Election—Rejection

Election—Rejection

After we have acknowledged the truth and can discern between the concepts of elementary principles and God’s plan for us, our interest turns to the world to come; at the same time, our interest in the present world ebbs away.

We yearn for God’s kingdom because we believe that we were chosen in Christ according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, to receive the adoption and the glory in Him. By faith we understand that God loves people but hates sin and wants to destroy sin in each individual. In the church we are taught to do God’s will and not our own will. Herein lies the election of the new covenant, and everyone who enters this covenant gets God’s laws written into their hearts and their minds. Heb. 10:15-16.

The great masses who seek God completely misunderstand this work of God. The Word speaks clearly, but they will not believe, having their desire in the things of the world: honor, respect, and power, and money and goods; these things they worship. They do not see Jesus as the first One who has gone the way and has left us an example, so that all those who believe shall follow His steps. 1 Pet. 2:21-24. They praise Jesus Christ with their mouth but deny Him by their works.

On the other hand, all those who believe in Jesus as the atoning sacrifice and forerunner, that is, they believe in the finished work, share in the blood of the new covenant and its blessings and promises. They love Jesus; therefore they also do all His will with joy and look forward to the day when they will meet Him whom they have loved.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:1. These words of Jesus indicate a struggle that requires a steadfast faith; therefore He has promised to be with His disciples always until the end of the age.

May every one of us have this as our watchword: Obedience to all of God’s will!

The outcome of this struggle determines where and how you will spend eternity, and since this is of the utmost importance, you ought to dedicate all your interest, all your time, and all your strength to it; indeed, all your heart. Then you will avoid weeping tears of regret when you become old.

“Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from you; lest I make you desolate, a land not inhabited. . . . To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Indeed, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the Lord is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it.” Jer. 6:8, 10.

Our heart must be right before God for us to delight in God’s word. “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Heb. 4:7. For some, the process of having their imagined greatness, and longstanding sinful habits broken down, and putting off all that is old, is way too hard. They evaluate God’s kingdom with their human understanding, thinking that the old things are far too valuable to let go. “To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear?” says the Lord.

“His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matt. 3:12. “‘What is the chaff to the wheat?’ says the Lord.” Jer. 23:28.

Be warned, you who know it but do not do it! You know the Word but do not keep it. Humble yourself before God, and He will exalt you.

“The bellows are burned by the fire, the lead is consumed by the fire; the smelter refines in vain, for the wicked are not drawn off. People will call them rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.” Jer. 6:29-30.

The fact that the bellows are burned is the work of the unskilled. The lead, which is the softest metal in the alloy, is consumed because of the many refinings. Ignorance and stubbornness taken together can destroy a person who is seeking salvation. The overseer of the church, who has been appointed to keep the church pure from all kinds of uncleanness and strange doctrines, can through slothfulness and unfaithfulness ruin himself and others. The result can be a wreck instead of a useful vessel.

“I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Matt. 7:23. “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matt. 25:41. The Lord has done everything in order to save and to bless, to be able to say to those on His right hand: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world . . . .” V. 34. But they did not want to, and were subsequently rejected.

May the seriousness of life and of the times affect people’s hearts so they give heed, and everything can be brought into order in the lives of those who are willing.