And please take your Bibles and turn with me to 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians. So I've been preaching through the book of 1 Thessalonians. I'm going to read again the whole chapter, the first chapter. We'll be looking specifically this morning at verses four and five. 1 Thessalonians 1. Hear the word of God. Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians and God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers, constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren, beloved by God, His choice of you. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction, just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit. so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. Well, as we've been going through this chapter, we have seen that their lives have been changed by the gospel. The gospel comes to the city of Thessalonica and it comes, as we'll see this morning, in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. And those who heard it received the word that was spoken to them. They received and accepted and believed the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. And so we've been seeing how their lives were changed by the gospel. And last week we saw how their relationships were changed by the gospel. He calls them in verse four, brethren. And so we focus on that word, how in our salvation, our relationships change as well. Now this morning, let me begin with a question. Why were they changed by the gospel? Why were they changed by the gospel? Now there are many answers to that question. They were changed by the gospel because of the power of the gospel. Remember in Romans 1 verse 16, the apostle Paul said, for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. So they had been changed by the gospel because the gospel is the power of God for salvation. They were changed by the gospel because of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of power. the one who is at work to change lives through the gospel. But looking specifically at verse four, how would you answer the question, why were their lives changed by the gospel? Verse four says, knowing brethren beloved by God, his choice of you. Well, they were changed because they were chosen. They were changed by the gospel because they were chosen by God. Why did they believe the gospel? The same reason anyone believes the gospel. In the words of Acts 13 verse 48, as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. Why were their lives impacted by the gospel? It was because God chose them for salvation, for his own glory, and to the eternal praise of his name. Why were they new creatures in Christ? Because God chose to save them from what their sins deserved. The gospel had an impact on their lives because God chose to rescue them from the domain of darkness and transfer them to the kingdom of his beloved son. To use the words of Colossians 1 verse 13. Why were they beloved by God as that phrase is used of them in verse four? Well, because God chose to love them. Not because they were lovely or worthy of love, but because God chose to set his love upon them. So they believed the gospel and they were changed by the gospel because they were chosen by God. And that's what we see very clearly here in verse four. God's choice of them. Looking back to verse 1, how is it that they were in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, because of His sovereign grace. God's grace can be traced back to His eternal decree, the sovereign choice of God to save sinners. In verse 2, this is why Paul's thanksgiving for them is directed to God. We give thanks to God. Why? Because God was the source of their salvation. And God chose the appointed means by which sinners would be saved. Namely, through the preaching of the gospel. And we see that in verse 5. God chose the appointed time they would hear the gospel. God chose the appointed time they would believe the gospel and be changed by the gospel. So I'm using the word chose in many contexts or appointed by God in many contexts. God is the one who chose them unto salvation. God is the one who sovereignly appointed the gospel to go to Thessalonica. through the Apostle Paul and Silvanus and Timothy. God chose the appointed means, therefore, by which they would be saved through the preaching of the gospel, that it would come to them in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. God chose the appointed time that they would believe, and God changed them because of His sovereign choice to save them. Salvation is all of God and all of grace. And God's grace is powerful. God's grace and God's power are not separated, but they're bound together. As I've said before, when you speak of God's grace, you're speaking of God's power. They were changed by the grace of God at work in them, operable in them, to bring them to saving faith and then to change them and sanctify them. So when God gives grace in Christ Jesus, He is at work to powerfully change the sinner. And this is why I can say salvation bears fruit. We saw that in verse three. Their work of faith, work coming from faith, their labor of love, their labor that would found its source in their love for God and others. and the steadfastness of hope. See, it was bearing fruit. The Gospel bears fruit. The fruit of a changed lives. We can't take credit for that. We cannot and we should not boast as if our salvation is due to us or our doing. For our salvation finds its origin far before we ever heard the Gospel. When did God choose them? It speaks of His choice of them in verse 4. When did He choose them? When did God choose to set His saving love on them? Well, we know from the rest of Scripture that our salvation goes back before