The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] people, because sometimes we may observe the walk and conversation of others and see oh so clearly how closely they are walking with God, while we ourselves may be troubled that we are not walking as close as we would desire to walk.

[0:21] We say therefore that the election hath obtained it, that grace, whereby they may walk worthy of the Lamb, of the one whom they have come to rely upon, the one that they have come to hope in, and furthermore that one whom they have come to rejoice in.

[0:56] Now in the chapter that we read, there were several indications of what developed when the people at Thessalonica were called by the grace of God.

[1:11] If we are called by the grace of God, there must be the graces of the Spirit manifest. How can we say that we are called by the grace of God if there is no difference, if Christ does not mean a great deal to us?

[1:30] Now it was very clear to Paul, and he emphasizes this point in writing to the church of Thessalonica, making mention of you in our prayers and giving thanks to God always, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father, knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

[2:06] How important it is for us to observe the Scripture. The Apostle did not look upon this and that one and say, well, I don't know, I hope, I hope they are the children of God.

[2:23] The Apostle was able to speak conclusively as he observed the grace of God and the evidence of that grace of God in all these people to whom he was writing.

[2:35] And it was based on this, knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. How could he say that he knew that these people were chosen of God?

[2:49] First of all, he would need to know that he himself was chosen of God. Now the Lord had spoken to him very conclusively in the early part of his experience and told him that he was a chosen vessel to bear the tidings of the gospel before all sorts of people and before kings.

[3:15] But he was not just a chosen vessel to be a servant in the hand of God, but he was a chosen vessel made so and made aware of it by that which evidently God has spoken to him about.

[3:34] So that he could say, concerning God who loved me and gave himself for me. We live in a day when unbelief is very strong and some of you may be greatly plagued with that great enemy which is an enemy to the comfort of your souls.

[3:58] But may we not study the word of truth to see as to whether doubting is something to be encouraged.

[4:11] Indeed, the apostle's words make it clear that he could look at these people and he could say, knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

[4:22] Now this was not emotional. This was not imaginary. This was the result of what he himself felt in his own soul as he regarded these people.

[4:36] He felt the union of spirit. And he felt the union of spirit because there was a union to Christ in each case. Knowing therefore your election of God.

[4:50] Have we not met some of the saints of the most high? And as we have observed them, as we have engaged in conversation with them, or perhaps more properly we've listened to their conversation, we could say emphatically of the apostle, as the apostle did, knowing brethren your election of God.

[5:11] Now one or two points that brings out this distinction. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope.

[5:29] Now we will look at these three points first of all. The election hath obtained it. We have already referred to hope.

[5:41] And if we have referred to mercy, it has been a result of faith working in our hearts. That belief that God was merciful and gracious. And then, if we consider love, it is love or hope in the love of God that has brought us to seek for mercy, to obtain hope, and to have the knowledge that salvation has been obtained also.

[6:14] These things are further determined and enlarged by an activity. And so we see there is a work of faith. James speaks to us about the necessity of works and faith being together.

[6:37] Now these works are not to be confused with the works of the flesh. But there are certainly some things which will demonstrate that we have faith by that which we work.

[6:52] And hence, this is the point which James has in mind when he draws attention to the importance of a living faith and the evidences whereby we may know we have a living faith.

[7:14] And he further goes on to say that faith without works is dead. Now you see, he goes on also to say, you show me your works and I will show you your faith.

[7:37] For but the election has obtained it. They have obtained then a work of faith. Now the work of faith is demonstrated by a continual and daily dependence upon the Son of God.

[8:00] We are daily sinners, and if we are daily sinners, then we shall desire and need a daily washing.

[8:16] Religion is a daily experience. Now you come to the end of a day, you have no need to come to the end of it. You may think upon it in the middle of the day.

[8:29] Sin. Sin. Not the necessary of transgression. Not necessary of breaking of the law even. But sin in our members.

[8:41] Evil thinking from our natural mind. The creeping up of envy. Or the rising up of a covetous spirit. All such things may but raise their head, and yet will immediately make us conscious of our sinful propensities.

[9:00] That is, the sin which is in our nature, our old nature. But the election hath obtained this, a work of faith. And that work of faith will bring us to Jesus Christ.

[9:17] That we may seek unto him to feel that we are cleansed by the power of that blood from the sin of the day. I know it has been said that if once the pardon of sin has been communicated, if the Lord has once said, Thy sins which are many are all forgiven, then there is no need for further applications.

[9:49] In one sense that's true. But on the other hand, you see, when you get recurring sin, you'll want to know each day that you're cleansed.

