God's Election

Let's move on together. Elections in this world are often very controversial in the visit. That's probably an understatement. Now, Paul, in instructing Timothy about doctrine and teachings, he brings out a very important spiritual principle, which I want to go into today as part of an introduction to the sermon. I would like you to turn with me to 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 4. What I'm talking about is, Paul here is bringing this principle when he's talking about doctrine, but I want to focus on the spiritual principle that he's bringing across.

Let's look at chapter 1 of 1 Timothy verse 4. And let's actually read it in context. He says, in verse 3, As I urged you, when I went up to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, that you may command some that they teach no other doctrine. So he's actually talking to them, I mean to Timothy, about doctrine and teaching and instruction. But he has the principle that he brings across. He says, nor to give heed to fables and endless genealogy. In other words, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies.

In other words, don't pay attention to what's fables. They teach you stories, right? Stories, you know, all this, that, whatever. Whatever stories people make up. And endless genealogies. Now, endless genealogies is obviously, technically speaking, is a whole lot of this person was born or died at that time.

But the principle there is to get caught up in arguments about silly things that actually don't matter. You know, you think about it from a spiritual principle, right? In other words, don't get involved into disputes and arguments about things that are minor details. Could be stories, could be fictitious stories, could be arguments about little things. Don't get involved into those sort of arguments which cause disputes, which causes divisions and arguments and fighting and people arguing about one with another rather than godly edification, which is by faith. In other words, they don't have good fruit. So what he's saying, and the principle that I want to emphasize is, be careful.

Don't get involved into things about stories and reasonings and whatever and arguments about things that actually don't matter. That is the spiritual principle I'm bringing you. And look at a little later in verse 7, which he talks about the motive of those people that do that. He talks about the motive. In other words, why do they do that? He says, desiring, because he's talking about doctrine, of course, and some deviated from the truth, but now he gets to the motive.

Why do they go into that? He says desiring to be teachers. In other words, desiring to be somebody that has a position of influence to other people, to be in charge, to be in a position of causing or influencing others, rather than service. He says, yeah, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. So obviously he's talking in the context of doctrine, and I do know that I am taking it out of the principle of doctrine, but I'm just bringing the principle, a lesson, which we can apply in many situations, not just doctrine.

Don't get involved into little arguments with reasoning, as we heard in the sermon. If you have your illogical, incorrect ideas or fallacies or whatever it is, you get involved into these arguments, and then you're not building to edification, because like we heard in the sermon, and the people actually start attacking the character of somebody else or whatever it is, rather than being wise about it, and then the whole thing becomes argumentative.

And why? Because somebody wants to have my position or my stand to be the one. Paul was writing to Timothy at the end of the same epistle, it was at the end of the same letter, he concludes by bringing the same concept or the same spiritual principle in the conclusion. So turn with me in the same epistle, that's first Timothy, turn with me to chapter 6, which is the last chapter, as he concludes the epistle, and look into verse 3 and 4.

And he says, if anyone teaches otherwise, so again he's talking about from the point of doctrine and teaching, but he says, if anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the teaching, in other words, to the doctrine which affords with godliness. So if people go on into these different things, he says he's proud. Now, don't we hear it in the sermon, one of the problems is that there's lack of humility, people are proud.

And then he says, knowing nothing, but he's obsessed with disputes and arguments over words. Here's the same principle. People get into these arguments about the meaning of this wording, but this is what happened, or this didn't happen, but it was this way.

Yet, into all these different arguments, disputes and arguments about words, from which, as the fruit, comes envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitudes of truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. So, Yah is the mouth of a gang.

