It's an age-old question. When you become a Christian, was it because you chose Christ or Christ chose you? How much depends on you and how much depends on God where salvation is concerned. We'll find out next on today's Grace to You. In the past few broadcasts of Grace to You, John MacArthur has been walking you through one of the most amazing aspects of salvation in Christ, namely, your election, your predestined rescue from sin and death to eternal life. And as John has explained, election, that undeserved choice of God, is a completely free gift to those who believe. What gift greater than that? And yet, this doctrine of election has been called the most despised doctrine in all of Scripture. Why is that? What is it about this idea that God is the one who enables people to believe that makes folks so angry? Well, consider that tragic, ironic response to God's merciful gift as you follow along today for the message. And here's John McArthur now to continue the study chosen for eternity. Above all other things, we are grateful to God that He has saved us. Nothing else would matter if that were not true. And we affirm together that our salvation is fully the work of God, that He is worthy of all praise, for He has provided for us salvation. It is a gift It has been given to us. It is all God's work, and all the glory belongs to Him. What a wonderful realization that is. One scripture stands out in my mind in thinking about this is Ephesians chapter 1, and I invite you to turn there in your Bible, if you will. Ephesians chapter 1, and I want to read in your hearing verses 3 through 14. This great paean of praise from the heart of the Apostle Paul is not a cool documentation of some theological argument. It is the passion and overflow of his own thankful heart. It appears in the original as if there's no break at all, and while some of the translators have chosen to put commas and periods, it doesn't seem in the original that there's any stopping point. From verse 3 through 14, he just continues to allow his heart, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, to gush out praise for the God who has saved him. And as I read it in your hearing, would you listen for those things which assign our salvation, holy, to God. Verse 3, 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, just 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 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 Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him. With a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth, In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose, who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory. What dominates this wonderful section of Scripture is the idea that God has brought about salvation by His own will and His own purpose and His own design and to the praise of His own glory. In verses 5, 9, and 11, salvation is ascribed to His will. In verses 6 and 7, it is ascribed to His grace. Again in verse 7, to His blood. In verse 4, to His love. In verse 9, to His good intention. In verse 11, to His purpose. And in verses 12 and 14, to the praise of His glory. Salvation is not a result of the will of man, it is not a result of the merit of man, it is not a result of some religious sacrifice on man's part, it is not a result of the love of man, it is not a result of the good intention of man, it is not a result of the purpose of man, and it is not to the praise and glory of man. Every aspect of salvation is born out of the purpose and the will and the plan of God that when it is accomplished it may be solely and only to the praise and the glory of God. God has saved us in order that He might be glorified, therefore all in our salvation belongs to His credit. Every aspect of salvation is the work of God, but you will notice here that that work is mediated through Christ. In verse 4, it says it is in Him, meaning Christ. In verse 5, it says it is through Jesus Christ. In verse 6, it says it is in the Beloved One, meaning Christ. In verse 7, in Him, meaning Christ. In verse 9, purposed in Him, meaning Christ. In verses 10 and 11, in Him, referring to Christ. In verse 12, in Christ. In verse 13, twice, in Him, again referring to Christ. Our salvation is solely and only and wholly the work of God, but through Christ it is wrought, and also with the Holy Spirit. Verse 13 notes, that we have been sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, the guarantee of the full and future redemption of God's own possession. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are given all the credit for salvation, and thus theirs is all the praise. Let me remind you that every element in salvation is the work of God, and let me remind you by using the words of the Holy Spirit-inspired writer, Paul. First of all, would you notice verse 3? 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. Paul is there saying, the one deserving all the credit is God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. This is praise to God, praise ascribed to God the Father for what He has done. And what has He done? Number one, He chose us. Look at verse 4. just as He chose us in Him, meaning Christ, before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before Him. He chose us to be made holy in Christ. He chose us to become blameless in Christ. He chose us before the foundation of the world. Now, the verb, He chose us, means to pick for oneself. It's a reflexive verb, and it turns back on the one who chooses. God chose for His own sake. He chose for Himself. Very personal. And He chose us, all of us who were saved, He chose, it says very explicitly, note it, before the foundation of the world, before the world ever began, before the world was ever created, which means before any of us were ever born. He had already chosen us. Scripture repeats this tremendous truth of the choice of God as to who would be redeemed before the world was ever made. It repeats it in many places. Matthew 25, 34, "'Come, you who are blessed of my Father,' said