Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for the obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
~1 Peter 1:1-2
I spent what seems like a lifetime being taught that we choose God. That ultimately my Salvation in Christ rested on my having enough sense to make the right decision. This is what was most fair and logical; that the choice of God’s blessing or God’s wrath be in the hands of man.
How could I argue? I mean the thought of God choosing to show mercy on some and not others was simply unfair. It made God into a cruel monster choosing to inflict misery of the worst kinds on some just for the sake of inflicting misery. By leaving the choice up to man it made God out to be loving, as He -like Santa Clause- gave people exactly what they wanted.
It is as if we made God into a genie endowed with infinite power but enslaved to the will of man. We made ourselves sovereign. We act and God reacts.
And so I believed that God was good because ultimately He did what I thought was good.
I’m so incredibly stupid.
Peter begins his letter “[to] those who are elect exiles…” Elect. There it is. Black and white. The detestable E-word that I was so warned about and taught to abhor in the context of God’s sovereign right to choose. Right there in…the very Word of God?
I have wracked my brain over this word, elect. No matter how I may try to spin it, and no matter how tempting it would be to fall on traditional views (tradition of course meaning the acceptable tradition that I was taught as passed down by the founder of the denomination of my youth), I cannot escape the fact that this word means: “to select…, to choose…, [s]ingled out…” (Websters II New Riverside University Dictionary).
And if elect means to choose, select, single out, etc., who is choosing, selecting, and singling out? Do I select myself? Do I elect myself? Do I do all the work that I might boast of my ability to have enough sense in making right decisions?
Certainly not! God -before the foundation of the World- chose me. Not because of what I have done or what I will do, but because of His sovereign choice to show mercy and grace upon me for His purpose and His glory and His praise. And I have nothing in which to boast before God.
To be quite honest, if I have earned anything it is the wrath of God. If I have acquired anything by my own actions, it is condemnation. It is the only thing before God that we have earned…or can earn.
But God rich in mercy, has chosen for His own some of us (and by some I mean a number larger than I could comprehend) for His glory and His praise. A demonstration of His mercy.
Elected. By God’s mercy I knew the voice of my Shepherd; I was called by the prompting of the Holy Spirit who changed my heart that I might repent, believe, and be Saved.
The Holy Spirit through Peter writes to those Elect exiles of the dispersion; to -as the CEV puts it- “God’s people who are scattered like foreigners” in a land not our own. Reminding us that we are strangers in a strange land chosen by God according to His foreknowledge for Himself.
Chosen by the Father, sanctified by the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ made free by His blood. I obey because I have been given the ability to obey. I respond because I have been called with an irresitable call.
And because by the will of the Father I have been called I may have grace and peace multiplied upon me. Grace because the God of our Salvation has chosen to shine His grace upon me, and because of His grace I may have and know peace, for I am at peace with God; reconciled to Him.
What have I to do with my Salvation? Absolutely nothing. It was a gift. The Father chose me, the Spirit changed my heart, the Son purchased my life at a staggering cost. I was able to repent and believe because the Lord changed my wicked heart. I was made to see God, and I could not resist Him.
Now and forevermore I can have grace and peace multiplied.
Tags: Doctrines of Grace, Election, Reformed
15 July 2009 at 11:19 pm
Praise the Lord for showing you the truth from his Holy Word. my testimony is much like yours, having been taught that it is us that “makes a decision” and not Sovereign God that chooses us..
anyone who has not come to the knowledge that it is God that chooses us, cannot understand the peace that comes to those who believe this truth..
God bless you for your testimony.. may He give you grace and strength to stand before those who will call you a “Calvinist”..
In Jesus
Vicki
“Salvation is of the Lord” Jonah 2:9
16 July 2009 at 2:59 am
Amen brotha and sista
16 July 2009 at 3:03 am
btw
the lyrics were why I posted the video, not the actual imaged in the video
16 July 2009 at 6:28 am
Awesome. I just have to wait until I get back in port to see it because the Navy blocks all things youtube.
16 July 2009 at 2:19 pm
Johnny Cash song when the Man comes around
Lyrics to the song:
And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder: One of the four beasts saying: “Come and see.” And I saw. And behold, a white horse.
There’s a man goin’ ’round takin’ names. An’ he decides who to free and who to blame. Everybody won’t be treated all the same. There’ll be a golden ladder reaching down. When the man comes around.
The hairs on your arm will stand up. At the terror in each sip and in each sup. For you partake of that last offered cup, Or disappear into the potter’s ground. When the man comes around.
Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred million angels singin’. Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum. Voices callin’, voices cryin’. Some are born an’ some are dyin’. It’s Alpha’s and Omega’s Kingdom come.
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. The virgins are all trimming their wicks. The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. It’s hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Till Armageddon, no Shalam, no Shalom. Then the father hen will call his chickens home. The wise men will bow down before the throne. And at his feet they’ll cast their golden crown. When the man comes around.
Whoever is unjust, let him be unjust still. Whoever is righteous, let him be righteous still. Whoever is filthy, let him be filthy still. Listen to the words long written down, When the man comes around.
Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred million angels singin’. Multitudes are marchin’ to the big kettle drum. Voices callin’, voices cryin’. Some are born an’ some are dyin’. It’s Alpha’s and Omega’s Kingdom come.
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. The virgins are all trimming their wicks. The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. It’s hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
In measured hundredweight and penny pound. When the man comes around.
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts, And I looked and behold: a pale horse. And his name, that sat on him, was Death. And Hell followed with him.
16 July 2009 at 7:54 pm
Oh man. Johnny Cash is cool!
Hey Sarah is trying to come out and see you all before you leave. Has she contacted you?
17 July 2009 at 2:58 am
Yeah she has. She’s trying her hardest. I’m not sure if it’ll work or not (many conflicting schedules) but Alicia and I really look forward to the possibility to see her and Katy. Alicia always looks at Katy’s pics and goes into baby mode. We hope we can see her but not sure if it’ll work… but we’ll take tons of videos and pictures if we do!
17 July 2009 at 9:26 am
She said she’s reserved a hotel. So I think she is planning on coming down.
23 July 2009 at 11:28 am
We saw her and Katy!
23 July 2009 at 5:01 pm
She emailed me some pictures and said that Katy loves you guys like crazy. Pray, but if I get the opportunity (and it would have to be a working of the Lord entirely) there are orders that sometimes come open where you are going to be at, and I would like to get them if they are available come October.
24 July 2009 at 8:04 am
I’ll tell Alicia and we’ll be praying! Hardcore style