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Grounded-In-Biblical-Truth | |
Sovereign Grace
Doctrines
Concerning 'THE GOSPEL' - JESUS CHRIST
CHOSEN IN CHRIST
Ken Wimer, PASTOR
The Lord Jesus Christ prayed in the garden,
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him,
John 17 :2.
Many today are ignorant of the truth of God's electing grace. Much of the blame lies with preachers who refuse to preach it because they say it causes too much division. However, this doctrine is fundamental to what the Bible teaches. The word « election » is found more times than the « new birth . »
The Bible teaches that from all eternity, God the Father entered into a covenant of grace with God the Son, in order to save every sinner that He had chosen and given to His Son. Such sinners are « the elect of God, » (Mark 13:22; Luke 18:7; 1 Peter 1:1,2). God has chosen sinners to salvation out of every tribe, nation, and tongue throughout the world, Revelation 5:9. His choice was based on the « good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glory, » Ephesians:1:4,5. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is called « the lamb slain from before the foundation of the world, » because in the eternal purpose of God, He voluntarily accepted to sacrifice Himself for the sins of all that the Father had given him. Their names were written from all eternity in the book of life, Revelation 13:8.
The elect of God are not any better than the rest of fallen humanity. If their salvation depended upon them choosing Christ, none of them would be saved either. The Bible teaches that the elect of God are by nature children of wrath, just like any sinner, Ephesians 2:1-3. It is according to the sovereign will of God that He has chosen sinners to salvation, even before any did any good or evil, « that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. » Romans 9:11. Election by itself is not salvation. It guarantees that in God's appointed time those that He has chosen in Christ, He will call. They will come to Him because He has chosen them.
Many will object to this truth by saying, « If God has already chosen who will be saved, why preach ? » The answer is that God has ordained that the salvation of the elect come through the means of preaching the Gospel. He will see to it that everyone of His elect hears the Gospel and comes to Christ in faith (Romans 10:14 ; John 10:26-28).
Shreveport Grace Church
P.O. Box 5028
Shreveport, LA 71135
Ken Wimer, Pastor
(318) 869-0860