[10:00] Do you ever have a concern to go to bed clean? But when you look at the day, when you look at some of your thoughts, when you look at some of your actions, which have not always been to the glory of God, then the work of faith is to look to the blood of Christ, to cleanse you from your sin.

[10:24] The work of faith, therefore, is not a loud thing. It's not a noisy thing. It's not that which will draw people's attention to you.

[10:38] But at the same time, the fruit of the work of faith will draw people's attention to you. Because, you see, if you daily repent of sin, then you'll desire daily to walk closer with Christ.

[10:52] And you'll be deeply concerned for a close, a more holy walk. Now, we should not turn aside from this word holy and say, well, of course, I'm unholy.

[11:06] That's true. That we're unholy needs no proof. But there is also that which is in the children of God, which is holy. And the word of God says, be ye holy, for I am holy.

[11:22] And without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. How do we come to have holiness? It is not fleshly holiness.

[11:35] It is not a holiness which will perhaps be encircled by abstinence from this and abstinence from that and engaging in this right and engaging in that right.

[11:51] But it is a holiness brought in the soul by the Spirit of God in the communication of faith to the heart. For we read, we are purified by faith.

[12:06] What a blessing when the Spirit of God comes to us and purifies our heart. And in purifying our heart, we see Jesus Christ and we are attracted to Jesus Christ and we can never be attracted to Jesus Christ if our hearts are impure.

[12:23] How can we look upon that which is immaculate? How can we look upon that which is pure? How can we look upon that which is holy and feel drawn towards it if we are unholy in ourselves?

[12:37] We need a great deal of wisdom to distinguish from that which is of the flesh and that which is of the Spirit. But the election of obtained this grace whereby they may walk by faith viewing the precious sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[12:58] This is what the Apostle did. He said, I die daily. That is, to himself, to all hope in the flesh. He died daily. But he lived under Christ.

[13:10] He depended upon Christ. His faith looked at the sacrifice of Christ. His faith thought upon the shed blood of Christ. Christ. And his very soul was comforted.

[13:23] And accordingly, his outward walk was affected. That did not I, because of the fear of God, is the confession of Nehemiah, the result of the fear of God in his heart.

[13:37] And the fear of God in his heart, is that which will enable a person to walk by faith. So therefore, there is the work of faith in walking.

[13:49] And this the election hath obtained. But the rest are blinded. Many may perhaps think about faith. faith. And, if you listen to some, they have some very peculiar ideas of faith.

[14:06] Really, it is nothing more than wishful thinking and hoping that something will turn up. But that's not the faith of God's elect. But being blinded, they assume that it might be.

[14:19] The faith of the people of God is that that I've tried to describe to you. And it is a faith which works by love.

[14:31] Love draws the faith of the people of God to himself. But then, there is also the labor of love.

[14:47] And this the election hath obtained. The labor of love. Does love labor? It does indeed.

[15:01] Being born again of the Spirit, you will then find that you love the Lord Jesus Christ with mind and heart, his people and his ways. But you will also find that there is much opposition.

[15:17] And there are many things which might come and even suggest that you should give up Christ. So love is tried.

[15:30] But then, which is amazing, even when it becomes, when it, when we refer to love between a young man and a young woman, how much their love may be tried.

[15:46] tried by the ill-becoming remarks of other people. And sometimes tried by what they may discover in each other.

[15:59] so that love is tried in that way. There is, therefore, a great deal of labor when it comes to loving the Lord Jesus Christ.

[16:17] we are familiar in these days with what we call brainwashing.

[16:31] And in some countries this has been developed into an expertise. Brainwashing. which simply described is repeating something so many times that in the end the person believes that it is they themselves that are saying what is being played over to them.

[16:56] Now, the devil is very good at brainwashing. And he may repeat to you a number of times that God does not love you. And this will be a test of your love.

[17:13] The labor of love. Or you might labor under that. For some time God does not love me but it's a lie. Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end.

[17:28] And then there is this point. We love him because he first loved us. Now, God's love is not such a love that he begins to love and when we begin to love him he lays off his love.

[17:43] The Lord's love is eternal love. This is unchanging love. And it will not be altered by any circumstances. But the election hath obtained this labor of love which will end profitably.

[18:01] Do you not recall the words I think it is in the Ecclesiastes in all labor there is profit. And there will certainly be profit in this labor of love concerning the love of a sinner to Jesus Christ.

[18:18] And the more it is contested the more deeply it will be grounded. Have we found that to be so to be so ourselves?

