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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Turn your Bible with me to the book of 2nd Peter in chapter 1. Just a little subject on the elect of God. There’s a lot of misconceptions today about what does it mean to be elected by God. Elect, choose, chosen, all means the same thing. Using the Old Testament and the New Testament, the word election in the New Testament moves more often than it is in the Old Testament, but it simply means that God has a reason for selecting or electing choosing someone for something.

And it’s important for us to realize what they’re chosen for. In our country, we have an election every once in a while, and we elect congressmen, we elect a president. Means the people voted and they chose somebody. But doesn’t mean that we chose somebody to do anything they want to do. have a job description. Some of them don’t remember what it is. But we do not elect a king. We elect a president, the executive part of the branch of government that’s supposed to carry out the laws of the United States Constitution.

So anyway, so when you come to that word in the word of God, there’s something to keep in mind. What did God elect a person to do? What did He choose the person to do? Now you don’t find it where He chose to save a particular person over another individual. God does say that He has chose those who believe in Christ to be something, but to be in Christ is your choice and my choice. So here in 2 Peter in chapter 1, I want you to look at this.

When he’s talking here about in verse 1, you’ll see the words precious faith, precious faith. To them that have obtained like precious faith. Because our faith in Jesus Christ, it is a precious thing because without you placing your faith in Jesus Christ, you do not have eternal life. You do not get to go to heaven. You do not become his child, but once you do trust him as your savior, you have something. Then you notice there in verse three, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

So there’s something God wants us to do. So whatever it is he wants us to do, He tells us He has given us all that we need to live a godly life. So God has chosen us to do a job for Him, and whatever we need, the knowledge to excel in whatever it might be is found in the Word of God. So that’s why He says in verse 5, beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith. Now you may add to it and you may not add to it.

It doesn’t annul that which God has already done. He had saved us by us place in our faith in Him. He has given to us eternal life. That cannot be undone. God can’t change it. He can’t alter it. It’s a sealed deal. But there’s things that God wants from us that we can do if we would serve the Lord. So God wants us to serve Him. So He has chosen, elected all of His children to serve Him. to serve him.

So he says there in verse five, be side of this, give it all to add to your faith. Many mentions a bunch of things that if you’ll add to your faith, that you will not be barren in your life. You will not be unfruitful, see there in verse eight. For if these things be in you and the bound, they don’t have to be, but if they are, you can walk straight, you can keep from stumbling. You’ll know that you have a particular purpose in this word.

that God has chosen you to live a certain way, to accomplish a certain thing. So it is the will of God that He wants all of us in verse 10, where for the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure. Now your election, what you’re chosen to do, rests upon the assurance of your salvation. If you’re not sure that you’re saved, it’s kind of difficult for you to be sure on on what service it is God wants you to render.

Because God wants His children to serve Him. He wants His children to honor Him. There are times, yes, when God can choose even the lost man for service and doing certain things, just like Jesus’ carrot was chosen. It doesn’t mean He was saved. There’s other people that God refers to that God used, but they weren’t saved. But when He’s He’s talking about His children. He didn’t choose to save us over somebody else as though, you know, there was something special about us.

No. God has simply chosen to save all of those who put their faith, their trust in Jesus Christ. And so He says, if you do these things, you shall not fall. Fall from salvation? No. Falling from the purpose that God has for you. See, God could have just taken us on to heaven the day we trust the Lord, but He left us here to do something. God has elected, chosen, you and I, His children, to do something for Him.

You ought to be so honored that God would even give you an opportunity to serve this great and wonderful God that we have. So turning your Bible to the book of Isaiah in chapter 42, Isaiah in chapter 42, Isaiah 42 and looked there in verse 1, because he talks about how that he has made some decisions, and God did. So in chapter 42 and verse 1, he says, Behold my servant, which I believe is a reference to Jesus Christ, whom I uphold mine elect, in whom my so delighted I have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Verse 3, a bruise, read, shall he not break, the smoking flak shall he not quench, and he shall bring forth judgment there in two.” And then he talks about up there in the last part of verse 6, he is to be a light unto the Gentiles. I don’t think there’s much doubt about who this is talking to, but you’ll notice he was not elected there in verse 1 to be saved. Jesus did not need to be saved, What was he called an elect?

Yes. So you can’t always take the word elect and say, that means that God chose to save you. No, God, God chose to save all of us, but he chose to use his son for a service. He came into the world not to be served, but to give his life a ransom for all. So he came for a reason. He was a servant. That’s why He’s called my servant, serve. God wants you and I after you trusted Christ as your Savior.

