THIS DOCTRINE GIVES THE CHRISTIAN GROUNDS FOR GREAT JOY, ASSURANCE AND PRAISE!

1. This doctrine teaches that God loves His people with a particular and individual love. Many speak of God’s love for EVERYONE. But God’s love for those who are saved separates them from all others. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee,” Jeremiah 31:3. This is a ‘saving love’. He drew us to Himself and then “said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” Hebrews 13:5. Chosen out of the billions of fallen, sinful humanity to stand before God for all eternity is overwhelming in its gloriousness. How unworthy we were! “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost,” Titus 3:5.

2. God’s love is such that His people are ever under His eye. The Saviour said: “ . . rejoice, because your names are written in heaven,” Luke 10:20. We are therefore ever before the Lord. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine,” Exodus 19:5. “For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye,” Deut 32:9-10.

How carefully we care for our eyes!

3. He does not look on all men as He does upon His people. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil,” 1 Peter 3:12.

This is how it has been since in eternity. He looked upon and loved His elect. Everything has been planned and purposed for their good!

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose,” Romans 8:28.

It should comfort me immeasurably to think that Christ thought of me in eternity and has been working all things for my good, especially at the cross when He came and died FOR ME!