The Purpose of God According to Election

The Purpose Of God According To Election

Romans 9:11-13

“(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of his that calleth;) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

The purpose of God according to election rests in the sovereign will God who elected His people in Christ Jesus before the world was made. Having loved them with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3; I John 4:10, 19; John17:23) the Father chose His people in Christ (Ephesians 1:4), wrote their names in heaven in Christ (Hebrews 12:23), who is the Foundation Stone, the Head Stone of the Corner of the church (Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22) and based all the blessedness of the covenant; for the children of the covenant, on the obedience of Jesus Christ, who, for the people of God is the  Sure Foundation Stone; but, to unbelievers who despise the covenant, and the Christ of the covenant having no saving interest in the covenant, this Foundation Stone is a Rock of offence, and a Stone of stumbling (I Peter 2:7-8; Romans 9:32-33). And having put all things in His hands (Matthew 28:19; John 13:1) the blessing of the covenant people of God is not in any manner or degree dependent upon the persons themselves, but rather the blessings of the people of the covenant are dependent upon the obedience of Jesus Christ, who finished all things that the Father sent Him to do. The Father declared His work finished, and accepted, by His raising of Jesus Christ from the dead, setting Him at His own right hand, (in a state of infinite glory and immutable stability, far above all other things in the universe save Himself; Angels and authorities, and powers being made subject to Jesus Christ (I Peter 3:22); the only begotten Son of God, and saying to Christ Jesus sit on my right hand until I make thy enemies thy foot stool (Psalm 110:1).

The election of grace is the spiritual linage of Abraham (Hebrews 2:16), to whom it was said, “in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Romans 9:7). Abraham had many sons but only one was the son of promise: Ishmael was a son of Abraham but not a son of promise. “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which is Agar. (Hagar the Egyptian, the bondmaid of Sarah, Abraham’s wife: writer) For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, (Hagar represents persons who seek to be justified before God by their own keeping of the covenant of works, that is, persons who seek justification by the deeds of the law, this includes all those who seek justification by their own personal works: writer) and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. (Jerusalem which now is: is the church of Jesus Christ, the body of Christ who are His members, and stand in covenant union with, and in, Christ Jesus from before the foundation of the world: writer) But Jerusalem which is above is free, (free from sins guilt and penalty, free from the law of sin and death, free from the bondage of man’s religion, free to walk in fellowship with God in Jesus Christ I John 1:3; writer) which is the mother of us all. (“all” who were believers in Galatia with the whole body of Jesus Christ: writer) For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” (Galatians 4:22-31).

The persons God chose were Isaac in his generation, and then Jacob the son of Isaac. But, again Isaac had more than one son, but the promise, that is, the elect seed was in Jacob, though Esau, Jacob’s brother, was firstborn. As it is written: “Neither, because they are seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of Promise, At this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Romans 9:7-13).  

The election of God: that is, the choice of certain individuals to eternal life in Jesus Christ, is of grace. “And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6). The election is entirely of God’s free and sovereign grace, it was made before men had done any good or evil, for God’s choice was made of persons to salvation before the world was made: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” (II Thessalonians 2:13). God’s choice of persons to eternal life in Jesus Christ is not according to the works of those who God chose. But it is “according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Ephesians 3:11). The saints of God are chosen also, to suffer the afflictions of the gospel, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (Philippians 1:29). As the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (II Timothy 1:8-9).

The choice God made of Persons to eternal life is “not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:9). Not of works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7). As it is written: “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Romans 4:6-8). The works of men are the things men do, such things as: to make a decision to rest in Christ as Savior, this act does not bring salvation; the act is not the cause of salvation; but it is the result of salvation which has already been obtained as a free grace gift of God, at some point in time the elect of God will make that decision by the secret effectual influence of the Spirit of God. When the, “Spirit of life” (Romans 8:2) is put in a man by God the Holy Ghost, that man is born of the Spirit, he is born from above, and because of a new heart and a new spirit which is put in him, he has a single eye to God in Christ who has saved him and given him new life (Matthew 11:12). The person that is born of God will be inclined to cast away, as refuse, everything that is contrary to the doctrine of Christ. And tenaciously cling to Christ who is his life (Colossians 3:4).

Christ Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, and the house of David according to the foreordination and the determinate counsel of God. Christ Jesus is the Head of the Election of God, and the individuals of God’s free and sovereign choice are chosen in Christ through the sovereign grace of God. At God’s appointed time the objects of His everlasting love be illuminated by the light of the gospel, the Holy Ghost powerfully working in them; putting life in them, creating faith and repentance in them, and drawing them to Christ. This gathering together of the children of the covenant is a miracle of grace, many hear the gospel but, to no profit; the children of the covenant are given ears to hear savingly, that is, they hear and love what they hear; they love the Christ that is preached, they love the doctrine that they hear preached, and they love those who are given the same grace to hear. The Holy Spirit does not invite sinners to come to Jesus Christ, He effectually gathers the children of the covenant to Christ, in love, joy, faith, and repentance, which is the fruit of the Spirit, As it is written: “But the fruit of the Spirit is, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Galatians 5:22-24). That is, the children of God no longer live to gratify the affections and lusts of the flesh, but must continually war against them, these evil things are still in the members of the children of God, but they are not the motivating principle of life. We must surely thank God for His sovereign free election of grace, for had God not chosen certain individuals to salvation there would be no redemption by Jesus Christ, there would be no effectual call of the Holy Ghost, to overcome the natural hostility of men’s hearts to God, in short no son of Adam would be saved. But as the angels that fell: all the sons and daughters of Adam would be: “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 1:6).  

AJ Ison    

See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the true gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.