[18:32] The labor of love. But then looking at it from another point of view the election hath obtained a labor of love that will enable them to do this and that for Christ's sake.

[18:52] there is a scripture which says do good unto all men especially to the household of faith.

[19:05] Now if we rightly exercise about such philanthropy then the labor of love will be in this that we do it not for ourselves not to make a name for ourselves but for the love that we have to Christ.

[19:19] but herein we may have to do as the people did in Nehemiah's day when they built in the walls of Jerusalem.

[19:37] They had their trowel in one hand so to speak and their sword upon the other and it will be necessary whilst you're working with the one hand to have the sword of the spirit with you on the other.

[19:54] We should take notice of the scripture and what do we find Nehemiah's saying? He said I'm doing a great work. Can you imagine people looking askance at you if you were to say I'm doing a great work.

[20:10] I cannot come. There's a great deal of confusion that the devil tries to introduce many red herrings that he draws across our past sometimes and he will say well if you say you're doing a great work how presumptive you are.

[20:30] What pride is in your heart? But it wasn't so in Nehemiah's case and we can see it. what was it? It was a labour of love and he was so imbued with the love of God in his heart that he said I'm doing a great work.

[20:51] It was the purpose of Sanballat and Tobiah and the others to interrupt that work. They did it by subtlety.

[21:02] They suggested all sorts of motives to Nehemiah's building the walls of Jerusalem but the election obtained it. The grace whereby they could engage in a labour of love and that they could say in connection with it I'm doing a great work.

[21:24] We have the word of God telling us if a cup of cold water even in the name of its disciples shall not lose its reward but a labour of love will also involve time consumed maybe money consumed.

[21:52] Now are we willing to expend in the cause of Christ and say well I'm doing a great work. work. We may in this labour of love come to the point where other people might suggest but you want to have more spare time.

[22:11] You don't want to occupy the time always. You must have a rest and so on. The labour of love. Now the ministry of the word is a labour of love.

[22:25] Not many people realise it. And therefore the time consumed and the energy that is used up is satisfying because it's done to the honour and glory of God.

[22:40] Not only so but for the benefit and the blessing of the souls of the people. And the election hath obtained it. Grace whereby they will continue in this labour of love.

[22:54] But the rest are blinded. And then in the next point there is the patience of hope. And the election hath obtained the patience.

[23:12] Hope is such a thing that is not generally immediately rewarded. When we consider the hope that we have given to us at the beginning of our pilgrimage, it's a long way, spread over many years in some cases, before that hope is brought to a successful conclusion.

[23:42] Therefore we shall need not just a hope, but the exercise of the patience of hope. And the election hath obtained. it. But the rest are blinded.

[23:56] Now this hope, the hope of the people of God, will come under some very powerful assailings from the enemy from time to time.

[24:09] We read of some drastic cases in the scripture. My hope is perish from the Lord. Our hope is lost. We are cut off for our past. That is, everything is up with us.

[24:22] There is no prospect of our ever being recovered. But hope long will wait, and wait again, and they can give it out. Why?

[24:33] Because the election hath obtained the grace whereby they may hope on still. And having obtained help of God, we continue until until this day.

[24:47] Now, have we the patience of hope? All things that are hoped for are worth waiting for.

[25:00] The apostle Paul, he speaks of hope in the eighth chapter. term, and he says this, for we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope.

[25:17] For what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

[25:29] Don't give it up. Have some of you been tempted to give up your hope at varying times during the years of your profession? Well, how is it that you haven't given it up?

[25:45] Is it not because you're chosen of God? And being chosen of God, you've obtained the patience of hope. But if we hope that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

[26:03] But also, the election hath obtained the expectation of hope. Whilst there is patience in the waiting, there is expectation in the end.

[26:18] So then, have we an expectation? Listen to the words of the scripture, thy expectation shall not be cut off. And that is the patience of hope, which looks at the expectation.

[26:38] What does it expect? Hope expects to be saved by grace. This hope sufficed to the saints of old, and it sufficeth still.

[26:52] faith and hope are closely connected. We read in the Hebrews of those that died in faith.

[27:04] And associated with faith, we may say that they died with the partner of the expectation of hope sealed in their hearts.

[27:18] hope. Now hope arises from believing. We cannot have a real hope unless we believe in Jesus Christ.

[27:30] Because Jesus Christ is the hope of his people, and it is by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we may expect to reach heaven at last.

[27:42] Jesus is the God of hope. He holds us by his power. he holds the weak believer up in the distressing hour. A little description of the patience of hope.

