Grace That You Have Been Elected!

Grace That You Have Been Elected!

“There is none who seeks after God.” Rom. 3:11. That is how far mankind has fallen. But how is it, then, that there are quite a number of us who now seek God? It is an election by grace. It is God who has sought us first.

When we speak to people we meet, it is difficult to find one who wants to live for God. The world has laid hold of them and you do not find an ear for spiritual things. As a result, there are many who, like Elijah, feel lonesome, and it is easy for them to become despondent. God answered Elijah: “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” The apostle writes further: “Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Rom. 11:2-6.

Instead of being despondent over being alone, one should be unspeakably thankful for having received grace to seek God. The fewer there are, the greater it is to be one of them. Then we should search diligently to see if we can find one of the “seven thousand” who are part of this election of grace. God be praised that we have found quite a few of them. When we travel from the various places to be together, we are many, and we have some glorious days together.

When one looks at it this way, it becomes so great that one is among the few who have been elected. One begins to ask, “Can this be possible, wretched person that I am?” Then one begins to doubt.

“(For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! . . . So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. . . . You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?’ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” Rom. 9:11-20.

From the above we understand that we should not continually brood over, and try to fathom the reasons for God’s election. That would be an indication of rebellion and stubbornness. That would be to “reply against God.” Don’t do that anymore, but praise God so much more because you are part of His election of grace which He made in Jesus before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1:4.

You may say, “How can I know that I have been elected?” You can know it by the fact that you are seeking God. You wouldn’t do that if He had not elected you. You have an ear with which to hear. You have received the understanding that the only things of value are spiritual things. You cannot be satisfied with religious entertainment, with solos and flowery speeches. Not at all! You are only satisfied when you receive God’s Word for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. 2 Tim. 3:16. When you are chastened to partake of His holiness, you rejoice even though you have to suffer. Heb. 12:10-11.

“Yes,” you say, “but there are so many others who are better than I.” Now you have to be careful that you do not reply against God. It is an election of grace, not of works. Paul entreats us to consider our calling “that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.” 1 Cor. 1:26-28.

Everything depends on God’s mercy. Rom. 11:32. After we have received mercy, the apostle continues to say, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God”; then, throughout Chapter 12, he continues to exhort to good works and not to be conformed to this world. This is the life we can enter into because we are of the elect and have received mercy. We know that this is just the life we long to live. It is God who has worked this hunger and thirst. The majority of religious people do not have this hunger and thirst. When we exhort to good works, they come with the scripture that says that it is not of works but of grace, and that it is not up to him who runs or to him who wills, but that it is up to God who gives mercy. They do not understand that this is written about the election. They do not hunger for righteousness; all they want is to get to heaven when they die, which is why God sends them strong delusion. They try to find scriptures that console them in their sin. Their consolation is that it will go well in the end. 2 Thess. 2:11-12.

May we have our eyes opened much more to the grace that is over us, that we have received mercy to come together to encourage one another to love and good works—that grace teaches us. Tit. 2:11-12.

Brothers and sisters! May we praise God day and night because we are part of the election of grace, and that we are partakers of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us therefore be thankful, serving God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Heb. 12:28.