1 Peter

[0:00] . My dear friends, before I come to the word, I would just mention the house fund which was opened somewhat over a year ago now, when the need was seen to arise. Now the total collected in that time is almost 9,000, 9,500 pounds, and I am most deeply grateful to all who have contributed so generously over this time.

[0:53] I have before this suggested that it might be closed, but now we do feel that as in the present circumstances, it is possible to close the actual pastor's house fund, and so the box downstairs in the Sunday school room will no longer be used for that purpose, although it has been suggested that the box in the back of the chapel, which is labelled for the pastor, and that the pastor should remain open for any communications there.

[1:43] My position at the moment, as far as we know, is that we are waiting any time for the contracts to be exchanged, as it regards proposed home, if the Lord will, in Jessington.

[2:03] And, God willing, we may hope to move in something like three or four weeks' time, if all goes through satisfactorily.

[2:14] May we all see the Lord's good hand in this. And I do hope that, God willing, when we are moved into our new home, that before long, all of you, in turn, will be able to come and see us there.

[2:35] Now the Lord help us in considering his precious word, as found in the first chapter, in the first epistle of Peter, reading the first two verses.

[2:49] Verses 1 and 2, in the first chapter, of the first epistle of Peter. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you, and peace be multiplied.

[3:34] The writer of this epistle, Simon Peter, was one of the leading disciples of Jesus, and in those days he was known for his boldness and impetuousness.

[3:59] He was always ready to speak, and sometimes really too hastily.

[4:12] He was very warm, hearted, but not very wise in those days, and often had to be reproved by his master.

[4:24] But then there occurred those events which must have made such a profound change in this man.

[4:36] There was his sad denial of the Savior just before the crucifixion, and his bitter weeping in repentance.

[4:49] There was the crucifixion itself, and what that must have meant to one who dearly loved his Lord and Master.

[5:04] There were those resurrection appearances, and one personally to Peter, that must have deeply moved his soul.

[5:14] And there was also the occasion of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, when Peter was the leading speaker as filled with the Holy Ghost.

[5:32] And now, after these years, he is a very different man from that one as seen in the Gospels. He has the calm apostolic authority, and can, although only an unlearned fisherman in himself, bring before the people so much precious truth for their comfort and their edification.

[6:04] The people to whom he wrote were strangers scattered throughout these provinces. The word elect really actually occurs in the first verse.

[6:21] Peter wrote to the elect strangers who were scattered about. And from the epistle we can see clearly enough that it was because of their troubles and persecutions that they had been so scattered throughout this very large region.

[6:44] And therefore, Peter writes to them for their encouragement and comfort and exhortation in these very difficult circumstances in which they were found.

[6:58] The region in which they were scattered is a very large one. You look at these places upon a map. You can see that they occupy almost the whole of what was then Asia Minor and is now modern Turkey, a very large mountainous region.

[7:22] And Peter writes to them in this way. His message may be summarized briefly in two words. It is hope and holiness of which he writes.

[7:41] To these people in these conditions those themes especially run through this epistle. There is the hope of salvation as mentioned in the next verse.

[7:55] That God blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

[8:11] It is again in verse 13. Gird up the loins of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

[8:24] And in verse 21 that God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God.

[8:36] This is a message of the hope of eternal salvation to those elect strangers. It is also a message of holiness of life as later in this chapter he writes but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

[9:02] And that note really sounds through the whole of the rest of the epistle. And these things my dear friends are so important still.

[9:14] May the Lord in his mercy convey the blessing of them to our hearts by his Holy Spirit. Now in the second verse we have two parts brought before us.

[9:30] There is the description of those to whom Peter wrote in his own time and as the epistle is preserved even till now.

[9:44] There is the description of them in three parts and there is the desire or benediction of the apostle for their good.

[9:56] Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Now the first part of this description is that they were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.

[10:16] And so we have this plainly before us here this doctrine of election unto salvation. And first I would just mention the meaning of this expression.

[10:37] Not that there really can be much doubt concerning it. to elect is to choose and to choose means that some are chosen and some are not.

[10:56] Otherwise these words really have no meaning left to them at all. We are all aware that in this summer there was a general election in this country for members to our parliament.

