Christ? They're co -heirs. We are heirs to the great things that God has
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Thirdly and says the old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out for instance Legally all debts were canceled.
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They were wiped out as if they had never been Now does that preach or what? this is my old debt all my sins of thought and deed of omission and commission of heart of soul of mind of Body and strength and everything that I've done all wiped out that reminds me of Colossians chapter 2 doesn't it of you?
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and then lastly in says in the eyes of the law the adopted person was literally and Absolutely the son of his new father and it's
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God declares us righteous because of the son's work we stand before God We sang about it in the Jew doxology today blameless with what
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Joy, I don't think that's just talking about our joy. I think that's the joy of God as well the son the daughter
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When the fullness of time came God sent forth his son born of a woman born under law in Order that he might redeem those who were under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons
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Because you were sons God has sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts crying
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Abba father Therefore Galatians says you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son then an heir through God My only response to that is my response that echoes my reformed
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Baptist friends Mmm personal care of a personal
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God for his personal creatures justice damns all
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God says I'm gonna make you sons and daughters How can we think that's not personal let me show you an odd?
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Passage that you're gonna think has nothing to do with this turn over to John 5 if you will Kind of we're still parked in Ephesians, but turn over to John and I want to show you an illustration that I will hopefully use
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To create a how much more scenario How much more is often found in the
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Bible and preaching and should be used I think by preachers How much more if this is true the lesser then how about something greater in this particular case if this is true temporarily how much more?
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Eternally are spiritually John chapter 5 all within the context of election personal election as the sons
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The passage is in context, but I'm bringing it into the sermon in that context John 5 to now there is in Jerusalem by the
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Sheep Gate a pool Which is called in Hebrew Beth Beth Seda or Bethesda having five porticoes in these lay market well friends a multitude of those a multitude many lots
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Who were sick blind lame and withered? Skip down to the best manuscript verse 5 and a certain man was there
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Okay look at this multitude certain many one
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He'd been there 38 years in a sickness When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time that condition
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He said to him do you wish to get well? The sick man answered and said to him sure
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I have no man to put me in the pool The water stirred up while I'm coming another man steps down before me the the the idea was that they thought this pool was kind Of would rumble and bumble and stuff and make some kind of bubbles
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And if you could quick get in there right away first one in first healed Can't get in can't walk
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Jesus said to him arise take up your pallet and walk and Immediately the man became well and took up his pallet and began to walk now.
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It was a Sabbath on that day He healed only one
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How impersonal of Jesus how unloving? How uncaring can you get?
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There's a whole group of them, and he only heals one Get a clue. That's not the
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Jesus. I worship Or is it? It is do you ever read a passage about temporal healing and say he only healed one out of a bunch
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Jesus is so unloving you don't say that at all It's even in the passage to show the super naturalness of Jesus, and how he's not just God and sovereign
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But he's compassionate and kind and personal and he's there to the ones that can't get up on their own
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We never say when Jesus heals one and not many. Oh, Jesus is called an impersonal and sterile then why don't we say when
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Jesus through the Father picks some and Lets the others be
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It's because we're not thinking properly how much more if God is praised for his compassion and kindness rightfully
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So in John 5 should he be praised for his gracious election? elsewhere
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Number eight Number eight is your view of election grace based
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Number one for mature Christians only may it never be Does election stifle praise?
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Oh, no all Christians believe in election. Yes, when did it take place before eternity?
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for the foundation of the world Eternity past is it based on a person's faith. No is it unloving no is it impersonal?
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No is your view of election grace based back to Ephesians chapter 1 like I said earlier everyone believes in election
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Do you have a? Grace based view of election or is it? less than grace
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Again, we're just letting the text preach We saw in verse 4 that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world
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He chose us not because we were holy and blameless But that we should be in love he predestined us to adoption as sons through Christ Jesus to himself
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For what reason for what purpose? What was going on behind the scenes as it were according to the what
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Kind intention of his will to the praise of the glory of his what grace which he freely
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Bestowed our be graced on us in the beloved. This is according to his good pleasure according to his sovereign will
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I Like Samuel Davies. He says in a hymn great God of wonders all thy ways are matchless godlike and divine
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But the fair glories of thy grace more godlike and unrivaled shine
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Why did God choose anyone? He was loving yes, but he was also
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Gracious according to the kind intention of his will literally according to the pleasure of his will
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Notice nothing about our will nothing about free will it's all about God's will
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Kata Tain Eudokion according to the pleasure God's pleasure
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But not everyone agrees Dake's anode Bible reference book
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Dake's Bible from henceforth known as Dake's mistakes Says this you think oh, yeah easy for you to say.
