Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The doctrine of Election, Part 4. The Church-Age believer must understand his relationship to God as well as his relationship to man and history.
Thursday, July 8, 2004
Point 5. The Election of the Church.
Like the other two elections, the election of Israel as a nation, and the election of TLJC for the incarnation, the Church was elected to execute a plan, the PPOG.
After the first forty years of the Church-age, between 30-70 AD, the Royal Family of God has provided invisible heroes for the Gentile client nations.
For any member of the human race, election to this privilege occurs experientially at salvation.
Under the principle of election, the Church-age believer must not only understand his relationship to God but also his relationship to man and history.
As a part of the doctrine of election and your relationship with God – you were designed for God’s pleasure,REV 4:11.
PSA 149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.
Bringing enjoyment to God, living for His pleasure, is the first purpose of your election.
Because of His love He made us His children through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, EPH 1:5.
He wants you to enjoy life, not just endure it.
“The Lord is pleased only with those who worship Him and trust His love,” PSA 147:11.
Worship is a universal urge, placed in the heart of man by God into the very fiber of man’s being, ECC 3:11.
JOH 4:23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
Worship is a lifestyle.
Misconception: Worship is for our benefit.
Under the principle of election, the Church-age believer must not only understand his relationship to God but also his relationship to man and history.
1TH 1:4 Knowing, brethren, beloved of God, His election for you.
The importance of virtue-love as evidence that you have been elected, and the character and nature of Christ is being manifested alive in you by means of virtue-love.
COL 3:12 as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience = as elected ones of God, holy and beloved, put on the affections of grace orientation.
This election is a holy place in life to function under –
2TI 1:9 “He has elected us into a holy station in life, not according to our works.”
ROM 8:33 “Who will bring any accusation against the elect of God, God is the one who justifies.”
TIT 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, According to the doctrine of God’s elected ones, and the full knowledge of doctrine according to the norms of living the spiritual life.
“Holy” = both the absolute and relative concept of experiential sanctification.
Election does not have anything to do with God violating someone’s free will, election relates to the experiential part of God’s plan for our lives.
Holiness has to do with separation unto God and the execution of the PPOG. Absolute holiness describes the mandates related to the filling of the Spirit.
When the believer is inside the PPOG, the Holy Spirit controls his soul, and the old sin nature is restrained in his body.
The believer in cosmic one is grieving the Spirit, EPH 4:30 because the old sin nature controls the soul, though still indwelling the body.
The believer in cosmic two is quenching the Spirit, because the old sin nature controls the soul through moral degeneracy.
The issue is who controls the soul: the old sin nature or the Holy Spirit.
“Blameless before Him” = ultimate sanctification in the eternal state.