Chosen to Salvation - 6

Okay we cook today we come to the last section of second Thessalonians chapter 2, and we are moving from teaching about the second coming of Christ to teaching about salvation, including in fact, I should say, beginning with the doctrine of election which Paul tells us is the beginning of the work of salvation that God does in the hearts of men and women doctrine which I don't need to tell you is often misunderstood. Often this up interpreted often maligned that needs to be corrected and we pray that God will help us today to correct any wrong ideas that we may have. We pray that this truth will be more widely known among the people of God. The doctrine of election truly is taught in Scripture repeatedly one of those things that you can't see it until you see it and then when you see it you can't miss it so so obvious after that. But that's just the nature of it, but it is clearly taught in the word of God. It cannot be ignored. Everybody has to have some doctrine of election, but it's not only important to have a doctrine of election, but it is more important to have the biblical doctrine of election. What is truly taught in the Bible. That's what we are interested in what does the Bible teach and our text this morning will help to clarify that for us. So the title of my sermon today is chosen to salvation. Taking the words from verse 13 as we consider divine election the beginning of salvation and I will break these verses. Verses 13 to 17 into three parts.

Number one, a description of salvation.

Number two. Obligations of salvation. Number three enablement of salvation. The description of salvation is in verses 13 and 14 and will take more time with that part of the process, but we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the spirit of belief in the truth, to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Consider five things about salvation that are described in these two verses first consider the connection that so that opening word but there's a contrast here that is important to our understanding. When Paul says, but we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, he means for us to recognize that there is a great contrast between these ones that he's writing to this epistle and the ones he is just referred to in the preceding verses. In other words, there is a contrast between those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and those who are perishing. Verse 10 with all the unrighteous deception among those who perish as a contrast between those cities writing to those who are deceived. Verse 11 and for this reason God will stand strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. There is a sharp contrast between these that he's writing to those who are condemned verse 12 that they, the unbelievers all may be condemned and look there's a contrast between those of these writing to those who enjoy unrighteousness again verse 12 who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. So there are two great categories of people in the world, those described in the verses preceding our text today there Paul describes what are characteristic of those who are lost and are eternally condemned and a description of those who are the opposite in our text for today. Those who are saved, though she shall enter into glory with the Lord Jesus Christ and we don't want that connection to be lost because I think we lose something in our understanding of what Paul is saying if we overlook this connection in the text. But secondly, all take the word motivation and what is moving Paul to describe salvation as he does what he is motivating him to talk to the Thessalonians about the salvation which they now enjoy the motivation is Thanksgiving.

We are bound to give thanks to God always for you brother similar language to what Paul used in chapter 1 of the beginning of the epistle when he said in verse three we are bound to give thanks to God or to thank God. Rather, always for you, brethren, so he opens the epistle, expressing not only gratitude but the obligation of gratitude. The obligation of thanksgiving now coming to this point in the text.

He repeats that again, we are bound, we are obligated, we are compelled to give thanks to God for you.

It is a very clear obligation, but it is also obviously a desire. This is one of the things that marks out the people of God. They desire to give God thanks the wicked. They want to give God thanks no that either ignore all the blessings that they receive from him as if they did not come from God or in some cases, they even fall to, or not doing this is not doing that and doing this and doing that in ways that do not please them, but gratitude is the farthest thing from their hearts. But for those who are the people of God. There is a great swelling sound Thanksgiving that arises regularly to God. Paul is motivated by that Thanksgiving as he thinks about the salvation which is enjoyed by these Thessalonian believers, but in continuing to describe salvation. We come from motivation to the beginning Paul traces their salvation all the way back to the beginning, not to the beginning that many Christians today think of when they think of the beginning of salvation for some people. Salvation begins on the day they believe that's when you experienced it. That's when you became aware of it. That's when when it became yours. But that's not where it began. We need to go back back back back back fact as far back as the beginning beginning of what he doesn't tell us the beginning of what but clearly he's talking about before human activity. There is human activity to follow but we give thanks to God that from the beginning God chose you to salvation.

