The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lacerre Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, The praise of my God and King, the triumph of His grace! This is Lacerre Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace.
Long may the sun meet at His face, O moonshot for her silver rays! Salvation's scheme was fixed, was done, incumbent by the free in one. The Father's faith, the Son replied, the Spirit with Him both combined. Grace proved the cause for saving man, and wisdom through the noble plan. The Father chose His only Son to die for sins that man had done.
Emmanuel to the choice of green, and the secure the numerous sea. He sent His Spirit from above to call the objects of His love. Not one shall perish or be lost, His blood has bought them dear they cost. What high this place of sovereign grace, What love to say, love, ruin, grace! My soul adored His lovely name, By whom my free salvation came. Today we continue our series of messages on what is often called the Tulip Doctrine, the acronym, the T, standing for Total Depravity, which we brought that message the last two Sundays.
And so today we come to the U being Unconditional Election. We pray that the message will be a blessing to you as we give glory to God for His wonderful sovereign saving grace, that which was purposed in the covenant from before the foundation of the world. I hope you take time to write and let us know that you have listened to the broadcast. If you can help us with the support, we'll be grateful for that.
The need is particularly great at the present time. Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. And I encourage you to go to our website at BaptistBibleHour.org.
There you can make a donation and you can also read the Baptist Witness. We come now to the second message in our series on the doctrines of grace. The subject, Unconditional Election. The text, 1 Thessalonians, chapter 1, verse 4. Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Election is of God, and so it is good. It is a Bible doctrine that cannot be denied.
2 Timothy 3.16 says, all scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine. Since election is a Bible doctrine, it is profitable that it be believed and preached. By way of definition, when we're talking about election, we mean that God made choice of a people before the foundation of the world. A concise way of saying it, by way of definition, election is a sovereign act of God whereby he chooses certain individuals from the fallen race to eternal life for the glory of his name.
A definition of greater length, but I think it's significant to read this. It's from the 1689 London Confession, which obviously is a confirmation that this is a doctrine that Baptists have believed through the years. By the decree of God for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ to the praise of his glorious grace. Others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation to the praise of his glorious justice, these angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their numbers so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished.
Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God before the foundation of the world was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel of his good pleasure and his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his mere free grace and love without any other things in the creature as a condition or cause moving him there unto. The Lord blessed me to see the doctrines of grace and I started preaching them on the radio about 60 years ago. I was immediately accused by a number of people in this city of advancing a new doctrine.
I knew that that was a false charge because I didn't sit around trying to think up some new concept to use and might be able to stir people up or startle them or whatever. I had been resistant to this doctrine because I was brought up to believe that salvation was ultimately based on man's free will. And the Lord began to open my eyes as I was reading the scripture and I could see it first in a few passages in the epistles and then began to see it throughout the word of God.
When those accusations were made, it was further consolation to me as I did research going to the historical society here in our city and found that the first church of the Northwest Territory, Old Columbia Church, the graveyard can be seen still out by London Airport. That church had in their articles of faith these wonderful doctrines of sovereign grace. So this confession was adopted by the Baptist in London, England in 1689. As the Baptist came to America, it was adopted by the Philadelphia Association, became known as the Philadelphia Confession.
It was also endorsed by a meeting of primitive Baptists as they met in Fulton, Kentucky in 1900. Now I'm not suggesting that because we can find this doctrine in ancient writings that that makes it right because heresy can also be found in ancient writings. But I simply cite that to confirm that our Baptist forefathers have believed and proclaimed this wonderful doctrine. So when we're talking about the doctrine of election, we mean that it is the purpose of God to make a people like Christ and provide for him a bride. Let's look at Romans chapter 8. This is one of the passages that the Lord used in my own study to make me aware of his sovereign purpose in the salvation of a people. Romans chapter 8 verse 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. There are some religious leaders who have been bold enough to say, I hate the doctrine of predestination. Now anybody can claim to be a Bible believer and then make such a statement as beyond me. I've heard people say it's just a negative doctrine. It should not be preached. It will only confuse people and disturb them. But when you read in this text what predestination is, it is the purpose of God to make a people like Jesus Christ.
How can that be upsetting? That's a wonderful truth. And then we read in the 17th chapter the Gospel of John verse 9. Jesus is praying this high priestly prayer, praying to his father. I pray for them. I pray not for the world but for them which thou has given me for they are thine. All mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them. I'm praying for them.
Who is he talking about? I pray for those that thou has given me. Not for the world, not for all men without exception, but I pray for those that thou has given me. When we're talking about the doctrine of election, we mean that the choice of God is not based on any merit in man. The fact is God would be just to pass by the whole human race. Leave man where he is in his fallen state related to Adam who rebelled against God. Who disobeyed his law and plunged himself and all of his posterity into a state of guilt and corruption and alienation from God. Romans chapter 3 verse 12 says, They are all gone out of the way.
They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. There is nothing then in man that would attract the favor of God. Nothing in man that would demand that God do something for him. They are all become unprofitable.
There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Verse 19, Now we know that what things soever the law sayeth, it sayeth to them that are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. All the world is guilty before God. Not one single soul can say, I am an exception. I am not one who has come under this terrible condition. I have lived an upright acceptable life and God must be pleased with it.
I've talked to people through the years who were in darkness and when we talked about their condition they would say, I just don't believe I'm all that bad. Well according to the authority of God's Word, you are bad and so am I. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Not one single soul can claim an exemption from all of this. Isaiah chapter 64 verse 6 says, But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Even the things in which you may take pride. You say, here's something that I can offer to God. Here's some noble act.