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Okay. I'll prove it It's another religion This is what God chose
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Dake said before the overthrow of Lucifer's world that all of the new race of Adam who accepted
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Jesus Should be holy and without blame before him in love. It is this plan that is chosen for all believers
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Not the individual conformity of any one person to that plan Punchline the final choice is left up to the individual and not
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God All are called and chosen to become holy before God in love if they want to accept this plan and choice of God Here goes the grace if you if you haven't lost it so far you're gonna lose it now
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But only those who meet the conditions will be so blessed I'll choose you.
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God says if you meet my conditions friend, that's not grace We can't meet those conditions.
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That's another religion. That's not grace 1 billion parts grace and one part of works yields what?
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Hell, that's what it yields Works the only reason we're
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Christians is because we are highly favored All right. I'm if I haven't pushed the envelope today. Let me just push it now true or false
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Trick question God plays favorites. Let's close in prayer.
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I don't like the word play very well Somehow kind of arbitrarily playing and do
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I play the Jack or the Queen or something like that? So I don't really like play, but if you'd like to know if God has favorites, what is the root word of favorite?
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Favor what is the synonym of favor? grace What did what was
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Mary called Oh? Earned one Oh merited one. I mean, why did
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God pick Mary? Because of grace thou what favored one
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Why did God pick Noah by the way and say it out loud anybody? Why did
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God pick Noah? Come on, you know somebody out loud. Oh Well, you know what pretty good and you know how much
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I love you, honey, but that's not the right answer Thank you for representing what everyone else in the congregation thought except for two
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Why does God pick people now? It's not favorite like we would think with some kind of bad heart or anything like that But if you want favor as the root word that God graces some the idea of favorite is there's ten here
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And I'll pick my favorite for whatever reasons in God's case. It's according to his good pleasures eternal counsel
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But why did God pick Noah? The answer is not this Let me first say
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Most people say verse 9 of Genesis 6. These are the records of the generations of Noah Noah was a righteous man blameless in his time
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Noah walked with God and God saw Noah His wife his three sons and their three wives and said, you know what?
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They're the only righteous people. They're the only people around therefore I choose them. It's all true
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But he had already done something before that and he had already worked in them because I I have
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Strangely enough Noah's resume before that. I have noses noses knuckles and noses
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Must be my side Here's Noah Let me read you something about Noah Genesis 6 5
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Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of Noah was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of Noah's heart was
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Only evil continually and the Lord was sorry that he'd made Noah on the earth and he was grieved in his heart
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Now I took out the personal pronouns and I added Noah but Noah was part of that group and then something happens
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Then something amazing happens After God says he's sorry and grieved verse 8, but Noah found what?
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Favor our grace in the eyes of the Lord Then because of that Noah responds with righteousness blamelessness and Noah walked with God He certainly was but Noah was who he was because of the grace of God Does God play favorites and not some kind of weird way of playing things and some kind of who cares
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I mean after all even God grieves about the wicked and their destruction Ezekiel says
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But you will never Understand grace Until you understand election and you can never understand election until you can understand grace because the two come together
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Some people say elections unfair Friends that just betrays what?
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Unfair means all deserve hell. Why doesn't God destroy us all?
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We don't want God's Justice we want God's Favor if you're a
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Christian you are a highly favored one. God has taken you out of a group
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That no one deserved his grace and by definition grace gives demerited favor
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It's love in action Not based on the person and their worth or their merit or what they've earned or what they've sacrificed or how they've been baptized or confirmed
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Consecrated doesn't matter anything God says you by nature are sinful and I will love you anyway and God graces and the response should be in Ephesians 1 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace
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As Mitten described grace God's utter generosity unselfish spontaneous recklessly prodigal
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Generosity and if you don't believe in Grace, you will somehow slip into the air of today with the slogan that many say
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God only helps those who what? help themselves Ulysses s grant was nicknamed u .s.
