Is your name in the book?

Why are we afraid of telling the truth? We are afraid to speak the truth of the power of the cross. We are afraid because we are not sure how that person standing in front of us is going to react. Paul didn’t care. He didn’t sugarcoat the gospel; he preached it. He was careful not to be eloquent in his words. He was careful not to let the way he preached the gospel interfere with the power of the cross.

Preach the Cross

We cannot know who has been enabled by God to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even Jesus told us in John 6:65 ESV “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it has granted him by the Father.” In Ephesians 1:4 ESV, Paul wrote, “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” Again, in Paul wrote Romans 8:29, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” John wrote in Revelation 13:8, “And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” This my friends is predestination, unconditional election. Many pastors refuse to acknowledge or preach unconditional election because they are afraid of alienating people. Yet, it is one of the most important doctrines of Christianity. Many people say they could never follow a God who wasn’t fair. You are right, this is not fair only people who are God’s elect will be saved. Well nowhere in the Bible is it written that the words of God are fair. For God to be fair we should all die for our sins. Paul wrote in Romans 3 “all have sinned”. In Ephesians 2 he wrote, “you were dead in your sins and trespasses.” So, all should die based on sin. Even after we are saved we sin. You sin and repent and go to sleep. You should be punished for that sin you committed yesterday so really I think you stole that last breath from God because you’re a sinner. The moment after that sin, if God were fair, you would take your last breath. But you are right, it’s not fair, it's called mercy, the mercy of an all-holy loving God.

Gaze into My Crystal Ball

Now when it comes to the doctrine of unconditional election it is not like God was looking in his crystal ball and saw who would hear the message and who would not. There is no omniscience there. That’s like a reporter watching a video and then reporting on television about the video and we all say ooooh he saw the future. No, that is not what God did. He said there are those I have elected as my children. We do not know who they are, or how many there are, but we do know this. They are everywhere and anyone. It is not isolated to gender, socioeconomic status, educational status, race, or color. God just selected those of His choosing. Can you imagine if you had to have this level of education to be saved, or if you had to have this much money? You see it is just the opposite. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ESV, For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” I think this verse says it best, the foolishness of God is far superior to the wisdom of men.

Who is Who?

What is important is that we understand we cannot tell, nor can we judge who the elect may be, and who is not. As such, we need to spread the word of Christ and Christ crucified to everyone. So, we must understand the majority of the world around us does not believe in the gospel, it is foolishness. To them it really truly IS a joke. They may be cordial to us, but the truth of the gospel is not available to everyone. Whoa, am I saying we are better than everyone else because we understand the gospel? If you see it that way, if you are thinking that way, then you do not understand the gospel. If you did you would know that I am saying nothing of the sort. Verse 18 tells us just that the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing. Essentially there are two groups of people. There are those who are saved and those who are not and will never be. Election by God did not happen for everyone. This is why the concept of election is so important and yet those in the pulpit deny it or are afraid to preach it. It is all supernatural. We are changed supernaturally when we are saved. Those who will never be saved are changed supernaturally as well. We are reminded of Isaiah’s words in John chapter 12, “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Therefore, they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them..” Election and predestination are important doctrines because they allow us to illuminate the mercy of God by saving those He has chosen in Christ. Blessings to you and the peace of Christ rest upon you.