A. Foreknown of God.
1. Romans 8:29 "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."
B. Chosen by God.
1. 1 Pet 1:20 "He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake."
2. Acts 2:23 "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross."
3. Amos 3:2 "You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins."
a. God knows everything both actual and possible. He knows the beginning from the end. He is omniscient. He knows what choices you will make. God foreknew you because He determined to save us in spite of our future sins and failures which He has known from eternity past.
4. 1 Pet. 1:2 "who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance."
5. Acts 15:18 "that have been known for ages."
a. God’s foreknowledge is certain because it is based upon His decree or will to act. He decreed that Jesus would die according to His will or counsel.
C. Predestinated.
1.Eph 1:5-6 "he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."
a. Predestination is not used anywhere in the Bible to denote a predestination of a person to Heaven or Hell. It is a term used only to guarantee the future destiny of a child of God. God has determined that every Born-Again Christian will one day come into the full position of ‘sonship.’
2. 1 John 3:2 "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as He is."
3. Romans 8:23 "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
a. Adoption means to be put into the position of a son. (We shall be changed). Predestination means we shall be like Him. Within Gods decrees it is certain, He did predestine. Time awaits the fulfillment in our experience. The ultimate goal is the glory of His grace.
D. One of the "Elect."
1. John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."
2. Eph 1:4 "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."
a. God has chosen us out of the world of lost guilty sinners. This choice was made in eternity past. The purpose of God's choice was our perfect standing before Him.
3. Romans 8:33-34 "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."
4. 1 Pet 1:2 "who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance."
a. Negatively, we are without blame. Our sins have been forgiven and the guilt of sin has been pardoned. Positively, we are holy in position because we are completely covered by the righteousness of Jesus. Our election is according to Gods foreknowledge.
5. Romans 9:10-13 "Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls she was told, "The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
6. Titus 1:1 "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness."
7. 1 Thess 1:3-4 "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you."
8. Col. 3:12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
a. The election of God is appropriated by faith. It is made evident by outward signs and will bring about changes in moral character and behavior.
E. Called by God.
1. Matt 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen." (KJV)
2. 2 Pet 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (KJV)
a. This (general) call of God is an expression of divine grace. It alone does not save. However, not everyone answers God's general call by calling Him. So, many are called, but few are chosen.
3. 1 Timothy 2:3-6 "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men the testimony given in its proper time."
a. Every Born-Again Christian is obligated to pray for all men and to witness to them so that they may be saved because Jesus desires all men to come to know Him.
4. Romans 10:13 "for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
5. Romans 8:25,28,30 "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. "And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."
a. The chosen are those who are objects of God's (effectual) call. They are the called according to His purpose. It's God's direct will that these called receive all that is involved in God's gift of salvation.
6. Eph 4:1 "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
7. 1 Thess 5:24 "The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it."
a. The called have already been Foreknown and predestined. Their justification and glorification are just as certain as their calling. The saved are those who have reasoned by faith in Jesus to God's effectual and general call. The unsaved have rejected Gods general call.
F. A Gift of God’s Righteousness.
1. Romans 3:22 "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference."
2. 1 Cor 1:30 "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."
a. Just as Jesus who never knew or did anything sinful, was made sin on the cross for us, we who never knew or did anything righteous, were made righteous at the moment of faith in Jesus.
3. Phil 3:9 "and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
4. 2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
a. Through Jesus we are not only given Gods righteousness, but we are made righteous in both position and standing. Our standing and acceptance before God are only in Him.
G. Justified.
1. Romans 3:24-28 "and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law."
a. Justified means to declare righteous. We have been forgiven of our sins, but that only makes us innocent. Being justified is a grace gift, who's only source could be a just God. This righteous position is appropriated by faith and brings peace between God and man. It is made possible only on the foundation of the shed blood of Jesus.
2. Romans 5:9 "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!"
3. 1 Cor. 6:11 "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
a. Only in Jesus can you have justified position. This work of God is applied to us by the Holy Spirit. The outward sign of the justified position is a changed life marked by the works that genuine faith produces.