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Grant and he was also nicknamed what? Unconditional unconditional surrender grant there are no negotiations when it comes to surrender
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There's no room for I'll do this or may I do that or can I have that it is no negotiations u .s.
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Unconditional surrender grant. It's exactly how God chooses Favored ones.
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I think that's amazing. I have a question for you Two questions actually and Matter of fact, may
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I be so bold? These are Jesus's questions to you about grace Is it not lawful for me to do what
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I wish with what is my own question number two Or is your eye envious because I am generous
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Friends, that's Matthew chapter 20. That's Matthew 20 We are
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Christians because of the grace of God from start to finish God's gracious will God's free will
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According to his will in the exercise of his will James 118 Not born of the will of man
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John 113, but the will of God his gracious will It is absolutely mind -boggling.
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I hope you can't sleep tonight for those of you that say You know,
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I love election and I'm just reminded of it I hope you can't sleep tonight because you're just gonna Just be up all night thinking to yourself.
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I can't believe God saved me He knew what I was gonna do and he still saved me and he loved me And he didn't have to choose anybody, but he chose a whole bunch
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For his own good pleasure. I'm favored. I'm a child of God. I just can't get over it
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For those of you that don't believe what I've said this morning. I pray you study your Bible all night You're either wrong and I'm right
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I'm wrong and you're right or both wrong, but we can't be both right because election will allow no
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Synergistically coming together with somehow man's will You say what about free will you said you're gonna talk about prayer and evangelism this week
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Said you're gonna talk about God desires all men to be saved. I'm trying to get there, but that's question nine
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And if you're not a Christian, I don't preach to unbelievers God elects.
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Here's what I preach to them God is a sovereign God who is a creator of the universe and you are part of his creation and he's not only sovereign
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He's the judge and you are to one day stand before God and answer to the judge What kind of justice would there be in a land without a judge who has payday one day?
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He knows everything you do. He knows everything you've said. He knows you don't worship him with your heart soul mind and strength
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He knows you don't love your neighbors yourself, and he knows you can't do anything about it That's why he sent his son
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Jesus Christ to live the life You couldn't live to die on the cross to pay for sin and to raise him from the dead to validate that very thing and God calls you to repent and to believe and to trust and to follow to believe
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Christ so much to Follow him because he's the only hope you'll have And one thing's for sure if you do believe you will then know for certain that God has chosen you
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Friends, this is one of those doctrines that will either split the church in half or we're not gonna have enough room next week
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Because it will boast bolster you you say well I kind of came to church today because I've got a bunch of trials in my life and health trials and financial trials and work
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Trials and personal trials and I just need to kind of a good attaboy keep it up way to go chin up God loves you way to go
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Take all those measly crumbs that fall off the table Scrape them to a side and let me just give you this filet mignon
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God elects people in eternity past out of love and out of grace and he makes them sons and daughters and if he's done that For you, is he going to leave you because you've got a trial in your life
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Why do people want this strong doctrine? Because when your life is weak and temptations are going high you need to be back to the rock that Paul says
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Ephesians before I tell you to love your wives before I tell you to submit your husbands before I tell you anything about work or the
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Church our elders our gifts our service Let me tell you one thing and I'll tell you this even before I tell you that Jesus redeemed you.
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Let me tell you this that God chose You before the foundation of the world that you might be holy and blameless
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Before him and in love he predestined you to adoption as sons as my grandmother -in -law would say
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When you keep your eyes on the greatness of God And just gaze upon his truths and just glance once in a while at your problems
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Everything will be just fine But when you invert that and you just glance once in a while the truths of God and just stare at all your problems
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Your life's gonna be upside down. Let's pray
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Father I praise you this morning that our salvation does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs
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But on God who has mercy Father I praise you this morning that you have mercy on you have mercy upon and compassion on whom you have compassion
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Father we praise you with Paul and we say there's no injustice with God.
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Is there may it never be Father we praise you that you have bestowed upon us every good gift from above Coming down from you the father of lights with whom there's no variation or shadow and in the exercise of your will you brought us?
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forth by the word Thank you Lord because we could not save ourselves and Lord I pray for these dear people today
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May they study to be Bereans may they revel in the free grace found at Calvary But also in the eternal
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Godhead the Father Son the Spirit Determining out of love and grace to save a bride for Christ.
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Thank you for that and Lord now We'd ask that you'd help us to be Living what we've learned that you would give us joy this week