Divine Election and the Pursuit of Righteousness

Now here we are approaching here a most important statement and in many ways an extremely difficult one. It's a most solemn statement, a most solemn passage. We certainly are entering into the realm of ultimate mystery. Therefore, let us as we approach this passage metaphorically take off our shoes from off our feet, for the place on which we stand is Holy Ground. [00:04:39]

The Apostle was concerned not merely to make statements but to help people to understand the truth. He was concerned to expand it to them. As he says later on, this is a mystery. I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery. Well, very well, he wants to enlighten them, so he's very careful to make his statements and to sum up in each case before he proceeds to another point. [00:03:37]

Israel was really seeking. What was she seeking? Well, he says that which he seeketh for. What is this? Well, there's no question it must be righteousness. It must, if you like, be justification. They were seeking the blessing of God. They wanted to be right with God, and they wanted to be blessed by God. That's what they were seeking. [00:09:31]

The election has obtained it, and he does that in order to bring out this great point that they have obtained it because they have been elected by someone else. The thing we've already seen, he's just underlining that the election, this great act of God, this is the thing that has secured it for them. [00:11:09]

God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber. God has given them or produced in them a kind of torpor, a kind of numbness, a kind of sleepiness, a semiconscious state. That's the meaning of the word. This kind of torpor, of course, always results in an inability to use our faculties. [00:17:03]

The very benefits that they were receiving from God, prays that they may become a punishment to them and a hindrance to them. The very benefits themselves become the source of their cursing. Now, what does he mean then by the table? Well, I think this is most important for us. [00:21:20]

If we do not obey God, that God's very blessings will become a curse to us. That's why I say that this is so important at the present time. Isn't that a part of the explanation of the state of the church and of this country at the present time? The Christian Church became big and important and wealthy. [00:26:00]

The terrible thing is this, that even God's blessings, if you look at them in the wrong way and abuse them, will become a curse to you. That is why tradition is something about which we always ought to be most careful. You look at the long history of the church, and you'll generally find this. [00:27:09]

The moment we begin to rest upon it and to take pride in it and to think that we are the people, we've fallen into this very error that brought down this terrible calamity upon the children of Israel, as Stephen made so plain and so clear to them in that address which led to his death. [00:31:10]

The whole answer is because they were not seeking it in the right way. It's because of their complete misunderstanding of the law, the complete misunderstanding of the teaching of the prophets, their completely wrong idea as to the Messiah in his character and his work when he comes. [00:40:25]

There are very genuine people in this country tonight who say, I want to know God, I want to find God, I want to be blessed of God, but they don't know him, and as they remain as they are, they never will. But they're zealous, they're keen, they read their Bibles, they pray, they do good works. [00:41:50]

There is only one way of salvation. This is the message of the whole Bible. It is Jesus Christ and him crucified. It is simple faith in him, nothing else. If you bring anything else in, you haven't got it, you'll never obtain it. You may get great personal satisfaction as the Jews had. [00:44:36]