the foundation of the world. It goes back before what we have recorded in Genesis 1 verse 1. Our salvation goes back to the sovereign choice of God before the world had even been created. The root of this change goes back before time. They were changed by the gospel because they were chosen by God. In the words of Ephesians 1, verses 4-6, He, God the Father, chose us in Him, God the Son, before the foundation of the world, that we would be made holy and blameless before Him. In love, you should tie that to 1 Thessalonians 4, one verse four, beloved by God. In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the beloved. In 1 Thessalonians 1.4, Paul just says it this way, knowing brethren beloved by God, his choice of you. So here we see the doctrine of election once again in the Bible. But we also see the relationship of the doctrine of election to the word of God. Verse four is tied to verse five. We see the relationship of the doctrine of election to the word of God, the gospel, and the preaching of the gospel. It came to them, the gospel, the word came to them. And those who have been chosen before the foundation of the world, then God sovereignly brought at his appointed time, the gospel to them, that they may hear the good news and believe. And we see also the relationship of the doctrine of election in this passage to the fruit of salvation, or we could say to sanctification. We dare not separate them as if some can be chosen by God, but never then as believers be sanctified by God or changed and made more into conformity to the image of their savior. And so let's consider these things which are found here in 1 Thessalonians 1 under these headings. First of all, election explained. Election explained. Secondly, election's relationship. And thirdly, election's evidence. First, election explained. What is the doctrine of election? What does it mean? What does the Bible teach about election? Then, election's relationship. That is, what is the relationship of election to the gospel? More specifically, what is the relationship of election, God choosing the saved sinners, to the proclamation of the gospel? And then we'll see election's evidence. What is the fruit or evidence of election? The Apostle Paul had confidence that they were the elect of God because of the fruit and evidence he saw in their lives. What evidence and fruit did he see? And what evidence or fruit does God's choice of sinners bring? So let's begin with election explained. Election explained. God's election of them unto salvation, God's choice of them is mentioned here in 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 4. It's also mentioned in his second letter to them, 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13, which says this, But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. So there in 2 Thessalonians 2.13, he explains a little more. There's a little more there, but he is saying the same thing. Brethren, beloved by God, God has chosen you. He has chosen you. So we have those two references to God choosing them unto salvation or the doctrine of election. 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 4, 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. He doesn't explain the doctrine of election here in 1st or 2nd Thessalonians. He just states it as fact. Now I think we may safely assume that this was not a new truth to these believers. In fact, I think we can safely assume that Paul had already taught it to them when he was with them. and he taught it to them as new believers. He didn't say, this is something I'll wait for five years or 10 years, when you're a more mature Christian, after your conversion. No, he taught them the doctrine of election when they were young in the faith, and now he just makes reference to it. They knew what he was referring to. You see, the doctrine of election is not a peripheral doctrine. It's not an unimportant doctrine which has little consequence. Understanding the doctrine of election is necessary that we might understand first the depths of the grace of God in our salvation. For without an understanding of the biblical doctrine of election, we'll be prone to pride. thinking too highly of ourselves and giving ourselves credit for our salvation, boasting in ourselves in some way to some measure before God, forgetting that it is by His doing that we are in Christ Jesus. And understanding the doctrine of election will also aid us in understanding related doctrines. It actually will help you in understanding the power of God in sanctification. How many say, I believe in the doctrine of election, however they may define that, and then they teach the so-called carnal Christian doctrine. You can be saved and never changed by the power of the gospel. They've somehow disconnected the sovereign grace and power of God in election from the sovereign power and grace of God in sanctification. But we don't see that in the church at Thessalonica. We don't see that in the Bible. Understanding the doctrine of election will aid us in assurance. And it will aid us in worship. For the doctrine of election is a cause to fall on our faces before God and praise Him for His grace. You see, this is no minor doctrine. Nor is it a doctrine to be debated simply in academia. The doctrine of election is an essential doctrine which is interwoven throughout all sound doctrine and which is necessary to understand for our sanctification. So do you understand the doctrine of election? Now the doctrine of election isn't explained here in the depth that it is in other places in scripture, but Let me undertake under this one point this morning just the task of explaining it rather briefly. Now I preached on the doctrine of election on many