Foundations of Faith
SALVATION (III)
Twelve-year-old Michelle had just visited her father for the first time in nearly a year. Her father, Michael, was in prison about 150 miles from home. For lack of room, I was not permitted to join Michelle and her mother, brothers, and sister in the visiting room with Michael. However, I was able to visit Michael for a few minutes by myself. He told me excitedly that he had talked to each member of his family about the way of salvation. On the way back to my car, Michelle looked up at me and said, “Guess what, Mr. Canner. My daddy saved me.” I knew what she meant and did not correct her, but allowed her to enjoy that precious moment of her life.
We know that our mom and dad didn’t save us. We know that the gospel preacher didn’t save us. They just showed us our need of salvation and pointed us to Christ. But sometimes we may think that we ourselves can take some credit for being saved. I have heard born again Christians say, “Salvation is so simple; I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, why doesn’t so-and-so?” Such questions betray the pride of people’s hearts in taking at least a tiny bit of credit for their own salvation. What does Scripture say? “By grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). What is “not of yourselves” and “the gift of God”? It is faith! Our very ability to accept the gospel and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation is “not of [our]selves” but “the gift of God.”
When I hear the gospel and respond to it by faith, it may seem to me that I have made the choice of Christ over Satan, heaven over hell, life over death. But as I study the Bible I learn something different:”[God] has chosen us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). “God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). Jesus said, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16,19). “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” (Rom. 8:33). (See Assignment 6)
Why is it that God has made the choice of who will be saved, rather than leaving it up to man’s free will? Let me quote from Charles Stanley (born 1821 in England):”The fact is, man is so desperately wicked, that left to his own free choice, he will not believe God … he will not receive Christ as his Saviour. God did not make him so. Man’s condition is the result of his own sin. He believed Satan and disbelieved God (Gen. 3:1-7).
“God ‘now commands all men everywhere to repent’ (Acts 17:30). Men will neither believe what God says nor repent. If God had left the matter … to man’s free choice only … it is clear that no one would be saved.” (Mr. Stanley’s pamphlet entitled, Election, may be obtained by writing the editor of GROWING. See also the Oct93 issue for more on this topic in connection with God’s sovereignty.)
The result of learning this truth of our divine election is eternal praise, worship, and thanksgiving to the One who has graciously chosen us for salvation (Eph. 1:4-6).
“How can I know if I am one of the elect?” one may ask. Not to worry! Jesus said, “All whom the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and him who comes to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37,44). If you have heard the gospel and want to be saved and have come to Christ, this is clear-cut evidence that the Father has chosen you.
“Does not Rom. 8:29 say that God’s election is based on His foreknowledge?” another may ask. It is true that God knew everything about us long before we were born. He has always known who would be praying for us, who would share the gospel with us, and so forth. Still, it is totally His choice who should be saved, and this should cause each one of us who has been saved to fall on our knees before God in worship.
There are aspects of the doctrine of election that confound our human understanding. It may help us a little to think of a door opening up into heaven. On the outside is a sign saying, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17); on the inside is a sign saying, “Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).
This is a word that is often used interchangeably with election. However, there seems to be a distinction between the two. “Election,” “elect,” and “chosen” are words used in the Bible to refer to God’s sovereign choice of certain individuals to be saved. The word “predestinate” means “to mark out beforehand.” In the Bible this word is always connected with God’s special blessing upon those who believe; in particular, it refers to the truth of the believer’s sonship with God the Father:”Whom He did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of [sons]” (Eph. 1:5). “We have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of [God]” (Eph. 1:11).
Running the Race
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CHRIST?
Hey, fellows, imagine this if you can: You have just become engaged to a girl. She isn’t just any girl; she is the most beautiful, attractive, talented, intelligent, friendly, charming, loving, selfless, and spiritual girl in town … maybe in the entire country. And she has agreed to marry you!
Now imagine thinking to yourself: “She is mine, she has agreed to marry me, we have a wedding date set for 12 months from now. I am going to be living with her for the next 50 years or so. Therefore, I think I will use the next few months before our wedding spending time with as many different girls as I possibly can. I won’t have such an opportunity once I am married.”
That’s pretty silly, isn’t it! Of course you wouldn’t think anything of the kind! Rather, you would be spending every moment possible with the girl of your dreams.
Are you treating Christ like that? Maybe you are thinking: “I want to get all the pleasure possible out of this present world while I can; I can enjoy Christ and heaven when I get there.”
“What do you think of Christ?” (Matt. 22:42).
Assignment 6: Write out a verse in each of Matthew 22 and 1 Peter 1 and at least two verses in Romans 9 that express the truth of election.