Biblical Survey of Election - 1 Peter

1 Peter 1:1 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen".

Review
Over the past couple of days we have covered much ground in our biblical survey of the doctrine of Sovereign election.  The Baptist Faith & Message notes: "Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility."  We truly can agree with the BFM 2000's last statement of how Sovereign election is a truth that humbles.  Election gives no room for boasting.  Among the five main headings that we have discovered in summarizing the doctrine of election, the blessing of election, being that of comfort, defines Peter's mention of the doctrine in 1 Peter.  In today's post we aim to understand Peter's use of Sovereign election.

Comparing Peter and Paul in their treatment of election.

1 Peter 1:1-2 has Peter diving into the deep end of the theological pool.  Why would Peter begin his letter by opening with the doctrine of election? Because he knows that election's blessing brings comfort to the Christian. In 1 Peter 5:14 we see the purpose of the letter aimed at urging Christians to stand firm in their faith. It is instructive to compare Peter in 1 Peter 1:1-2 and Paul in Ephesians 1 to see what they teach about election:

a. Both begin their respective letters with the doctrine of election, Paul in Ephesians 1:4 and Peter in 1 Peter 1:1.

b. Both use election as a source of comfort for Christians, with Paul using it to urge his readers to walk worthy of their calling in Ephesians 4:1 and Peter urging his readers to endure persecution in 1 Peter 1:6-7.

c. Election and its purpose of godliness (predestination) and motive (love or foreknowledge) are mentioned in both texts. 

What Peter teaches on election in His letter
Whenever you look at 1 Peter 1:1-2, you discover that Peter is discussing most if not all of the major themes of election found in the Bible.

a. Election's targets: Helpless people. 1 Peter 1:1
The people to whom Peter wrote were "scattered" and "aliens" throughout the regions of Asia and beyond.  God had searched out each one of the people Whom He aimed to call, and convict unto salvation.  I find it interesting that some of those provinces were people groups present at Peter's first sermon in Acts 2 as well as areas were the Apostle Paul had preached (i.e Galatia).  God had more people to reach in the over 30,000 square mile region to which Peter wrote.  God once again was giving these people another chance and He indicated that others who were chosen had responded in saving faith to the Gospel.  

b. Election's motive: God's love. 1 Peter 1:2
Much like what we saw in Romans 8:29 yesterday, foreknowledge is the basis for God's electing grace.  Foreknowledge, if you will recall, could also be just as easily translated "foreloving".  God chose to set His affection upon those who dwelled in the areas whom Peter wrote.  Every Chrisitan can say they have been loved by God from all eternity, even though they may had believed only a few days, months or years prior.

c. Election's purpose: Godliness. 1 Peter 1:2
Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:2 "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood...". What is the "sanctifying work of the Spirit" and "sprinkling of blood" referring to in Peter's text? As John MacArthur points out, both refer to the sphere in which God's electing purpose becomes a true reality in a person's life in saving faith.  Unless the Spirit has set apart a person to be called and convicted to believe, no process of sanctification will occur.  Election is the work of the Father wherein the work of the cross took place, which in turn is the grounds for the believer's salvation in saving faith.   
We know that Peter is looking at election as being the driving force behind the Christian's growth in godliness due to what he writes in 1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

Election's Blessings: Comfort.  1 Peter 1:2
Peter states at the end of 1 Peter 1:2 "May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."  As we already mentioned prior, Peter utilizes election to bring comfort to Christians who were suffering persecution.  Being that they were chosen by God, that meant they were being kept by God and had access to all the blessings of grace and peace. 

Election's timing: Eternity.  1 Peter 1:1-2
This final observation is reinforced by what we already saw in our comparison of Peter with Paul.  Whenever you see words like "election' and "foreknowledge" in 1 Peter 1:1-2, you can assume they are referring to choices God made in eternity as Paul states in Romans 8:28-30 and Ephesians 1:1-5. 

Conclusion
As we have surveyed Peter's teaching on election, we discover that there is perfect unity with that of Paul as well as the rest of scripture. We saw the five main truths of election are taught in 1 Peter like they are in Paul and the other sections of God's Word.  

more tomorrow........