That's the primary reason the Paul gives thanks to God for salvation wife because it begins with God. I thank God that you have enough good sense to believe, nope, that's not what Paul says I thank God that from the beginning he chose you, salvation we could look at this beginning according to what and when and what and when and what I've got Mike in my notes.

I think I miss typed something there should've been.

Third, words, different. But what does he start with divine initiative God shows we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord because God from the beginning shows you to salvation God showed no that word shows is one of several words that are using the Bible to describe what we call the doctor. The election election means choosing what it means. We go to the polls and pull the lever we make a choice between various possibilities.

Different candidates and we make our choice known. We should that's what God does God show God chose people for himself. This particular word means to take for oneself as I say it's only one of several words you use in the Bible are actually three that are translated choice are chosen but then there are a whole range of phrases that describe the same process will look at some of them as we go along but here this word shows is used twice elsewhere in the New Testament of human choice in Philippians 122, Paul says, but if I live on in the flesh. This will mean fruit from my labor yet what I shall choose I cannot tell for am hard pressed between the two having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better nevertheless remain in the flesh is more needful for you having trouble, says Paul, choosing which I consider to be better to go on that will be with the Lord which will be better for me or to stay here a while and continue to help you, which will be better for you that is a bit of a dilemma isn't if all of our choices are based upon what is best for us. What is most advantageous to us both as the choice is clear. Some of us would make the opposite choice. What's better for you to dine out little bit longer. Most would say little bit longer. Paul says for me the best choice would be to going to be with the Lord. That's what I would choose, but my only consideration is not my happiness. My joy my fulfillment. The desire which I have, to see the Lord to be with him forever. But I also have a God-given desire for others. I concern for you, I love you. I want to see you growing in grace and so this is a dilemma. If I had the right to choose.

Clearly Paul doesn't nobody does.

We will choose the day of our death, but Paul is talking about choice here. This is what I'm wrestling with light human choice do I choose to prefer this or do I choose to prefer that. That's the word the Paul is using second Thessalonians 3, March 2 to lost Thessalonians 213 board is also found in Hebrews 1125 about Moses by faith Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Paul miniature Moses made a choice that was a tough choice. I don't know that all of us would've made the same choice will I stay here and enjoy the most advanced and elevated to add and the blessed lifestyle of probably nearly anybody in all the world to be a prince in the what was at that time the greatest nation in all the world all of its riches and splendor. Lori that's what I've got. That's what has been handed to me that's what I could continue to do, but no, rather Moses show a different route to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the riches of Egypt.

It was a choice a human choice he weighed to the the pros and the cons that he made his choice. According to his understanding of what was better, and he made the right choice what are riches, what are honor their fleeting there just for a little while. What is the reward of faith in God and believing his word and walking the path that he lays before the that is eternal glory eternal on her eternal reward. Moses weighed those two things and he said I know what I'm going to choose. I'm going to choose to go with God and the people of God. It was a choice he made a choice. Paul says God made a choice.

We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning shows you God showed. Please notice that this text nor any text anywhere does not teach that God ratified man's choice. That's not what the Bible teaches.

God shows the truth of the matter is the man those who men and women who come to faith in Christ. They ratify God's choice though they don't recognize that usually at the time it takes place. They learn that later they have this feeling the sense that I made this unaided choice, and then they learn afterward sang up this morning after I he was seeking me. I was seeking him in his seeking of me that's the way it actually happened. God did not ratified man's choice.

That's the way this doctrine is is often eroded erroneously. God looked down the corridors of time and heat knew who would trust him given the opportunity and who would not.

And so God seeing who would choose him. He chose them for salvation. That's election. No, that's not election that's not God choosing that's God ratified that's not God choosing that's God ratified and that's not what the Bible teaches. The Bible doesn't teach that God responded to man's choice God ratified what man choice shows that the decisive decision is with man and God is just responded to that.