As we saw the mouth of, at the beginning of the chapter, is going to be teachers. Now, it's a mouth of, to gain. You see, so people get into these, and so we're taking this principle out here. People get into endless arguments with stories and disputes and things like that, for gain. To be teachers, to be in charge. What is gain? I mean, it could be money, but gain does not have to be money only. Can be power, can be prestige, can be a feeling of being important. That's a guy, a feeling of being important. In other words, some degree of self-promotion, promoting the self. So, the principle that I'm drawing out of Yah, and I am aware that, yes, it's talking from the context of doctrine, but it's giving a principle that says, be careful, don't get involved in endless arguments that don't bear the right fruit, because why often there's a wrong motive? That is the principle there. Now, let's look how Christ taught us about a different motive, and look with me into Matthew chapter 20 verses 25 through 27. Matthew 20, Matthew 20 verses 25 through 27. But Jesus called them, the disciples, to Himself and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles, in other words, the rulers of this world, Lorded over them. You know, it was to have an amount of being in charge, of power, of prestige, of feeling important. They ruled over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. So, you know Christ talking about people, there are rulers, there are in positions of leadership in this world, that have a motive to be the boss, to be in charge, to, as Paul said, of intimacy, to have gain. Verse 26, yet it shall not be so among you, whoever desires to become great among you. And it says, if you want to be somebody and to be able to do something, there's nothing wrong, provided you have the right motive. And the motive here is, let him be your servant. As we heard in the sermon, you know, learn to be humble, learn to maybe love some guys in the status of humility. In other words, we've got to be servants. So now is Christ contrasting two different motives. One motive is, I want to be the boss. I want to be the one that people look up to, gain prestige. And then there's the other motive. I want to serve. I want to serve other people. I want to do things to help other people. There's two different motives, two very different motives.

And these motives Christ is talking about here, as far as they relate to leaders. Because it says, if you desire to be great, in other words, if you want to be a leader, your intent of the heart, your motive, must be to serve the people.

We are being trained to be God's leaders in the world tomorrow. Aren't we? We are to be sons and daughters of God.

And how, therefore the question is, how does God select people to be those leaders in all tomorrow? In other words, the real good leaders will come out of God's election.

It was God who will elect, or select, or will choose people. Those will be called the elect, the chosen ones. Through God's election. And so today, brethren, we're going to look at God's election. In other words, the way God elects or selects people to rule in the world tomorrow, which is very different, very different than what it's done today.

Now, you know what's done today? To select people to rule. I don't have to spend time on that. But what we want to look at is how God does his selection and election of leaders for the world tomorrow.

You see, it all actually starts that God has a plan. Yes, God has a plan. What is his plan? Well, it's right there in Genesis chapter 1, since letters make man in our image of our life. Right there from the beginning, God has a plan to make sons and daughters of God. Right there! And that is the goal. That started in Genesis and goes all the way to the Book of Revelation. The Bible, as again we heard in the sermon, everything is together. So turn with me to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. John chapter 3.

That's right towards the end of the book. And by the way, John, when you wrote this book, it was right at the end, more or less at the same time, maybe just a little bit before, but that the Book of Revelation was written. It was towards the years 90 plus of current years. So it was one of the lost books. He was the lost apostle, and so he was already old. And now he's summarizing a point here, which started in Genesis. And he says, Behold, in chapter 3 verse 1, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us. You know, Brethren, love is not that desire to rule over you. I mean, you love your children. You don't rule over them.

It's a whole different approach. And you only understand that when you become a parent. You have a whole different approach that you want the best for those children, as parents or grandparents. It's a whole different approach. Now, take that to God, the Father. That's his approach to us. It's not to rule and be authority and put us down, like right down there, like thumb on top of our hand. No. No. He wants us to be his children. So what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Therefore, the world does not know us. Yes, because God has called us, has chosen us for this role now. The others will be lighter. Not only any better, but he's made a selection now. So therefore, the world does not know us because it does not know him. Beloved, now we are the children of God. And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. In other words, we are not yet what we'll be like. Yes.

I can give God thanks. That I'll have a better, healthier body than the one we have now. Not of the aches and pains and stresses and whatever it is that we have with this body. We're going to have a brand new, off-the-box, fresh body.

So, in other words, it has not been revealed what we shall be like. But we know that when he is revealed, and it was when Christ comes, we shall be like him. We will have a body like he has now, which is brand spanking, healthy, spiritual body. No pain.

No getting old.

For we shall see him as he is. It was at that time we'll be able to see him like he currently is now. Now we cannot see him in that spiritual body. We just can't. And everyone who has this hope, now, brethren, this is a hope. And hope is an amazing thing. It's like a bottle of energizer. You know? It just, if you keep this hope, it really helps you to hold on. And therefore, who has this hope, he purifies himself just as he is pure. Now this is so important. This is, in fact, the nutshell of the process of being selected by God. That we have to be purified to be like him. That is the nutshell. So, the plan that God has is for us to be his children. And that requires us to make decisions of what is right and what is wrong. Or, put another way, it requires wisdom.