[28:00] But the election hath obtained it, but the rest are blinded. And being blinded from the patience of hope, if they profess to have a hope in due time, they come to despair.

[28:15] And when a person comes to despair, it is clear that they've lost their hope. Now this is very searching, especially when we consider that which is written, that the hope of the hypocrite shall perish.

[28:29] perish. Now God knows our hearts. It is not for me to point the figure at anybody and say, you're a hypocrite.

[28:40] I cannot tell. But it is for me, on the other hand, to draw your attention to the hope of the people of God, which will endure, and the hope of the hypocrite, which will perish.

[28:55] perish. So you may well consider your hope. And when I say that, it is my desire that in examining your hope, you may come to this conclusion that it's a good hope.

[29:12] And there's that in it which will surely endure. There is that in it which will attract the patience of hope. hope. There is that in it that will center upon the expectation of hope.

[29:29] But should it be otherwise? Should it be that you come to the conclusion that, alas, my hope is unfounded? I have no sure ground?

[29:41] Then, do not despair. Do not despair. I'll not despair for who can tell. Because you wouldn't be the first hypocrite that God has saved.

[30:01] Hypocrites that are lost are those that die hypocrites. But there are hypocrites. We read of hypocrites in Zion. What a blessing if you fear no, I've been one of those and God has saved you and brought you to a good hope through grace.

[30:18] the election has surely obtained this but the rest are blinded.

[30:30] And then in that same chapter in the Thessalonians the apostle speaks again concerning the evidence of life in the soul.

[30:48] He says for our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance.

[31:03] And in the next chapter we read for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when you receive the word of God which he heard of us he received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

[31:32] Now the election hath obtained then a hearing ear and a wise and an understanding heart but the rest are blinded and the result or shall I say the distinction is made clear by the manner in which the gospel comes unto each kind of person.

[32:00] And here again we should have to ask you to bear the witness in your own heart as to how the gospel comes to you. If it comes in word only then the apostle would surely refer those as being the rest who were blinded.

[32:21] But those that obtained salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ those that were quickened by his spirit those that have life in their souls as all those that are chosen of God have in the appointed time will be such that will know something of the word coming in power the word coming in the Holy Ghost and the word coming in much assurance or may we group it together just in these words that the word came not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God now the election have obtained first of all a hearing ear it is a good and blessed favor from

[33:21] God if we are amongst those that hear the word now if we hear the word and hear it powerfully in our hearts we shall be doers of the word we are warned by James in his epistle not to be just hearers only but doers of the word so as you may have heard the word of the gospel either read or preached from time to time has it ever affected you in such a way that you have been a doer of the word but you said I must act this is the word of God to me then the election hath obtained this to be doers of the word and not just hear us I heard of one man who said on a particular occasion

[34:28] I do not believe all that comes over that pulpit cushion it is quite true that we should be right to weigh the matter fully but what a solemn thing if that which we do not receive over the pulpit cushion is the truth and that the matter that this man did not receive over the pulpit cushion was the truth but it was a truth he wasn't going to accept but the election hath obtained a hearing ear and also they have obtained an open heart now we see this in the case of Lydia whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things that were spoken of Paul this was a demonstration that Lydia was among the elect of

[35:30] God the election of grace and she obtained an open heart and furthermore she obtained a soft heart heart if people do not respond to the word of truth preached then is it not because their hearts are hard may you not be concerned lest after all since you haven't obtained an open heart because it's so hard or if you haven't obtained a soft heart that after all you may be numbered among the rest which are blinded and cannot see and therefore cannot feel now Lydia's heart was opened and it it was opened in such a way that she received what she heard and she acted upon what she received now the election hath obtained this for it is

[36:41] God that worketh in you both the will and to do of his good pleasure so surely the election hath obtained the ability to do how do they do it it is God that worketh in you both the will and to do of his good pleasure and the election hath obtained this good work of God which he affects in their heart and the good work of God affected in the heart in the open heart in the soft heart will be this an appetite for the truth an appetite to be fed with living bread will be felt not talked about it will be felt now have you an evidence that you're amongst the elect of

[37:46] God because the election hath obtained hunger and thirst and in other words an appetite after the things of God they come up to the house of God desiring that they might gather something for their souls how acute then will their hearing be and how disappointed if they do not hear you see their opened ear and their opened heart will be joined by opened eyes and therefore they will want to perceive the truth and not just perceive the truth but perceive the preciousness of the truth and perceive the glory of the truth and perceive the excellency of the truth now we may say in connection with the words of our text but the election hath obtained it oh yes now it comes to the point have we obtained it have we got this evidence that we are amongst

