GOD’S PURPOSE IN ELECTING GRACE
WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE IN ELECTING US? We must never be afraid to ask questions. This is a great question.
TO MANIFEST THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF HIS WILL (Vs 5, 9, 11): God has an eternal plan, and that eternal plan is according to the purpose of His will. God wanted to have a special people—the church—for Himself. The church is also called the Bride of Christ. This was the will of God from all eternity. This was not an afterthought. We do not see God being very disappointed when Adam and Eve sinned and then making new plans. One day the Lord will return. The dead in Christ who will rise and the believers who are alive at that time will be caught up to Jesus in the air. From start to finish, everything is happening according to His will. This holy God has a sovereign will, which is fulfilled to the last letter.
TO MAKE SINNERS HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH (Vs 4): There are two senses in which saints are holy people. FIRSTLY IN SALVATION. In salvation we are made holy. [But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1Pet 2:8-9]. [Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. 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. 1 Cor 6:9-11]. It is true that we were born in sin, and now we stand before a holy God. What does He see? Does He see the filthiness of my sin? No, when He looks at a born-again believer, He sees us as holy and blameless. You may say How can this be? When God looks at me, He sees not what I used to be, but He sees Jesus. Because the precious blood of the Lord Jesus has cleansed us from all sin. ‘What can wash away my sin? / Nothing but the blood of Jesus.’ SECONDLY, WE ARE HOLY IN OUR PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION: What happened to us when we were born again has brought a deep change. ‘What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought / Since Jesus came into my heart.’ [Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 1 Cor 5:17]. This new nature has given us new desires and new delights and new loves and new hates. There are things you now love which you once hated, and there are things you now hate that you once loved. Like a little boy when asked what he wants to be when he grows up, proudly says: I want to be like dad. Because he thinks his dad is a great champion. [I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8]. If your Christianity has not had this effect on you, then there must be something wrong. I am not saying that you will be perfect, but the delight must be there. [You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16]. [For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 1 Thess 4:7]. Here is a Spurgeon quote that is apt for us today: ‘The first great blessing of the covenant of grace is our election. We were chosen, but chosen in Christ — chosen not because we were holy, but chosen that we should be holy. The great object of the divine choice is our holiness. And let no man say that he is chosen of God unless God is working in him to this divine end, namely, holiness of character.’
TO MAGNIFY THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE: I think one of the most beautiful buildings is St Paul’s Cathedral. We ask who was the architect. When we admire the building we must praise Sir Christopher Wren the architect. We want to find out more about the man. He must have been an amazing man to make this building possible. If we praise a man for a building, how much more is praise due to the architect of the church. Every believer is a stone in the church. The great Architect chose each stone carefully, cleaned it, shaped every piece. The church is like a building. [built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Eph 2: 20-22]. [As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Pet 2:4-5]. God made sure that every stone would be pure and perfect and precious. [TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Eph 1:6]. [so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY Eph 1:12]. [who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY. Eph 1:14]. [so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph 2:7]. [as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Eph 5:25-27]. When we see the new creation, it causes us to praise the Sovereign Creator who will one day and present the Bride in perfection to Himself. We will sing to the praise of His glorious grace for all eternity. All that He willed in eternity past will be fulfilled. [For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, Eph 2:8 ].