Today is an election that will reflect the will of God for a few years on earth. In eternity past there was an election by the sovereign will of God that granted us everlasting heaven!
Sovereignty and assurance. Assurance because sovereignty.
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." (John 6:37)
“My religious beliefs teach me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time of my death. I do not concern myself with that, but to be always ready whenever it may overtake me.…”
Even the most mature saint will struggle against worldliness & apathy toward God. There is no sincere Christian who does not lament his or her spiritual & moral failures. Yet this lamenting is one evidence of conversion. The unregenerate are unconcern about such things.
"In that day the remnant of Israel will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord.” Isaiah 10:20
“We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:9
Gazing inward I find only a physical frailty succumbing to death, a wisdom that can find no right path and deeds that cannot save. A single glance to Christ reveals all that is needed to encourage this dying man, illumine his way and give assurance to his worn and weary heart.
I survey my life and I see the countless failures and sins. I have only one hope - that Jesus Christ shed His blood for my soul. He is my only consolation after all these years.
to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
Our struggling against sin does not disprove our profession of faith, but confirms it (IJn1:8-9). We know that we know Christ, not because we are w/o sin, but because our attitude toward sin has been altered: We have a growing hatred for it, we are broken over it & we confess it.
Somebody came to Moody one time and said, "I have a complaint Mr. Moody, my congregation is too small." And Moody said, "Well, maybe they are as large as you would like to give an account for on the day of judgment." That's really a good question.
I've often thought about that, I'm going to give an account to God for the people that He gave me and how I exercise that stewardship. From that perspective I don't need more of them, I would be better off if I had less of them. - John MacArthur