Election Is In Christ

Election is in Christ unto salvation from eternal judgment. Christ is our deliverance from condemnation. Election is God the Father's choice to save sinners in Christ (Ephesians 1:4-6). Reprobation is the opposite of election. It is the reprobate's choice to reject God's salvation in Christ (John 3:18).

Election is in Christ by God's grace. He saves us from the condemnation of our sin. God's grace is his goodness, leading us to repentance (Romans 2:4). The reprobate chooses to obstinately reject the goodness of God's grace in Christ.

Election is confirmed through faith in Christ (2 Peter 1:1,10); reprobation is confirmed through continual rejection of Christ. Election gives mercy to sinners through Christ crucified (Romans 5:8). Christ risen from the dead brings justification to sinners by faith alone (Romans 4:5; 10:9). The reprobate is hardened in his own sin that rejects Christ forever.

Election is in Christ by God's active will to save us as believers. Reprobation is God's passive will to let others continue in their sin and unbelief. Election is the will of God in Christ (1 Peter 1:1-2). Reprobation is the will of man in sin (John 5:40).

Election is in Christ to the praise of God's glory. God saves us by faith in Christ to the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1:6). God passively allows those who are reprobate to reject Christ unto their own just condemnation (John 3:19).

The Gospel for All

The gospel is our salvation (Romans 1:16). The gospel is simple and clear for all to understand. Christ alone died for our sins according to the Scripture. He was buried and raised from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The gospel is freely offered to all people everywhere without exception. Christ is offered for all to receive, calling upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). Believers confess Jesus as our Lord risen from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Jesus commanded His disciples to preach the gospel to everyone (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47). Christ offers himself to all people in all nations. Believing in Jesus our Lord is receiving him (John 1:11-12).

The gospel saves every true believer from the condemnation of sin (John 3:17). Believers are saved from everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46). Believers are delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (1 Peter 2:9).

The gospel is received by faith or rejected by unbelief (John 3:18). Those who reject the gospel of Christ are judged and perish in their own unbelief (John 3:16). That's because they believe not the Son of God (John 3:36).

Jesus Our Amen

We end our prayers with the word Amen. That word means "so be it." It's a covenant term from the Old Testament. When Israel entered into the old covenant, known as the law of Moses, they spoke collectively the word Amen to agree with the commandments. Today, we use the same term to end our prayers.

The old covenant law was conditional, based upon the obedience of the people. The new covenant is unconditional, based upon the complete and perfect obedience of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we pray in the name of Jesus our Amen. That means believers in Jesus our Amen receive all of God's new covenant promises.

The Bible teaches that Jesus is our Amen, according to the new covenant, also known as the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20-21). Observe the contrast. Under the old covenant, the people promised with an Amen to obey God. Yet, they disobeyed. However, under the new covenant Jesus is our Amen. Jesus is the "Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation" (Revelation 3:14).

According to the law, we are all covenant breakers. In essence, we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Jesus came to fulfill the law and bring the promises of the new covenant. Jesus is our Amen of all the promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:20). All of the promises of God are for believers through the perfect obedience of your Amen, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Christ Our Mediator

The Lord Jesus Christ is the one and only Mediator with God, through the everlasting covenant. He works in believers to do what is well pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:20-21). God the Father is well pleased in his only begotten Son. We can only please God when his Son Jesus works in us, and through us to the praise of his glory. 

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time" (1 Timothy 2:5-6). A mediator brings two parties together who are in disagreement. God's disagreement with us is on one issue alone. That is our sin. There is only one Mediator with God. Jesus is the believer's one and only Mediator.

God the Father gave his only begotten Son as our one and only Mediator of his mercy, grace and love (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ is rejecting God's mercy, grace and love. Jesus is our one and only Mediator with God, because he alone is the God-Man. He is fully God and fully man, as incarnate deity.

Jesus gave himself as every believer's ransom at the cross. He is the gift of God the Father, who alone has paid the price to set believers free from condemnation and wrath (John 3:18, 36; Romans 8:1). That's why Jesus is our one and only Mediator with God. Jesus died for sinners at the cross. He is risen from the dead as the believer's one and only Mediator with God.

How to Trust God

The first lesson a baby learns in life is to trust. The bond between a mother and the infant is trust. The baby learns to trust the mother to be there. The cry is heard and mother's loving arms lift the infant for nurture and care. So all who are born again can trust God.

Trust God and lean not on your own understanding. The Bible says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding"(Proverbs 3:5). None of us can understand all about the greatness of God. Our understanding is limited. Like an infant who does not understand the mother, yet trust is developed. There is so much that we don't understand about God. Trust God and lean not on your own understanding.

Trust God by believing his promises in the Bible. Trusting God is believing his promises according to Holy Scripture. He is faithful to all his promises in the Bible. Our bond with God is based upon his word of promise found in the Bible. If you trust God, you are trusting the promises of his word.

Trust all God's promises in the Bible. Read the promises of God. Pray the promises of God. Trust God to always keep his word of promise in your life. Trust God when you understand and when you don't. If you trust God, you are depending upon his word.

Two Sides of God's Will

Millard Erickson wrote, "We must distinguish between two different senses of God’s will, which we will refer to as God’s "wish" (will-1) and God’s "will" (will-2). The former is God’s general intention, the values with which He is pleased. The latter is God’s specific intention in a given situation, what He decides will actually occur."

Dr. Erickson spoke of two senses in which we understand God's will in the Bible. One way is God's will in the sense of a wish. The other sense is God's done. You could say that the Bible speaks of God's will of command and God's will of decree that shall be done.

God's will of command is what he wants us to do. It's God's revealed will for our lives. We have all disobeyed God's revealed will in one way or the other. That is sin, and we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Understand the other sense of God's will is his decree. It shall be done. 

God's will of command is seen in Acts 17:30. God commands all people to repent. That side of God's will is his desire for all to repent. However, God's will of decree is seen in Acts 17:31. He has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness. It shall be done according to God's decree.

Saved Without Doubt

As a Christian, there may be times when you doubt your salvation. Such doubts are most often because we focus upon ourselves and not on Christ. Trusting in ourselves leaves room for all manner of doubt. Be saved and sure is focusing upon Christ alone. It's knowing who saved you. 

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). Be saved and sure focused upon what Christ has done for you at the cross and through his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). You are saved by what Christ is doing in you and through you (Colossians 1:27; Hebrews 13:20-21). In Christ alone you are saved. Be saved without doubt, believing and trusting in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Focused on Christ alone is the way to be saved without doubt. Then, you can say, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that Day" (2 Timothy 1:12). Be saved and sure by faith in Christ alone. He alone has the authority and power to save you and keep you. 

Focus on Christ alone to be saved without doubt. Focus on his work for you and in you. The grace of Christ initiates your salvation. What he begins, Christ is more than able to finish. "Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it unto the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).