4. James 2:21-26 "Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
5. 1 John 4:17 "In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment because in this world we are like him."
a. Jesus is accepted before God. Because we are in Jesus, we are also accepted. We are as good as Jesus in our position.
6. Romans 8:33 "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies."
a. The law of double jeopardy states that a man cannot be tried or punished twice for the same crime. You will not be tried or punished either because God has declared you righteous.
H. Reconciled To God By God.
1. 2 Cor 5:18-20 "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."
2. Romans 5:10 "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"
a. Human Beings are God's enemy; God is not their enemy. Reconciliation is towards them, not towards God. Calvary made possible this reconciliation. The resurrection guarantees the permanence of the reconciled position. Reconciliation gives access by the removal of the sin barrier.
3. Eph. 2:16-18 "and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
a. Reconciliation has provided a way back for the sinner to God and for a sinning Christian to his Father. It has a double value and purpose.
I. Made Near To God.
1. Phil 2:12-13,19 "remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household."
a. Positionally you were once far from God as an unBorn-Again Christian. But now He is near to you.
2. James 4:8 "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
a. Come close to the Father and he will come close to you. A husband and wife can live under the same roof and still be miles apart in their love relationship. A Christian can be practically far away from God even though his position is near. We are MADE close in our position; we COME close in our daily experience.
J. Access To The Father Through Jesus The Son.
1. Romans 5:2 "through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."
2. Eph 2:18 "For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."
a. This assures us that at any time we can come to the Father.
3. Romans 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
a. We have gained access into a grace position or standing not by our own doing, but of HIS giving. It is maintained by God’s grace, and is not dependent upon our deserving it or not, either past or present.
4. Heb 10:19-22 "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."
a. The door is always open to the Father. His mercy and grace are always available to us.
K. Made A Child of God.
1. Romans 8:14-17 "because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Now if we are children, then we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
2. Gal 4:5,7 "to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons." "So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."
a. The young Christian has the same claims on the blessings of God as the old Christian, and the same responsibility to obey God's Word.
3. Eph 1:5 "He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."
a. We have become a child of God by adoption. Adoption means to be placed into the position of sonship. It is based upon redemption. It permits us to receive by inheritance all gifts from God.
b. We receive the nature of God and eternal life at the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Instantly we become a child of God, and God then puts us into the position of sonship regarding us as an adult child with all the privileges and responsibilities pertaining to maturity.
L. God’s Inheritance.
1.Eph 1:18 "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."
a. God gained something too! He gained you and me when he saved us.
M. Been Made Glorified.
1. Romans 8:28-30 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."
a. God regards us as glorified even though Jesus has not yet come and our bodies are still corruptible. God's eternal purposes are a present reality and certainty to Him. As far as God is concerned we are glorified because we are in Jesus, and Jesus is in Heaven in His glorified state.
2. Romans 8:18-22 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."
a. The deliverance of the Christian is just as certain as the deliverance of Creation from the curse. Both rest upon God's sovereign purpose.
3. Col. 3:3-4 “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
a. Our glorified position will become a living reality to us when Jesus comes again.
N. In God and God is in the Born-Again Christian.
1. 1 Thess 1:1 "Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you."
a. We are in God (the Father). This is our position; God in us is our possession, our privilege, and our power.
2. Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
a. We are also in Jesus, (God the Son).
3. 1 Cor 6:19 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."
4. Romans 8:9 "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."
a. We are in God, the Holy Spirit as well.
b. Every Born-Again Christian is indwelt by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How can a finite, sinful person ever be joined in union with an infinite, holy God? The natural human calls this an impossibility, but God says this can take place. The union of Born-Again Christians, one to another, and to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is similar to the union that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have together.
5. John 17:21 "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."
a. Jesus prayed that we would be one as He is one with the Father.
b. The oneness between us and God cannot be broken just as the oneness that exists between the Son and the Father could never be broken.