It requires a lot of wisdom. But not only wisdom, it's the strength of character to do what is right.

It's Godly, holy, righteous character.

In other words, we have to know to make the right decisions, even if they hurt us. So, the plan of God is to make children of God. Children of God got to be like him, pure like he is. In other words, we're going to learn to decide between right and wrong, and have the strength of character to actually do and carry through what is right. At whatever cost.

That is what God is looking for in children, so that we can be like God. So, we can really be the children of God.

Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. Such a simple scripture, but when I first read it, the first years of me in the church, I struggled to understand it.

But now it's so simple.

Hebrews 5 verse 14. But solid food. And I often have, if you've been longing the church, you've heard people say, solid food is having sermons that are strong, and then about prophecy, and hell and fire, and shake you up. That's solid food.

But let's read, yeah, what it's solid food. But solid food belongs to those that are of full age. It was those who are mature. And it was those that have grown up in wisdom, in wisdom to choose between what's right and wrong, and to put it to practice, and have the character and the guts to do it. That is solid food. Because it says, there is, oh, it explains what solid food is. Those who by reason of use. And it was because they have done it, they have practiced, oh, it does not mean we haven't failed. We all do fail. Which one of us doesn't fail? We all do fail. I fail, but then I say, whoa, I'm still not quite right here. I gotta jack myself up in this area. We all do. But by reason of use, we have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil. That is wisdom. But not only wisdom, he's exercising that wisdom, and practicing, and do it. Because it says, by reason of use.

And that's what we normally call godly character.

Which is wisdom, put to practice, and applied in our lives. That is what we gotta do. Now, so it gets back to the plan. God's got a plan for us. He wants us to be children with the same character, knowing right and wrong, deciding the right things, according to his standards, which are for our good. Now, how do we get to that?

By programming us to be robots to only do that? No!

So therefore, he has to give us free moral agency. He has to give us the freedom to choose.

And then, we have to fight it, and strive, and struggle, and grow, in the exercise of practicing that.

So that, at the end, we become like him.

In other words, we have to develop that skill over time, to discern, to practice, to be.

But how can we develop that skill? Well, it's going to create an environment where we have an opportunity to sometimes make a wrong decision.

It's going to create an environment to kind of have something, maybe to protest the wrong way, to allow that, to allow that, so that we fight against it, and learn to be like him.

And that's why he gave Adam and Eve two trees.

A tree of life, and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Or, in other words, he gave a tree of the knowledge of God, the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, and he gave the other tree, which is the tree of death.

Or, put it in other ways, he gave us the tree of life, which is the tree of God's knowledge, that he gives us what is right and what is wrong through his commandments, and through the example and the teachings, and the living example of Christ. And that's why it says we've got to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In other words, we've got to grow in that knowledge, which is the tree of life.

That's what it says in Peter, right there, the end of Peter. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In other words, grow in the tree of life.

The alternative is, you have your own knowledge, you have your own opinions of what's right and wrong. Everybody is entitled to his own opinion whether they stand up when they play, for instance, the national anthem or not.

It's your right to choose for yourself what's right and wrong.

The other side, I watch the Olympics and I see a man, which is not even an American citizen, and when they play the national anthem of America, he told interviewers, stop, because there's a national anthem, and I'll honor and I'll stand out of respect, and he's not even a citizen of that country.

You see, that's a tree of knowledge of good and evil. In other words, you decide for yourself what is right and wrong. That is your right to make that decision, but you know what? The fruit that's left is the way of death. It's the tree of death.

You see, so God gave Adam and Eve a choice between a way of life or a way of death. Do you know what? We have exactly the same choice. Between a way of life and a way of death.