occasions and just specifically on this doctrine. I've taught on it on many occasions through the years. It's not new to you. But let me just briefly explain it. Maybe it is to some of you. Maybe the last time I preached on these things you were Younger, maybe an unbeliever, maybe younger in the faith, maybe at a different place spiritually. Let me just briefly explain the doctrine of election. Here the Apostle Paul speaks of a choice in salvation. He says his choice of you. What choice is paramount in Paul's mind? Notice he doesn't say knowing your choice of God. No, he says, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you. If you are a born again believer, trusting in Jesus Christ alone, saved by God's grace, forgiven and justified before God, it is ultimately not because of your choice, but God's choice. Now, did the Thessalonians believe and receive the words spoken to them? Yes, they received the words spoken to them. We see that in verse 6. Did they believe the gospel? Yes. Did they turn from idols to serve a true and living God? Yes, we see that in verse 9. They repented. But what preceded their faith? What preceded their repentance? What was the ultimate cause of their faith and repentance? God's choice of them. And this is true of every believer. Turn briefly, if you will, to Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1. Now, I've got to do the flyover here. Remember the illustration of the Grand Canyon last week? We've got to do the flyover. So then we can hike down into the canyon, so to speak, and look at the details in chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1, verses 3 through 6. Paul says, here's a reason to praise God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. And here, he begins to speak of those spiritual blessings, just as he chose us in him, that is, in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of his will. to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. God chose to save. God chose to save helpless sinners who can do nothing to save themselves. This is the doctrine of election. It declares that God sovereignly chose before the foundation of the world to bring about the salvation of certain and specific individuals from the mass of fallen humanity, not on the basis of anything in them, not on the basis of any supposed merit he foresaw in them, not on the basis of anything they would do, but solely on the basis of His sovereign, free, and gracious will for His own glory. And this is the work of the triune God. Now, the Father chose us, it says in verse 4, He predestined us, but then in verse 7, it says that Jesus redeemed us by His blood. And in verse 13, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. So our salvation is the work of the triune God. All to the praise of the glory of His grace. But where does it all begin? What is the origin of our salvation? It's in Ephesians 1 verse 4 and in 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 4. He chose us. It's His choice of us. He chose us. People make much of the will of man. The Bible makes much of the will of God and the choice of God. God chose us. And here's the simple truth which should cause every Christian to bless and praise God. We have been saved by the sovereign will of God. He chose us. He predestined us. The one who, in Ephesians 1.17, works all things after the counsel of His will. This is one of the all things. He sovereignly chose to save us by His grace. Therefore, the Bible calls Christians those who have been chosen. Colossians 3 verse 12, those who have been chosen of God. 2 Timothy 2 verse 10, those who are chosen. Titus 1 verse 1, those chosen of God. In 1 Peter 2, verse 9, we're called a chosen race. In Romans 8, 33, we are called God's elect. In Acts 13, verse 48, it says, those who had been appointed to eternal life believed. Any person's faith is preceded by, ultimately, a divine appointment for salvation by God the Father. He chose us. Therefore, the Bible speaks of the Father giving the Son people. All that the Father gives me, Jesus said, shall come to me. John 6 verse 37. Of all that the Father has given me, I will lose nothing," John 6, verse 39. When Jesus prayed in John 17 to His Father, He says, you gave Him authority, meaning Him, the Son, over all flesh, that of all whom you have given Him, He may give eternal life. God the Father gave the Son certain and specific sinners. chosen of God, given to the Son. Our salvation originates and is brought about by the sovereign choice of God. God is free to do His holy will. The Son gives life to whom He wishes, John 5 verse 21. So God is sovereign in our salvation. He's sovereign in all things. We say He does whatever He pleases. Psalm 115 verse 3. He declares the end from the beginning. He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. Daniel 4 verse 35. He works all things after the counsel of His will and this includes The choice to save certain and specific sinners to the praise of the glory of His grace. It's not based on anything in us. It's not based on anything He would foresee in us. For if God just looks down through the quarters of time and says, oh, I know who will choose me, so I'll choose them, then God is the responder rather than the one who plans and executes the plan of salvation. No, God is sovereign in salvation. It is by His eternal decree. It is an unconditional election. It's not conditioned on us in any way. It is based purely and solely on a sovereign God who has mercy on whom He will choose to have mercy and compassion on those He chooses to have compassion. Therefore, it's not a conditional election, but an unconditional election. That is, it is not conditioned on anything in the center, but on the