[38:53] God's chosen people you see there are so many evidences in the word of God by which we may compare ourselves as I've sometimes said to you do not compare yourself with another person do not say I wish I had their experience but compare yourself with the word of God and you'll find in the word of God a case like Lydia's whose heart the Lord opened that he might attend unto the things that were spoken and you say well now I've had that heart I've had my heart opened and I wanted to attend to what was spoken then the election has obtained that but the rest are blinded there is a receiving of the word the word as it is in truth the word of God there is a great deal of movement in the present day as most of us know in all sorts of circles to corrupt the word of

[40:05] God now this isn't fresh because we read the apostle himself speaking in those days of those who corrupted the word of God we may think that we are living in the last days and that the attempt which are being made today to corrupt the word of God is something new but it goes back at least to the apostles day because this was his complaint but the election hath obtained that in their souls whereby they believe that this is the word of God the word of the scriptures you remember the case of the Bereans that according to the apostle were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that having the word preached hearing the word preached by the apostle they then having received it gladly mark you they received the word gladly and then they searched the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so now the election hath obtained this you see it was such a joy to these

[41:32] Bereans to hear the hope spoken of in the gospel that they not only gladly received it because it met their case but they wanted to think about it more and they searched the scriptures daily not merely from a mechanical point of view but they searched the myths of B and that their joy might be increased and the election hath obtained it it may be that some of you can remember such a time when having heard the gospel of the grace of God with gladness you went home and you searched the scriptures further meditated upon the text further and your heart was enlarged further and your joy was increased more and you didn't realize at that time that you were amongst those here referred to as the election these obtained a heart ready to receive the truth and they obtained a joy in receiving the truth how was this joy brought about the epistle to the ephesians will tell us joy and peace in believing now the election hath obtained both joy and peace and we've already made reference to the work of faith how wonderful when the work of faith meets with success so to speak you see the work of faith is the work of the holy ghost bringing about faith in our hearts increasing it sometimes when with the warmth one

[43:32] I think it was Mr. Philpont that referred to faith and made its movements to be analogous to the thermometer now in the thermometer there is a certain quantity of mercury or alcohol in some thermometers and when the cold comes upon it then it decreases apparently it is lowered in the thermometer itself but when it is warm so it rises higher now the quantity is the same now when God gives faith he gives sufficient faith he gives a whole faith a complete faith the faith of the faculty of the divine nature but when the warmth of the love of God comes then you see it rises doesn't it and there is joy and peace in believing when the cold blasts of unbelief may seem to bleach upon you so much then the faith is low and if you read the thermometer so to speak you'll see that it is cold and that may be applied to the other graces of the spirit to hope and also to love but nevertheless the election hath obtained true faith and that is the work of God and it is reflected by the warmth of the spirit of

[45:18] God the warmth of the love of God coming into their souls on some occasions and maybe the cold blast from other quarters seeming to numb it and bring the hope and faith and love of the child of God almost down to nothing but the election hath obtained it they have obtained this victory victory we overcome the world through our faith victory and this is an important point and surely a good one for us to close our subject today the election hath obtained victory and the rest are blinded they do not know the essence of victory and they do not know where victory lies nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us is there not something then for us to consider as to whether we are indeed the chosen of God the remnant according to the election of grace because if this could be established then how many things we obtain and certainly when we come to the end of our journey we should want to obtain victory and if we can discover some of the indicative signs that God has chosen us then victory is assured in the seventh chapter of the revelation we find

[47:12] John asking the angel about those that he saw and all the angels stood round about the throne and about the elders and the four beasts and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever amen and one of the elders answered saying unto me what are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they and I said unto him sir thou knowest and he said these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb therefore are they before the throne of

[48:12] God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat for the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains the waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes this is the spoils of victory and the election hath obtained it we may look at this in closing the election hath obtained it you may say well surely it should be the election will obtain it but let God be true and let the scriptures of truth be true if God has said here through his apostle the election hath obtained it we are bound to regard the certainty of God's decrees

[49:15] God has spoke his decrees in eternity and as sure as he has decreed that the election hath obtained it so they shall obtain victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and so they shall obtain the spoils of victory and the benefits and blessings of victory by receiving of those things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man about these things are revealed unto us by his spirit and if these things earnest of them of the love of God of the favour of God of the worship of God have been enjoyed in our spirit from time to time then we are bound to say if such the sweetness of the springs what must the fountain be where saints and angels draw their bliss immediately from thee has happen let you do have nothing good you

[50:26] Thank you.