But what does the
divine response say to him?
“I have reserved
for Myself seven thousand men
who have not bowed
the knee to Baal.”
(1Kings 19:10,14).
Even so then, at this
present time there is a
remnant according to
the election of grace.
And if by grace, then
it is no longer of works;
otherwise grace is no
longer grace. But if it is
of works, it is no
longer grace; otherwise work
is no longer work.
What then? Israel has not
obtained what it
seeks; but the elect have
obtained it, and the
rest were blinded.
Romans 11:4–7
The Greek
words: “έκλετός,” used 23 times in the New Testament, and, “έκλογή,” used 7
times in the New Testament are translated in context as either election,
elected, or chosen, or selected. The word “elect,” is simply to elect, that is
to choose, and to select, to determine a person(s) for a favor or purpose. To
one, elected, as does the Scriptures reveal to us, there is an elected people,
and to be elected; there must be an elector. Scripture is clear and plain that
God is the elector and elects. When the Bible speaks of the sovereignty of God
th word “sovereign,” means exactly that: God is sovereign, that is, God has the
power and the authority, the supreme authority, and this supreme authority is
indisputable, and above all other powers. God a supreme in authority and power,
sovereign, indisputable, then He has all the right to do whatever He so wills.
And as Scripture teaches us, and it is reveals to us in His Son Jesus Christ,
that God is Good, not just an attribute, but, GOOD, then all that He will is
good. If a person does not believe, that God is GOOD, then God is not just, or
merciful or then God is bad, and there cannot be any confidence in Him. This is
not what God has revealed about Himself, in His word, His promises, in the fact
that He came as the Son of God, His Wisdom to pay this debt of sin we cannot,
now, or ever, pay, yet He paid this debt, and met His own Justice. Therefore,
God, whom we cannot know intimately, inasmuch as we can know Him in some
intimacy due to that which He has revealed to us; He can choose to elect some
and not others, and this by His will, His omniscience. You may disagree, and
even hold Him accountable to do such a thing for this is not what you would do;
or call just. But, you are not God, and you are not all–knowing, supreme,
sovereign, and furthermore you are here because He willed that men should
exist, and ordained, not caused, but ordained that you should exist. For if He
did not will a thing, then that thing would not exist. How can a person, one
who says that they believe the Bible to be God’s word, reject this doctrine
that is so plainly revealed in His word? Does God choose some and not others?
Yes! Did not God choose Able over Cain? Did not God choose Noah over all
others, except for the other seven of his family? Yes! Did not God choose
Moses? Did not God choose Abraham? Did not God choose Israel, the nation so
that there would be a people for His name? God chooses, some, and not others,
and this is not due to some work or service a person has done, no, for it is
simple a choice of God and this choice is according to His will. Paul, writing
about his grief due to the fact that the chosen people of God, the nation of
Israel did not believe the One who God promised to come, the Messiah and that
Jesus Christ was this promised Messiah: “I tell the truth in Christ, I am
not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that ihave
great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself
were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the
flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the
covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promise; of whom
are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over
all, the eternally blessed God. Amen” (Romans 9:1–5). Note: For those who
say that the Bible does not call Jesus God: they ignore then this one verse
(there are more). Israel, an elected people, a nation chosen by the sovereignty
of God to be the light revealing to the world Himself, the One who covenanted
with Abraham, and with Moses, and by giving to them His law, and all the
promises of the One promised to be the Messiah, the Savior, and who they
rejected, that under this Old Testament Covenant they were to be faithful and
true, and yet, they fell far short of being the nation who kept this covenant.
God covenanted a new covenant after the coming of the Messiah, and this
covenant did not make the old covenant of no effect, no the new covenant was a
fulfillment of the old: “But it is not that the word of God has taken no
effect. For they are not all Israel who are Israel, for are they all children
because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be
called,” (Genesis 21:12:John 8:37–40). That is, those who are the children of
the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise
are counted as the seed” (Romans 9:6–8). God, prior to the nation of Israel
had already elected those who would be the “seed,” promised and Paul continues
to reveal this truth to us: “For this is the word of promise; “At this time
I will come and Sarah shall have a son,’ (Genesis 18:10,14). And not only this,
but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (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 here, ‘The older shall serve the younger, (Genesis
25:23). As it is written, ‘ Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Roman
9:19–12).
Tomorrow I
will address this sovereignty of God to choose whomever He wills. Up to this
point it is clear that there is an election, some to life and some to death. This
may be disconcerting, but we are not concerned with our feelings, we are
concerned with Scripture and what God has revealed. Right?
But God is the Judge;
He puts
down one,
And exalts another.
Psalm 75:7
Put your trust in God
Richard L. Crumb
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