God's Elect

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"God's Elect" I. The phrase "God's elect" occurs twice in the Bible (Rom 8:33; Tit 1:1). 1. This phrase is profound in its implications. 2. There are seven things can be learned from these two simple words. II. Thing 1: There is a God. 1. Rather than endeavoring to prove God's existence, the Bible assumes it (Gen 1:1). 2. The existence of the creation demands the existence of a Creator (Rom 1:20). 3. The heavens declare the glory of God (Psa 19:1). 4. Only a fool will conclude there is no God (Psa 14:1). III. Thing 2: The true God is a personal God capable of possession. 1. An apostrophe on the end of a noun followed by the letter "s" indicates possession. 2. Because He is the Creator of the universe, God owns all things (Psa 24:1-2; Deu 10:14). A. But God possesses certain things in a special way (Mat 22:21). B. I own everything in my home, but I possess certain things in a special way such as my Bible, my chair, my Yeti mug, etc. C. Nobody uses those things without my permission, whereas many other things in my home are available to anyone who is welcome in my home. 3. Consider some of the things the Bible says belong of God in a special way. A. The angels (Gen 32:1-2) B. The law (Neh 10:29) C. Heaven (Mat 5:34) D. Local churches (Mat 16:18; 1Co 3:9 c/w 1Ti 3:15 c/w 1Pe 2:5, 9; 1Pe 5:2-3) E. Peculiar adj. – 1. That is one's own private property; that belongs or pertains to, or characterizes, an individual person, place, or things, or group of persons or things, as distinct from others. IV. Thing 3: God possesses a people. 1. God's elect refers to people. 2. God's people belong to Him (Rom 14:8) and are therefore said to be: A. His people (Deut 32:9; Mat 1:21) B. His sheep (Jer 13:17; Psa 100:3; Joh 10:14) 3. God owns the bodies and spirits of His people (1Co 6:19-20). 4. The elect are His. V. Thing 4: God exercises the faculty of choice. 1. The phrase "God's elect" denotes God's exercise of choice. 2. Elect n. – B. 1. One 'chosen' by God, esp. one chosen for eternal salvation; one of 'the elect'. 3. A couple of examples of God exercising choice are: A. God chose the people of Israel and decided to deliver them from Egypt (Act 13:17). B. God chose the place where He wanted to be worshipped (Deut 12:11). 4. A God without the power of choice is no God at all. VI. Thing 5: God has chosen a specific set of persons for Himself. 1. The nation of Israel was a figure of God's elect whom He chose for Himself (Deut 7:6). 2. God chose His elect; they didn't choose Him (Mar 13:20; Joh 15:16). 3. The elect belong to God (Luk 18:7). 4. God elected them unconditionally (Rom 9:11). VII. Thing 6: God has not chosen all people. 1. The very idea of electing or choosing demands that some are chosen and some are not (Act 10:41). 2. The elect are a remnant (Rom 11:5). 3. Remnant n. – 1. a. With the. That which remains or is left of a thing or things after the removal of a portion; the remainder, rest, residue. Now applied only to a small remaining part. b. The remainder or rest of a number of persons (or animals). Chiefly, and now only, of a small number. 4. The elect are set in contrast to the rest of mankind (Rom 11:7). VIII. Thing 7: Given that God does nothing without a purpose, God therefore chose His elect for a purpose (Rom 8:28-30; Rom 9:11; Eph 1:11; 2Ti 1:9). 1. Purpose n. – 1. That which one sets before oneself as a thing to be done or attained; the object which one has in view. 2. God's purpose in choosing His elect was to make them holy through the Lord Jesus Christ so that He could adopt them as His children (Eph 1:4-5). 3. God chose His elect to salvation (2Th 2:13). 4. God gave them to Jesus Christ in order for Him to give them eternal life (Joh 17:2-4). A. The elect are therefore Christ's (1Co 3:23). B. God elected them to be sprinkled by the blood of Jesus Christ (1Pe 1:2). C. Christ obtained eternal redemption for them through His shed blood (Col 1:14; Heb 9:12). 5. God's elect are justified by God, and nothing can be laid to their charge (Rom 8:33). 6. The elect can know that they are the elect by believing the gospel and following the Lord (1Th 1:4-6), and by adding to their faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (2Pe 1:5-11).