The Election
Please, read Romans the 9th chapter.
"For the children being not yet born, neither have done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand,
not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, The
elder shall serve the younger. Verses 11-12. For he saith to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of
him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth
mercy. 15-16. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same
lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power
known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted
to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his
glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto
glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also
of the Gentiles? 21-24.
Some people interpret this as if our own will have no im****tance
for our salvation. Everything is predetermined by God, and he has
made some vessels for noble purposes and some for common use.
But God's election does not exclude their own will, neither regarding
those who are "for honour purposes" nor regarding those who are
"for dishonour".
Those who crucified Jesus had their own will, but what did they
want? Oh, they wanted to kill Jesus. They cannot excuse themselves
on the ground that it was predetermined by God. For they hated Jesus
and they had plotted how they might kill Jesus. Matt. 12:14.
John 11:53.
People who do not serve God of free will and do not obey him,
God uses them "for common use". Right in their wickedness and
peevishness, God uses them to fulfil the prophecies of the Bible.
"For of a truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast
anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and
the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever
thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Acts 4:27-28.
Those who don't serve God of their own free will, they must serve
him against their own will. (They themselves don't understand it).
"...for all are thy servants." Psalm 119:91. (Or according to the
Swedish Bible. "...for everything must serve you)."
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh: Even for this same purpose
have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that
my name might be declared troughout all the earth." Rom.9:17.
This does not imply that Pharaoh had no will. But what did he
want? Oh, he wanted to keep Israel's people in slavery in Egypt.
"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of
God that sheweth mercy. " Rom. 9:16. We can find an explanation
of this in John 5:15-47 where Jesus spoke to the Jews. They wanted
to have the eternal life that God had promised. Therefore, they
diligently study the Scriptures and thought that by them they
possessed eternal life, but their will and striving were yet in vain.
Why? It was one thing that they did not were willing to do. They
were not willing to believe in Jesus!
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and
they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that
ye might have life... For had ye believed Moses, ye would have
believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings,
how shall ye believe my words?" Verses 39-40, 46-47.
In these Scriptures which they study it is written, "I will raise them
up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put
my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall
command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not
hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will
require it of him." Deut. 18:18-19.
God sends this Prophet. He comes and walks living in their midst.
He preaches God's word and makes great wonders and miracles and
signs, and healing the sick, but they won't believe him! That was
their everlasting calamity. They trusted to the election and meant
that since Abraham was their father, then it was all right.
Nevertheless, this fact could not help them. Please, read Matt.3:7-10
and John 8:37-39.
Still, today Israel people think of that way. They trust to the election
that they are God's peculiar people. But those who don't believe in
Jesus become exterminated, says God's word. "I said therefore unto
you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he,
ye shall die in your sins." John 8:24.
The election is no sleep-pillow to laze on. In the Bible are many
warnings of apostasy. Please, read Rom. 11:17-24. Ezekiel 18:21-
24, 33:11-20. Israel's sins and punishment under their wandering in
the desert, is a warning for us. "Now all these things happened unto
them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. 10:1-12. If we
don't love the truth, then we fall in the false doctrines. 2 Thess.
2:10-12.
Some people think that all men become saved with the end, also the
most ungodly, but there is no such a doctrine in the Bible. Peter
speaks in Acts 3:19-23, "Repent, ye therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refre****ng
shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus
Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must
receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath
spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your
God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye
hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you. And it shall come
to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be
destroyed from among the people."
The restoration of everything does not imply that those who have
been cut off among the people become restored. The restoration
that Peter here tells about is a restoration of God's kingdom. Daniel
7:13-14. God's kingdom shall break in pieces and consume all other
kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Daniel 2:44. Jesus is the King
of God's Kingdom and he rules over all. Psalm 103:19. Rom. 8:19-25.
"Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to
them that trouble you; 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; When he shall come to be glorified
in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe because our
testimony among you was believed in that day." 2 Thess. 1:6-10.
Allan Svensson
Do you want to read the continuation of this article
or if you have any questions
Please, visit my Web Site
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/CONTENTS.HTM
(Article 69)
The Trinity
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/PAGE66.HTM
Jesus is God
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/PAGE67.HTM
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