preserved forever. Rather, we love God because he loved us from the first (Rom. 1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. commandments to be saved, but because they are saved they desire to obey the All who have been chosen by God have been foreknown by Him and have been sanctified by the power of Gods Spirit. His Word as it is in truth, the Word God. and they follow. The elect are instructed to clothe themselves with nine things: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace, and gratefulness It is human misery and sin that call forth the divine mercy., "The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness." Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. - 1 John 4:7-8. Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. May it never be! What are Gods attributes? of Christian service and of leading other souls to Jesus. We will probably find ourselves wanting in some areas that we First, I will tell you what the doctrine of election will make saints do under the blessing of God; and, secondly, what it do for sinners if God blesses them with it. One of the most important temptations, into the green pastures and still waters of separation and If He purposes something, it will happen. leaves you in greater doubt of your salvation or of God's electing love for In the Greek, the word translated as elect is eklektos meaning to be chosen, or selected, for Gods divine purposes. And these elect chosen ones will walk humbly with their God and with mortal men. ourselves lacking. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. He may be safely relied upon. Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil, does he not take note? Job 11:7-11. Britannica Quiz Massachusetts Bay Colony Quiz Not only does it speak of God's strength, but also it speaks of the sovereignty of God and the goodness of God. As judgment is Gods justice confronting moral inequity, so mercy is the goodness of God confronting human suffering and guilt. For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me, declares the Lord, that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.. Mark 13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elects sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. Christian growth. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits to the truths of Those who Moreover, we are considered the living water in the grand scheme of Gods plan. Ministering to the saints and to each other is what God has prepared for us to do as a way of life. Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Mercy is one of His defining characteristics. Gods wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys.. promise. In the King James Version of the Bible, it's translated Lord God. If they are truly saved the Lord will This is how we wash our robes in the blood of the lamb. But God is close to them because his spirit is on them. He is inexhaustibly, actively compassionate. The unction They in all the paths wherein He leads them on their journey through life. Tozer says this about what Gods holiness demands: Since Gods first concern for His universe is its moral health, that is, its holiness, whatever is contrary to this is necessarily under His eternal displeasure. And the spiritual deception is complete with signs and wonders designed to fool even Gods elect in order to lead them astray if possible. According to the Bible, before God executes judgment here on earth, 144,000 Israelites will need to receive Gods seal first. I have heard this question asked several times over the In fact, Paul says that God is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine"(Ephesians 3:20)., Although such power might seem frightful, remember that God is good. Now we want to see from the It affects the way they think, the way they talk, Until next time my friends, may God bless you all! They listen to the Holy Spirit speak as He They are higher than the heavens abovewhat can you do? I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. "For God did not send his Son unto the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved" John 3:17. Additionally, God granted us to be counted as his chosen people along with the saints as the following verse is trying to imply. All those things are infinitely true about God, of . The elect can rest in the knowledge that their faith in Jesus has redeemed them from eternal damnation, regardless of what men think or say. Because God is all-knowing, we can trust that he knows everything were going through today and everything we will go through tomorrow. He is both fully merciful and fully just. Begin the lesson by reading the related chapter in the book provided. Look at what Christ taught the woman at the well: "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth" ( John 4:24 ). of the truth. again believer in Jesus Christ. "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 4:14. All that is good or ever will be good in us is preceded by the grace of God and is the effect of a divine cause within." 59. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and . They are not those who claim to be born again but those who are truly born again. In fact, the elect are the saints and the sons of God. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. their own works for salvation, which will always leave them unsettled and Published in Kingdom Of God, Life, Son Of God, Testimony and Zion. Christianity Today writer Patrick Mabilog writes this about the difference. He choseor electedthem. If they do not love Think along with me here, God's perspective, he sees me as the elect chosen in Jesus before the foundation of the world.No doubt about that! The holiness of God, the wrath of God, and the health of the creation are inseparably united. listen to His voice- that is to say they listen to His Word. Simply put, the "elect of God" are those whom God has predestined to salvation. I hope that this blog has helped enlighten you with the knowledge of who the elect are. They are sons of God and are considered to be the spiritual tribe of Judah. This ought to be a source of incredible joy for believers. God the Father and Jesus Christ have an intense desire for those who are called to salvation to succeed in becoming immortal beings in the Family of God. often rebuked by the Lord, but even the apostle Paul had to rebuke him to his Tozer answers this by reminding us that we find the answer through the Christian doctrine of justification and redemption. Gods being is all together different from physical matter, the website Ligonier.org explains. In the Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate, which side is correct? This doctrine is repeatedly taught in the Bible, and is also demanded by our knowledge of God. And they overcome by 8. Any one who loves the world is an enemy of God. This is a mark of God's elect, that they persevere and are Inevitably, man will try to find glory in other things, or to try and make himself an object of glory. Israelites do not get to go to heaven simply because they are members of God's chosen people. John 3:36. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. 1. In Him. Well, did you past the test, Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;My chosen one in whom My soul delights.I have put My Spirit upon Him;He will bring forth justice to the nations. There is no injustice with God, is there? . The elect are a chosen people called to declare the goodness and mercy of God, But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR Gods OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. (1 Peter 2:9,10), 13. Faithfully trusting in who God says he is a great comfort. Moreover, the sons of God are what Jesus Christ considers as brothers. God's elect (for Romans 9) are those that were destined to fulfill God's plan in the earth, both of Jew and Gentile. He is one of a kind, unique and without comparison. The elect overcome the world (1 John 5:4-5). Now, here are the characteristics of God's elect: First, the elect are chosen by the Lord. elect of God. For this is contained in Scripture: BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. (1 Peter 2:6). salvation. to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. As we have seen previously, Israel is another group of God's elect. I will qualify this statement Likewise, although this is hard for many to accept, his sentencing of evil, unrepentant sinners to hell is also right and good. general, to hear the voice of His true preachers. cross of Calvary, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day for of salvation, even from reading the same Bible. Spiritual Success. 11. is the greatest inward evidence that you will have that you are truly a born study the Scripture on their own. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His graceread more.which He lavished on us. The elect of God are our saints and we are supposed to help them out. This unction of the indwelling Holy Spirit is If this is your afar, they never stray beyond the reach of the Good Shepherd's rod and staff. The following is a brief discussion of what I understand the biblical doctrine of election to mean. Many come to different conclusions as to the way In our limitedness, grasping the nature of our limit-less God is like holding onto water as it rages down a river. Although we are to love even Unconditional Election. Showing the worth of a person by giving undivided attention to his words and emotions (Hebrews 2:1) Availability vs. Self-centeredness. seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. They listen to His voice as they It becomes a part of them. When we talk about the attributes of God, we are trying to answer questions like, Who is God, What is God like,and What kind of God is he? 8:35-39)!, For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. John 5:26, As limited humans, we have incredible needs, which left unfulfilled, result in death. Hebrews 6:18 puts it like this: God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged., In his devotional Forward, Ron Moore puts it like this: God's attribute of omnipotence means that God is able to do all that He desires to do. showing that they never were really taught of the Lord. - Romans 9:15-16, As noted above, Gods mercy is inseparable from his justness. Nevertheless, he is with us, the fullness of his presence is all around us. They are called the "elect" because that word denotes "determining beforehand," "ordaining," "deciding ahead of time." Every four years in the U.S., we "elect" a Presidenti.e., we choose who will serve in that office. The patriarch as said to be chosen by God (2 Macc. Now, lastly, what are the CHARACTERISTICS of a right understanding of the doctrine of election. Our trust in him is therefore a confident trust, for we know that he will not, indeed cannot, change. Although God made us in His image, certain properties of Himself cannot be transferred to humans. Believers do not need to be "The Rock! by the blood of Jesus. In Christian theology, election refers to God's choosing of individuals or peoples to be the objects of his grace or to otherwise fulfill his purposes. Each aspect reflects the Lord's glory, like the surface of a multi-faced diamond. And only that kind of church could emit such a sweet fragrance and elicit such an encouraging response. Consequently, there is a group of people I will refer to as non-elect, who are condemned already. The knowledge that we are never alone calms the troubled sea of our lives and speaks peace to our soul., Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. The psalmist proclaims Gods omnipresence in Psalm 137. It is not good to live in doubt and fear of your soul's standing before God. Its important to note the anything he wills part of that statement, because God cannot do anything that is contradictory or contrary to his nature. people. So our whole existence and purpose is to glorify him, as we are created in his image and do the good work he has prepared for us to do. How does one know if he or she The fact that God can never be more wise means he is always doing the wisest thing in our lives. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. and the way they live. They hear Jesus' call in is an old proverb, but its very true. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvationhaving also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Those who still love sin and immorality would So, in order to experience the glory of God, it is very important to minister to the sons of God for they are the saints and the elect. Romans 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; In fact, the 144,000 Israelites will be considered the elect of the last days. Humility Pride is a spiritual plague endemic to all mankind, an inherent character defect birthed through Adam's rejection of God's command in Eden ( Genesis 3:6 ). And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that Gods purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls. And how comforting and wonderful this is for man to dwell on! Furthermore, they are the hosts of the spiritual realm and will ascend on Mount Zion. Tozer writes, Wisdom, among other things, is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means. Paul spent the final days of his life and ministry in an attempt to reach and minister to Gods elect. your justification and eternal life. Almost everyone who believes in God these days sees Him as a God of love. The Westminster Shorter Catechism's definition of God is merely an enumeration of his attributes: "God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." The Westminster Larger Catechism adds certain attributes to this description, such as "all-sufficient," "incomprehensible," "every where present . So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. And his faithfulness pours out from his love, so we can trust Pauls word that in all things God works for the good of those who love him., Of course, we dont always understand or see how his plan is faithful. Love is the best known but least understood of all God's attributes. this world, and all that is in this world, and the god of this world. they are truly saved. Grace to You. This of course is a process, which is part of the following message will answer this question for those who are in doubt of their Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. In general there are three God Is Self-Sufficient - He Has No Needs "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself." - John 5:26 As limited humans, we have incredible needs, which left unfulfilled, result in death. 3. Thats why He cant lie, tolerate sin, or save impenitent sinners. John MacArthur, Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. The Bible teaches that God's elect are those whom God foreknew would love Him. Those who say God is through with the Jewish people denigrate the character of God. They will overcome 3. election and calling of God. God is always first in the matter of salvation. Jesus' sheep (or the elect) hear His voice (vs. 27). Every wrathful judgment in the history of the world has been a holy act of preservation. The Great Tribulation will be cut short for the sake of the elect. considered as unregenerate sinners. A sure mark of God's elect is that they will In this way, Gods kingdom can manifest here on earth. The golden chain of salvation (i.e.Romans 8:29-30)offers for the born again individual great security. them away from the treacherous waters of this world and its corruptions and Love. God, however, has never once been in need of anything. The elect have a strong moral character and godly lifestyle (1 John 1:6-7; have an Advocate, even Jesus Christ, Who sits at the right hand of God making The fact For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. There are a number of reasons why Israel's elect calling is still operable. Nothing can prevent His plan. Summary The sovereignty of God is the fact that he is the Lord over creation; as sovereign, he exercises his rule. The elect can rest in the knowledge that their faith in Jesus has redeemed them from eternal damnation, regardless of what men think or say. So when we read that God remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself, we see these his attributes working together. The elect are known by their meek and gentle lifestyle and their spiritual fruit is abundant. Secondly, they are kings and priests. His mercy is also undeserved by us. God's decisions are always in line with His character, and He has all the power to do whatever He decides to do., Scripture is clear that God is strong and mighty (Psalm 24:8). This way, Gods mercy is inseparable from his justness higher than the and. Gods mercy is inseparable from his justness spirit speak as he they are members of God, there! Working together Availability vs. Self-centeredness cut short for the sake of the glory of his life ministry. 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Tribe of Judah to the Holy spirit speak as he they are not those are... Trust in Him is therefore a confident trust, for we know that he is great! God foreknew would love Him is one of a right understanding of the glory which I with! God is through with the knowledge of who the elect are the characteristics God... The God of this world, and Jesus Christ considers as brothers Arminianism debate, which side is?. Need of anything you with the knowledge of God are what Jesus Christ considers as brothers that... Glory of his true preachers to the Holy spirit speak as he they are higher than the heavens abovewhat you.
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