Election and Evangelism: God's Sovereign Plan Unveiled

Devotional

Day 1: God's Sovereign Choice in Salvation

The doctrine of election highlights God's sovereign choice in salvation, independent of human merit. This understanding should not lead to complacency but rather to a deeper appreciation of God's grace. It is a reminder that salvation is not something we earn or deserve, but a gift from God. This should inspire humility and gratitude, knowing that our relationship with God is based on His grace and not our actions. The doctrine of election challenges us to trust in God's wisdom and plan, even when we do not fully understand it. [02:49]

Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."

Reflection: How does understanding that your salvation is a result of God's sovereign choice change the way you view your relationship with Him today?

Day 2: Evangelism as God's Ordained Means

Evangelism is the means ordained by God to bring the elect to faith. Our role is crucial, as God has chosen to use our efforts to accomplish His purposes. This understanding dispels any notion of fatalism or complacency in evangelism. Instead, it should embolden us, knowing that our efforts are part of God's sovereign plan. The urgency of sharing the faith is not diminished by the doctrine of election; rather, it is reinforced. God has chosen to use our evangelistic efforts as the means to bring His elect to faith. [06:36]

Romans 10:14-15 (ESV): "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"

Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you feel God is calling you to share the gospel with? What steps can you take this week to reach out to them?

Day 3: Urgency in Evangelism

The urgency of evangelism is reinforced by the doctrine of election. Knowing that God has chosen the elect should embolden us to share the gospel with confidence. Our efforts in evangelism are not in vain, as God is actively working through us to accomplish His purposes. This understanding should inspire hope and boldness in evangelism, knowing that God has many people in every city, ready to hear and respond to the gospel. [07:45]

2 Timothy 2:10 (ESV): "Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."

Reflection: What fears or hesitations do you have about sharing your faith? How can you ask God to give you boldness and confidence in your evangelistic efforts?

Day 4: Paul's Example of Evangelistic Balance

Paul's missionary work exemplifies the balance between understanding election and the necessity of evangelism. He endured all things for the sake of the elect, knowing that God had ordained the means as well as the end. This balance is crucial for effective evangelism, as it acknowledges both God's sovereignty and our responsibility. Paul's example challenges us to be fervent in our missionary work, trusting that God is using our efforts to bring His elect to faith. [08:09]

Acts 18:9-10 (ESV): "And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, 'Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.'"

Reflection: How can you model Paul's balance of trust in God's sovereignty and active evangelism in your own life? What practical steps can you take to be more intentional in sharing your faith?

Day 5: Hope and Boldness in Evangelism

The doctrine of election should inspire hope and boldness in evangelism. It assures us that our efforts are part of God's sovereign plan and that He is actively working through us. This understanding should give us confidence as we engage in world evangelization, knowing that God has many people ready to hear and respond to the gospel. Our role is to be faithful in sharing the message, trusting that God will use our efforts to accomplish His purposes. [10:09]

Acts 13:48 (ESV): "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed."

Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a sense of hope and boldness in your evangelistic efforts? How can you remind yourself that God is actively working through you to accomplish His purposes?

Sermon Summary

In today's discussion, we explored the profound question of whether an elect person can die without ever hearing the gospel. This inquiry, posed by a seminary student named Christie, touches on the doctrine of election and its implications for evangelism. The doctrine of election, as seen in scriptures like Ephesians 1 and 1 Corinthians 1, emphasizes God's sovereign choice in salvation, independent of human merit or action. This raises a critical question: if God has already chosen the elect, what is the urgency of evangelism?

The answer lies in understanding the correlation between God's eternal decrees and human action. God has ordained not only the ends but also the means. This means that while God has chosen the elect, He has also ordained that they will come to faith through the hearing of the gospel. Our role in evangelism is crucial because it is the means by which God brings the elect to salvation. As Paul states in 2 Timothy 2:10, he endures everything for the sake of the elect, so they may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus.

This understanding dispels any notion of fatalism or complacency in evangelism. Instead, it should embolden us, knowing that our efforts are part of God's sovereign plan. The urgency of sharing the faith is not diminished by the doctrine of election; rather, it is reinforced. God has chosen to use our evangelistic efforts as the means to bring His elect to faith. This is why Paul, despite knowing the doctrine of election, was fervent in his missionary work, as seen in Acts 18:10 and Acts 13:48.

Ultimately, the doctrine of election should inspire hope and boldness in evangelism. It assures us that our efforts are not in vain and that God is actively working through us to accomplish His purposes. As we engage in world evangelization, we do so with the confidence that God has many people in every city, ready to hear and respond to the gospel.

Key Takeaways

1. The doctrine of election emphasizes God's sovereign choice in salvation, independent of human merit. This understanding should not lead to complacency but rather to a deeper appreciation of God's grace. [02:49]
2. Evangelism is the means ordained by God to bring the elect to faith. Our role is crucial, as God has chosen to use our efforts to accomplish His purposes. [06:36]
3. The urgency of evangelism is reinforced by the doctrine of election. Knowing that God has chosen the elect should embolden us to share the gospel with confidence. [07:45]
4. Paul's missionary work exemplifies the balance between understanding election and the necessity of evangelism. He endured all things for the sake of the elect, knowing that God had ordained the means as well as the end. [08:09]
5. The doctrine of election should inspire hope and boldness in evangelism. It assures us that our efforts are part of God's sovereign plan and that He is actively working through us. [10:09]
** [10:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Question on Election and Evangelism
[01:27] - Understanding the Doctrine of Election
[02:17] - Biblical Basis for Election
[03:10] - Election and Human Action
[04:16] - Necessity of Hearing the Gospel
[05:25] - Faulty Logic in Evangelism
[06:15] - Correlation of Election and Evangelism
[07:01] - Paul's Perspective on Evangelism
[08:09] - Election and Evangelistic Urgency
[09:15] - Success of Preaching the Gospel
[09:54] - God's Role in Evangelism
[10:29] - Call to Bold Evangelism
[10:51] - Closing Remarks