Jesus, "'inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'" The Lord designed His kingdom from before the foundation of the world, and He designed who would be in it from before the foundation of the world. And you and I are saved, and we know the Lord Jesus Christ because God chose us before the world ever began. What an incredible reality. In Luke 12, 32, We find again that the Lord says, do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. And again, the choice is always with God. Men don't choose God. God chooses men. His is the choice. In John, there are several wonderful statements to this effect, one familiar to us. Jesus says, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, compels him, pulls him, drags him. And in John 15, 16, that wonderful statement of Jesus to the disciples in which he says, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. We didn't choose him, he chose us. We didn't decide for Christ, in the truest sense, he decided for us. In Acts chapter 9, you remember the Apostle Paul was confronted by the Lord on the Damascus Road, and the Lord said in verse 15, "'Go, for He is a chosen instrument of Mine. The conversion of the apostle Paul was abrupt, startling, shocking. The man was on his way to persecute Christians. He was supernaturally, divinely converted on the spot, transformed and called to be an apostle because God had chosen him to that before the world began. In the thirteenth chapter of Acts, a most fascinating statement is found in verse 48. Paul and Barnabas ready to preach, and when the Gentiles heard this, that is regarding the gospel and the gospel of salvation, they began rejoicing and glorifying the Word of the Lord. Now note this, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. The only people who believe are those who have been appointed to eternal life. God only grants the gift of faith to those who are predestined to salvation. He chose us, and to those He has chosen, He gives the power to believe. In 2 Thessalonians, a wonderful statement, chapter 2 verse 13, but we should always give thanks to God for you. Why should we always thank God? Brethren, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation. That's why we thank Him. We don't thank you for your salvation. We don't thank you for being bright enough, clever enough, spiritual enough, insightful enough. We thank God for you because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation. through sanctification by the Spirit, coupled with belief in the truth. There has to be faith on your part, but that faith is the result of God's choosing. as He prompts it by His Spirit. 2 Timothy 1.9, it says, who has saved us, speaking of God, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was, follow this, granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. Tremendous statement. He saved us. He called us, not according to our works, but according to His purpose, His grace, granted us in Christ from all eternity. That's mind-boggling to me. I'm a Christian today because before the foundation of the world from all eternity passed, God chose to set His love on John MacArthur and to give him the faith to believe at the moment that God wanted him to believe. He chose us. Our names, it says in Revelation 17, 8, were written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world, before the foundation of the world. We are, says Peter, chosen, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood." We are chosen unto salvation. We are chosen to belong to Him. When you look at your salvation, then thank God. Thank God because you're a Christian because He chose you. I don't understand the mystery of that. That's just what the Word of God teaches. That is the most humbling doctrine in all of Scripture. I take no credit, not even credit for my faith. It all came from Him. He chose me. He selected people to be made holy in order to be with Him forever. Why He selected me, I will never know. I'm no better than anyone else. I'm worse than many, but He chose me. Someone wrote, I sought the Lord and afterwards knew He moved my soul to seek Him seeking me. It was not that I found, O Savior, true. No, I was found by Thee. He chose us. He gets all the credit. He predestined us, verse 5. It says it. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the kind intention of His will. His will, His intention, His purpose determined our destiny. That's what predestined means. It means to previously determine someone's destiny. He did that. He chose us and the purpose of His choosing was to set out our destiny. And what was our destiny? To be adopted as sons. Incredible. He chose us for the purpose of predetermining our destiny to be children of God. The purpose of His choosing was to make us His children. To as many as receive Him, John 1, 12, He gives the power to become what? The children of God, or the sons of God. And we are His children, Romans 8 says, and we cry, Abba, Father, Daddy. It says the same thing in Galatians 3, 26. We are His own beloved children. We belong to Him. In Galatians 4 or 6, it says, And because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Therefore, you're no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir through God. What a tremendous reality. We are His children. We are not just His children, we are His beloved children. We are His adored children. And John says, and it's little wonder that he says it in 1 John 3, 1, how great love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. But we are. We are. And so He chose us. And He chose us for the purpose of predetermining our destiny to become His children. And He did it according to the kind intention of His will. He did it, to put it simply, because He wanted to. It gave Him pleasure. And He says in Isaiah 46.10, I do all My good pleasure. I fulfill all My purposes. It's an incredible thought. God in eternity past chose you for a destiny, and that destiny was to become His child. Now to make that possible, we come to a third reality here, He graced us. He graced us. The plan, the choice, the predestination was activated