Election

"I have ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain." Christ not only chooses who are to be saved, but He chooses the way; and He not only chooses the beginning and the end, He chooses the middle also. "God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love;" (Ephesians 1:4). And in the eighth chapter of Romans it is said, "Whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified." Salvation is like a golden chain let down from heaven to earth: two links are in a hand of God—election and final salvation; but some of the links are on earth—conversion, adoption, etc.

Brethren, Christ never chooses a man to believe, and then leap into glory. Ah! My brethren, how this takes away the feet from all the objections raised against this holy doctrine of election. Some here perhaps say, if I am elected, I will be saved, live as I like. No; if you live an unholy life, you will not be saved. Whether you are elected or not, I know not. But this I know—if you believe on Christ, you will be saved.

Holiness and your Bible

Jesus is the author of sanctification; but there are many looking in the wrong direction for it. Now, all comes from the same hand that was nailed to the cross; look to him for sanctification—His name is Jesus, for He saves from sin. Ah, do any feel faint and weary? Lean on Him, the Beloved: all comes from Jesus. You may as will try to hold up the sun in its course, as to hold up your own goings.

Go, then, to Jesus for all you need: learn the means of sanctification—the Word. No holiness without the Bible. I believe God could sanctify without the Word. He made the Angels holy without it, and He made Adam holy without it; but He will not do it. "Sanctify them through the truth, Your Word is truth." Just like a mother nourishing a child, Jesus takes a soul and nourishes it with the milk of the Word. No life without a Bible. It is just the breathings of God's heart—of His affectionate bosom. Oh, yes, if you would walk much with Jesus, you would become like Him. Oh, you would get the heart and likeness of Jesus.

Learn, then, that there are no other means of sanctification, and without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Unless you love your Bibles, and feed upon them, you will never stand with the Lamb upon Mount Zion, with the golden harps.

Learn the certainty of sanctification. Rutherford said, "Blessed be God, Christ is a whole Savior—He not only justifies, but He sanctifies too." Oh, no, He will not lose the end for which He died—to make you not of this world, while you are in the world. He came to this miserable world, and took stones to polish for His Father's palace. Do you think He will leave you unholy? This is the will of the Father, even your sanctification. Jesus died, and the Spirit is sent as the sanctifier. There is still much sin between you and God—many temptations—yet you shall be made holy.

(Robert Murray McCheyne 1813-1843)
 

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