[11:18] And in each constituency there were those who were elected by the votes of the people. I should say there was one elected in each case and the others were not elected or chosen.

[11:38] This is according to the plain meaning of the word as we find it generally and in the scripture. Now dear friends I am not here in the least to make any sort of apology for the glorious and wonderful and blessed doctrine of God's electing love.

[12:08] Nothing can be farther from my thoughts. I am here as the Lord may help me to preach this blessed revealed truth to you.

[12:23] And this is election unto salvation as the apostle goes on to express it means that these people to whom the apostle wrote had been chosen of God to everlasting salvation.

[12:49] As the words which follow make it very clear that that was what he had in mind and that it was for their comfort and consolation that he at once calls them elect.

[13:04] This wonderful truth really spans the great passage of time from eternity to eternity.

[13:19] It is like a wonderful bridge resting upon the foundations of God's everlasting mercy and his everlasting love.

[13:36] And so the apostle writes to these people to this end that they should know that their eternal salvation was secure because as Paul writes to the Ephesians they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.

[13:59] Now what a wonderful tremendous expression that really is. Before time began this was so.

[14:12] How wonderful to be able to enter into this in any way as the hymn writer so expressed it in his sweet consolation from it that he was dear in primeval glory when nor did angels exist nor men nor ought exist but God even then thy love was fixed on me and now through grace I fix on thee through faith in Jesus blood.

[14:56] This is eternal election. God has chosen out of the fallen human race the people to serve him forever.

[15:11] Let us notice next the truth of this doctrine that it is very plainly and expressly declared in the word of God.

[15:27] We have nothing less than his own repeated declaration to this end. It is plain in this very word here and also in the next chapter when he says to them ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

[16:03] And then again in the fifth chapter the church that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you. Now it is very plain from these expressions and others in the word that this is a God revealed truth.

[16:24] And he has plainly declared this, that he has chosen as he has a perfect and absolute right to do as the creator of all things, that he has chosen for himself a people out of every nation and kindred and tribe and tongue to glorify him forever.

[16:51] We have it running all through the scriptures as shown by the chosen people of God in the Old Testament times, the Jewish nation, so plainly typical people of the Lord's chosen elect people in all ages.

[17:14] Now, dear friends, do consider that this is a plainly revealed truth of God. God, if you fight against this doctrine, as so many do, then it really is like banging your head against a brick wall.

[17:39] When you finished, the brick wall is still there just the same as it was, but your head is not the same. You only do yourself much harm by such folly.

[17:56] And as regards this doctrine, it will stand, because it is God's truth, and if you fight against it in your mind and in your heart, you will only do yourself great harm and dishonor the God who has so plainly revealed this to be his own glorious truth.

[18:20] if you do not understand it, well, that is not surprising. The Apostle Paul was deeply mowed at the consideration of this truth and doctrine.

[18:38] When he came to consider how God had chosen first the Jewish nation, and then had begun to call others out of the Gentiles to form his own people, he says, oh, the depths, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out.

[19:07] Now, my beloved friends, if you try to search out that which is unsearchable, or try to find out that which is past finding out, then you embark on a most foolish course, and one which cannot possibly bring any benefit.

[19:33] It is utter arrogance for man in his sinful, fallen condition to say what God could or should do.

[19:50] It is a wisdom to submit to the word of God, to that which he himself has declared that he has done and that he will do.

[20:02] the doctrine of God's election is unequivocally and most definitely set forth before us in the scripture.

[20:19] It cannot possibly be denied that this is here. It is indeed a most precious doctrine when it is rightly seen and understood as far as we are able or so to do.

[20:42] Those who turn away from this truth because they do not like it or those who entirely ignore it they miss the most beautiful and blessed truth of the word which is brought before the people again and again for their instruction and for their comfort.

[21:11] Now although this truth is so clearly revealed in the word of God it is never expressed in a heart or severe or forbidding way nor is it labored continually.

[21:32] There are some 25 references to this truth direct ones in the New Testament. There are something like 20 times as many references to faith and believing and it is clear that those matters of faith and love of holiness and of prayer these are much more constantly brought before us in the word than this truth of election.

