THE ESSENCE OF GOD WITHIN DEVINE ELECTION

As we continue to walk towards a fuller understanding of God and His word we come across topics which seem to us to be
contradictory and just too hard, so we begin to avoid those areas of His word that tend to confuse or even offend us, we
find ourselves walking the easiest path through the Gospel without allowing the fullness of Scripture to examine our
hearts and we never come to understand fully the different facets of God.

The phrase “allow the fullness of Scripture to examine your hearts” is important to grasp because it means laying down
your preconceived ideas and even to be able to admit to ourselves and others, “I’ve been wrong!” we must be free to
unlearn wrong or misguided ideas or thoughts so that we may learn and know the truth and then to be set free by it. The
fullness of Scripture encapsulates both Old and New Testaments to the extent that one is not old as in redundant,
superseded, or past it’s use by date or that one is new so therefore making the old in some ways less important.
In fact it is better to see it that one is older and the other newer and have the understanding that God has not changed in
any way, from one to the other and is still the God of both.

We see in 2 Tim 3:16 this truth.

2 Tim 3:16
“All Scripture is inspired by God (God breathed or by Gods inspiration) and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
3:17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Paul writes this letter to Timothy around AD. 66/67, the recognition of the New Testament being the word of God through
canonisation took place around AD. 397.
Paul’s understanding of the Scripture then is not the N.T. but he exhorts Timothy in the importance of the fullness of the
Old testament.

Although Paul writes in 1 Cor 14:37

1 Cor 14:37
“If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or Spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I writ
to you are the commandments of the Lord’.

In this we understand also the importance of declaring that the New he is writing to them is also Scripture to us now and
should not in any way be held in contempt.

Let me sum it up then in this way.

“The New in the Old contained, the Old is is the new explained, the New is in the Old concealed, the Old is in the New
revealed”.
If we if ignore one for the other we are close to error, we need both.

The truth of God and His word can be likened to a bright light coming on within a darkened room, your immediate
reaction is to squint, block out the light until you become accustomed to it, Scripture tells us in Isaiah and Matthew that the
revealing of Christ brought this effect.
Isa 9:2
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in lthe land of the shadow of
death, upon them light has shined.
Math 4:16
The people who have sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region of the
shadow of death light has dawned.

Where did this happen? Where did Christ appear? Where did the brightness of His presence come? It is said that
Capernaum is where Christ based himself it was there first that this Great Light came and what was there response?

Math 11:23
And you Capernaum who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades: for if the mighty works
that have been done in you were done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Capernaum in the natural no longer exists and there is debate today on where it actually was.
Pleas Church be open to the fact that God is limitless, do not ignore His truth, don’t start putting limits on Him according
to our limitedness, because if we begin to deny God in any way we will find ourselves becoming a Capernaum.

The statement I made in church (Which is stated below) which has confused people is what I need to address now and by
putting it on paper I hope to bring clarity to it.

STATEMENT
It has been said and we have been lead to believe that “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” yet Scripture is clear
“God hates the sin and the sinner”
This statement is a statement based in Scripture which we must examine and not ignore.

Ps 5:5 is very plain when the psalmist writes

“The boastful shall not stand in your sight; you hate all workers of iniquity.
How are we than to comprehend a loving God? Do we ignore this verse and many others that express the same sentiments
of our God?
(…. “Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” It is not a little dislike, but a thorough hatred which God bears to
workers of iniquity. To be hated of God is an awful thing. O let us be very faithful in warning the wicked around us, for it
will be a terrible thing for them to fall into the hands of an angry God! Observe, that evil speakers must be punished as
well as evil workers, ….)
Quote from Spurgeons Treasury of David

Lets look to the book of Romans which was written solely for doctrine and not out of relationship as Paul had not yet been
to Rome nor met with the Roman Christians.
Rom 9:13-15
v13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
v14 What shall we say then? is there unrighteousness in God? Certainly not!
v15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever and I will have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”

What did Esau do? And why was God so harsh? To understand why or what is not my primary concern here, But my
concern is that we will gain an understanding about the mystery of Gods divine election, if we do not grasp that we will
not understand how grateful to Him we need to be, we treat our Christianity sometimes as some added extra that we give
space and time to when we have a spare moment and don’t understand the importance of our relationship with Him.
Mal 1:2-5
v2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, “In what way have you loved us?” Was not Esau
Jacob’s brother?” Says the Lord. “Yet Jacob I have loved;
v3 But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage for jackals of the wilderness.”
v4 Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, But we will return and rebuild the
desolate places,”
Thus says the Lord:
“They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of wickedness, and the people
against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.
v5 Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, “The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.”

