John 6:37
Last week we had an overview of the Doctrines of Grace commonly called Calvinism or TULIP. I indicated we will spend some time to consider the various letters of TULIP and their meaning.
Total Depravity (v.44)
Unconditional Election (vv. 37,39)
Limited Atonement (v.51)
Irrestible Grace (v.44)
Perseverance of The Saints (37,39,40,44)
We continue this morning and we will consider the U–Unconditional Election (John 6:37). This doctrine, commonly called doctrine of election is one doctrine which generates a lot of controversy. However, despite the controversies, it is still a biblical doctrine that cannot be glossed over. Romans 9:11 speaks of “God’s purpose of election.” Considering the controversial nature of the subject therefore, we must address it with humility and not be found to boast in our goodness. But rather all the glory will be to God. So this sermon is not to tell you how special you are, but rather to let you know how powerful a work God has done to save you, that is if you are saved. Any encouragement or edification you will get from this sermon, it should hopefully lead you to glory in God’s goodness towards sinners like us.
Now there are some observations I want to bring to our attention from the text before we proceed which will form the basis of our sermon (John 6:37).
- There are a people given to the Son by the Father (v.37 &39).
- Those the Father has given the Son will come to the Son, that is they will believe in the Son
- Those who believe will be saved (whoever comes to me I will never cast out)
- There is a relationship between the Father and Son in saving sinners.
From these observations, here are four things I want us to consider
- What Is Unconditional Election.
- Who Are Those Given To The Son?
- When Were They Given To The Son
- Why Were They Given To The Son?
What Is The Doctrine Of Election?
The Canon of Dort, a document written to answer those who were oppossing Reformed Theology in its article 17, defines Election as below
Election is the unchangeable purpose of God whereby, before the foundation of the world, out of the whole human race, which had fallen by its own fault out of its original integrity into sin and perdition, he has, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his will, out of mere grace, chosen in Christ to salvation a definite number of specific persons, neither better nor more worthy than others, but involved together with them in a common misery. He has also from eternity appointed Christ to be the Mediator and Head of all the elect and the foundation of salvation and thus he decreed to give to Christ those who were to be saved, and effectually to call and draw them into his communion through his Word and Spirit. He decreed to give them true faith in him, to justify them, to sanctify them, and, after having powerfully kept them in the fellowship of his Son, finally to glorify them, for the demonstration of his mercy and the praise of the riches of his glorious grace.
We see in these words what election is. There are a people God has separated from the whole of the human race to save. And towards these people, God works salvation to save them.
Who Are Those Given To The Son
Now the question to ask is, who are these people who have been given to the Son? The text is clear as we have already seen (v.37). There are some people given to the Son. These people have been chosen out of the whole fallen human race to be saved by the Son. In what is called Jesus’ high priestly prayer, we see this language of election clearly demonstrated. Jesus spoke of a people who have been given to him: “I have manifested your name to the people ewhom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (John 17:6)
Most commonly, the people given to the Son are called God’s elect. And this is not a human doctrine. It is a biblical doctrine: “the doctrine of election is the product of divine revelation, not of human speculation. It was not invented by Calvin of Geneva or Augustine of Hippo (John Stott). Indeed in many places in Scripture, you find a reference to God’s elect. Here are a few:
“…he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:31).
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? (Romans 8:31).
In 1Peter 1:1 Peter referred to his recipients as “elect exiles” God has an elect people who he has set his love upon: The elect are chosen, they didn’t chose God (John 15:16), The elect are Christ’s sheep they hear his voice (John 10), they are a peculiar people and Royal Priesthood (1Peter 2:9).
When Were They Given To The Son?
There is a reason the U in TULIP is called Unconditional Election. It is so because those who are given to the Son did nothing to merit their election. Speaking about election, Paul says of Jacob and Esau; “though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad– in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls–she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Romans 9:11-13).
The only explanation for election then is God’s choice and not our choosing him. That phrase at the beginning of Romans 9:11 is important to answer the question when the elect were given to the son: “though they were not yet born.” This points us to a time before even Jacob & Esau were be born. God made a decision before they were born. And that decision is traced even before creation; not only before they were born. But before the world was created. God’s choice of his elect was made before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:4). There is no merit in God’s election. It is all a work of grace: “by grave you have been saved, through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Why Were They Given To The Son?
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
There are two things here, (i) those given to the Son will come to him, that is, they will believe in him. You see, naturally, nobody has a desire to love Jesus. No, all of us in our natural state live to please ourselves. But God in his saving grace works a work of grace in our hearts. He draws us to the Son. There is not a single of God’s elect who will not come to Jesus. All will come.
Secondly, those who come to Jesus will be saved: “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out” This is a picture of salvation in Jesus. That’s the point of the v.40. God offers eternal life to all who will come to Jesus and believe in him. In Jesus, sinners are reconciled to the Father. Indeed Jesus is the only way to the Father and to salvation (John 14:6).
The salvation of sinners is the will of God and Jesus came into the world to accomplish the Father’s will. This points us to the Trinitarian nature of salvation. The Father sent the Son to die to save sinners and the Holy Spirit applied the son’s work to God’s elect.
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