***** WarriorPrincess4Yeshua **********
This is how YHVH sees us because of being in the Veil that is Christ. We are hidden in the beloved, and are not of this world, we await a heavenly kingdom that the King of kings and Lord of lords will bring with Him. Despite the world and it’s slander of us we are of God, the Body of Christ on this earth. When Yeshua parts the eastern sky – the wicked are removed, not the righteous for we will inherit the earth which will be completely remade and evil will never step on it.
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Jonathan Edwards
(A COMPILATION OF SERMONS)
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
SUBJECT: That true Christians are 1) A Chosen Generation; 2) A Royal Priesthood; 3) A Holy Nation; 4) A Peculiar People.
THE APOSTLE PETER IN THE VERSES PRECEDING OUR TEXT SPEAKS OF difference between Christians and unbelievers. He discusses their diverse and opposite relationships to Jesus Christ. True believers have Christ for their foundation; they come to Him as a living stone, a stone chosen of God, and precious. They too are living stones buillt up in a spiritual house.
The Christian Church is the temple of God, and individual believers are the stones that the temple is built with. The stones of Solomon’s temple, which were so perfectly polished and well fitted for their place in the temple, were also a type of the believer, Jesus Christ is the Foundation of this building, or the chief Cornerstone.
On the contrary, to unbeleivers Jesus Christ is not the Foundation on which they rest and depend. Instead he is a stone of stumbling block, and a rock of offense. Instead of being a Foundation to support them and keep them from falling, He is the very cause of their stumbling and falling.
To believers, Christ is a precious stone: “Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious.” But to the unbelievers he is a stone that is rejected and good for nothing. They treat Him as being no different than the stones on the street where they walk. They could care not less about Him, and pay no attention to Him. When they come to build, they throw this stone away. To them it is not only unfit for the cornerstone, it is unfit for use anywhere in their building.
In the eighth verse, Peter tells the Christians to whom he writes, that the unbelievers are ” … a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed.” Notice, it was “appointed” that they would stumble at the word. It was “appointed” that Christ would not be the cause of their salvation, but be the cause of their deeper damnation.
In the apostle’s text, he reminds the Christians how differently God has dealt with them. They were a “chosen generation.” God had rejected the others in His eternal counsels, but had chosen them for all eternity. They were a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.
Just as God distinguished the nation of Israel of old from all other nations, so He distinguishes true Christians. It is probable that Peter had in his mind the same expressions from the Old Testament that are used concerning the people of Israel.
He calls Christians here a “chosen generation,” just as he did the people of Israel of old. Deuteronomy 10:15, “Only the LORD thy God had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.”
He calls Christians here a “royal priesthood,” a holy natino, a peculiar people,” just as he called the people of Israel in the Old Testament. Exodus 19:5-6, “Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my coenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”
Yet he goes a step further by calling Christians something more than he calls the children of Israel. To Israel God promised that if they would “obey” they would be a “kingdom of priests.” Peter writes that believers are “now” a “priesthood of Kings.” They are not only a priesthood, they are also kings!
There are several things we see clearly from our text.
SECTION 1
True Christians — A Chosen Generation
Two things are here implied.
First, that true Christians are chosen by God from the rest of the world, to be His..
Second, that God’s people are a unique pedigree, different from the rest of the world.
True Christians are chosen by God from the rest of the world. God has not cast off all of mankind. Though they are fallen and corrupted with a curse, yet God designed to bring a certian number to Himself. All men and all creatures belong to Him, and always have, even before the fall. Whether or not they are elected, they still belong to Him. God did not relinquish His right to them by the fall. Neither does He relinquish His power over them; they are still in His hands. Neither does He forget His purpose in creating them.
