Some people hear the doctrine of election, and start to despair, what if I am not elect? What if God doesn't love me? May these words comfort those who truly are concerned about salvation
You ask, 'What if I am not elected?'
Well, with all due respect, that is not the question a person should be asking. It is not up to us to work out if we are elected before we come to Christ. That would be foolish, for the fruit of election is FAITH. That is why Acts 13:48 is a very important verse:
''As many as were ordained to eternal life believed''
Why did they believe? Because they were ordained. How did they prove their foreordination? By believing! Election is never really (and I hope you understand it) an issue with the unsaved. Some use it as an excuse not to believe, but so wicked are men by nature that they will use anything as an excuse to avoid God. But we are not to peer into God's electing decrees and see if we are in the Book of Life. That Book is sealed. We dare not look in until we can see (and that is the work of the Spirit) the fruit of election in our lives.
And again, I ask, What is the fruit of election? Belief of the truth! Conversely, a sign of reprobation is a despising of, a hatred of the truth, a defiant disobedience of God. See 2 Thes 2:10-14 and see how Paul contrasts the reprobate and the elect. What signs does he point to?
Again, what is the fruit of election?:
John 6:39 ''All that the Father gives to Me [that's election] shall . . . . {what???] COME TO ME.
A fruit of election is COMING TO CHRIST.
Somebody who doesn't come to Christ has no right to appropriate election to himself. He should come to Christ, for in coming to Christ, he is leaving his own works and righteousness behind. Reader, I would urge you (yes, this is a Calvinist speaking!) to come to Christ.
What does Romans 10 say, ''For with the heart man believes UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS and with the mouth confession is made UNTO SALVATION'' (yes, Calvinists do not avoid such verses!)
If I come to Christ thinking that I am doing Him a favour and that I am completing the salvation process by my bit, I am not believing UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, I am believing WITH SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, but that is NOT coming to CHRIST, that is coming to a false christ.
Reader, come to Christ. He says, ''Come unto me, all you that do labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest'' Matthew 11:28. That call is to the LABOURING ones, the ones who are exhausted with trying to keep God's law for salvation, the ones who see that they cannot save themselves, the ones who despair of their own righteousness. They are called to come, and the LORD causes them to come by His drawing [John 6:44].
Reader, come to the LORD, 'He says in Isaiah 55, ''Ho, every one that thirsts, let him come to the waters...'' Again, that call is to the THIRSTY, the ones who are parched and cannot find any water in themselves, the ones as Jeremiah 2 says have tried the BROKEN CISTERNS where there IS NO WATER.
These calls are not to the smug and self-righteous, they are not to the ones who think that they can contribute to salvation. These calls are to the ones who ''do HUNGER and THIRST after righteousness; for they SHALL be FILLED'' Matthew 5:6. Nobody, hungers after righteousness, except God works in them, and shows them how UNRIGHTEOUS they are. If He has done that in you, rejoice, for YOU SHALL [God cannot lie] be FILLED.
I write this to encourage you, dear reader. God is not some kind of monster, who pushes away those who come saying, 'YOU are NOT chosen'. No non-elect person comes or wants to come, for God causes the coming, not man. Sure, non-elect persons think they come, and the churches today are full of them, many have been deceived, but they will be shocked (such a solemn thing) to hear on THAT DAY. ''I never knew you'' [Matt 7:21-23]. Notice, what they point to as proof of why they should be let into heaven. Their works, experiences, accomplishments ''for the LORD''.
Jesus says in the second half of John 6:39, '' . . .and him that comes to me, I will in no wise cast out'' and why, because the ones who come are the ones the Father has given Him.
You may ask, What about my family and friends? Jesus has an answer to you, and it is the same as the one He gave to Peter: ''What is that to thee, follow thou me'' John 21:22 You are not to say whether your family are elect or no, nor am I. You are to believe the Gospel and then tell them, and God will do His bidding, and God will be just and we will rejoice in His will. Those who submit to God's righteousness rejoice in His Will.