So, not only did Adam have that free moral agency, he had somebody else to prod them to go the wrong way, called the great deceiver and liar, the scythe and the devil, and he said, no, no, no, no, don't worry, just take this tree, and you'll become like God and whatever. He said, mix truth and lie, because in the end, we ought to be the sons of God. So, mix truth and lie so that people can't really discern. And what happened to Adam and Eve? They got evicted out of the Garden of Eden. Think about it. They were expelled out of the Garden of Eden. Why? So, they would not take off the tree of life. Why? Because the tree of life symbolizes also God's Holy Spirit.

And without God's Holy Spirit, which is God's way of thinking, you can't do that. See, God's Holy Spirit, put it another way, it's God's way of thinking. It's God in us. It's Christ in us. It's God's way of thinking. It's God's mentality. It's God's mind in us.

And so, what God told Adam and Eve, okay, you, Adam and Eve, you decide for yourself what's right and wrong. You chose that way. That you wanted to decide for yourself what's right and wrong? It was a tree of knowledge you could enable? You go! You decide for yourself how you're going to govern. You decide for yourself your own systems of government. You decide for yourself your own cultures. You decide for yourself your own religions. You decide for yourself your own laws. And then you will learn the hard lesson by hitting your head against the wall.

That that does not get good for you.

And then you'll come back, and I have Christ to buy you back once you repent and to help you the right way. It's a beautiful plan.

It's a beautiful plan.

And within that plan, God's got a period of time. He decided for a period of time, which means the Church will be there for 7000 years. 6000 years are practically gone, and then there will be a millennium to actually fulfill that plan. And part of that plan, he has to save you. The Word that gave up his life, so he can buy our lives with the price of his life. And that was planned from the foundation of the world. I mean, you're reading Revelation 13, verse 8. It says, the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world. Turn with me, Revelation 13, verse 8. This was planned right from the beginning.

I was talking about those people that were rebelling against the saints and whatever. And it says, and those people do not have the names written on the Book of Life of the Lamb, which was slain from the foundation of the world. Jesus Christ, as the Word, knew that he had to do that. That he had to do that. That was part of the plan. Why? Because the Father and the Word wanted more spirit beings in that unity of that family.

And that just shows the outgoing love and concern of them, of the Father to give his son, and of the Son to be willing to die for us.

This plan was kept secret from the foundation of the world.

This plan was a mystery for thousands of years. People didn't understand it.

Turn with me to Matthew 13, and you'll see that it was a mystery. Matthew 13, verses 34 and 35. Matthew 13, verse 34 and 35. He is talking about why did Christ talk in parables. Matthew 13, verses 34 and 35. And it says, And all these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables. Without a parable, if they do not speak to them.

That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I'll open my mouth in parables. I will act as things kept secret from the foundation of the world. This plan, mankind in general, does not know. Those of us that God has given us the truth and opened our minds, we're starting to see it and understand it, better and better, day by day. But it was kept secret.

So, so what is the plan? The plan is to make sons and daughters. Part of that plan is to start training some people to be chosen, to be elected, to be rulers, to rule with Christ during that seventh day Sabbath, annual Sabbath, or Sabbath of years, the millennium, the 7000 year, during that period, during that rest, to train people to rule with Christ during that rest. In other words, to train those that are God's elect through God's election. And so how did you do that? Well, first, when mankind went very bad, he selected one man, Noah, protected mankind through the through the flood. Then, at mankind, we can see how mankind went bad even further with the power of Babel. But then God chose a man that obeyed his laws, Abraham, and made him a number of promises. And then later those promises were unconditional. You can read that in Genesis from about chapter 12 to chapter 22. I'm not going to go through that. That's just a generic history. And then he selected a nation to be a model nation, which in fact was a group of tribes, which are a group of different sub-mations within that nation. And it took them out of slavery.

And then those people promised that, yes, we will do exactly what he chose to do. Learn with... Turn with me, please, to Exodus chapter 19. Exodus chapter 19, just before he gave them the 10 commandments.

If Exodus 19 says, Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel, you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and I bore you on the eagle's wings, and brought you to myself. God brought them out of Egypt, quote-unquote, on the eagle's wings. Now, obviously, you know, they did not have jambos 747 or anything like that. They did not fly. But what he's referring to is the way he protected them like an eagle mother protects the babies, and brought them through that. Now, therefore, verse 5, if you will indeed obey my voice... In other words, if you follow the tree of life and keep my covenants, then you'll be a special treasure. You'll be a special people to me above all people, for all the earth is mine. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.