sovereign, free choice of Almighty God. Now that's just election explained very briefly. The believers in the church at Thessalonica understood this. So the Paul doesn't need to explain. And here he doesn't even in this context take the time to really rejoice in it specifically as he does in Ephesians one where he says, blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he's rejoicing nonetheless. This is one of the reasons for his thanksgiving to God for them. So that is election explained very briefly. But secondly, consider elections relationship. Now this is important here in 1 Thessalonians 1. What is the relationship of election to the gospel? And more specifically, to the proclamation of the gospel? Now there are those who misunderstand the doctrine of election and would ask this, if God chose to save sinners before the foundation of the world, then why proclaim the gospel? Won't God save them whether they hear the gospel or not since they're chosen of God? No. The means by which the elect come to the knowledge of the truth and believe on Christ is through the preaching of the gospel. God not only sovereignly chooses to save sinners, God also sovereignly chooses the means by which they will be saved. Namely, through the preaching of the gospel. And we see that back in 1 Thessalonians 1, we see it in verse 5. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. So God chose them, verse 4, and God sovereignly chose the time in which the gospel would come to them, the means by which it would come to them. So the gospel came to them. Don't separate verse 4 from verse 5. It will lead to all kinds of heresies. He speaks of God choosing them, His choice of you, but then He reminds them. His confidence is that the gospel came and it came in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. He spoke of how it did not come to them and how it did come to them. But don't miss the fact that God chose them and the gospel came to them in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction. So the doctrine of election doesn't stand alone. There are many other truths, many other biblical doctrines which are inextricably bound to it. There's a whole set of truths that fall under what we call the call of God. There's the general call of God in the gospel, and then there is the effectual call of God. Now, what's the effectual call of God? See, these are things we need to understand biblically. The effectual call of God is the work of God whereby He calls the elect out of their state of spiritual death and gives them spiritual life. The Holy Spirit enlightens the minds of His elect spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, to understand the gospel, but He also renews their wills, He makes them alive by His almighty power, and He then grants them By His grace, the gift of faith. He affectionately draws them to Christ. And yet in such a way, we would quickly say that they're made willing by His grace. This is what we sometimes call irresistible grace. Those elected by the Father. of whom Jesus came to lay down his life, they will come to him in faith. He will draw them to himself, but how? By the preaching of the gospel. by the preaching of the gospel. So you have this effectual call of God. Pastor Ernest was referring to it in our call to worship in Ephesians 2. What was our former state? Well, in Ephesians 2, we were slaves of sin. We were first in spiritual death. We were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were slaves to our sin. We walked according to the course of this world, and we walked according to the course of the prince of the power of the air, we're slaves of Satan, and we were by nature children of wrath. That was our former state. But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, made us alive together with Christ. But God. Yeah, it's hard to pass over those words without reminding us we were dead, but God. We were enslaved to sin, but God. We were enslaved to Satan himself doing his will, but God. We were under the wrath by nature. We were children of wrath, deserving the wrath of God, but God. God made us alive in Christ. That's the doctrine of effectual calling. where God makes alive the dead sinner. But through what means does He do that? It is through what we call the general call or the gospel call. Now we call it the general call because the gospel is to be preached to all. It goes out to all generally. It's an indiscriminate call. We call out to everyone. And we proclaim to everyone. Here's what Jesus did that sins can be forgiven. Here's what he did to accomplish redemption. Here's the person and work of Christ. And then we call people to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It goes out universally to all. It is what we call the external call, the outward call. We proclaim it, it's heard with the ears. There are many who are called, Jesus said. That is the general call, but few are chosen. And so a distinction is made. The gospel goes out to all, but there are few who are chosen, who respond to it in faith. Now, who's responsible for this general call? Well, we are. The church is to proclaim the gospel. And God sends forth those in particular with the responsibility of the proclamation of the gospel. The effectual call is the work of God. Only God can make a dead sinner alive. That's his work. But what we are called to do is to proclaim the gospel to all. So God chose to save sinners before the foundation of the world, but how did those sinners come to faith in Christ? Through the general call, the gospel call. The gospel must be preached for there to be the salvation of the elect. Election assures the salvation of the objects of God's sovereign grace, but it doesn't cancel out the