in reality through His grace, verse 6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved One who is Christ." What is grace? Undeserved favor? Unearned blessing? Unmerited goodness and kindness? Grace is giving us something we do not deserve at all. And that's the way we're saved. We're saved by grace. In Ephesians 2 it says, for by grace are you saved through faith. And that is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. None of works lest any man should...what?...boast. We would take the credit if we had any credit to take. But it's all of Him. The grace is of Him. The faith is of Him. Not according to our works. In Acts 15.11, do you remember? that wonderful and simple, straightforward statement, but we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. What a testimony. We believe we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. And in the 18th chapter of Acts, same book, verse 27, it says, He wanted to go across to Achaia. The brethren encouraged him, wrote to the disciples to welcome him. Speaking of Paul, when he had arrived, he helped greatly those who had believed through grace. It's the only way anybody believes is God graciously gives you the ability to believe. You don't deserve it. He gives it anyway. You can't merit it. He gives it anyway. You can't earn it. He gives it anyway. Romans 3, 24 says we are justified as a gift by His grace, a gift by His grace. He graced us. In fact, the phrase there in verse 6 literally means, by grace we have been graced. That's the idea. He graced us in Christ, the Beloved One. Grace then was the means by which he brought to pass his choice and his predetermined destiny and made us his children. Notice what he did. He redeemed us. Verse 7. In Him we have redemption through His blood. He redeemed us. What does it mean to redeem? To buy back. What did He do to buy us? Well, we were slaves to sin. We were slaves to death and hell and Satan and demons. We were slaves to the fallen flesh. We were slaves to the world. And there we were in the slave market. And He came to the slave market and He bought us. Worthless, wretched, vile, rotten, darkened, hopeless. with minds that could never know God, and hearts that could never seek righteousness. And all our desire was lust and evil, and we were unworthy. And He came and bought us. Why? Because He chose us, because He predestined us, because He was wanting to grace us with grace. That's John MacArthur here on Grace to You. His lesson today on the sovereignty of God comes from the current series of studies in Ephesians chapter 1 titled, Chosen for Eternity. Well, it's no surprise that folks might have questions about the doctrine of election. With that said, John, I know that we have a related question that came through our Q&A line from the Grace to You listener. Let's hear this question and then you can take a moment to respond. Hi, John. My name is Ken. I'm from St. Louis, Missouri. I understand what sovereign election is and I agree with it. So my question is, why would God create someone that is not going to be saved? So I'll try to keep that brief. Thank you. That's a good question, Ken. Every one of us has asked that question. The answer to that question is a very simple answer, because it brings Him glory. It brings Him glory. It brings Him glory to put His judgment on display. It brings Him glory to put His justice on display. It brings Him glory even to punish the wicked. God will in the end be glorified, and He will manifest the full range of His attributes. But having said that, Ken, you have to understand this, that the Bible is crystal clear that people perish and go to hell because they willfully refuse to believe. They will not believe in God who is revealed in creation and conscience. That's what Romans 1 and 2 is saying. When they knew Him as God, they refused to worship Him as God and turned away from Him. No one is ever sent to hell in Scripture or consigned to eternal judgment for any other reason than unbelief. So while on the one hand we believe no one is saved apart from the elect, correspondingly no one is damned because they weren't elect. They are damned because they refused to believe. All the weight of the burden of culpability rests on them. I understand that's hard to harmonize. That's not my problem. It is mine to believe. Now friend, to learn more about election, I'd encourage you to get a copy of all four messages from this current series, Chosen for Eternity. Also, if you want to ask John a question about any topic, call that Q&A line. Here's the special number, area code 661-295-6288. And for the CDs Chosen for Eternity, please contact us today. The number for our Q&A line again is 661-295-6288. Now that's the number to leave your question, and of course you might hear John answer it on an upcoming broadcast. And then for John's study, the four-CD album, Chosen for Eternity. The cost is $20. Shipping is free. Order those CDs at the website gty.org. Or, when you call toll-free, 1-800-55-GRACE. If you want to listen to the messages on your computer or iPod, download the four Chosen for Eternity messages free in MP3 format. You'll find these free downloads and 3,000 other free messages at gty.org. When you get in touch, thanks for remembering that Grace to You is a listener-supported ministry. If the broadcast has helped you grow spiritually, consider what you can do to help benefit others. Gifts are tax-deductible. As you are able, please send your donation today. The address here is Grace to You, Post Office Box 4000, Panorama City, California, 91412. Or reach us by phone at 1-800-55-GRACE. Thanks for remembering to tell us the call letters of this station. Whenever you write, that's more important than you may realize. And now for John MacArthur and staff, I'm encouraging you to come back tomorrow and each weekday for this half hour of Unleashing God's Truth, one verse at a time, on Grace To You. Some people agree, some disagree. The Bible makes a clear case for election. John MacArthur tackles the issue head-on. Don't miss tomorrow's Grace to You.