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Ephesians 1:4-6
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Romans 10:13-15

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Observation Questions:

According to Ephesians 1:4-6, what is the purpose of God's election, and how does it relate to His grace? [01:45]
In 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, what criteria does God use to choose people, and what is the intended outcome of this choice? [02:17]
How does Romans 10:13-15 emphasize the necessity of hearing the gospel for salvation? [04:16]
What does 2 Timothy 2:10 reveal about Paul's motivation for enduring hardships in his ministry? [07:20]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the doctrine of election, as described in Ephesians 1, challenge or reinforce the urgency of evangelism? [01:45]
In what ways does 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 challenge societal norms about power and wisdom, and how might this influence our approach to sharing the gospel? [02:17]
Romans 10:13-15 outlines a sequence leading to salvation. How does this sequence highlight the role of believers in God's plan for salvation? [04:16]
Considering Paul's statement in 2 Timothy 2:10, how does understanding God's sovereignty in election affect a believer's commitment to evangelism? [07:20]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt hesitant to share your faith. How does understanding the doctrine of election and God's sovereignty encourage you to overcome that hesitation? [05:25]
How can you actively participate in God's plan to bring the elect to faith, knowing that your efforts are part of His sovereign design? [06:36]
Identify a person or group in your community who may not have heard the gospel. What steps can you take to share your faith with them this week? [04:32]
How does the understanding that God has "many people in every city" (Acts 18:10) influence your perspective on evangelism in your local context? [08:53]
Consider the societal norms that value power and wisdom. How can you use your unique strengths and experiences to share the gospel with those who might feel overlooked or undervalued? [02:34]
What practical steps can you take to ensure that your evangelistic efforts are aligned with God's purposes, as described in the sermon? [09:54]
How can you cultivate a sense of hope and boldness in your evangelistic efforts, knowing that God is actively working through you? [10:09]

Sermon Clips

I understand that people are born elect but they are not born saved so the hearing will happen it must happen and our sharing of the faith is essential because God uses human means to bring people to himself however if people die without getting the chance to hear and respond to the gospel I suspect they were never elect. [00:18:31]

The point of God's choosing before we existed and choosing against all ordinary human expectation is to prevent us from boasting in anything but God's free grace that's why it's called unconditional election God doesn't look into the future and choose people on the basis of their meeting any conditions. [00:169:48]

Christi is asking why this might not lead to fatalism with regard to missions specifically since everyone must believe on Jesus in order to be saved so she gets that right you get you have to hear and believe the gospel and and that's based on Romans 10:13 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. [00:241:15]

God always correlates in his eternal decrees the election of a person and the evangelization of that person just like he correlates events that he has decreed and the necessary prayers for those events now that correlation means that the decreed event won't happen without our decreed prayers you have not because you ask not. [00:362:50]

The elect person won't be saved without our decreed evangelizing of that person the correlation is fixed in God's mind and when we contemplate the urgency of our witness what we should feel is this it is absolutely essential for the sake of the elect that I do my evangelism. [00:403:06]

I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory in that amazing he didn't he did not say well they are either not elect or elect and so nothing I do will make any ultimate difference that's totally not the way he thought. [00:440:11]

I do everything I possibly can to get the elect to eternal glory because God has ordained the means as well as the end and without the means the end does not happen that's the missing piece in the logic that becomes fatalistic and just briefly I said that letting election dieter evangelization is not only bad logic it's unbiblical. [00:470:29]

Paul saw the doctrine of election as not hindering his evangelism but embolden it for example in acts 1810 Jesus says to him don't be afraid for I am with you we'll attack you to harm you for I have many people in this city in other words my elect are here keep preaching my sheep will hear my voice I will bring them. [00:517:11]

When the Gentiles heard the gospel they began reducing and glorifying the word of the Lord and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed this was the ground of the success of the preaching of the gospel as many as were appointed unto eternal life believed and if there had been no gospel there would have been no salvation. [00:551:49]

Paul knew that he had been sent to do what only God could do he said in acts 26 I am sending you Jesus he's quoting Jesus or Lucas quoting Jesus I am sending you to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins. [00:584:41]

Only God can open the eyes of the spiritually blind but Paul is sent by God to do it God knows whom he will save he knows whom he's chosen and he knows whom he has appointed to be his instrument for the impossible opening of the eyes of the blind so oh how I hope that there will be hope filled bold yearning emissaries. [00:609:43]

Who follow the Lord into world evangelization amen really good thank you Pastor John keep sending your excellent questions to us do so by going to our online home mat desiring God org forward slash ask Pastor John and there you can ask your question or you can browse our most popular episodes or search the archive. [00:641:42]

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Election and Evangelism: God's Sovereign Plan Unveiled

Devotional

Day 1: God's Sovereign Choice in Salvation

Day 2: Evangelism as God's Ordained Means

Day 3: Urgency in Evangelism

Day 4: Paul's Example of Evangelistic Balance

Day 5: Hope and Boldness in Evangelism

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Election and Evangelism: God's Sovereign Plan Unveiled

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