So, he called out these people, and look at verse 8. And then all the people asked it together and said, all that the Lord has spoken, we will do. That is the biggest non-event, because they did not do. They did not do. You can go through the history you know. They did not obey. They failed miserably. Let me just look at one or another example here. Look at Numbers 14. Numbers 14.

This is after they sent spies to spy the land. And then there was a bad report there from some of the spies. And in verse 1, chapter 14, in Numbers, so all the congregation left up their voices and cried, and all the people wept that night. Imagine the emotion, the feeling, oh, everybody's had the emotions, what time that everybody just was crying, oh, how terrible everything is. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron. In the end, they're complaining against God, right? And all congregations say to them, if only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in the wilderness, how terrible it is. Why has God brought us to this land to fall by the sword that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt? Brethren, they did not obey. I mean, that's just one example right at the beginning. They did not obey, and throughout the history of them, you can see, they did not obey. So look at verse 4. So they said to one another, let us select, let us do a voting program and select a leader. Let us do a leader and return to Egypt.

Let's have an election. Let's have a campaign process. And then a little lighter. The Lord said to Moses, how long will these people reject me? How long will these people reject me? Because who was their leader? Was Moses, was God. And they rejected their leader, God. So how long will they reject me?

And the story continues. I mean, you can roll on very specifics. Look at another example in 1 Samuel. 1 Samuel. 1 Samuel. This is when they want to choose a kingdom.

1 Samuel. 1 Samuel 8.

And we read the story. When it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons charges over Israel. And then he gives the names. And then in verse 3, but his sons did not walk in his ways. They were not obedient.

And then they said in verse 5, look, look Samuel, you're an old man. You're kind of walking around, bending down, and you're back to sore. And you kind of, you're heaps of sore. And you can't see well. You've got a bit of cataracts and whatever. So let us now make a king to judges like all the nations. You see, they were looking at man. They were not looking at the real king, which was God.

And this opposite is the least Samuel.

Now, is that a reason to reject God as king?

Of the did not. And so God says, okay, fine. I will select a leader for you. But before I do, let me tell you what that leader will do for you. And starting in verse 10, it says, Now therefore take heed your voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them and show them the behavior of the king who reign over them.

The leader will take for himself because he's a human being.

So let's go back to the beginning. Let's go back to where we are in the story. God wants to have children. He wants us to learn to choose to write and wrong.

But what happens? Most people think they know what's right and wrong.

Most people think that they can make the right decision. And so did Adam and Eve choose the wrong tree. And so does mankind today think they know the right way? Look at Proverbs chapter 14 verse 12. Proverbs 14 verse 12. Proverbs 14 verse 12.

There is a way that seems right to a man. But its end is the way of death. Oh, it seems right. Oh, I look at the rights, I look at the wrongs. You know, it's the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It seems right.

But you know what? That tree, that way, is the way of death. That's all we have. Our own ideas. Well, abortion is okay.

Oh well, homosexuality is okay. Oh well, you can stop mentioning God in schools. Oh well, I can think whatever I want. It's my right. And so basically what we have is the laws are changing to more and more to the way of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And you look at the, for instance, at the book of Judges. Right at the end of the book of Judges, the last chapter, the last verse says, Every man does what he thinks in his mind is right. Brethren, that's the society we're living today. You look at the law. You don't have to turn there, but just make a note. Deuteronomy 12 verse 8 says, You shall not do that in which you think and you decide what's right and wrong.

And so brethren, we get back to the story. The Father. The Father.

wants to have children of God. The Father is active raising children like him.

And the Father, the Father therefore allows us a little bit of spice. Like you, his parents allow the children sometimes a little spice. And sometimes they've got to learn things the hard way. We call it the lesson of our knocks, isn't it? It's kind of, you know, the hard but the lesson.

God also allows us to do that. But then comes to a point where he says, that is enough.

Look at Hosea chapter 8. Daniel Hosea chapter 8. Set the trumpet to your mouth. In fact, the word is the shofar. It's an alarm. And he shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord because they have transgressed my covenant. And they rebelled against my covenant. And they rebelled against my covenant. And they rebelled against my Lord.