means by which they will be saved. The proclamation of the gospel. Now, let me use an illustration here. And I want to be careful with the illustration, but I think it illustrates it in a way that will be helpful. Did God sovereignly choose for you to be born? Yes. I don't think there's anyone who would say no. You'd say, no, God's sovereign over who's going to be born. Was it necessary for your parents to be joined together in that one flesh relationship? For you to be born, yes. Well, so I mean, if God chose you to be born, the means by which conception occurs is unnecessary, right? Of course not, no one would say that. God chose that you'd be sovereignly born, but it does not cancel out the necessity of the means by which God has ordained for conception to occur. And no one in their right mind, I don't think, as a professing believer would say, no couple says, as they're praying together, they say, I don't know if it's God's will for a child to be born or not, let's just pray, but we won't do anything that God has ordained the means by which that would occur, right? Never heard anyone say that. Why would it be different for spiritual birth, so to speak, to be born again? God chooses to save sinners, and those sinners will be born again, but not through the God-ordained means by which they will be born again. Through the preaching of the Word of God. And so, God chose that sinners will be born and believe on Christ, but this in no way cancels out the need for the gospel to be preached. And so here we see the relationship between election and the proclamation of the gospel. God chooses to save sinners, and guess what? God chooses to send preachers. Both are by the sovereign will of God. Now the apostle Paul knew this very well. That's why he went to Thessalonica. Remember in his conversion in Acts 9 verse 15, the Lord said to him, go, for he, Paul, is a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. And therefore the apostle Paul knew that he was saved and then called by God to preach the gospel. He says in 2 Timothy 1 verse 11, I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher. You'll find many places where he will make reference to the fact that he is called to preach, to proclaim the gospel. The one who understood the doctrine of sovereign election, understood the necessity of preachers, the proclamation of the gospel. So God attends to the preaching of the gospel so that it will bring in those who are chosen from the foundation of the world. God sends preachers who preach the gospel in power and in the Spirit and with full conviction. God sends forth His gospel through human means, but it comes to sinners, to use verse 5, 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 5, in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction. So when he speaks of God's sovereign choice, never would he divorce that from the proclamation of the gospel. So he says in verse five, here's the relationship, for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. He says it didn't come this way in word only. Now, it did come in word. They received the word, verse six. Verse eight, the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you. So it does come in word. One commentator said this, as the adverb only implies, the gospel certainly was made known to the Thessalonians through the instrumentality of human words. The Christian message cannot be transmitted through mere forms or rituals. It is an intelligent message that must be made known through well-chosen and appropriate terminology. In making known to men his saving grace, God uses men, not angels, recipients themselves of the same grace who can give testimony with their lives as with their lips. But the gospel is not transformingly communicated through mere words, however brilliant, eloquent, or imposing they may be. Mere rhetorical skill, apart from the spiritual dynamic of the message, can never achieve such a result. So it comes in word, but he says it doesn't come in word only. Sometimes, I think we could say the gospel's shared and it comes in word. People hear the words and it falls flat, as we say sometimes. It has no effect. But that wasn't the case as he's remembering them. He came in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. The Apostle Paul spoke, he communicated the word, but he didn't trust his oratory skills to bring sinners out of darkness into light and out of death into life. No, the God who chose to save sinners would use his powerful word, the gospel, to save them. You remember in 1 Corinthians 2 verse 1, that Paul said, when I came to you, brethren, I did not come to you with superiority of speech or of wisdom proclaiming to you the testimony of God. And in 1 Corinthians 2, verse four, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power. He didn't trust in his ability to communicate. You see, this is why We don't trust in us. We're just earthen vessels, Paul called himself, or a clay pot, depending on your translation. God uses us. We're not great orators. We're not great speakers. He uses that which is common so that the power might be of God, not of man. So yes, it's communicated in words and the proclamation of the gospel needs to be specific and biblical. The content needs to be accurate. But it must also come in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction. And this is what the gospel does. It comes in power. When someone's born again, those who've been chosen then hear and believe, it's because they've been born again, not of a seed which is perishable, but that which is imperishable through the living and abiding word of God. 1 Peter 1 verse 23. It's because of the word and the power of God using the powerful gospel to open blind