He wants us to serve Him. He has chosen you for something spectacular. Serving God see us like living a miracle. You couldn’t do this before you were saved. Now that you’re saved, you can live for the Lord. Not because you have to, but you should be because, well, I want to. I want to let the world know how much I love my Father. Now look at Isaiah in chapter 61, Isaiah in chapter 61.

Isaiah 61, you’ll notice that God had a reason for choosing or electing this righteous servant of his. And you’ll notice there’s several things that are mentioned in these following verses. Isaiah 61 in verse 1, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. This is Jesus Christ, and He quotes this verse in the book of Luke where He says, these scriptures this day are fulfilled in your ears. And He read these verses from the scroll of Isaiah. And He says, because the Lord hath adored me to be saved.

No, to do something, to preach good tidings, good news. And then he says, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty. So to preach, to bind up, to proclaim, and verse two, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And then in verse three, to a point. So there’s things that God has done in choosing his righteous servant, which was Jesus Christ. but it was for service. So don’t always think when you hear somebody talk about election, all that means that God has elected to save you over somebody else.

When God says that for God so love the world, that means the elect, it does not, it means the world. There are a lot of Calvinists and a lot of churches and a lot of preachers that are preaching that trash. Don’t you fall on love with that kind of teaching, you stay away from it. If I find out about PHOTO I’m coming I’m going to say you. That’s junk. And don’t be impressed because they can tell you the Hebrew and the Greek and all that.

They’re still wrong. They just do it more intelligently. What they’re doing is destroying the very thing that God came into the world to let people know how much He loved them. God so loved the world. They can’t say God so loved the world. They can say God so loved the elect. No, God so loved the world. Every individual. And God has chosen all of those that believe on Him to make pure and holy and set apart and for His praise and for His honor and His glory.

But see, not all of the people obey God. God’s not willing that any should perish, but some people will perish because God doesn’t get His way all the time because He gave us the freedom to choose. We’re not a bunch of little robots. We’re not some on a little string and he’s just bouncingabis all over the place. God says that he shall love the world and I believe that. That he’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to do something for us.

And then he opens it up to who so ever believe it. And some people don’t believe that who so ever really means who so ever. But I do. Now look there in Isaiah 53. Isaiah in chapter 53. Just turn to your left there, a couple pages. Isaiah chapter 53 and look in verse 10. Verse 10, and you’ll notice in verse 10 and verse 11, he refers to Jesus Christ as something else here. See then verse 10, yet it please the Lord to bruise him.

He had put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. This is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But it pleased the Lord to let this happen to him because he was going to come back again from the dead. He shall see his seed. He shall see the result of what he has accomplished.

And then he says in verse 11, he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge. Shall my, and here’s those words, my righteous servant. Jesus was his righteous servant. Now God calls him a servant and God calls him his chosen, God calls him his elect, but doesn’t mean that Jesus Christ had to be saved. So don’t always believe that just because you see the word chosen or choose or elect, it always means that no, it doesn’t mean that and that don’t think and put a chip on your shoulder thinking that you were chosen because of something special about you over somebody else.

You ought to be just thankful that somehow somebody got the gospel to you and you heard it and you understood and you trust in Christ as your Savior. God doesn’t love you anymore than He loves somebody else who hasn’t heard the word yet. Is it God so loved the world? He did it full of a world that whosoever in the world believes. Take a Bible looking Isaiah 45, Isaiah chapter 45. 45 and notice there’s something here that’s a little interesting.

He’s talking here about a man named Cyrus. See there in verse 1? Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have hold unto subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of king to open before him the two leaves, gates, and the gates shall not be shut. Talking about a man in heaven, his name written down here, way before he was ever born. See up here in verse 28 of the previous chapter he says that saith of Cyrus, he is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure.

Even Santa Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the temple thy foundation shall be laid.” And in 1 Kings in chapter 13 verse 2 where it talks about Josiah who was a good king but it talks about a prophecy that was made of 300 years in advance and that he would burn the bones upon the altar of an old prophet, God knows the future. And God can call whoever he wants his servant if he can get service out of anybody.

But you remember, that’s not being chosen to be saved. Always keep that clear and keep it in your mind. Now look back there in chapter 45. You’ll notice down in verse 4, for Jacob, my servant’s sake and Israel mine elect. I have even called thee by thy name. I have served name thee, though thou hast not known me. Now, this goes back up to what I believe in verse 1 of Cyrus, who God says, he doesn’t know me, but I know him and I’ve called him in advance and told you his name so that whenever Israel who was taken into captivity when they go back to their land, this is the guy that’s going to issue the decree for you to go back into Jerusalem and rebuild the walls and he’s going help you get it done.