Set out a warning.

And look at it. Israel will cry to me, My God, we know you! Oh yes, people say, Oh my God, and we'll pray. But Hosea has rejected the good, the animal pursuing. Look at verse 4. They set up kings, but not by me.

What it says is, yes, there were certain kings that God obtained and anointed, but others, after that, I don't see it in the Bible, they were anointed by God. He says, they set up kings, but not by me. They set up kings, but not by me, not God. They set up kings without God's consent, in other words. They make princes, but I did not acknowledge them.

From their sovereign goal, they make idols for themselves, that they may be cut off. Your cough is rejected, and your cough is the symbol of pagan worship. You know, pagan worship, they had figured off of a cough. So, the pagan religion, the false religion, in other words, is rejected. You see, brethren, the way we do things does not lead to good leaders, but God's election leads to good leaders. Good leaders come through God's election process. Go through God's training program. God chooses, God calls, God chooses, God decides, God selects. It's his election process.

And how does God select? Well, you know the story about when Samuel was looking for a king, and what turn with me to? 1 Samuel 16. 1 Samuel 16.

1 Samuel 16.

After Saul messed up, then God decided to have another leader, and God anointed another leader.

But look how God looks for that. Now, the Lord said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? So go.

And Samuel said, Where shall I go? And he said, Right, go to this house, and go to this family, and go there and select from the children of this man who is going to be? And look at verse 7. But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance, or at his physical stature, because I've refused him.

You see, how do men elect? Many elect by looking at people, and what they say, and how they act, and whatever it is, but God looks different. Says, For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. God's election is by looking at the heart, and you and I can't see the heart. So good leaders come through God's election.

And so we read in Isaiah 42. Isaiah 42.

Isaiah 42.

Behold, my servant whom I uphold. My elect one.

My elect one. God is saying, this is the one I have elected, that I have chosen. Who is that one?

Jesus Christ. He is God's elect to rule the nations. My elect one whom I saw delights, I put my spirit upon him. And during his first coming, he says he will not try out or raise up his voice, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. He is not acting like a big leader. During his first coming, no, he was just a humble man. And he says, Bruce, read, he will not break. During his first coming, he wasn't breaking out things. He wasn't fixing things up. He wasn't doing any of that. And smoking flags, he will not quench. He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail, nor be discouraged. You see, during his first coming, he did not solve the problems of the world, but he is bringing justice and bringing us a model of justice to live by. Look at verse 21 of the same chapter. He says, the Lord is well pleased for his righteousness, say he will exalt the law and make it honorable. Brethren, that's what we see in the sermon on the Mount. Christ exalted the law. He magnified it. He made the law and brought out the spiritual intent of the Lord, not just the physical intent. So, Christ is God's elect.

Look at verse 23 of the same chapter. Who among you will give year to this? Who will listen and year for the time to come? In other words, how many people really repented? Basically, very few. Very few. In other words, the majority of the people did not repent. In fact, they rejected him. They rejected him.

Not only that, they stirred up the crowd. Look at Pilate said, well, I can't find anything wrong with this man. So, the leaders, they stirred up the crowd. This is crucifying, crucifying him.

And they voted for Barabas, a murderer. He was the alleged murderer. He was the murderer.

You see, so they voted for somebody with a complete wrong character.

And so, he was selected. He was elected. And brethren, you and I are called. We're called by the Father, John 6, 44. No man can come to me unless the Father draws in. We're called by the Father. And then it says, you remember that, many are called, but few are chosen. In other words, many are called, but few are selected. Or, in other words, many are called, but few are elected. That's what it means to be the chosen one. To be chosen ones, the ones that are selected or elected, and those are the elect ones.

But we're not, for the sake of the elect, the whole earth will be destroyed, right? Those are the chosen ones.

How we elect it?

Because God calls us. We learn the truth. We realize we've got to change. We've got to repent. We receive God's Holy Spirit. All right? That's God's process of training. We receive God's Holy Spirit. He only gives His Holy Spirit to those that obey Him. Acts 5.32, right? You know that? God gives the Spirit to those that obey Him. We go to not only obey Him, but do the things that are pleasing in His sight. And we're going to push the fear to the end.

