Doctrines of Grace: Unconditional Election

Driving home: In the same way, when we come to Holy Scripture, God has been pleased to communicate to us in verbal form. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us, to seek to discover what did God mean by the use of that word, and believing …

Martin uses the invented word 'un'gat' for 'overcoat' to illustrate that a word's meaning is in the mind of the author, not the hearer, emphasizing the responsibility to discover God's intended meaning in Scripture.

You see, a word is nothing but a verbal symbol. A word has no meaning in and of itself. If I stand up here tonight and I say, get the un'gat,

9:15 - 9:25 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He examines several non-theological examples (Luke 6:13, Luke 14:7, Acts 6:3-5, Acts 15:7, 1 Samuel 17:40) to establish that the core meaning of 'elect' or 'choose' is an active…

He vividly describes David choosing five smooth stones from the brook, contrasting it with a hypothetical scenario where David waits for stones to 'wriggle up,' to emphasize that selection is an active choice by the selector, not a ratification of the chosen's initiative.

He didn't come down and sit by the river bank and fold his hands. And say now all you sweet little stones have been washed by the pressures of this river through the centuries. Since you've all been exposed to the same elements. And are all in the same lowly condition.

17:51 - 18:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Election is not salvation. Salvation is unto salvation. If we just get that clear in our minds, it'll save us from a lot of confusion.

Martin uses the analogy of a man drowning in Lake Erie to distinguish between God's purpose to rescue (election) and the actual act of rescue (salvation), clarifying that election doesn't save but is the root of salvation.

If a man's drowning in Lake Erie by standing on the shore saying, I purpose to get him out of the lake, doesn't get him out.

34:27 - 34:35 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He details eight characteristics of election unto life and salvation: God does the choosing, He chooses individuals, unto salvation, in eternity, with reference to Christ, on no…

He challenges the popular hymn's idea of God picking up a pen 'real quick like' when someone repents, contrasting it with the biblical truth that names were written in the Book of Life 'from the foundation of the world' to emphasize eternal election.

There is that great sentence twice in the book of the Revelation, whose names were written in the book of life from the foundation of the word. Here people sing, there's a new name written down in glory and it's mine. The idea that when somebody repents, God picks up his pen real quick like and puts none on. Whose name is written in the book of life from the foundation of the word.

35:39 - 36:07 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin conducts a word study on 'foreknowledge,' demonstrating through Old and New Testament examples (Genesis 18:17, Amos 3:2, Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 1:2) that it signifies God's…

Martin humorously imagines Abraham presenting himself to God to be the father of a nation, to refute the idea that God's 'foreknowledge' of Israel meant ratifying Abraham's choice, reinforcing God's sovereign initiative.

Was Abraham sitting on a log in the earth and called these one day and got up and said, hey, I've got a bright idea. God ought to have a nation.

50:07 - 50:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be guilty of ingratitude by enjoying the blessings of redemption without seeking to understand the doctrine of election, which reveals the hand that brings them.

He compares enjoying daily meals without asking who provided them to a believer enjoying redemption's blessings without seeking to understand the doctrine of election, highlighting the ingratitude of not tracing blessings to their source.

It will be a terrible thing if every day you came out and found on your table warm breakfast or cold breakfast, whatever you like, a nice lunch suited to your liking, supper, and you never, never, never took three minutes time to find out who put them there. You just ate them, enjoyed them, day after day. Wouldn't that be a terrible act of ingratitude? To enjoy all those privileges set before you and never ask what hand put it here?

57:07 - 57:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be guilty of ingratitude by enjoying the blessings of redemption without seeking to understand the doctrine of election, which reveals the hand that brings them.

He quotes Robert Murray McShane's hymn 'Chosen not for good in me' to underscore that election is based solely on God's grace, not any merit in the chosen.

I say the child. of God who has no time to search out the doctrine of election is guilty of that. All the blessings of redemption are set before him and the table is spread and he enjoys those blessings, but he doesn't ask, what's the hand that brings them to me? And when he begins to ask it and search the scripture, he sees that the hand that brings it to him is the hand of electing grace. And he falls prostrated before his God saying, why was I made to enter in? Why was I made? Why was I made? Wretched choice and perish in their sin. Robert Murray McShane in that wonderful hymn of his said, ...

57:33 - 58:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Have serious doubts about the pattern of short, three-to-four-year pastorates, as enduring through difficulties is sustained by confidence in God's electing purposes.

Martin contrasts modern evangelists receiving keys to the city with Paul receiving keys to jail, to highlight the reality of persecution and the need for divine comfort in ministry.

And things were getting hot for Paul as they usually were. I often think of the contrast between modern evangelists when they come into a town and they get the key to the city. The only keys Paul ever saw were the keys to the jail and they were usually in the jailer's pocket not his.

64:00 - 64:13 Read in full sermon