Election Plus Predestination Equals Eternal Life

Temple Baptist Church - 11-9-2016

1 Peter 1:1-2

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, we took a short look at Election and Predestination.  Both are in the realm of God’s foreknowledge.  As I begin tonight, a question needs to be answered.  How did Peter know that these strangers scattered were elect?

 

1.  The answer is simple as verse 2 is the key.  Paul knew that they were elect because they had made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

 

Romans 10:9-10  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  (10)  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

2.  They had come to Christ and the blood had been applied!  Forgiveness of sin can only come through the blood of Christ and is only applied when a sinner believes on Him.

 

Hebrews 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

 

1 Peter 1:18-19  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  (19)  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

 

3.  They had become obedient to the gospel which brought about obedience to God.  God does not save sinners and allow them to continue in sin.  They are saved “from” sin and sin is to no longer have dominion over the.  The sinner is changed and saved unto good works.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

4.  Because of their confession of Jesus Christ as Lord, they had been placed into the body of Christ—also called the church or bride of Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 

5.  This is how Paul knew that they were elect. 

 

B.  The Calvinist, if he were truthful, could never have assurance of salvation.

 

1.  Because his name is not written in the Bible as being part of God’s elect.  He would have to presume that he was elect.

2.  It is also of interest to me that every Calvinistic church is full of elect people?  If you go to a Calvinistic church, you must be elect but how do they receive these people into the church?   UPON THEIR CONFESSION OF FAITH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!  Sound familiar?

 

3.  The family of Calvinistic people (wife and children) always seem to be a part of the elect also.  Convenient is it not?

 

C.  The only way that you can have full assurance of salvation is when your name is written in the Bible.  My name is there, is yours?  My name is “whosoever believeth in Him.” 

 

D.  Now, as Paul Harvey would have said, here is the rest of the story. 

 

1. You become a part of the elect when you obey the gospel and come to Christ by faith.  The blood of Christ is applied and sin is gone.  The body of Christ is elect and, when you are placed into that body by the Holy Spirit, you become elect.

 

2.  Predestination comes into play only AFTER you are saved and become part of the elect body, the church.  Only saved people are predestined to be conformed to the image of God and ultimately glorified.  The lost will never be conformed to the image of Christ nor will they be glorified one day.

 

E.  This truth of election that brings about predestination of conformity does two things.

 

1.  It condemns the one who never conforms to Christ. 

 

a.  The question must be asked, “Can a person be saved but remain unchanged?”  The answer is no.  We live in religious days but there is little conformity to the Biblical Christ.  When we get saved and God changes our lives by giving us a desire to serve Him, the religionist gets angry and calls us cultic.

 

b.  I do not believe that you must beg a saved person to be baptized or to assemble with the local church!  The Bible sets forth the pattern of true believers in Acts, chapter 2.

 

Acts 2:41-42  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  (42)  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

 

c.  If one has no desire to live for Christ and has no change of direction in life, there needs to be a “checking up” or “self-examination” done  It is not my job to examine people to see if they are in the faith.  It is my job to preach the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work.

 

2.  It is our guarantee of Eternal Life!

 

a.  Eternal life is a doctrine much despised by those who are ignorant of God’s righteousness.  They will tell you that they are sinners and then tell you that they are good enough to live for Christ, therefore, deserving of heaven.  That is shear Biblical ignorance.  It takes the perfect imputed righteousness of Christ to qualify the sinner a place in heaven.  Keeping one’s salvation is the addition of personal merit to the finished work of Calvary.

 

Romans 10:1-4  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  (2)  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  (3)  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  (4)  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

 

b.  If we that are saved are now predestined to be conformed to the image of God (and we are) and predestined to be glorified together with Jesus Christ (and we are), then we CANNOT LOSE OUR SALVATION.  Otherwise, God has predestined and our conduct over rides His will.  Everyone who is truly saved WILL BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF GOD because He predestined it to be so.

 

c.  God knew that we were sinners when He saved us!  God knew that we would still be sinners after He saved us!  But God works in the life and heart of the true believer and changes us from “glory to glory” by the Spirit of God that now lives within us and, one glorious day, we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is!

 

Conclusion:  If you are saved, they you are elect!  If you are elect, then you are predestined!  If you are predestined, then you can never be lost!  What God has predetermined will come to pass and nothing can change it.  Therefore, election plus predestination equals ETERNAL LIFE! 

 

John 10:27-30  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  (28)  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  (29)  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.  (30)  I and my Father are one.

 

John 5:9-13  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.  (10)  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.  (11)  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  (12)  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  (13)  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  (You will never understand the doctrine of eternal life until you understand that eternal life is found only in Christ.)