This portion of Scripture clearly represents the relationship that God has with His people (His chosen ones) even though
the people haven’t responded to Gods love He declares how He has loved them.
God refers to the fact that He chose Jacob and rejected Esau, this is what Paul refers to in Romans (above) when he is
talking about diving election.
If the children of Israel reflect upon Edom and His attitude to them in comparison they would see and understand their
position in Him.

I want to now before I address the issue of Gods love to the world, look at the church, (you and I), and divine election.

The Church
We as a church do not believe in the doctrine once saved always saved, we can fall from grace and there is an
overwhelming amount of Scripture which confirms this point.
Math 7:22
2 Peter 3:9b
(Not wanting the false teachers to perish, the contexts of this Scripture is the church, not the world)
Math 25:11
(The Kingdom is like this, those who think they should be there aren’t permitted)
Heb 6:4-6

Church this is serious, God will not always contend with rebellion or disobedience in his children that’s why He declares
in 2 Chron 7:14
2 Chron 7:14
“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways, the (and only then church) I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and
heal their land”

That is why Jesus taught us to pray in a manner that reflects this very principle.

Math 6:12
“Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”

Don’t think that you will receive anything from God if you don’t flow in forgiveness, prayerfulness and humility. There is
definitely and “if” we have to take a great deal of notice of.

This naturally leads us to a very important attribute of God, His holiness, His holiness He cannot contravene, where there
is light there is no darkness, where there is holiness there is no sinfulness, He cannot look upon it be near it or tolerate it,
not that He is fearful of it or avoids it but He repels it, it is like the opposite ends of magnets they can’t come together each
repels the other and it is naturally so.
Scripture declares anything that is not of faith is sin, Oh church how we need Him continually and not just when it suits us.

Divine Election:
This is a doctrine that traditionally we have turned away from because it is to hard for our finite minds to comprehend
Gods mind, I don’t claim to understand it myself in it’s full extent, for greater men than I have agreed and disagreed on
this topic.
But never the less I believe God would have us to address these things no matter how great or how small we perceive
ourselves to be.

Rom 8:28-29 has always been difficult for me, not the fact that “all things work together for good for those who
love God” but for those who are called according to His purpose, for whom he for knew, He also
predestined to be conformed to the image of His son”

John 6:44
“No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him”

Scripture is clear God has created us with a free will, an ability to choose, if we want to seek and find our own way that is
O.K., it’s not right, but it is your choice, many would say it is one of the most gracious things God has allowed us to have,
a free will and an ability to be independent in our actions and thinking, it’s wonderful.
Yet we fail to understand that we have been created in His image and likeness, surely then we can’t deny Gods ability to
freely choose as well. (Mal 1:2,3 above)

Rom 11:1-7
Speaks about Gods elect v5 talks about an election of Grace v7 says
v7 “what then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were
blinded.

Eph 1;1-11
v1 “Paul an Apostle by the will of God
v4 “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy…..”
v5 “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ …… according to the good pleasure of His
will,”
v11 “….. being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the
council of His will’
There is evidence enough within Scripture to declare that God is sovereign and is able to know and to choose according to
His will, yet there are those who will cry out the words of John the Baptist
John 1:29
“Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world”

If we interpret such Scriptures according to our preconceived ideas we put unbalanced meanings and interpretation on
them.
If Christ death on the cross was to have taken away the sin of the world, no one could go to hell for it would be unjust for
God to demand a double payment for sin (once by Christ and then by the sinner in hell) no, in Christ the potential is there
for sin to be forgiven, but outside of that, free choice is given to people who may or may not chose to appropriate that
forgiveness into their life’s.

1 Tim 4:10
….because we trust in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, especially of those who believe.

We know that this speaks of the potential of Christ to all men but is not literal to all men, for we know all will not believe
or be saved.

If we say then that Gods divine election is synonymous to His foreknowledge of those who He knew would and wouldn’t
respond to His message, than we mus understand there are people that we encounter, who we witness to that God know
will never respond and are destined to hell and separation from God.

A farmer sows his field with full knowledge that some of the seed will fail, this doesn’t stop him from fertilising the earth
where that dead seed will fall, he still believes for an abundant crop.
If God knew before hand the attitude of Esau, who are we to say Gods attitude towards him (that is hate) is wrong.

At this point we have an opportunity to look at another concept of Gods word, that is specific Scripture and collective
Scripture.
Lets look at John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have ever lasting life.

John 3:16a is a collective Scripture which encompasses all creation, what! Christ died for trees, dogs, cats and the like?
The word world speaks of all Gods creation and His love for it, we find this in Rom 8:19 which explains the collective
nature of John 3:16a

Rom 8:19
v19 “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
v20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it to hope;
v21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God.
v22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now.