God has made all things for Himself, even the wicked of the day of evil. It was Satan’s design in the fall of man to cause God to lose His creation. Satan has failed miserably. Yet in a sense, one can say that the wicked do not belong to God. God does not own them. He has rejected them and cast them away. They do not belogn to God but are owned by Satan. God has left them, and they are lost. When man fell, God cast off the bulk of mankind. Yet He was pleased to choose a number of people to be His, and to whom He would give Himself. Though the world is fallen, it is the will of God to have a portion in it. He chose some people and sset them apart for Himself. Psalms 4:3, “But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.” “God’s portion is his people, and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9).
Even those who are God’s enemies still belong to Him by right. However, those who are His friends, His children, and His jewels are His special treasures. They belong to Him in a different way.
God has chosen the godly from the rest of the world to be closely related to Him. They are His children; they are part of Him. They are not only His people, but He is their God. He has chosen to reveal Himself to them. He has chosen them from among the rest to be particularly gracious to them. He has chosen them to enjoy Him, to see His glory, and to dwell with Him forever. He has chosen them as His treasures, as a man chooses gems from a pile of stones. When the man finds a gem that is different from and more brilliant than the rest of the stones, it is worth more.
God chooses His gems even when they are the same as the rest of the stones! When God chooses them, they become gems, not the other way around. Malachi 3:17, “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Psalms 135:4, “For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.”
God has chosen them for a special use, so they are called vessels unto honor, and elect vessels. God has different uses for different men. Some are destined to be vessels of dishonor. Others are chosen for serving and glorifying God, so that God may show the glory of divine grace upon them.
Concerning God’s election of the godly, several things can be clearly seen.
- Election assumes that people are chosen from among others. The word election itself means this: it signifies choosing. The elect are favored by electing grace apart from the rest of mankind. They are found mixed together like the tares and the wheat. Both the elect and the rest of mankind have the same sinful nature, are in the same misery, and are subject to the same original corruption. They are both destitute of anything in them that is good. They are both the enemies of God. They are both in bondage to Satan, and condemned to eternal destruction being without and credited righteousness. There is nothing different about them. 1 Corinthians 4:7, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hast not received it?” 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God.” And so on …
There is no “forseen” or “future” goodness that causes God to choose them.
Election is only because of God’s good pleasure. It is God’s election of men that marks them. There is nothing distinctive about them before. God does not see any righteousness in them that causes Him to choose them over others. God does not choose men because they are great, but makes them great because He has chosen them. It is not because they are holy that He chooses them, but he chooses them that they might be holy. Ephesians 1:4-5, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”
God does not choose them because He forsees that they will choose Him! God does not choose men because they love Him or know that they will. He has first loved us. 1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but tht he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.”
God does not choose men because of any foreknowledge of good works that men do before or after conversion. On the contrary, men do good works because God has chosen them. John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
God does not choose men because he foresees that they will believe and come to Christ. Faith is the consequence of election, and not the cause of it. Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believe.” It is because God has chosen men that He calls them to Christ. It is also He that causes them to come to Him.
To assume that eletion is because of the foresight of faith, is to place calling before election. This is contrary to Scripture. Scripture reveals the orders of faith, Romans 8:30, “Moreover, whom he did predestinatee, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
It is not because of the foresight of anything moral or natural that God chooses men. It is not because some men are more likeable than others. It is not because some men are smarter, wiser, more logical, or naturally brilliant. It is not because God foresees that some men will have better abilities, and will be better equipped for service. It is not because some men have more money and can have better influence on others that they are chosen. 1 Corinthians 1:27-28, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and things despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.”
Then why does God choose people? It is only because of God’s own will and pleasure?
Romans 9:16, “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.” Scripture always presents election as the will and good pleasure of God. Matthew 11:26, “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.” 2 Timothy 1:9, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” - True Christians are chosen by God from all eternity. They are chosen not only before they are born, but before the world was created. They are foreknown of God, and chosen by Him out of the world. Ephesians 1:4, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love.” 2 Timothy 1:9, “According to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began.”