A Biblical survey of Election - Paul's letters

Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Review
We have explored what the Bible teaches on God's elective purpose of grace through the writings of Moses, the prophets, the words of Jesus in the Gospels and the Apostles' preaching in the Book of Acts.  We have discovered five main headings that we can use to summarize the Bible teaching on election:

1. Election's purpose: Godliness
2. Election's motive: God's love
3. Election's targets: Helpless people
4. Election's timing: Eternity
5. Election's blessings: Comfort

We also have noted that the doctrine of election in the Bible in no way conflicts or is at odds with the Biblical teaching of man's responsibility to believe and repent in salvation. 
Perhaps no other writer in scripture gives us as much detail on the subject of election as the Apostle Paul.  Thus in today's post we will survey what God has to say about Sovereign election in the Apostle Paul's writings.

A survey of the places where Paul deals with the doctrine of election
You cannot help but notice how much Paul talks about election in His letters.  A quick survey of some of the more major sections of His letters to reveal the amount of space he devoted to the subject:

1. Romans 8:28-30; 9:14-15; 11:17
2. 1 Corinthians 1:27-28
3. Galatians 1:15
4. Ephesians 1:1-13
5. Colossians 3:12
6. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
7. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
8. 1 Timothy 5:21
9. 2 Timothy 2:10
10. Titus 1:1 

Out of the thirteen letters attributed to Paul, 10 mention the doctrine of election.  An entire blog series could be devoted to the Apostle Paul's teaching on election.  For sake of space we will need to confine today's post to one passage that gives clear and additional detail to this teaching: Romans 8:28-30.  As you will soon see, all five of the headings we have discovered in having surveyed over 100 passages on election in scripture are contained in Romans 8:28-30.

1. Election's Blessing: Comfort  Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28 notes - "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."   How does Paul know that all things will work together for the good? He knows so because of what is to follow, namely the unfolding of the revelation on God's Sovereign election.  Election's chief practical point is to bring comfort to the Christian who is doubting, being persecuted or hurting.  But notice also...

2. Election's motive: God's love.  Romans 8:29
Romans 8:29a states: 29 "For those whom He foreknew....".  God's foreknowledge in salvation could just as easily be translated "foreloved".  How so? The word "know" in the word "foreknow" is the same word that Genesis 4:1 uses to describe Adam "knowing" his wife Eve or in Deuteronomy 7:7-8 and Amos 3:2 where God's "loving" of Israel above all nations and "knowing" of Israel above all nations can be equated.  1 Corinthians 8:3 states - "but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him." 1 John 4:19 says similar words: "We love, because He first loved us."  The link between God's foreknowledge of the believer and Eternal love for the believer is unmistakable.

3. Election's purpose: Godliness  Romans 8:29
Paul writes on in Romans 8:29 - "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren."  Predestination is often the subject of hot debate among Christians.  However when considered in Paul's "golden chain" of salvation, predestination has to do with God purposing to make those whom He has chosen into the image of His Son.  As we have noted this whole time, election's main purpose is the godliness of the Christian.  Predestination in the original Greek literally pictures someone drafting out an architectural plan or drawing out a horizon line. God literally planned every trial and triumph for the Christian that would forward their growth in Christ likeness, doing all without taking away the means of their growth: Bible reading, prayer and church attendance.

4. Election's Target's: Helpless people  8:30
Romans 8:30 states: "and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified."  Throughout the book of Romans we are told that while we were yet sinner's, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6-8)  Ephesians 2:1-4 and 2:12 underscores the fact the all sinners, were helpless, without God and sons of disobedience and children of wrath.  Unless grace had intervened, no one would be saved.  God's foreknowledge (fore-loving) is the source of election, which in turn leads to predestination, which in turn leads to the Spirit's calling.  When does justification occur? According to Romans 4:3, justification occurs at the moment of saving faith. 

Again we repeat that Sovereign election does not negate, but rather includes the response of faith, being that faith is a Divine gifting that in turn is received to be a definite response of trust in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9) In a text that is heavy on doctrines such as election, foreknowledge and predestination, Paul is quick to remind the reader that justification by faith is part and parcel of God's ordained plan of salvation.   

5. Election's timing: Eternity  Romans 8:30
Romans 8:30-31 states - "and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?"  So when does that last stage of "glorification" occur? When every believer is presented faultless and blameless before His throne with exceed joy. (Jude 24-25) God's elective purpose conceives of our salvation from the end back to the beginning.  What Paul has done is literally summarize how it is that salvation stretches from eternity unto eternity.  Such truth is also comforting, which is what prompts Paul to write what he writes in Romans 8:31-32.  