Here's some good work. But he says, without faith it is impossible to please him. So if it's simply an effort on your part to do something that would recommend yourself to God, he says, even what you perceive to be righteousness, it's as filthy rags.
It's not acceptable. It is only because of his grace that any are chosen. Romans chapter 9 verse 16.
The words are explicit. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that showeth mercy. Some have argued against the doctrine of election and predestination because they say, well, it's just so difficult. It's so deep. It's such deep doctrine and I'm not able to go that deep.
Now, you don't have to go very deep to understand what this text says. It is not of him that willeth. Somebody said, well, I really think when it comes right down to it that man has to turn the final point. God does a great deal.
Some would say he does most of it. But man must finally cooperate and turn the point by an action of his free will. God's word says it is not of him that willeth. It is not of him that runneth.
That is the one that works, the one that puts forth an effort. It is of God that showeth mercy. And then we go to the book of Ephesians chapter 1.
Reading in the third verse, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Somebody may say, but preacher, I chose Christ. Well, it could be argued that when you came to the point of seeing yourself a sinner and were brought to faith in Jesus Christ, that you were choosing at that point to say he is my savior. But something had to happen before any of that aspect of experience occurred.
What we're reading about here took place before the foundation of the world. God made the choice. And the choice was that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.
That's a wonderful thought. That we who are fallen sinners would actually stand ultimately in the presence of God holy, without blame, nothing to be laid to our charge, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of what? His will. Not man's will, his will. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.
Here's another question that comes up periodically as far as terminology is concerned. Somebody will say, well, back at such and such a time in my life, I accepted the Lord and led him in my life. Well, to be more biblical in our terminology, we need to say he accepted us. Yes, there came a time when you believed on him, but he accepted us.
God accepted us in Christ before the world began, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. So the passages are explicit. It is only because of his grace that any are chosen.
Seeing then the definition, let's consider the proclamation. Just how is this proclaimed throughout Scripture? Well, in Genesis chapter 6 verse 8 it says, But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Wickedness was rampant in that day. God was ready to send judgment and did send it in the flood. But Noah found grace. It didn't say that Noah was deserving of some special favor.
That would eliminate grace. But he found grace. God was gracious to Noah. Psalm 65 verse 4, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
Blessed is the man that God chooses. And then we come to the New Testament. Or come even in the initial part of it in the Gospels. Matthew 1 21, And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Who are his people? They are the chosen of God.
They are the ones who were given to him by the Father. That's why his name was called Jesus because he's the Savior. He shall, not try, but shall save his people from their sins. Really all five of these fundamental doctrines of grace are in that one text. He shall save his people from their sins.
There's total depravity. There are sinners. He shall save his people.
There is the doctrine of election. He shall save them, actually redeem them, actually deliver them. There's particular redemption.
He shall do it. There's irresistible grace. He shall deliver them from their sins.
There's the perseverance of the saints. The doctrines of grace can be found not in some difficult, isolated passage, but seen throughout the Word of God. And then back to the Gospel of John once again. We've just recently completed that study, and certainly you were able to notice as we went through it the repeated references to the fact that this salvation is all according to the sovereign purpose of God. Jesus said in John 15, the 16th verse, Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
And then we go to the 17th chapter once again. Verse 2, As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. He has all power, all authority for the purpose of giving eternal life to those that were given to him by the Father. Verse 6, I have manifested thy name unto the men, which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word.
Verse 9, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me. And then when we go on to the book of Acts, and to the epistles, the same doctrine permeates them all. Acts chapter 13, reading in the 47th verse, For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to a light of the Gentiles, to be a light to the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. What does it mean to glorify the word of the Lord?
It means to believe it, and they believe. Who was it that believed? As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. See, it's very explicit to point out that God is the one who gives salvation. It's according to his plan, according to his purpose, and all of these who were ordained to eternal life believed. Now go back again to Romans 8.
We read a part of that a moment ago, but we're going to look at a little more of it. Following that 29th verse, which says that he has predestinated a people to be conformed to the image of his son, then he says in the 30th verse, Moreover whom he did predestinate, then he also called, and whom he called, then he also justified, and whom he justified, then he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Verse 33, Who shall anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
Now this passage has sometimes been referred to as the chain of grace. Here is God before the foundation of the world, predestinating a people to be conformed to the image of his son. The predestinated are called, the called are justified, the justified are glorified. You start with a specific number that were predestinated. You come to the specific number when they are glorified.
This message you can preach backwards as well as forward. You look out to glorification. There is a great multitude, resurrected, glorified, conformed to the image of his son. Who are the glorified? The glorified are the justified. Who are the justified? The justified are the called. Who are the called? They are the predestinated.
Look at it in either direction. It is all of God. He receives all the glory. In Colossians chapter 3 verse 12, Paul is giving a word of practical exhortation and includes in it the truth that God's people are chosen. Colossians 3, 12, put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, homeliness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. Put on these things, these things which are the fruit of the spirit.
You put them on and the reason you can do that is because you are of the elect of God. And in 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9, the last word of the eighth verse is God. So we include that as we read verse 9. God who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. So on the negative side, he says it's not according to our works. On the positive side, it is according to his purpose and grace and it was given to us when? Before the foundation of the world. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. It is indeed amazing grace when we consider the fact that before time began, God determined to save a people and make them like his son Jesus Christ.
He was under no obligation to do so. There is nothing attractive in man that would obligate God but it was by his sovereign grace according to his mercy and to the glory of his name that he made choice of a people and in time sent forth his son to redeem them. May we rejoice today in the good news of salvation by grace. Till next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all.
Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come. Disgraced that God be saved. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Praise the Lord!