- God in election has set his love upon those whom He elected. Romans 9:13, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” 1 John 4:19, “We love him because he first loved us.” A God of infinite goodness and benevolence loves those who have no attraction in them.
The love of men is contingent upon the attractiveness of the object in question. The love of God is antecedent to, and the cause of it. Believers from all eternity are beloved both by the Father and the Son. The eternal love of the Father appears in that He from all eternity has provided a way for their salvation. He chose Jesus Christ to be their Redeemer. It is a fruit of this electing love that God sent His Son into the world to die for and redeem those whom He so loved. 1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
It is the fruit of the eternal, electing love of Jesus Christ that He was willing to come into the world and die for sinners as He did. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” And so conversion, and glorification, and all that is done for a believer from the first to the law to the last, is a fruit of electing love. - This electing love of God is individual. Some deny a particular election, and say that there is a no election other than a general determination, that all that believe and obey shall be saved. Some also believe that “election” is only the election of “nations.” However, from all eternity God distinctly chose and set His love upon each individual person that ever believes. This is obvious from Galatians 2:20, “Who loved me and gave himself for me.” God set His love from eternity on that individual person. It is as if there were no one else chosen. It is represented as though they were mentioned by name. Their names are written in the book of life, Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Reveation 13:8 says, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
- In election, believers were given to Jesus Christ from all eternity. As believers were chosen from all eternity, so Christ was from eternity chosen and appointed to be their Redeemer, and He undertook the work of redeeming them. There was an eternal covenant between the Father and Son. Christ, as we have already observed, loved them before the creation of the world. Then He had their names written in a book, the book of life is called the Lamb’s book. Revelation 21:27, “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Christ bears their names upon His heart, as the high priest of old did the names of the tribes of the children of Israel on his breastplate. Christ often calls the elect those whom God has ‘given him’. John 17:2, “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” In the 9th verse, “I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” In the 11th verse, “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”
This truth must cause us to reflect deeper that —
(A) God’s electing a certain definite number is a manifestation of His glory.
It shows the glory of His divine sovereignty. God is declaring His absoute sovereignty over His creation. He is showing us just how far that sovereignty extends. In purposely choosing some and passing on others, He shows that His majesty and power and unparalleled. Those who do not see glory and dominion in election simply do not understand God. They are not aware of His greatness, and do not understand grace.
Grace is defined in election. God chose His people to happiness and glory long before they were born. He chose them out of the mass of fallen mankind.. He loved them before they knew Him. He chose them when they did not deserve to be chosen. That is grace!
The doctrine of election shows that if those who received God’s grace had earnestly sought it, it was God’s grace that caused them to seek it. It shows that even their faith itself is the gift of God, and their preserving in a way of holiness unto glory is also the fruit of electing love.
Believers’ love of God is the fruit of and because of God’s love to them. The giving of Christ, the preaching of the gospel, and the appointing of ordinances are all fruits of the grace of election. All the grace that is shown to mankind, either in this world or in the world to come, is comprised in the electing love of God.
(B) If believers are truly chosen by God, they should be grateful.
Your hearts should be moved when you consider the miserable condition in which God found you, and in which He left others. How could God show grace to a person such as you? God might have left you as He has others, but it pleased the Lord to set His love upon you. What more can be expressed other than love and thankfulness? How could God choose you instead of so many thousands of others?
God has chosen you not merely to be His servants, but to be His very children and particular treasures. He has chosen you to be blessed and enjoy Him forever. He has chosen you to dwell with Him in His glory forever. He has chosen you from all eternity to become the bride of Christ. He has chosen you that you might be holy and without blame, that you might have your guilt taken away, that you might have the image of God put upon you, and that your soul might be adorned, to be the bride of His glorious and dear Son. What other reason to love Him is needed?
(C) We should all work earnestly to make our election sure.
If true Christians are chosen of God, we should earnestly seek to find out if we are true Christians. 2 Peter 1:-7, “And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge’ and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.”
(To be continued …)
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