Conclusion
We have sketched out today how election is treated and discussed by the Apostle Paul in his letters.  By focusing on Romans 8:28-32 we saw all five of the headings we have discovered thus far in this study:

1. Election's purpose: Godliness
2. Election's motive: God's love
3. Election's targets: Helpless people
4. Election's timing: Eternity
5. Election's blessings: Comfort

More tomorrow....

A Biblical Survey of Election: Gospels and Acts

Matthew 12:18 “Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

A couple of weeks ago we did a Biblical survey of Sovereign election through the Old Testament in two blog posts which I will list for the reader's convenient reference and review: 

1. http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2013/09/p1-biblical-survey-of-election-genesis.html

2. http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2013/09/p2-biblical-survey-of-election-joshua.html

In those two posts we summarized material taken from a separate study of over 70 passages in the Books of Moses (Genesis- Deuteronomy) and the rest of the Old Testament books.  We discovered the following four truths about election and one other important consideration:

1. Election's purpose: Godliness
2. Election's motive: God's love
3. Election's targets: Helpless people
4. Election's timing: Eternity
5. There is no conflict between Sovereign election and human responsibility.  

These major headings will follow us into our study of the doctrine of election through the New Testament.  We will focus today on Jesus' teaching and the early church's position on election in the Book of Acts. 

Jesus teaching on election in the Gospels
As you may have noticed in the opening of today's blog, the first mention of the word "chosen" in the New Testament is Jesus' self-description of His mission in Matthew 12:18.  As we saw in yesterday's post, Jesus Christ was God's chosen one (Messiah, Christ) as predicted in Isaiah 42:1.  As much as Matthew 12:18 is the first mention of the word "chosen", the teaching on Christ's election extends back to the first chapter of Matthew.  In Matthew 1:1-19 we see 52 generations or three sets of 14 generations of people listen in Jesus' genealogy.  When you consider that Abraham and David, the headliners of Jesus' geneaology, were chosen by God, you begin to realize how important election is to God's plan.  
As Jesus begins to preach and teach, He unfolds the truth of God's elective purposes in calling forth sinner's unto salvation.  Matthew 22:14 is the famous passage that states: "many are called but few are chosen."  In Mark 3:13 we read that Jesus summoned the twelve as those whom He had chosen.  In the famous Olivet discourse wherein Jesus teaches on what will take place prior to His second coming, we see mention of "the elect" in Matthew 24:22,24,31 and Mark 13:20,22 and 27.  Jesus refers to His own disciples as those whom the Father "chose" to receive the Kingdom in Luke 12:32.  As you look at Jesus teaching on election in the Gospels, we certainly see the four headings we discovered in our survey of the Old Testament and Moses' writings:

1. Election's purpose: Godliness. (John 15:16)
2. Election's Motive: God's Love. (John 15:13-16; 17:12)
3. Election's targets: helpless people. (Luke 18:7)
4. Election's timing: eternity (John 17:1-3, 12)

We could add a fifth heading about election that we see especially in Jesus' teachings, namely that Election's blessing: comfort.  When Jesus speaks about election in the Gospels, it is usually in the context of trying to comfort His people.  Read the six times we find election mentioned in Jesus' Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24; Mark 13) or His teaching on prayer in Luke 18:7 to see how election is used to comfort and secure God's people.  Jesus taught election because He knew His disciples and church would need the encourage of knowing God was for them and had chosen them to persevere to the end. 

The early church's teaching on election in the Book of Acts
After Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts 1, did the Apostles and early church teach on election? We read that Paul was God's chosen instrument to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles in Acts 9:15.  In Peter's first sermon in Acts 2:23-24 we discover that Jesus was God's chosen One with Whom He pre-determined to be virgin born and be crucified.  Paul in Acts 13:46-48 is evangelizing a group of people and says these words: "Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." Paul clearly points out that the fault of the Jews unbelief lay in their free choice of rejection, whereas the Gentiles decision to choose Christ as their Savior occurred because they were appointed unto eternal life.  In this most illuminating passage of Acts we discover the truth we have been affirming throughout this blog series, namely that only God could design a salvation wherein there is no conflict between His elective purposes and man's responsibility to believe and be saved.  As the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 affirms: "Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end."  

Just as Jesus did and the Old Testament communicated, the Apostles asserted the following five truths about election:

1. Election's purpose: Godliness (Acts 13:42)
2. Election's motive: God's love (Acts 2:23-24)
3. Election's targets: Helpless people (Acts 9:15)
4. Election's timing: eternity (Acts 2:23-24)
5. Election's blessing: comfort (Acts 13:48-52)

Imagine how comforting it is to a persecuted church to hear that God is for them. As one old preacher used to say to me years ago: "you are God called and God walled".  My prayer is that as we are studying these scriptures on God's elective purpose that you are beginning to see how amazing God's grace truly is from eternity to eternity!