eyes. and make dead sinners alive. And where does the word get its power? The Holy Spirit. That's why he says in verse five, it came to you not only in power, but corresponding to that and in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is at work when the gospel is preached to accomplish its purposes. and at God's appointed time to bring the elect to himself. It is the Spirit who gives life, Jesus said in John 6 verse 63. Someone has said this, we must never divorce what God has married, namely his word and his spirit. The word of God is the spirit sword. The spirit without the word is weaponless. The word without the spirit is powerless. And I would say we really can't divorce the two. When the word is preached, when the gospel is proclaimed, the spirit is at work accomplishing his purposes. I think this is the quote from Spurgeon, that the same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay. So sometimes the spirit is at work, not only to melt the wax, not only to make a spiritually dead sinner alive, but to harden the clay, sometimes to harden those who for this doom they were appointed. The Spirit is always at work in the proclamation of the word. So he says it came in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. This refers to the messenger, the preacher, not the recipients. Paul preached with full conviction and assurance of the truth. It's why he calls it our gospel in verse five. See, he speaks of it as our gospel, not because it originated from him, But because he's been called to proclaim it, it's been given to him, as he would tell Timothy, as a treasure entrusted to you. This is our gospel. And he says, I believe this. I've been transformed by it. I've been saved by it. And therefore he preaches it with full conviction, with full assurance. It matters who proclaims the gospel, by the way. God can use a donkey. But God chooses to send those who have been saved by His grace, transformed by the gospel, faithful preachers to herald the message in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. So this is what we ought to pray. God send preachers, send faithful preachers who have been transformed by the gospel and who will preach in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction and assurance that this is true. God, would you cause the word to come, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in full conviction. God, give us evangelists, give us preachers, give us proclaimers, give us pastors who preach not in word only, but in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction. So here we see election's relationship to the proclamation, the preaching of the gospel. Never divorce them. And as Paul writes, I think if anyone had said, oh, the elect can be saved apart from the preaching of the gospel, it would have been so foreign to him. As he writes, and the Thessalonians would have understood, knowing, brethren, beloved by God, his choice of you, for our gospel did not come to you in word only. Those things are so married together. But then we see election's evidence. Election's evidence. Back in verse 4, he says, knowing, brethren beloved by God, his choice of you. That's interesting, knowing. Paul says, knowing this. We say, how do we know who the elect are? Well, the apostle didn't have some secret knowledge of the sovereign decree of God so that he could confirm who was among the elect and who was not. Election is not observed. It occurred in eternity past. No one witnessed it. And there's no list of names of which we are privy that we may know who is among the elect. But we know this, election does lead to salvation at God's appointed time through the preaching of the gospel. and God's choice to save certain and specific sinners, while that decree doesn't itself accomplish the salvation of the elect, it assures it. It does guarantee that the salvation of the elect will occur at God's appointed time through His appointed means. And having chosen to save some sinners, when God brings them to faith in Christ, there is always fruit. And the apostle saw that fruit. He saw the work of God in them. He saw the fruit of regeneration and salvation. He saw holiness. He saw the work of faith, verse three, a labor of love and a steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. And it gave him confidence that they were among the elect. And therefore we see here the evidence of election, knowing, brethren, beloved by God, his choice of you. He knew it, why? Because in verse 6, He speaks of them having received the Word. They received it. We'll see that when we get to that verse in more detail. But they welcomed it. And He'll speak in 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 13 that they received the Word. and accepted it not as the Word of men, but as it really was the Word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. You see the active nature of the Gospel, not just in justification, not just in bringing about faith in Christ, but then continuing to be at work. And he saw that in these lives of believers. And he says, knowing, brethren, beloved by God, His choice of you. John Calvin said this, purity of life is not improperly called the evidence and proof of election, by which the fateful may not only testify to others that they are children of God, but also confirm themselves in this confidence. Purity of life. See, this is why I've been laying the foundation of change by the gospel, relationships changed by the gospel, so that then Paul would say, knowing, brethren, beloved by God, His choice of you. It was the manner in which it came to them, they believed it, they received it, and now it was bearing fruit in their lives. And therefore he had confidence. These are the