In the book of Genesis we read

Genesis 3:17
“….. Cursed is the ground for your sake…”
John 3:16a
“For God so loved the fullness of His creation …..”

This is collective and not individualistic or selective and can be likened to a mans patriotism for his country, his love for
his heritage, (we call ourselves kiwi’s and are proud of it, we love our sport teams and want and will them to do well) yet
in the context of this mans deep feeling and emotion of patriotism there are individuals that he struggles with and desire to
see less of.

This is a collective acceptance in Gods love yet in Himself a selective rejection of those who reject His love. (only when
there is a response to Gods collective love, can a person enter into His selective love.)
As we continue to look at John 8:23
V23 Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Paul now directs his thoughts from the collective nature of these verses and directs them to the selective, those Christians
that have responded to His love, those who are now eagerly awaiting Christ in the fullness of His glory. We cannot apply
collective Scripture to specific or specific to collective

Rom 5:6-8
v6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
v7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to
die,
v8 But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died us.

Again Paul is addressing the Church and this portion of Scripture can’t be taken away from Gods divine election or His
free choice to choose, as we then go on in this chapter we read in verse 18
Rom 5:18
v18 Therefore, as through one man’s offence judgement came to all men, resulting in condemnation,
even so through one man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

The all men in verse 18a is collective and must be different from the all men in verse 18b which is selective, we know that
through Adam’s sin all men all over and throughout all history are condemned, we call this “inherent evil”, this is a
collective verse.
Where as the all men in verse 18b is not referring to all men through out all history to the present, because we know that
all men will not be saved, therefore this is a selective verse.

Those whom God loves He cares for I cannot believe God sends those whom He love to hell, God is a just God one who is
honest and trust worthy.
So how do we fit the love of God into this scene?

Gods Love to the world

Lets look at Gods love and Christ the expression of Gods love to a dying world.

We say that God is Love, and that is true 1 John 4:8,16 the word describes God as love 1 John 4:9 declares that God
sent His son as a manifestation of His love that we may be able to live through Him.

To describe God solely as “A god of Love” alone does not portray Him in the fullness of who He is although His love is
complete. (God is not totally comprehensible by humanity)

God in Himself has decided according to Scripture to reject some of His created beings, Satan and those associated with
him, whom, speaking of Satan, was perfect in all his ways (Ezek 28.15), has been rejected, with no means of redemption.
These have their destiny set, it can’t be changed, there is no chance or place for repentance.
Those of mankind who desire to align themselves, or give their allegiance to Satan will ultimately suffer the same fate.
The simple truth is that those who aren’t serving God are serving Satan, there is no middle ground, yet you cry “what
about those who haven’t heard?”
Rom 1:18-21
v18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
v 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
v 20 For since the foundation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so they are without excuse.

God is a God of love, in fact “God is Love” we can’t do anything to make God love more than He does, or God can’t
decide to love less or more, for God to love more would be comparable to thinking, “How much water would I have to add
to the sea to make it wetter?” water is that which makes things wet! It can’t be effected by it’s self, it is what it is, as God
Himself is love.

Yet God has decided by His free will and choice to reject Stan for his sin and has declared, “For that sin a penalty must be
paid.”
Rom 6:23
For the wages of sin are death, but Gods free gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
That penalty is eternal separation from Himself, which is the ultimate end of all who don’t receive the only means given
by which they can move into love (God) that is Christ Jesus
If we as humans refuse to move into God (or love) that love cannot effect us, Jesus said “I’m the way the truth and the
life no one comes to the father (or love) expect through me.”
God’s love is corporate, that is applied to all His creation, it becomes selective when we as individuals choose to believe or
not to believe, then the consequence of that decision determines Gods mind towards us.
All individuals before that point fall into the category of sinners and the wicked.
Rom 5:6,8
v6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
v8 But God demonstrated His own Love towards us, In that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.
Paul is again speaking here to those in the church at Rome, those who had received Christ, had received God, those who
had received Love, concerning the awesome nature of His love towards them before they were Christians.
The nature of this love is apparent as Paul refers to a group not individuals, collectively speaking to “us” and “we” as
people that have decided to respond to the collective nature of Gods love towards all humanity.
We read in John 1:12
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe
in His name.

Gods love is poured out upon us as we as individuals respond to His collective love for all humanity and personalise it for
ourselves.
For Christ has created the potential for all to be saved, but not to control and manipulate.
John 6:28
v28 They said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the words of God?”
v29 Jesus answered and said to them This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

We must believe in the manifestation of His love, and by doing so we enter love Himself.
Then that love becomes a fathers love to an individual, as He looks out for the prodigal, as He leaves the ninety nine to
look for the one and as He cries out “Jerusalem Jerusalem….!”

Yes God is love and He loves us with an never ending love.