Evening in the Bible's portion of scripture that was read a little earlier, Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8, verses 28, from 30th, where I would take my text from this evening, Romans chapter 8, verses 28, through 30 reads as follows. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose, for whom He forenew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, but He might be the first born among many brethren, more over whom He predestined these He also called, whom He called, these He also justified, and whom He justified, these He also glorified. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Holy Word. Please pray with me and for me as I speak to you from this subject, God's perfect plan for salvation. God's perfect plan for salvation, let us pray. Oh great God in King, He who has subdued our enemies and subdued us unto Himself, whose Son Jesus Christ is our Emmanuel God with us. Father I ask, right now as I proceed to herald your word to the hearts and ears of these who have come tonight, that you will fill me with your Holy Spirit, that you would move me out of the way so that they will not see me, that they will see you, O God, and they will hear your grace. I pray, O God, that you will hide me behind the cross, and I will decrease while you increase in this place. Thank you, God, for grace. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you, O God, that we who were afar have been brought near by the blood. Thank you, O God, that you have saved us from yourself. So, Father, we thank you again for this time, this preaching moment. I pray that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be acceptable in thy sight. O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Amen. Here in the book of Romans, we find the story of God's plan of redemption in Christ. We see the need for it and the application of the gospel of Christ to every day life. But not only do we see these elements of God's divine plan for salvation, but we also see the detailed description of Christ's work in the doctrine of election. The biblical doctrine of election is that before creation, God selected out of the human race, those whom He would redeem, bring to faith justify and glorify through Christ. This divine choice is an expression of free and sovereign grace. It is unconstrained, it is unconditional, not merited by anything that we could ever do. It is not merited by anything that we have done or anything that we could do. I mean, Psalm 115, Psalm makes it real clear when it says that he, God does whatever he pleases. He just does whatever he wants. He doesn't get anyone's permission. Brother Fred mentioned it this morning and nobody could stay his hand. He just does what he wants to do. God owes sinners, no mercy, only condemnation. So it is a wonder and a matter of endless praise that he should choose to save any of us, especially when his choice involved the giving of his own son to suffer for individuals who cared nothing about him. The doctrine of election like every truth about God involves mystery and sometimes stirs controversy. The doctrine of election, it helps Christian see how amazing is the grace that saves us and it moves us to humility, joy and praise in response. The elect are really from one standpoint the Father's gifts to the Son. In fact, John 6 and 39 speaks of it where it says, this is the will of the Father who sent me that of all he has given me, I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day. Jesus Christifies that he came, Jesus testified that he came into this world specifically to save the elect. Paul mentioned it in 1 Timothy when he said Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Also we see in John 6 and 37 all that the Father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will buy no means cashed out. So if somebody is going to be saved they are going to be saved. If they are not, if they are going to be lost they are going to be lost because Christ will not lose anyone that God has given him. Nobody is going to be lost and pray hard and only for a smile. Oh God, please save Tyrone. If God is going to save Tyrone he is going to say, don't worry about it, just keep praying. He is sovereign. But look at the scripture tonight. Really my focus is really on verses 29 and 30. But when you look at the word, verse 29, the word 4, F4, the conjunction here it introduces us that the reason for the assurance of verse 28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Here Paul, he looks to eternity past and he sees that God's purpose for his people has only been good. Everything, even evil works are for our well-being and God's glory. Verse 28, it's not for everyone. I know everyone quotes it. I heard somebody in the barbershop the other day. They were just as wrong as two left feet. I mean show enough wrong. I mean in everything talking about some wrong way. You know everything worked together for good. I mean just misquote this scripture. I have people quote that all the time. But it's not for everyone. This verse offers a assurance to those who love God or those God or those people God love and are called according to his purpose. Oh how I love Jesus because he loved me first. Amen. This is this is this is for God's people. This exclusive club when when God saves you, you are part of this covenant community. Amen. But continuing it says at verse 29, it says for whom he for new, for new is comprised of two Greek words before and no. For new simply means to know before. Some some believe and this was my form of position that God looked through the portals of time and he knew who would choose him. I used to believe that. God knew who would choose him. See but but but but this is this is an erroneous argument right here where where we believe that was some where where we believe that that God chooses those who he saw ahead of time would profess faith in Christ. See certain people say that the four knowledge of God is knowing what he would do. But but that's not what scripture teaches. If if God bases his love for us on some good deed that we have done, then election becomes conditional and not unconditional. This is known as Arminianism. See Arminianism takes the choice out of the hands of God and it places it in the hands of man. Because that's Arminianism. That's that comes from the teachings of James Arminius and and many of our churches hold to this belief. I know I once did. I was talking to a fellow believer in Christ some months ago and we were talking about salvation and and she told you know we're talking about the doctor of election and and and she was telling me that now now wait a minute she said you know now you know we we can choose God and I and I used to believe that but I think John 15 and 16 let's just know God's position where it says you did not choose me but I choose I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. There it is. I think we just woke up one day say hey you know man you know what I think I'm gonna choose God today I'm tired of doing what I've been doing