Okay, that's the choice you've made all endorsed at all ratified that that's not what it teaches here or any but from the beginning before any human activity.

God shows you that is astonishing isn't that's what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that men choose God because God first shows them. It's like God's love. We love him. Why, because he first loved us. We choose Christ. Why because he first shows us that we are told is from the beginning before all human activity and we are also clearly told here that this choice was for Sal vacation that one knocks the props out of some erroneous attempts to explain away the doctrine of election. Some will, for example, pick up the text in Ephesians 14 I think I see a way to wiggle out of the doctrine here it says the just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world where that sounds pretty much like divine sovereignty election just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

That's how I can get around it. God to choose us to salvation. He chose those who had chosen him to salvation that they would okay that's not what the text says in your your manipulating and and the mangling the true meaning of the text. What is teaching is his holiness is all part of the salvation God chose us to be saved and in that salvation to reflect the holiness of Christ.

It's all part of one one salvation. It's all part of one one activity.

It's all part of God's choice by that is clear enough in Ephesians 14 what does it say in second Thessalonians 213 God from the beginning shows you to what to salvation.

I explained that when away.

Try, you won't define the teaching of God's word all this tells us the means that God uses to accomplish to salvation, and the means are divine as well as human.

What is it say God from the beginning shows you to salvation through your Sally did it.

This is the means that he used through sanctification by the spirit of belief in the truth which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So the means God used to bring men and women to salvation is number one. The sanctification of the Spirit that the powerful work of the Holy Spirit and setting us apart. Sanctification mean we often use it of the progressive sanctification that follows our new birth, but here it has more the idea of the initial setting apart the initial sanctification that precedes our faith goes along with election. Those whom God shows. Hey, sent his Spirit to set them apart. Sanctification means he sent set us apart for himself because he had already chosen us for himself. So there's a divine mean setting apart by the Holy Spirit of God is what I've called the divine/human means that's in the next verse he called you by our gospel says Paul so it's the divine call. That's the divine part God calls people, but he calls people when his messengers like Paul and others proclaim the gospel in the proclamation of the gospel. The spirit of God effectually calls men to faith.

He calls men to himself. He calls those whom he has chosen two people sitting by side-by-side in the same pure hearing the same gospel message one says ho hum. The others says if I don't believe this. I'm damned old Lord Jesus, please forgive me. Please receive me.

Please save me. What's that that's the divine call through our gospel to citizens of Thessalonica heard Paul preach one said that's a bunch of who the others said I better believe that I want to believe that old Lord Jesus, I embrace you and Paul said you were called through our gospel. That's the divine human means and then there is the admittedly human part. If you want to put that back to verse 13, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

Faith in Christ, believing the gospel. That's where a lot of people began work of salvation in their minds, their testimony of salvation begins at this point what I believed, but when you get all after God chose me and set me apart by his spirit and called me by the working of your spirit in my heart when I heard the gospel. My response was Lord, I believe, Lord, I repent of my sins, Lord, I believe the gospel.

Lord I I gladly embrace Christ. I gladly received this promise.

I gladly believe that those who trust in Christ shall be saved and that's God's means to save people. That's the human part belief of the truth and what's his purpose in doing this for verse 14 for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glory which rightly belongs to Christ. He ascended back to heaven in great glory. He sits upon the throne of the universe in great glory. Great honor. Great majesty and yet this glory. In the amazing way that I still cannot hardly comprehend. I certainly can't fully comprehend it. He has designed to share this glory with his children. This is part of what it means.

Maybe most of what it means to become joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We become sharers of his divine glory doesn't make us gods doesn't make us divine doesn't mean we share some of this glory, which belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ glory which we will enjoy fully when salvation is complete and when is our salvation complete when Jesus Christ returns in our souls fully sanctified will be joined to our resurrected glorified bodies, and we shall forever be with the Lord in that glorious state and that's the goal that's the purpose that's what God is doing in salvation taking hell deserving centers who ought to spend eternity with the devil and his demons in detail because of our sinful rebellion and he works in our lives in this glorious act of free grace and he shows us our sin and he brings us to repentance and he turns our eyes to Christ, who already bore our penalty upon the cross and who earned the righteousness of his own which is imputed to us and when we believe we receive that we are now justified and we will someday enter into glory with our Lord Jesus Christ, and that salvation from beginning to end.