[22:08] It is to be preached but not to be preached constantly. It has its definite place in the word. it is to be understood as implied in so many other places but it is not one which is to be constantly labored upon or to be stressed constantly in the preaching of the word.

[22:35] But here it is, it is part of the whole counsel of God and it is for our own instruction and prophet to consider it.

[22:49] Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father so these people were and so there are such a people in every age that are undoubtedly through wondrous grace the elect people of God here.

[23:06] now next I want to consider with you the glory of this doctrine that in it there is a part of the glory of the being of God set before us and revealed there is the glory of his own sovereignty.

[23:34] this doctrine brings before us his own eternal counsel his irresistible and blessed will his unchanging his sovereign grace and so it exhorts him it sets the sovereign of the universe so to be absolutely on his eternal throne it humbles man into the very dust it is no real wonder that sinful proud man resents this doctrine because it does what is so necessary to be done it puts sinful man in his proper place in the dust before the majesty of his creator and judge but oh how it honors

[24:39] God himself how it glorifies him as we read such words as that in the book of Daniel that he doeth according to his will amongst the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of the world and none can stay his hand or say unto him what doest thou he is so gloriously exhorted in his sovereignty he is above all things and so it is revealed that he is may it be our part to see this speaking a few weeks ago from that word of Moses where he said in his prayer I beseech thee show me thy glory and the lord passed by and declared his name proclaimed his name the lord the lord god merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth pardoning iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the transgression of the fathers upon their children unto the third and fourth generation you see there the divine sovereignty in these matters is revealed and Moses saw it and he made haste and bowed himself to the ground and worshipped and if we see the glory of God's wisdom and power and his will in this matter then we shall bow in humble worship and adore him as the sovereign lord of all as the king of kings and lord of lords who has an absolute right to do exactly as he please and then notice also the glory of his grace in this in the chapter that we read at the beginning of the

[27:15] Ephesians this is plainly brought before us when the apostle is writing there of the adoption the predestination the election of those saints unto salvation he declares that this is all to the praise of the glory of his grace it is that the exceeding riches of his grace might be declared and revealed there is such wondrous grace in this why the glorious God of all knocks down upon the sinful mankind in all their wretchedness and by his amazing sovereign grace raises up some to be his sons and his daughters his own blessed and glorious sovereign grace is manifested in this way now my dear friends apart from the electing love of God there would be no point in our service this morning there would be nothing for me to speak or for you to hear there would be no gospel there would be no hope there would be no holiness before us whatsoever because it is absolutely certain that none of us would have ever chosen to serve the Lord or to seek his face so the apostle writing in that epistle to the

[29:04] Ephesians says after those expressions and you and you have he quickened when he has written about what God has done in his wonderful grace and in his power as raising up his beloved son from the cross of Calvary to give him a name far above every name far above all principalities and powers and every name that is named and has set all things under his feet he says and you you have he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins what hope was there for any such apart from the sovereign invincible grace of God and so in this way that grace is magnified it is exhorted

[30:09] God is seen in this doctrine to be revealed as the God of sovereign grace may we ever be united in this ready to praise him for this wonderful truth we must notice also comfort of this doctrine the apostle was writing to those who were in great trouble and affliction and the very first word he really addresses to them in this way he says you're elect you've been chosen to salvation and so notwithstanding those present sufferings which you are passing through your salvation is absolutely secure it does not depend upon your feeble faith ultimately nor upon your fickle hoe or your little love it does not ultimately depend upon you in the least why it depends on God's electing love as that word shows in the

[31:34] Ephesians that he hath chosen us that is in Christ from before the foundation of the world that ye should be holy and unblameable before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself now my dear friends nothing can possibly alter this those whom God has chosen from before the foundation of the world must be eternally saved the sore but temporal troubles that they meet with here below cannot possibly overcome them the great power of the adversary of their souls can never thwart the design and purpose of almighty love what God has purpose to do on behalf of his people and manifested that he will do by sending his beloved son into this world to die for their sins this cannot possibly fail it is so absolutely certain from beginning to end and so