minister Jarvis mentioned last week you know dead man can't open a door. I just love that visual because when you're dead you're dead you're unresponsive and you cannot improve upon dead. You're dead. See the the words in these two verses for new predestined call justified and glorified. These words are not centered on you and me or anything that we've done. The focus of these words like completely upon what God has done. I mean you just missed your moment of shout right there. You just missed it. I know you're on your iPhone. You just missed it. I'm giving you a special way with today. If you want to run go ahead and run. A special way I know we don't run in this church but if you wanted to run and praise God damn that's the moment to do it. It has nothing to do with you or us it's all about God and what he has done. Again we see the sovereignty of God's choice at Romans chapter 5 and verse 6 where it says for when we were still without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly? The ungodly died for the ungodly? This is all about Christ. Here here we see that God's love was not extended toward us because we were good but in spite of the fact that we were very bad Hallelujah. It is for it is for the sake of the elect that God governs the course of history. Mark chapter 13 verse 20 says and unless the Lord had shortened those days no flesh would be saved but for the elect's sake whom he chose he shortened the days. Hallelujah to God. The elect you and I are the salt of the earth were the light of the world throughout history. They we are the few through whom the many were blessed. God blessed the household of Potterford and the world for Joseph's sake. What about the ten righteous people who would have saved the city of Sodom and let us not forget that our election includes the opportunity of others hearing the gospel and receiving the same gifts of grace that we have received. Amen. For whom he for new he also predestined. Predestined means to determine beforehand the purpose of predestination is so that we can be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Here is where sanctification comes into the picture. We are for known and predestined for the purpose of being sanctified in this life predestined so that we can be holy and become more like Jesus. So basically predestination have to do with the question of destiny. A destiny or destination is a point toward which we are moving but have not reached. Over the last ten years I've been I've been doing a lot of traveling. I've been hopping on planes, hopping in cabs and I mean just moving catching the train from the airport to the hotel just moving and a couple years ago I was going to Philadelphia and I like websites like Travelocity and Expedia. I mean you can get up there you can get good deals, you can hotel, rental car. I mean you can get some good deals just I mean at certain times and well I like about those websites that you can choose your own seat on the airport. I love that. I love the fact that I can if I want to sit only on the aisle seat I can choose it. I want to sit by the window. I love that. But you know when I choose my seat I don't choose a seat to know where. I have a destination in mind. I have a place that I'm trying to reach. That's destination. That's destiny or destination. It's a point toward where we're moving but have not yet reached this destination. But who is the principle of predestination? God in his sovereignty he predestinates. Human beings are the object of his predestinations. So in a nutshell predestination refers to God's sovereign plan for human beings decreed by him in eternity. Even before we were fought to our parents before there was a win or where God already had this thing sorted out. He knew he knew where we would be born. It's not by accident that we're at this church tonight. It's not by accident that she was born in Georgia. God willed it so before the foundation of the world was laid down he willed it so. In his sovereignty and in his grace the concept of predestination includes more than than future destinations of human. It also includes whatever comes to pass in time and in space. As it relates to election God's choosing of certain individuals to be saved. They're really two sides of election. The first side of predestination results in the salvation of those who are elect. And the other side is the other side is referred to as reprobation which is the predestination of those who are not the elect. Reprobation is the name given to God's eternal decision regarding those sinners who he has not chosen for life. Did you hear me? The some folk that God has not chosen for eternal life in heaven. In his sovereignty I don't know why some folk say it's not fair but what if you what if what if you own the other side not chosen for eternal life in heaven. But in other words God makes the decision not to change the sinner as the elect are destined to be changed. See God gives the reprobated individual over to their sins. He removes the restraints on their doing disobedient things. The disobedient things that they desire and pretty much just wear themselves out. See that's the beginning of their judgment and that's called hardening. In fact look at look at this one chapter over real quick. I want you to take a look at Romans chapter 9 verses 14 through 24 it says what shall we say then? In fact we were talking about this last week just in conversation. In verse 14 it says what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not. For he says to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion so then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs but of God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh for this very purpose I have raised you up that I may show my power in you and that my name may be declared in all the earth. Therefore he has mercy on whom he wills and whom he wills