August 6th, 1942

In our last issue (July 16) we promised to write some more on this subject. So we will try to comply with that promise. There are so many passages in God's Word treating upon this matter that we hardly know which passage to introduce first. Suppose we start by reading the following: Knowing, brethren beloved, your
election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.-((Th 1:4) (I Thessalonians 1:4-5). Please bear in  mind that the beloved Apostle Paul penned this language by inspiration of God-that he was moved by the Holy Spirit to pen the language in the original which is translated as above. Paul said, “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” If he did not know it, then he was moved by the Holy Spirit to say he knew what he did not know. If he was not moved by the Holy Spirit to say he knew what he did not know, then he did know their election of God. Remember, too, that the Thessalonians were not apostles. It has been said by some that the Lord did choose or elect the apostles, but not others. But the Thessalonians were not apostles, and Paul said he knew their election of God. Their election was of God. As it was of God, then it was not of themselves. God is the one who did the choosing or electing; hence their election was of God. Since Paul knew their election was of God, then he knew that the doctrine of election was the truth. As we said in a previous article, this doctrine may not suit our carnality, or the doctrines of men, but Paul knew it was the truth. If it was the truth then, it is the truth now. Principles are eternal and
never change. How did Paul know their election of God? He tells us how he knew it: “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.” The gospel comes to unregenerate persons in word only; it does not come to them in power; nor does it come to them in much assurance. The unregenerate man may hear the words uttered by the minister as he proclaims the riches of God's grace, and as he tells of God's work in the salvation of poor lost sinners, but it is an idle tale to such persons. True gospel preaching is foolishness to them. “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness.” -(I Corinthians 1:18). The gospel comes to such persons in word only. But to the Thessalonians the gospel did not come in word only, but also in power. They not only heard the words, but there was a power in it to them. This was a sure evidence to the apostle that they were of the elect of God. They were not the elect of God because the gospel came to them in power; but the fact that the gospel came to them in power was proof to the inspired apostle that they were the elect of God. This same inspired man said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” -(Romans 1:16). Please take notice of the fact that Paul did not say “it is the power of God in order to salvation” -but unto salvation. How under heaven could the gospel of Christ be the power of God unto salvation if salvation did not already exist in the person before the gospel got
there? How can one thing be unto another thing if the other thing is not already in existence? The gospel is the “power of God unto salvation to every one that  believeth.” It is not the power of God unto salvation to one who is not a believer. A believer is one who has already been born of God. “Even to them that believe on
His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” - (John 1:12-13). Those who now believe, in the present, were born of God, in the past. So the gospel coming to one in power proves that such a one was born of God before the gospel thus came to him; and one who hasbeen born of God was chosen of God before he was born of God. Being born of God and the gospel coming to him with power is inspired proof of the fact that such a one was embraced in the election of God. The gospel does not bring assurance to those who have not been born of God, or who are not of the elect of God. But it does bring much assurance to some. To whom does it come with much assurance? It comes with much assurance to those who are of the elect of God, and who have been born into the heavenly family. If the gospel has come to you with much assurance, it is an infallible proof, according to the inspired apostle, that you are embraced in the number of God's elect. The same which was said to the Thessalonians by the inspired apostle in our text may just as truly be said to you, “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance.” The eternal God, in His mercy and grace, made choice of you, elected you to salvation though Jesus Christ our Lord; and the apostle has said that he knew this fact, and knew it to be a fact. Well, we have only brought out one leading text in this article, but we feel that we have taken enough space for this time, and
will stop for the present, with the promise that we will try to write more on this  subject for the next issue. C. H. C.