Chosen From the Beginning

2 THESSALONIANS 2:13,14

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)

KEY TRUTH
WE BELIEVE the one God reveals Himself in the Trinity of His sacred Persons: Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, each a distinct Person but without division of nature, essence and being. It is
the purpose of God in redemption to glorify Himself in the salvation of sinners through Christ, based on His merits alone. Each Person of the Godhead performs a specific office in the purpose, plan, and employment of the redemption of the elect, and that it is all sure and certain in that God is faithful to fulfill His promise based on the righteousness of Christ.
WE BELIEVE God the Father, before the foundation of the world, chose a multitude of guilty,
ungodly, totally depraved sinners that no man can number, out of Adam’s fallen race. He
determined to give eternal blessedness, all grace here and all glory hereafter, to all these
objects of His love, conditioned, not on the sinner, but on the obedience and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Representative and Surety. – Eager Avenue Confession of Faith

OUTLINE

I. GOD CHOSEN HIS PEOPLE BY HIMSELF

A. God’s choice was made before the worlds began

1. Ephesians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
   who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
   places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
   that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he
   predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ,
   according to the purpose of his will,
2. 1 Thessalonians 1:4,5 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has
   chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also
   in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind
   of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
3. 2 Timothy 1:8,9 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our
   Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the
   power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not
   because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which
   he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

B. He is to be praised and glorified for the Sovereign Election of His People

1. Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has
   blessed us in the Beloved.
2. Isaiah 61:10,11 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in
   my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has
   covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself
   like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with
   her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden
   causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause
   righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.
3. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
   a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies
   of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

II. GOD SANCTIFIES HIS PEOPLE FOR HIMSELF

A. Salvation is the Spiritual work of God for His people

1. God has set His people apart, chosen them, selected them, which is His
   sanctifying work and prerogative. God has “chosen us before time unto
   salvation.”
2. Robert Hawker – “It was but one act of God the Father, when in his infinite
   mind, he chose the Church in Christ; and which, when chosen, became a
   complete, perfect, and immutable purpose, remaining forever.”

B. Sanctification is the Resulting Reality of Having Been Saved by God’s
Grace in Christ

1. Hebrews 10:10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the
   offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
2. 1 Corinthians 1:30,31 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who
   became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and
   redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in
   the Lord.”
3. Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact
   the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of
   Christ does not belong to him.

III. GOD USES MEANS TO GATHER HIS PEOPLE TO HIMSELF

A. Belief of the Truth is spread abroad to God’s people through the Gospel

1. Romans 10:14,15 How then will they call on him in whom they have not
   believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never
   heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how
   are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are
   the feet of those who preach the good news!”
2. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
   of God.
3. Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who
   brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of
   happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
   B. The Preaching of the Gospel is the means God has ordained to gather in
   His People
4. 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
   foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
5. 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not
   know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we
   preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and
   Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block
   to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews
   and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the
   foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is
   stronger than men.
6. Matthew 28:19,20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
   in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20
   Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
   and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

CONCLUSION

Salvation is truly God’s greatest expression of love for His people! He chose us by Himself,
apart from any works on our behalf. God sets us apart in Christ for Himself, using the means
of the Gospel to draw His elect to Himself.

What is the take away? The Apostle Paul provides the conclusion to the matter?
Romans 8:33-39 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who
is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we
are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels
nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus
our Lord.

Praise be to God for electing grace and mercy, all ordained and decreed before the worlds
were made! Glory be to God who has caused us to be seated together in the heavenly places
with Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior! Blessed be God the Father for sending Christ in the
fullness of time to propitiate sin and establish righteousness for all His people for all time!
Lord, please bless and comfort your people with the knowledge that we are kept by God’s
power! Hallelujah forevermore! – Amen.

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Jason K. Boothe serves a pastor at Redeemer Church of Piketon, Ohio.