he hardens. You will say to me then why does he still find fault? For who has resisted his will? But indeed oh man who are you to reply against God? Will the thing form straight to him who formed it? Why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have the power over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God wanted to show his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long sufferings the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy which he had prepared beforehand for glory. Verse 24, even us whom he called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles? Hallelujah. Sitting last week we were talking about this right here and just kind of witnessing to each other and brother Singleton and I were talking about how God worked on our hearts concerning this verse because I never believed in election and I struggled with it I remember years ago some years ago I came here and brother Melvin was teaching on it and I was like man what are you doing teaching these people this? We got into a heat argument because I was raised at Glendale who you man what are you doing teaching these people this and I was angry at Melvin and I went home I was and I was upset with God because I was God what are you doing and and and some months later I was lying on the bed getting ready to go to bed and my wife and I was she was doing something I was lying on the bed and and God led me to Romans 9 and I started reading Romans 9 and I said it hit me against the head like a ton of bricks it woke me up I said honey come look at this I read this thing a hundred times I've been saved since I was two I read this thing but God raised my level of truth and he opened my eyes and talking to Melvin so singing he said the same thing it was Romans 9 that opened his eyes to this that God is sovereign and he does whatever he wants to do when he wants to do it
reprobation is a biblical reality that has no direct bearing on Christian behavior that's that's for the unbeliever see it's not our job to to to to go around identifying the reprobates you know who they are when we when we we go around without magnifying glass going to a room a party of school a work talking about hmm I wonder who the reprobate is I don't think so you don't know who it is he said look at that guy he has tattoos on his face he has piercings be look at this guy I mean somebody who you would think that is a reprobate I saw a guy he got his tongue split like a snake he had some plastic and planet right above his eyes under his skin so that he could screw in some horns and he had lizard scales all over his face now somebody would look at him and say I know he's going to hell you don't know you you have no idea what God has decided an eternity because when you look at scripture if anybody we thought was going to hell was your possible Paul looking Paul killing Christian I mean he is on a mission he's not sleeping he's not he's just hunt and Christian I'm a kill all of them because they are a threat to Judaism I'm a kill him and all of a sudden he meets God on the on the on the road and and ask chapter 9 and and and and and and and Christ says to him man why you're a person killed me and and Paul says who are you Lord Paul was saved in eternity his name was already written down in the lamb's book of light he just didn't know it
he looked like a reprobate but he wasn't so we we we should look at everyone as possibly being numbered among the elect because we don't know our job is to preach the word our job is to shine the light our job is to be strong in a flavorless society because I'm telling you and and if you have been witnessing as long as I've been witness I'm sure many of been witnessing much longer than I have but I I have been certain places God has used me I said word I said word people just start crying people just start crying fall on the floor say God been dealing with me I can't believe you said that what should I do next bam time you to confess so God does he strategically places us where he wants us to do his will amen but the basic definition predestination is for all eternity God decided to save some members of the human race and to let the rest of the human race perish for whom he for no verse 29 he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son he might be the first born of many brethren first born is one of highest rankable position that Christ is supreme or first it was the first born that all the children were dedicated to God under law the first born was the head of the family and all depended on him and Paul wrote in Colossians chapter 1 verse 18 he said and he is the head of the body the church who is the beginning the the first born from the dead then in all things he may have the preeminence Christ rank as first born shows that he stands as the exalted head of a new humanity as the second atom our federal head called whom he for new excuse me more over whom he predestined these he also called verse 30 called means to invite or summon it is especially use of God's call to participate in the blessings of the kingdom to be called is divided into two understandings there's an external call and there's an internal call the external call is when the gospel goes forth and at any time it is presented and it falls on men's ears that that's what we call an external call many are called but fewer chosen the the external call is universal meaning that anyone can hear it for example from the pulpit this is an example of an external call however Paul he's he's primarily speaking of an inward call in our text see if if you have been foreknown then you have been predestined and if you have been predestined then you have been or will be called inwardly it is based completely and solely upon Jesus's sacrifice on the cross and is received by faith alone no works are necessary are necessary to obtain justification otherwise it's not a gift according to Romans 6 and 23 therefore we're justified by faith but not only does he call he also glorifies we we've looked at eternity past uh foreknowledge and predestination we we've looked at the present calling and and justification lastly we'll look at eternity future Paul wrote about a future event as if we're already done because it is certain that God will do it you know we we live in an exciting time technologically I mean that made me there there are things that are coming out all over the world and especially as it relates to computers or iPhones and internet and every time I think of a something that comes out or when I when I have my cell phone in my hand or my iPhone I always think about my grandmother as long as I knew my grandmother she had a rotary dial phone