Most people only look at the little part of the miracles that salvation from beginning to end. It's a brief description, but it's pretty comprehensive business description of salvation. Number two. Obligations of salvation. Therefore, brethren verse 15. Therefore, brethren, if this is true of you stand fast and hold fast stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Both of these commands are in the present tense continue just stand fast, stand firm continue to hold onto present tense. Do not let go of your confidence in the gospel. Believers must be constantly vigilant. There are a thousand voices trying to turn you away from the gospel don't succumb to any of stand fast. This is your human responsibility for those who have been saved. This is what we must do is disable that doesn't make sense to me.

I don't understand of God is doing all of this by his sovereign power, then why do I have to worry about human responsibility. God does it all. Some of these things are mysterious and are not easily explained. They do seem to be paradoxical, but folks. It's all part of God's revelation to us.

We can't pick and choose. That's our problem so many times we either want to land all on human responsibility and say because of that I market except divine divine sovereignty wrong that we want to swing the pendulum the other way okay okay okay you taught me divine sovereignty. So I'm not worried about human responsibility. If God is saved you he has given you responsibility you have obligations of salvation. You dare not ignore them.

That is great disobedience may go deeper than that because this standing fast, and hold me holding firm is really insightful activity in the sense this reveals who truly has been saved. If you're not willing to do this if you're not interested in doing this.

If you see no reason to do this than that puts a big? Over whether or not you've truly been born again, this is what God's children do they stand fast they hold firm. In fact, this holding firm explains how we stand fast. How do we do it by shoring up our resolve know it is by holding the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. You hold the traditions that would hold means exert strength, whether physical or mental. This case mental the Christian religion is a thinking person's religion you have to use your mind.

That's why check out the just one something that will move them along emotionally. They don't want to exercise their mind.

I'm sorry but you're going to have to Christians must do this you exert strength you hold to the traditions, traditions, in its basic definition means the things which are handed down. We generally use the word tradition and more of a negative sense, but the Bible uses both a negative and positive sense.

The traditions of the Pharisees, not so good. The traditions are handed down by the apostle Paul.

God's word things handed down the teaching which have come to you in this case, either by word of mouth by by my teaching. You were taught, whether by word or our epistle, whether they came to you in an epistle by an apostle, which is therefore the word of God.

And so, whether the things that I taught you when I was with you as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ as God's work, whether the things I wrote to you in the first epistle to the Thessalonians are now writing to you in a second epistle of Thessalonians. That's the written word in both of these came by the apostle Paul, both by an authorized messenger of God, both by a spirit guided messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ who taught you all truth and no air who wrote you inspired Scripture without error, and that's what you will hold fast to that will enable you to hold firm against the many errors that are going to assault throughout your Christian life. So hang on. It is true that ultimately it's up to him remember studying one of the epistles.

One of the one of the commentaries summed up teaching about God's holding on to his children. With this phrase. His grip don't slip, that's true. His grip don't slip, but his grip says you are to hold on will successfully do that because his grip don't slip but you are old. Got it. That's what it teaches. That's why we sing.

My heart is leaning on the word written word of God.

Salvation by my Savior's name salvation through his blood, we hold onto the truth that we been taught of the Scriptures and hold fast to the end.

That's the obligation of salvation, but then we come back to the other side again the divine site the enablement of salvation versus her 16 and 17 and this is Paul's prayer for them.

It's a prayer for divine enablement. He says I'm gonna pray that God will work in you what I've described in you and what I've exhorted you to do here at Harris now verse 16. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself that our God and father who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort, or strengthen your hearts and establish you in every good word and work who enables us to do good words and works. God does back to the divine side we do learn some things here about the Godhead.

