1. Foreordained to Eternal Life
2. Born From Above
3. The Saving Lamb Lived and Died
4. Determined to the End
5. Radically Corrupt and Repentance
CHAPTER 1: FOREORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE
1. All things are ordained of God in Ephesians 1:11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”
2. God calls His people out of spiritual darkness and chooses them unto life in Matthew 20:16, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” And in Matthew 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
3. God chooses His own in the shortened days in Mark 13:20, “And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.”
4. Chosen for much fruit in John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
5. We are chosen out of the world in John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
CHAPTER 2: BORN FROM ABOVE
- We must be born from above by His Spirit and Word in John 3:3-8, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”
- We are born again not by belief but by His Spirit Titus 3:4-7, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”
- God has chosen us to salvation in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, “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…”
- God has chosen the spiritual poor in James 2:5, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”
- We are called, chosen and faithful in Revelation 17:14, “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”
CHAPTER 3: THE SAVING LAMB LIVED AND DIED
1. He was tempted in our place as the sinless Savior: “And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him” (Mark 1:13).
2. Jesus came to save us from our sins by His life and death: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21).
3. His life and death is for His sheep: “But ye believe not, because ye are not my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:26-30).
4. Christ has particular sheep that is intended for them in His life and death: “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou has given me; for they are thine. And all mine is thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” (John 17:9-12).
5. The Lord Christ shed His blood to save His people: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28).
CHAPTER 4: DETERMINED TO THE END
1. God sustains His people: “O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer” (Ps. 31:23).
2. Nothing can take us out of His hand: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
3. We have been given His Spirit: “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Cor. 1:21-22). God can keep us blameless in His sight: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God you whole spirit and soul and body by preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23).
4. God keeps us by His power: “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).
5. Jesus can keep us from falling: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless, before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 1:24 KJV).
CHAPTER 5: RADICALLY CORRUPT AND REPENTANCE
1. No one is righteous: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).
2. God has blinded the minds of people: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (1 Corinthians 4:4).
3. Every sinner is the greatest sinner: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15).
4. The heart is supremely wicked: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
5. Repent of your total depravity and overall particular sin: “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray to God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” (Acts 8:22).
6. Turn to the Lord in repentance: “And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.” (Acts 9:35).