she had the same phone number for 50 years I still remember that number I called in my grandma I never forget that phone I don't know who added now but she had that phone forever and when you called her and she was on the phone the line was just busy you know you know click over to the other line you were just busy you know I love my grandma I called grandma 10 minutes later phone still busy 30 minutes of phone still busy she was the man once they don't tie the line up baby it might be the emergency she on the phone just gossiping my grandmother never got a chance to see what we called call our ID you remember those days when the phone rang and uh you you didn't even know who was calling the phone is ringing go get the phone you didn't even know who was calling now we can we can pick and choose and we want to answer it tonight who is that oh I don't want to talk to anybody come on help me somebody see when when when you know you know we could choose whether or not we want to answer the call but when God calls you know what's him when God calls you don't need call our ID when when God calls when God calls you can't send a divorce mail when when God calls you you can't tell somebody to go take a message for me when when God calls he lovingly interrupts all activity when when God calls you will know it's him just like the apostle Paul when God called he stopped everything tell off his heart and say who are you Lord when when God calls in my situation uh 230 in the morning I was smoking marijuana on my porch but when God call the marijuana fell out my hand and I say Lord what do you want me to do a friend of mine was was coming back from Orlando and she said God had been nudged at her heart but she had been ignoring God I didn't got tied for that church stuff and she was driving home in a lightning bolt she struck right in front of her car she spicked out on the side of the road and she said Lord I do whatever you want me to do with God calls when God calls you gonna take the call I heard a preacher saying that he had been running from God over and over he didn't want to hear from God walking down the street in a bird drop dead right in front of him and he said that was a final straw for him when God calls that was it I'm not going nowhere y'all I cast at all my appointments Lord what do you want me to be when God calls God justifies not only does he predestine not only does he calls but according to the scripture he justifies justified is a legal term signifying to a quick to declare righteous the scripture is clear that not everyone who hears the gospel outwardly is justified or declared righteous justification is not by hearing the call but by believing in the call not only by leaving it when we believe the gospel we are justified save from our sins and justified by faith we are no longer guilty in God's eyes he imputes or credits the righteousness of his son to you and me justification is the work of God what the righteousness of Jesus is reckoned to the center so the center is declared by God as being righteous under the law the righteousness is not earned or retained by any effort of the same justification is an instantaneous occurrence with the result being eternal life glorification is the resurrection of our bodies to eternal glory our bodies will one day be raised God glorifies amen the resurrection of our body will occur when Jesus Christ returns and Paul Paul explains it in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 16 and 7 where he writes for the Lord himself would descend from heaven with the shell with the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God and with the trumpet of God and the dead and Christ will rise first and we who are alive and remains shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and this we shall always be with the Lord when Jesus says it is finished he meant all the work of redemption is finished one day we will be raised from the dead and those who are in Christ will have their bodies renewed and reconnected with their souls and at that point we will be perfect glorified as he is and Romans chapter 1 and verse 17 Paul described the constant component of salvation from faith to faith equals her back in chapter 2 and verse 4 when he says the just shall live by faith Paul wanted to prove that it has always been God's method to justify sinners by grace through faith by faith we recognize we have been called the message of the gospel is personalized by faith we justified God reckons us righteous which we could never achieve on our own effort and by faith we are glorified we arrive at the destination that God intended all along we become conformed to the image of his son let us pray oh great God and King oh conquering King mighty God all powerful all knowing sovereign God with a sovereign hand thank you old God that you chose us the elect filled us with your Holy Spirit and commanded us to shine in a dark world God thank you for the mercy and grace and the favor that you have extended to us through your son Jesus Christ thank you Father God that one day we will be glorified thank you all Father God for all of the blessings that we have seen today in the word of God I pray Father God that we will have we will have and hold on to this assurance Father God and we will apply to our lives they will share all those Father God who are lost and walking in darkness Father God we will seek to do your will and give you praise glory honor and all that we say and all that we do God we thank you we worship your holy name Father God it's with them that we see in your words too lofty for us Father God we we cannot attain it we we can't reach it Father God but we thank you Father God for the little bit that you allow us to see and understand our great God and our great King thank you Lord for our spirits thank you all God for our testimonies in this place thank you all God for our salvific experience what a blessing it is to be called your child God we love you we know our love you is not with a perfect love but we thank you for your son who loved you with a perfect love and we are hidden in Christ and so if he loved you perfectly we can love you perfectly Lord thank you Jesus we bless your holy name we love and we adore you Christ name we pray Amen