SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
3/13/2014 10:40 AM
My Worship Time Focus: An
Understanding of Election
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1
Thessalonians 1:4
Message of the
verse: “4 knowing, brethren beloved
by God, His choice of you.”
I wrote in yesterday’s SD
that there are seven characteristics that are true of those whom God calls for
salvation, the elect, and as we come to verse four we find that there is a
transition from the proceeding statement found in verse three. Verse three describes Paul’s confidence in
the Thessalonians’ present spiritual condition while as we move forward we will
see his focus on their past conversion which we will see in verses 5-10 or
chapter one. In those verses we will
look at the seven remaining characteristics of the elect.
The first word in verse four “knowing” and John MacArthur
explains that this word could also be translated as “seeing” or as
“perceiving.” He states “Here Paul used
it to express his perception that the assembly in Thessalonica was
genuine.” As I read MacArthur’s
commentary on 1 Thessalonians I can’t get over how important it is to have an
understanding of the Greek language, something that I don’t have, but
appreciate the knowledge that he has and has put into his commentary. It brings greater insight into what the Word
of God says.
In his commentary on 1 Thessalonians John MacArthur
states something that I do not completely understand as he states “Beloved by
God translates a perfect passive participial phrase in the Greek (egap emenoi
hupo [tou] theou), explaining the reality that Christians are recipients of the
sovereign love of God (cf. Deut. 7:78).”
Now we will look at Deuteronomy 7:7-8 and also quote the verse not from
the MacArthur Study Bible which I hope will help us understand more of what he
writes about on this subject. “7 “The
LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number
than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the LORD loved you
and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought
you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the
hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” “7:8
loved you…kept the oath. The choosing of
Israel as a holy nation set apart for God was grounded in God’s love and His
faithfulness to the promises He had made to the patriarchs, not in any merit of
intrinsic goodness in Israel.” Here we
see the election of God in action described in verse eight. After the fall of man which happened in the Garden
of Eden all of mankind that was born from the seed of man were born sinners,
all having a sin nature. God in His
love, grace, and mercy chose some for salvation as He states in Ephesians
chapter one. “3 Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4
just as He chose us
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and
blameless before Him.” This was a choice
that our Sovereign God made, because His is God and can make this choice.
Let us look now at some verses that will show us that
when Paul told the Thessalonians he was certain of God’s “choice of you”
(them), the words that he wrote were in perfect harmony with other New
Testament’s usage on this subject: Matthew 24:22, 24 “"Unless those days
had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the
elect those days will be cut short. 24
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show
great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” Luke 18:7 “now, will not God bring about
justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over
them?” Romans 8:33 “Who will bring a
charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.” Col. 3:12 “So, as those who have been chosen
of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience.” 2 Timothy 2:10
“For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so
that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it
eternal glory.” MacArthur writes “Christians
are the elect, chosen of God solely by His sovereign, loving purpose, apart
from any human merit or wisdom. God in
eternity past sovereignty chose all believers to salvation, drawing them to
Himself in time, by the work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:37, 44; Rom. 9:15-16; 1
Cor. 1:9; Eph. 1:4-6, 11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; cf. Acts 13:46-48; Rev.
13:8; 17:8).” I will not look at all of
these verses in the SD, but I would like to look at Acts 12:46-38 “46 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.” We also read the
following in John 15:16 “"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and
appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would
remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” One more verse to look at and that is found
the high priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17:9 “"I ask on their behalf; I
do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for
they are Yours.”
One more quote from John MacArthur that is important and
then we will be done with this portion of this SD: “As 1 Thessalonians 1:6 and 9 suggest, man’s
will participates in conversion in response to God promptings. Thus true
evangelism is a call to repent and believe (e. g., Acts 20:21).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: The sovereign
election of God is difficult to understand but it is taught in the Word of
God. All of the Godhead is involved in
it as the Father did the choosing as we saw in Ephesians 1:4-6, the Son died in
the place of those whom God chose, and the Holy Spirit gives the effectual call
to those the Father chose and the Son died for. It was on the 26th
of January of 1974, a little over forty years ago that this happened to
me. I surely did not see this happening
to me, nor did I understand exactly all that happened to me, but I knew for
sure that my life was different, and that God loved me so much that He sent His
Son to die in my place so that I could spend eternity with Him, and that I
could live for Him while on planet earth.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I desire to live for the Lord today and
everyday.
Memory verses for the
week: Philippians 2:5-8
5 Have this attitude in
yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form
of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied
Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness
of men. 8 Being found in the appearance
as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even
death on a cross.”
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Enoch” Genesis 4:17.
Today’s Bible
question: “Who was called the beloved physician?”
Answer in our next SD.
3/13/2014
12:18 PM
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