Since the days of the Reformation it has been customary for those of ‘The Reformed Faith’ to identify 5 particular doctrines of the Bible as being the very core and substance of God’s glorious revelation to man. As I told you last week, they have been immortalised in the word TULIP. Each letter of that word is the initial letter of the 5 statements of the doctrines set forth in the Bible. Today we come to the second letter of TULIP. It is the letter U and it stands for UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION.

1. Election is an essential doctrine of the Gospel.

Many Christians do not like the truth of unconditional election. They alter the teaching of the Bible and say that God elected a people from all eternity that He FORESAW had grace to believe the gospel message. Now that is a contradiction of the first point we looked at: man’s total depravity. If God saw that the ‘GRACE OF FAITH’ existed in those that He chose for salvation then man was NOT totally depraved and sinful. There was this good in him - he was able to believe!

The Bible says that there is ‘no good thing’ in men. That being so, this view some have of election is wrong.

2. The Bible makes it clear that faith is the RESULT of God’s election.

Consider these words: “Knowing (understanding), brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance . . . . . And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost,” 1 Thessalonians 1:4-6.

Here Paul sets out what it was that happened unto them as a RESULT of their election by God. This choice of them by God did not arise from any merits, or any conditions in them, or from the foresight of their faith, holiness, and good works, but from the free grace and pleasure of God.

Note these other words to the Thessalonians: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14. Their salvation came about THROUGH the work of the Holy Spirit Who wrought FAITH and SANCTIFICATION in them.

3. Being utterly unworthy to be chosen of God gives us cause to rejoice now and throughout eternity.

Explaining that our ELECTION came about as a result of God seeing that we would believe gives the Christian cause to rejoice in HIMSELF!

That is NOT the song of heaven. There it is to God alone that honour is paid.

Paul said to the Galatians: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree,” Galatians 3:13. The word curse means that we were completely and utterly condemned when Christ redeemed us. That could not be said if there was within us the ability and inclination to believe the gospel!

Faith is a gift from God, given us at the time of His working is us and bringing about our conversion.“For by grace are ye saved through faith. . . . it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8. The Westminster Confession of Faith teaches: “The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts; and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word.” Chapter 14, (1).