May Your Hearts Be Turned To The Love Of God Through Christ Jesus

Today on Grace To You‘s live Stream sermon, John MacArthur taught about the Doctrine of Eternal Election, Divine Sovereign Choice, and Predestination.  He said it was decided from before time began, that God the Father promised his Son Jesus Christ that the Lord would be given a redeemed humanity.  

This gift expressed the Father’s love for his Son, that his Son would be given his Bride who would lavish their praise upon him, and he chose his children before time began  whose names were written in The Book of Life.

Most people would think that this is unfair, and their fleshly concerns do not decide who God is.  God explained, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14) which describes His Divine Sovereignty.  We do not know who the Father in Heaven truly is because we have a limited, human understanding.  We are not the One True God but are his created beings.

MacArthur said that sovereign election is the most pride-crushing doctrine; ignorance hates this doctrine. 

Those who are not believers will never believe what Christian’s believe because they are unable to believe these things; the Father never meant for them to.  He will soften the hearts of those he chooses, and harden the hearts of the rest who do not believe.  They are unable to come to the saving belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is the way God made us from before the beginning of time.

We are created to always obey Christ Jesus to the best of our human ability.  He forgives us when we do wrong and we sincerely try to obey what we know we should do.  His Holy Spirit prompts us to not sin against God.  We no longer are held to pay the price of our sinful natures even though we can still make mistakes.  We cannot possibly be perfect when we are flesh and blood alone, but through Christ we are being changed through the power of the Holy Spirit; His Holy Spirit who cleanses us of sin. 

Christ already died on the cross and took the penalty of our sins in our place.  All people have been born into sinful natures stemming from being born of the sin-natures of our  original human parents, Adam and Eve.  They fell into sin when they took the apple of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that Satan gave them.  They fell from the grace of God in the garden after becoming sinful from obeying Satan and were banished from the Garden of Eden.  God cannot have sin in his kingdom.

We have been given another chance to reside with God in heaven.  Jesus Christ became the way to heaven. 

It is only through belief in His being the Son of God, who was God as well as man who walked the earth, who died on the cross in place of the punishment of all humanity so we wouldn’t have to, who then rose again from death to go into heaven, then was seen by people on earth as he proved it was he walking on earth after dying on the cross.  Jesus now is seated at the right hand of the Father.  They are the Trinity: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.  They are one God; the One True God.  Every believer believes this, and we are rewarded by having the Holy Spirit residing within our bodies.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”. – Romans 10:13

We are given eternal life through Jesus Christ, for the glorification of him and through him, the glory of his saints.

Paul’s ministry found in 2 Thessalonians was to teach salvation, sanctification and to provide the hope of eternal life through believing in the gospel.  It would prepare believers; 

so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, – 2 Thessalonians 1:12a

and,

To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2 Thessalonians 2:14

He is our loving Father in Heaven, whose Son he has given his chosen people to for the glorification of Jesus Christ.

May we give thanks for the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for his love today.  

… for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5b