He mentions the Lord Jesus Christ.

First, usually mentions the father first but here he mentions the Lord Jesus Christ.

First, and God our father, whose usually mention first is mentioned second. Clearly, as in so many other places.

Paul regards, son and father as equal. Clearly, Paul teaches the quality of the persons of the Godhead. We get all three actually in this passage, God the son God the father and then earlier we seen we saw God the Holy Spirit who is working sanctifying you the sanctification of the Spirit. This is Paul's understanding of who Christ is, he is God is much God is the father and he looks to both of them to answer this prayer. God, who loved us and it's not clear from the language whether he means primarily the father loved us of the son love doesn't really they both have people love for us. God demonstrated his love by giving his son. The son demonstrated his love by laying down his life. Therefore, God the father and God the son and God the Holy Spirit who sanctifying us are working within us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, to comfort her strength in our hearts and establish you in the truth for human accomplishment for good works for obedience for walking the narrow way for cultivating his vineyard in this world for doing the things that God has commanded us to do, enabling us to do every good word and work.

The good words which we speak. If there good words they are enabled by God. The good works which we do if they are truly good works that will have lasting impact for eternity. They have been enabled by God because Jesus told us without me you can do quite a bit right without me you can do a little bit right now without me you can do nothing.

Now let's do some applications, lessons and applications about the doctrine of election number one election is what I will call an open doctrine, not a family secret. When I was wrestling with the doctrine of election of the doctrines of grace generally back in the 70s it went contrary to what I had been taught it, and contrary to what I believed, yet I was having trouble getting away from it in the Bible and I had a man that I respected and loved coming hold of Bible conference for us and I talked to him about this and I found to my surprise that he believed excitedly, doctrines of grace he believed in. In the unconditional election, but he said I've come to the conclusion this is what he told me that it's a family secret. It's only talked about among the people of God and therefore I don't preach from the pulpit because there might be some unsafe people there family secret.

We just chitchat about this among ourselves, kinda like God skeletons in the closet that we don't talk about except just very carefully among the right family members, family secret well at the time he told me that that made sense that satisfied me. I said okay I'm off the hook. I could believe this, but I'm excited about because I knew that saying something about it was going to cause some people to leave the church and did any examples and stories because there a lot of people who are willing to accept the stock, but the Bible doesn't teach that the doctrine of election is a family secret. The Bible teaches that it is an openly declared doctrine. I can give you many examples, but I can't give you any better than the Lord Jesus Christ himself when he was preaching the gospel to unconverted people in the public setting. In John chapter 6 he said this in verse 36 Jesus said I'm the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me, and yet do not believe all that the father gives me will come to me, the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out to hear what he signed some you don't believe some you never will believe with all that the father gave me will believe all the father gave me will come to me. Jesus said this to a group of sinners and others.

Another example of the doctrine of election being taught without using the word choose a choice or election. It's revealed in many different ways.

Here it's in terms of the ones whom the father gave the son all the father gave me all that the father chose from the beginning, and gave to the son will come to if you will come to me then manifesting the father didn't give you to the son, but if you do come to me, then you will understand this because the father gave you to me and he went on in that same chapter. The Jews didn't like what he was saying the Jews complained about him because he said I'm the bread of life which came down from heaven and they said is this not Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know how is it then that he says I have come down from heaven. Jesus therefore answered and said to them, do not murmur among yourselves listen.