chosen of God. Do you see that fruit in your life? Do you wanna know if you are truly among the elect of God? Again, I taught on assurance of salvation not too long ago, two, I believe it was two, maybe three Sunday school lessons. And we talked about the objective aspect of assurance, that we look to Christ. We have to know and understand who he is, what he did for us. And our assurance is based on the person and work of Christ. What he accomplished for our redemption. But there's also the aspect of, then is it bearing fruit in my life? If I have true saving faith, there will be evidence of it. And if you divorce the two, you come to great error. No, there is an ordo salutis, we call it. An order of salvation begins with God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. And skipping over various things, we can say, and then He brings those who've been chosen to faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel. And then that yields sanctification, a changed life, a transformed life. For the Spirit is still at work using the Word now to sanctify believers. And one day they will be glorified when Christ comes for His saints at the day of resurrection. The doctrine of election. It's a glorious doctrine. It caused us to worship God. And when we understand it rightly, we see, oh, why are we so changed because of the choice of God? Not my choice of Him, because of the sovereign decree of God to bring about my salvation through the preaching of the gospel, the power of His grace to make me alive. Are you bearing the fruit of one who indeed has been chosen of God? Now some of you may be here and say, I'm not a believer, what if I'm not chosen of God? How do I know? You're trying to figure out things God has not revealed, it's not to you to know. For you, who maybe are, in some cases, using the doctrine of election as a reason, an excuse not to come to Christ. So I'm just waiting for God. Let me read to you the words of Charles Spurgeon. Many persons want to know their election before they look to Christ, but they cannot learn it thus. It is only to be discovered by looking to Jesus. If you desire to ascertain your own election, after the following manner shall you assure your heart before God. Do you feel yourself to be a lost guilty sinner? Go straight way to the cross of Christ and tell Jesus so and tell him that you have read it in the Bible. He that comes unto me I will no wise cast out. Tell him that he said this is a fateful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Look to Him and believe on Him, and you shall make proof of your election directly. For so surely as thou believest, thou art elect. If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust Him, then you are one of God's chosen ones. But if you stop and say, I want to know first whether I am elect, you ask not what, or you ask, You ask, you know not what. Go to Jesus. Be you never so guilty just as you are. Leave all curious inquiry about election alone. Go straight to Christ and hide in his wounds and you shall know your election. The assurance of the Holy Spirit shall not be given to you or shall be given to you. so that you shall be able to say, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him. Christ was at the everlasting counsel. He can tell you whether you were chosen or not, but you cannot find it any other way. Go and put your trust in him, and his answer will be, I have loved you with an everlasting love. There will be no doubt about His having chosen you when you have chosen Him. In other words, what Spurgeon is telling you, stop trying to find out the secret counsel of God. How do you know the elect? They come to faith in Christ. They hear the call. Look to Jesus. Believe in Him. Trust nothing else and no one else. Cast aside. Repent of your self-reliance and self-trust. Repent of your pride and your self-righteousness. And come humbly to Jesus and rest in Him alone. And then, having rested upon Him, you can say, knowing, brethren beloved by God. His choice of you. Let's bow our heads together in prayer. Our Father who is in heaven, you are a good and gracious God. Oh, that you would save any, for we are all sinners and all deserve eternal condemnation, eternal wrath, eternal punishment, eternal torment, For we are rebels against you. Creatures who have set ourselves against you have gone our own way. Those who serve ourselves, serve our sin, and indeed serve Satan himself, whether we know it or not, is unbelievers. But you, God, in your mercy, in your grace, would choose to save any. is amazing to us. Thank you for your mercy and your kindness and your grace that you have shown to us through the Lord Jesus. Thank you that at your sovereignly appointed time, we heard and not only heard, but then believed. Thank you that for all of us who have been saved, the word came in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. And we were made alive in Christ and we believed on the Lord Jesus and thank you that by your grace and your power and the power of the Holy Spirit we've been transformed and changed and we love the people of God and we love you and we love what is holy. And we are by your spirit putting to death the deeds of the flesh. Father, thank you for that work that the Word is continuing to do in us. All praise and honor and glory to you and continue that work, we pray, in your church, in your people, until the end of the age, when we will be transformed and glorified and these bodies will be raised immortal without the presence of sin. Father, we look forward to that day, but until then, we pray, be at work in your church to accomplish your purposes. All to your glory, we pray in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, amen.