Jesus said, “All that the
Father gives me shall come to Me; and the one who
comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John
6:37).
The answer to the question, are
you one of the elect of God, is answered by another
question: Have you believed on Jesus Christ as your
personal Savior? If you have responded to His free
grace, and have believed on Him alone for salvation,
you should know that you are one who was given to
Jesus before the foundation of the world.
When Jesus was praying to the
Father the night before His sacrificial death on the
cross He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify
Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee, even as Thou
gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all
whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life”
(John 17:1-2).
Jesus is referring to the
covenant between God the Father and God the Son when
God gave to Jesus in salvation that great company
for whom He would go to the cross and die.
His death provided the
objective and judicial basis whereby the elect would
be saved.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of
that day in his poem of the Suffering Servant. “But
the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to
grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt
offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong
His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will
prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of
His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His
knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will
justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities”
(Isa. 53:10-11).
Jesus went to the cross the
next day knowing that His death would secure the
salvation of all whom God had given Him (Jn. 17:2,
6, 8, 11, 12). He had the satisfaction that night of
knowing that His substitutionary death would secure
our salvation.
Jesus, as our Sovereign Savior,
has authority over all mankind to give salvation to
all whom God has given Him. Thank God, because we
were dead in our trespasses and sins and unable to
come to Christ unless He first gives eternal life to
us (Eph. 2:1-5). If the Holy Spirit is pleading with
you, please respond to Him now and receive God’s
free gift of eternal life. This is the very evidence
you are longing for because of His dealings with
you. He raises the spiritually dead and gives life.
It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God. He did not have to
save anyone. It is His sovereign grace that reaches
down to us and draws us to Himself. Will you not
respond to His pleading even now? He has the
authority and power to break our rebellious will,
and quicken our dead spirit so that we will respond
to Him in faith.
Jesus Christ gives eternal life
to everyone the Father has given Him. He is just in
following His eternal plan of redemption whether you
and I agree or not. He is the Sovereign King. He
shows mercy to whom He will. God is showing mercy to
you now. Will you respond to His pleas?
“But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name, who were born
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
How do you know you are one of
the elect of God? Have you believed on Jesus?
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent.
Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB." "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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