No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him I will racing up the last day. Stop bellyaching you can't come unless the father draws the can understand that I came down from heaven unless the father reveals it to you to come to me unless the father bursts you to life regenerates your soul gives you life and faith to come to me that's a doctrine of election taught in a public setting to unconverted people and one more example in this chapter we read verse 64 but there some of you who do not believe Jesus knew from the beginning who they were, who did not believe him and who would betray him, and he said for 65 therefore I have said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my father. From that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more doctrine of election term. Some of Jesus followers away. I shouldn't be surprised if the doctrine of election should turn some beacon Baptist Church members away back in the earlier days when it was just coming be declared so election is an open doctrine on a set family secret number two election is an evangelistic doctrine not a non-evangelistic one that you showed you that it John chapter 6 because it humbles men before Almighty God. He removes false comforts of human ability. This erroneous teaching God has done all he can do. He's done everything that he can do the rest is up to you my demand week God know all that the father giveth me will come to me, mighty God, mighty God, and weak man. The doctrine of election exposes hidden unbelief. I can't say this is true in every case but I'm confident that in some cases, those who think they're saving claim to be saved are actually revealing their hidden rebellion there hidden unbelief against God because I will not accept this Dr. I will not bow to this doctrine, I will not believe in the doctrine of election of the fundamental issue in salvation is surrendering God and to his truth and what he has revealed. If you not willing to do that. What makes you think you're a believer. What makes you think you're going to have.

I'm not saying you not necessarily I don't know where you are in the process. I don't know what teaching you've been exposed to.

I know that before I came to the doctrine of election. If I had died. Then I would go to heaven. I was a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

So not say you better believe the doctrine of election to go to heaven but I'm saying if you refuse stoutly, stubbornly, continuously, unrelentingly, to believe a doctrine when it's showed to you in the word of God that really is a largely concerning, but do you desire to come to Christ. Let the doctrine of election hinder you you desire to come, because if you desire to come.

Where did you get that desire that does not arise out of the sinful heart of fallen man. The natural man who understands not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If God if you have that desire thing almost slipped, let it be known if you if God has given you that desire that's what I started to say. If you have that desire comes to you, God the Holy Spirit is at work in your heart if you have the desire to come, and the text which says all that the father gives me shall come to make also says him who comes to me I will in no wise cast out.

You want to come, you'll not be cast out. The doctor election is no barrier to coming to Christ refusal to believe the doctrine may manifest an unbelieving heart which leads me number three to say the doctrine of election as a corrective doctrine that corrects many errors in modern-day Christianity so much of Christianity today's man said or did not God centered just made reference to one manifestation of that God has done everything he can possibly do the rest is up to you.

You are helpless center shut up completely and fully to the mercy of God debtor to mercy alone is the truth must come to understand that it's a corrective doctrine. It corrects many of the errors in modern Christianity. Many of the un-misunderstandings in regard to evangelism. If I can just induce people to make a decision if I can just coax him down the aisle or or threatened him down the aisle or move the tears down the aisle and get them to pray a prayer that I got them and I haven't no triggering some kind of a decision for Christ is not the same as the response of a heart that is been born again by the work of the Spirit of God, those in whom the Holy Spirit of God does his regenerating work, generating work, always repent. As a result of that. Always believe as a result of that always make a decision for Christ.

As a result of that, but just making some kind of a decision for Christ is the grantee anybody that the going to heaven.

Great God of wonders, all thy ways are matchless godlike and divine, but the bright glories of thy grace above the line, other wonders shine such deep transgressions to forgive such guilty sinners. Thus, to spare. This is thy ground prerogative and in this honor.

None shall share in wonder lost with trembling joy. We take the part of our God, pardon for crimes of deepest Diane Parton bought with Jesus blood all made this glorious matchless love. This godlike miracle of grace teach mortal tongues like those above to raise the song of lofty praise who is a pardoning godlike and who has grace so rich. Which brings me number four. That election is a glorious doctrine.

It raises God's people to amazement and gratitude and praise who indeed is a pardoning godlike shuts us up to God's mercy alone. It choses our utter inability it strips away all of our false notions that we can do a little bit God did 90% I'll do the other 10% you make a good Roman Catholic know how did it all. It's mine, but to believe and recognize his work of love in Christ, we see that's what the Bible teaches about salvation and about the doctrine of election, shall we pray father helpless to understand your word.

Help us to believe and embrace your work help us oh Lord to praise you for who you are and what you have done in the lives of undeserving sinners.

We pray in Christ name