Transcript The Election

The Election
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Main Points from article “The Election,” by Bobby WItherington
Introduction
• The Presidential Election – November 6th
• This occurs every four years and this is one of those year!
• This is a time for decisions
• Debates
• Discussions
• Articles
• US citizens will go to the polls to vote on
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Who they want for President
Congressional races
State races
Local Mayors, City Councils, School district board members
Various state measures (propositions)
Be Sure You Decide to Vote!
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Introduction
• The lesson not about the November 6th election
• Or any other election of this type!
• Where you cast to vote in relation to your political veiws!
• Christians have a dual citizenship:
• Of the country wherein they were born and reside
• And “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household
of God” – Ephesians 2:19
• Most honor and exercise our obligations to
• Civil government
• Romans 13:1-6; 1 Peter 2:13-17
• And God!
• Ecclesiastes 12:12-13
• In this lesson we will be discussing the “election” of God!
• Scriptures affirm such and “election”!
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1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the
Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus
Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of
you in our prayers;
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour
of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the
sight of God and our Father;
4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in
power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye
know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
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2 Peter 1:1-10
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like
precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: {to: or, by}
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he
was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if
ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
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“Election” Defined
The VERB
• Translated from eklektos (Greek), which “literally signifies picked
out, chosen”
• Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, by Vine
• Jesus was “the chosen,” or the elect “of God.”
• Luke 23:35
• “Elect Angels” – Holy in contrast to “the angels who sinned”!
• 1 Timothy 5:21
• Fallen angels who where “cast down to hell”
• 2 Peter 2:4
• The “chosen” refer to the faithful who overcame
• Revelation 17:14
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“Election” Defined
The NOUN
• Translated from ekloge (Greek), and “denotes a picking
out, selection...that which is chosen”
• Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, by Vine
• The “election of God” (1 Thess. 1:4) refers to people who are
elected, or chosen “by God”
But ye are a chosen generation, a
royalMoses!
priesthood, an holy nation, a
• Nation of Israel a “chosen” nation under
• Deuteronomy 10:15
• Psalms 105:6
• Christians today are:
• A “chosen generation”
• The “a royal priesthood”
• A “peculiar people”
peculiar people; that ye should
shew forth the praises of him who
hath called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 2:9
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What “Elect” Does Not Mean!
• Calvinist abuse the word “foreordination” & “predestination”!
• They contend that God from the foundation of the world has
predestined…
• some to eternal salvation
• and others to eternal condemnation
• This makes man pre-programed by God!
• “A pawn on God’s Eternal Chess Board”
• This makes God a respecter of persons!
• Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11
• The Bible teaches people must come to repentance!
• 2 Peter 3:9
• People can choose whom they will serve!
• Joshua 24:15; Romans 6:12-18
• All will give an account regarding their choices!
• 2 Corinthians 5:9-10; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
• Acts 17:30; Romans 14:10-12
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When Is God’s Elect, Elected?
• Paul spoke of the Elect!
• Described and wrote to saints of the Lord
• Chosen by & Predestinated by God - Ephesians 1:4, 5
• Paul made known the “mystery of his will” – Ephesians 1:9
• He did this according to His “eternal purpose” – Ephesians 3:1-11
• Ephesians 1:9; 22-23
• God Predestinated:
• A plan of salvation
• 1 Thessalonians 1:5
• 2 Thessalonians 2:14
• The church of which Christ is the Head
• Ephesians 1:22-23
• That those who obey and comply with God’s plans are elected by
God!
• Ephesians 1:3-5
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God’s Process of Election
• The HOW!
• Our text gives us the How!
• 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14:
• “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you,
brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning
chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and
belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel for the
obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• The process:
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Called by the Gospel
Believed & obeyed the truth
Sanctified through the Spirit
For His glory
Those chosen by God
are added to the Lord’s
church – Acts 2:42-47
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Our Election
• Is conditionally received!
• Man cannot change Gods plan!
• We choose to obey to Gospel
• Romans 1:16
• God will punish those who do not obey the gospel:
• “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming
fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
Lord, and from the glory of his power”
• 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
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“Make Your Calling and Election Sure”
• “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall
never fall” – 2 Peter 1:10
• Keeping saved is just as important in being saved!
• Departure from the faith is possible!
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• Hebrews 3:12; 2 Peter 2:19-22
• Christians must be “faithful until death”!
• Revelation 2:10
• The faithful will receive the “crown of life”!
• James 1:12; Revelation 2:10
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Question To Ponder…
Is your “calling and
election sure”?
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