More tomorrow.........

The vastness of the angelic realm

Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.

Introduction:
As we begin today's post I want to present this insight from noted theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem on the creation of the angels:
"Angels have not always existed; they are part of the universe that God created.  In a passage that refers to angels as the host of heaven (or "armies of heaven"), Ezra says, 'You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host....and the host of heaven worships you' (Neh. 9:6; cf. Psalm 148:2,5).  Paul tells us that God created all things 'visible and invisible' through Christ and for him, and then specifically includes the angelic world with the phrase 'whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities (Col. 1:16)."1

Why it is important to note that God created the angels
God's creation of the angels is more important to our understanding of the scriptures than we realize.  Just the fact of the reality of their existence is crucial to our understanding of scripture, Jesus Christ and even logic itself.  Dr. Richard Fairman notes the following insights concerning the importance of God's creation of the angels:

1. Scripture mentions angels in at least 34 of its books. If angels do not exist, then Scripture loses its inspiration.

2. Christ teaches about angels (Mt. 12:25; 18:10; 26:53, etc). If angels do not exist, then Christ loses His integrity.

3. Logic allows the existence of angels since no human can know all the possible creatures that could exist."2

Dr. Fairman's comments give us traction for understanding the significance and relevance of the angelic realm to the Christian worldview. In regards to some other issues associated with this statement about God creating the angels, some additional headings and scripture passages are in order:

1. God made numerous angels
We know from the latest population statistics that on this planet there are over 7 billion people. The amount of people who have lived since the days of Adam and Eve is easily over ten billion.  According to biologists, there is in the neighborhood of 1-5 million species of plants, animals and microscopic organisms.  When we think of life in this visible realm, we use numbers such as thousands, millions and billions.  But what of the invisible realm? Consider the following scriptures:
a). Deuteronomy 33:2 "He said,“The Lord came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones; At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them."

b). 2 Kings 6:16-17 "So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

c). Psalm 68:17 "The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness."

d). Daniel 7:10 “A river of fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened."
As you make your way through the Old Testament, the number of angels is shown to be quite impressive.  What begins in the realm of thousands quickly turns to millions and then billions of angels. When we turn to the New Testament record, the numbers of angels created by God continue to be revealed...

e). Hebrews 12:22 "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels."

f). Revelation 5:11 "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands." 

Whenever you arrive at the New Testament, you discover that in Hebrews 12:22, the word translated "myriads" can refer to either tens of thousands or by extension an innumerable host.  In Revelation 5:11, is we multiply the phrases used to describe the numbers of angels around the throne, we come up with around 100 trillion angels! Depending on how literal you take those numbers, we can say at least when it comes to the number of angels in the invisible realm, we have to use numbers like trillions or even larger numbers.  
Point of application
As fascinating as these numbers are, we may wonder why scripture goes to such great lengths to make us aware of the virtual innumerability of the angelic realm? 

1. The Massive power of God.  
We know each individual angel possess much power (for example, one angel wiped out 185,000 soldiers in 2 Kings 19:35).  Now think of the scale of power and strength represented by hundreds of trillions of angels? It causes us to appreciate statements such as this in Psalm 148:5 "Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created."
2. The Majesty of the Son, Jesus Christ
In similitude to the above point, the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ is shown when we consider the sheer number of angels created by God. Hebrews 1:4 states - "having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."  Colossians 1:16 notes - "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him."

3. Ministry available to the Christian
This last point will be the subject of later blogs, but one verse is worthy of consideration when we realize how much the Lord has provided for every Christian for their spiritual and moral advancement.  To have at our disposal the angelic realm is a mind-blowing thing when you begin to consider how much larger the angelic realm is than the human one.  Hebrews 1:14 states - "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?"  This statement in scripture does not tell all the ways angels minister, nor does it state how many ministers to each Christian, however it does state we have access to such ministry.  God in His abundant grace ministers mainly through His Word, his people, prayer and then the uncountable numbers of angels whom he dispatches to do His bidding. 
Endnotes:
1. Wayne Grudem. Systematic Theology. Zondervan Publishing House. 1994. Page 397. 

2. Richard Fairman. Unpublished class notes from a New Testament class I took at Bible College in 1995.