What is that? It's a training program for those that are being selected by God, called, chosen, and faithful to the end. When Christ comes back, remember the Scripture? Those that will be with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. So, we have to remain faithful through this training program. So, God is choosing leaders, but you know what? The leaders are being molded, trained, shaped. God looks at the heart, and so, when those leaders will be put into the position of quote-unquote, commanders being chief of their own different areas that God appoints them to be in, they'll be well trained, well qualified, and well capable, and just, and stand up for righteousness. God's election process is, quote-unquote, foolproof.

It's perfect. It works.

But, to be part of this process, we have to accept the leader of that government that will come to earth to lead us, which is none other than Jesus Christ. We have to accept Him. Regretably, the Jews at that time did not accept Him. And you know what Christ said? You'll be taking off the land. They said, well, why are you crying? I'm crying for you, because you're going to be destroyed. And indeed, they were. You're 70 AD.

But the time was over. But the time will come that they will accept Him. But He's second coming. Mankind will accept Him. So, what is God's election process? God's election process, or put it another way, God's selection process to select His leaders, to lead under Christ as kings and lords. Kings under the King of Kings, and lords under the Lord of Lords. That training process is the Church.

It's through the mother of us all.

And that's the training process you and I are in.

Turn with me to Titus, chapter 2.

Titus, chapter 2. Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews. Titus, Titus, chapter 2. We must start reading from verse 11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should be soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. In other words, this is the training process. We've got to work through these characteristics, putting away the wrong things, and really having the wisdom to choose the right thing, and having the character to do it so that we live soberly and righteously. And like God, it was godly in this present evil age. Verse 13. Looking for the blessed hope. Looking for the blessed hope. This hope is so special. It's such an energizer. It's such a thing that we've got to hold on. We've got to see clearly. We've got to have the vision of God's plan to be sons and daughters. So that we can serve, not have the authority over others, but to serve Him in the process of serving the whole of mankind so the whole of mankind can also be children of God. That is good leadership with an attitude of service. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. So that's what we're going to do. We're going to look for that blessed appearing of Jesus Christ.

So, brethren, continue in verse 14. Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from Him every lawless deed. Brethren, we all have baggage, quote unquote. We all have things wrong that we've done in the past. So if you have to take a magnifying glass and analyze, we all have things we've done wrong. Who hasn't? Who hasn't? But Christ gave Himself for us that He could redeem us. He could buy us back and purify us. It was plans that, you know, make us super wise, a super cleanser, you know, whiter than white, you know. Spiritually speaking, that's what He does. For Himself, His own special people are sons and daughters of God to be His elect to rule in the world tomorrow under Christ, zealous for good works. Brethren, we have to be purified. And that is our duty as God's elect. We have to choose the tree of life. We have to have the wisdom to choose and discern right from wrong. And we have to have the character to do what's right, even though sometimes it's difficult. Quite often it's very difficult, but we're going to do it. And that is the process, God's election, the process of God's election. And then when Christ will come at the Day of Trumpets, which is around the corner, not the cross coming around the corner, but the Day of Prophets is around the corner, symbolizing the coming of Christ. Sometimes in the future no man knows the Day of the House, so please don't misquote me. But when Christ comes symbolically at the Day of Trumpets, that's the way we believe. When it comes to rule, we will then, by then, hopefully, we'll be ready. The point is we're going to get ready now. Not when Christ comes back, and it's like the five verses, oh, I'm not ready, I'm going to get ready now, it's too late. You're going to get ready before He comes. You see, look at Revelation 19 verse 7. When Christ comes, it says here in 19 verse 7, let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready, which means she will be ready. Now, you know as a bride, you've got to get ready before that moment. There's a lot of things to get ready for the wedding. So now is the time to get ready. Not then. Then it's too late, because then if you're trying to get ready then, you'll be like the five foolish virgins. You're going to be like the five wise virgins. And by the way, they were all virgins. So that's interesting. But what it is, is we're going to be wise and prepare now. God's got an election process. God is electing you and I to be there. If we do our part and are faithful to the end. The question we have is, the million dollar question is, will you, will I, will we be ready?