God told all of that in advance before he was ever born. But God can elect a person, choose a person, but it’s for service. It’s never that God chose to save a person against their will. You have to hear the gospel and understand it and trust Christ as your Savior. Otherwise we would just say, well, if God already knows everybody that’s going to heaven, there’s no sense us doing what we got to do. There’s no sense witness in the people, just whatever will be will be.

That’s not true. Look in Isaiah 43, Isaiah 43 and look in verse one. Isaiah 43 verse one says, but now thus saith the Lord that created the old Jacob and he that formed the old Israel. If you’re not for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. He says, you belong to me. And then he makes a statement here in verse 10, ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen is the servant whom he has chosen.

So you don’t see where he had just chosen the salvation, is that whenever he does he clarifies it. There is several verses that talks about what God says he has chosen us to salvation. And he can tell you how he does it and what he’s talking about. But look at the context. don’t just automatically just start believing in the teachings of Calvinism because it is totally off the wall and is not scriptural. Whenever he says he chose Israel, what did he choose Israel to do?

Chose Israel to bring in the Messiah and he chose them to deliver the Word of God and they were to be a light as a nation unto the Gentile nations of the world. They kind of mess up here and there. But once again, one day Israel will be the greatest nation on the face of the earth. And Israel will be that nation that God meant for them to be. So that day is coming. Now take your Bible and turn to 1 Timothy chapter 5, 1 Timothy chapter 5 in the New Testament.

1 Timothy chapter 5. But look what it says here in 1 Timothy and chapter 5, and look at verse 21, I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels. Now if he elect angels, does that mean he elected the angels to be saved? But have angels sinned, but there’s no salvation for angels. Christ did not come into the world to make one payment for one sin of one angel. He died for all men, for men.

But did he elect angels? Yeah, he has chosen angels to do a job and when you understand it, you can know I don’t have to always apply that to, you know, that means salvation. No, it doesn’t. And this is where a lot of people get into, I believe a lot of trouble. Also, look there in Hebrews in chapter 1, Hebrews and chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1, and notice in verse 7 and verse 14, 7 and 14. First of all verse 7, Hebrews chapter 1.

And of the angels he said, who makeeth his angels’ spirits and his ministers a flame of fire. So the angels are ministers. They They have a job to do. They are to serve. Look in verse 14, are they not all minasting spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? So I am going to one day. I’m an heir of God, join heirs with Christ, and I’m going to get everything my Father says I’m supposed to get by virtue of the fact that I have become His child.

And I believe that I have guardian angels around me. You may have one. bunch of them. I overworked mine. But I got angels. I’ve never seen one of them, but based upon the word of God, I believe I’ve got angels, and they are too minister to me. Now, it doesn’t mean because they are elect angels that God is saving them. And no more whenever you see the word elect used with a child of God, it’s not talking about how he’s saving you.

It’s talking about God has chosen us for service. Do you believe that God has a job for you to do? Do you believe that he has a ministry for you? You should because he has chosen us. You have been elected by God to do certain things for God. And this is why it’s the will of God for us to find out exactly what it is that He would want us to do. Now, go to Philippians in chapter 2. Philippians and chapter 2.

Philippians chapter 2, interesting in the portion of the scripture, and we’ll start there in verse 12. And verse 12 says, Therefore it might be Levid brethren. So we know we’re talking to the brethren. We’re talking to believers. As you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Now notice it does not say work for your salvation. You can’t work something out that you don’t have in.

And once you trusted Christ as your Savior, your God’s child, and there’s things that God wants us to do. I told the kids in college, if I had 10 acres of ground, all right, I can give that 10 acres of ground to you, and they say, now I want you to be fruitful. That means that ground has to be worked. It’s gonna have naturally briars and thorns and weeds and things like that. But if you want some good crop on that, you’re gonna have to work the crop.

So work out the land, work the land, produce something from the land. You and I have been shayed by God. It was free. Christ bought us. We belong to the Lord. Now God wants us to produce something from our life. If you don’t, the land’s still over here. It’s just that many Christians’ lives are going to be filled with nothing but briars and thorns and a lot of weeds. So you notice what he says here in the verse 13, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

God is working in you for a reason, for a purpose, so that you can be strong enough to do what God wants you to do. See, God has to work in you and on you in order to work through you so that you can accomplish God’s will. So that’s why he says in verse 14, do all things. Well that murmuring and disputed. This is not time I get to heaven. This is talking about because you’re going to heaven. You are a child of God.