[33:01] Paul writes of this for the assurance of believers at Rome when he says whom he did for now them also he did predestinate predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified the very same people from beginning to end not one so to speak missing along the way everyone who was predestinated chosen unto glory is to be found there it is an absolutely unbreakable golden chain of truth and so for those in this very blessed favored case it is a word of rich consolation they are the elect of God nothing can ever prevent their eternal salvation not all the sin and woe distress and temptation that they feel and meet with can ever rob them of their eternal inheritance which the apostle is so soon to write to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you it must be their portion nothing can possibly separate from the love of God which is in

[34:58] Christ Jesus their Lord who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect his own chosen people are justified in Jesus Christ and will be brought to his everlasting glory of an absolute certainty no wonder then the apostle soon speaks of this lively hope what a hope there is for the elect people of God and so my friends I would have you consider this precious truth those who do not think upon it or have any regard to it really are missing a very blessed revelation of God's own glorious character and his ways this is a most humbling and yet a most glorious truth oh may we be helped to meditate upon it and to consider it as the truth of God himself now word to our dear friends who are amongst the elect of God who have good reason to believe that this is the case with them what a favour this is now how you should so to speak hug this word to your heart elect the chosen of

[36:48] God what a most humbling and what a most blessed and wonderful favour it is carry it about with you from day to day elect the elect of God what a favoured blessed people they are and what a responsibility is yours as well there is that word in the Colossians to such put on therefore as the elect of God this is your solemn blessed responsibility to live by his grace in this way it is a tremendous responsibility to be one of the elect of God in this sinful world put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness compassion this doctrine will not in the least lead you to look down on any other it is a most humbling truth if we are really brought to realize it and how it exhorts the sovereign and free grace of God and now word to those of you who may be troubled concerning this and may not know whether you are amongst the elect or not and you may be tempted to feel well if

[38:43] I'm not one of the elect then it's no good me seeking after these things because I shall never possess them now that is the devil's language it is not that of the word of God at all it is never expressed in that way much rather you might take another line now you can never possibly know before the judgment day really that you are not one of the elect of God it's out of folly to write off that as though there were any certainty that way the one thing that is can be known of a certainty is that there are those you may know through the grace of God that you are amongst his elect people it is certainly possible to know that you are and so in the word of

[39:46] God we have the most gracious exhortations now dear friends never in the word is the doctrine of election put in the way of any sinner who wants to come to Jesus Christ never did he put it in that way as soon as he said all that the father giveth me shall come to me he said and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out never never does the word of God say you must know you're elect first and then you can come to the Saviour it is exactly the opposite way round the word of God says in effect now come in your need as sinners to the Saviour and then you will find that you are amongst the elect of God because only those who are will ever really come to him in their need and cast themselves upon his mercy

[40:52] PC so composites ever live the word of the gospel. Come, come to the Saviour in all your need. Cast yourself upon his mercy.

[41:06] Cast your guilty needy soul at the foot of his cross and there you will find the evidence in the peace and the pardon that flows from Calvary.

[41:20] There you will find the evidence that you are amongst the favoured chosen people of God. The Lord bless his word. Amen. Hymn number 69 June 672 Hymn number 69 Sons we are through God's election who in Jesus Christ believe by eternal destination saving grace we here receive.

[42:13] Our Redeemer does both grace and glory give. Every soul of man by sinning merits everlasting pain for thy love without beginning formed and fixed salvation's plan.

[42:29] Countless millions shall in life through Jesus reign. Hymn number 69 love sons we offer God's election by Jesus Christ believe by By eternal destination, Savior Christ we can receive.

[43:14] Our Redeemer, Our Redeemer, Touched with grace and glory.

[43:34] The Revealed to His wickedness. Eleひgia seed in His power.

[43:53] rals S play the eso. Mars içi nomen является. I love without beginning For the perfect salvation star Countless millions, countless millions Shall in life through tears of strength Cause my soul adore and wonder

[45:04] A surprise that shall to me Grace that sought me In the number of the Savior's family Hallelujah, hallelujah And Satan will die truly the in the of the of the nation church of the of the of the of the of race in history and for salvation shining in the sacred space free grace only free grace only to forever to the sea of space for ever to save for the salvation which my love will be ordained be ordained when in glory is all possession

[48:08] I with saints and angels and angels come free grace only free grace only shall come to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the the grace of the love of the love of the

[49:11] Holy the comforter be with us all now and forever amen