God has chosen you and I in this world to live a certain way, to beat a certain way. And he says in verse 15, that ye may be, get this, this is how God wants you to believe in this world, now that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke in the mist of a crooked and perverse nation. Among whom ye shine as lights in the world, and you do not want to miss the will of God for your life.

God says, you’re in this world. I want to work through your life, as he says here, blameless and harmless, the children of God, without rebuke, living in such a way that God is not ashamed of you and you’re not ashamed to God. But notice what he says, a crooked and perverse nation, a mung home, ye shine as light in the world. This is what God doesn’t want you to miss, to fail in. You and I are living in this world now.

God has chosen His children to be a light to the world. So He says in verse 16, holding forth the word of life, eternal life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain nor labored in vain. God wants you and I to work, to labor, not to be saved. God has chosen all of His children to live for Him the way God wants us to, a righteous, holy life. Don’t worry about what people say about you, just do right.

Please God, honor Him, because that’s what God wants. Now if the Lord was to walk into this room this morning, says, I have chosen all of you that no Christ is your Savior, to do something special for me. Would you do it? And if he was asked, would you raise your hand and say, yes, I will. How many of you would say, yes, I will. I’ll do whatever God wants me to do. I’ll go wherever he wants me to go.

I’ll be whatever he wants me to be. Here am I, Lord, send me. Would you really sincerely be able to raise your hand and say, yes, I’m ready. Or you would you be one that has excuse after excuse after excuse why he can’t be you. Lord, here am I send my wife. Lord, I regret that. I’ve only got one. one wife to send to the country. Well, it is important, but every man has to answer that for himself. In your own mind, you have to decide whether or not God has elected me to serve him.

God chose me to serve him. Now I have to decide whether, will I or will I not? And while I serve God where I am, I pray that you will look up here. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. God so loved the world, you and me, that He gave His only begotten Son, this hand representing Jesus Christ, that whosoever, anybody whosoever, believe it in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.

You see, God says that He loves us. But for us, to pay for our own sins is eternal separation from God in hell. And to go to heaven where you’ve got to be perfect and none of us are, we’ve all come short of God’s perfection. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He has no sin, doesn’t have to die. He came into the world because he loves us, hates our sin because our sin separates us from the Lord. So what Christ did was He took the sin, paid for it, came back from the dead and said that if we would believe it, He would give us as a free gift everlasting life and we go to heaven on what Christ did for us.

That’s the best news in all the world. But you see, He did it for everybody and then He says, who so ever believeth? Whoever. These kids when they go out on Friday night, so when they don’t have to worry about who they talk to, whoever. It doesn’t matter what shopping center they go to, whichever one, whatever city, whatever nation, whatever country. It doesn’t matter who so ever. Isn’t that good? That’s good. Let’s pray, shall we? With heads by nice clothes and no one looking around, if you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, understand that God loves you, paid for your sins.

And the only thing you have to do, it’s the only thing you can do, is where you believe that He did it for you. And God said if you’ll believe He did it for you, He would give you as a free gift ever-lasting life and never cast you out, never lose you. That’s the best news in the world. Would you believe that? If you’re right now say, yes, that made sense to me, preacher, and I want to be certain of going to heaven when I die, and I will trust Christ right now as my Savior, and I’d like for you to pray for me in closing.

Friend, would you just slip in a very quickly and put it right back down, even with all? Not going to have you forward, not going to embarrass you. But right where you’re sitting said, that made sense to me, and I want to be certain of going to heaven. Friend, I’d like to know, I’d like to have prayer for you, and we’ll be forward close. Our Father, we thank you so much for this time together, for the opportunity we have to come before you to study these things.

We’re thankful for the ministry you give and teach, and every one of us help us to fulfill it in Christ and reprieve. Amen. What another great message from Dr. Arnold. Friends we hope more than anything else that you know you’re saved by believing Jesus died for your sin and that Bibleline is helping you grow stronger and stronger in the Lord. Would you know how to witness to an atheist? What do you start with if a person doesn’t even believe there is a God?

For this month, all who send in a financial donation in any amount, we will mail to you Dr. Arnold’s DVD teaching lesson on how to witness to an atheist. You’ll gain some great insight on reaching people who may just need someone to explain the truth to them. This DVD series is yours for this month only with your financial donation in any amount. Again, we’re so grateful to those of you who support this ministry. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634, and don’t forget to include your mailing address as well.

God bless you, and thank you again for supporting Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon.

Just keep looking up.