How To Know You Belong To God

All right, 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, verses 4 through 7.

1 Thessalonians 1:4–7

For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you,

because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power,

and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.

You know what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord,

for you received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

Amen.

Have you ever heard the phrase, the proof is in the pudding?

That's a weird phrase, isn't it?

It's kind of an odd thing.

I thought about that this week in studying this passage,

and I thought, I don't even really know what that means.

I'm going to look that up.

Apparently, it's a shortened version of an expression that dates back even to the 17th century,

maybe even earlier than that.

The original expression goes like this.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Now, it's a simple statement, isn't it?

The expression simply means that you can only know the quality and authenticity of a thing

once you have tried or used or experienced it.

Last week in our partner meeting, we had a chili cook-off.

You can say that your chili recipe is better than anyone else's.

The proof will be in the eating of the chili, right?

Again, in the passage before us in these short verses,

Paul makes a bold and confident claim about the Christians in Thessalonica.

You saw it right there in verse 4.

He wrote that he knows for certain, for we know, brothers loved by God,

that he has chosen you.

He says, I know for certain that God has chosen to save you,

that you are part of God's elect, he means.

Now, of course, it comes in the midst of his thanksgiving to God

for the Thessalonians' faith, love, and hope in Jesus Christ.

That's what we studied last Sunday.

But as we discovered last week, it does seem odd

that Paul would recall the actions of the Thessalonians

and instead of thanking them, he thanked God for those actions.

That's odd, isn't it?

Because we give thanks to those who are ultimately responsible

for a particular act.

Gus is celebrating a birthday this week.

And since my daughters are in Raleigh and worship with their grandfather today,

they couldn't be here to celebrate with him.

So they sent me a gift and they said,

make sure that you give this to Gus since we can't be at his party.

So before service this morning, I brought it in and I said,

here you go, Gus, this is from Ashland and Harper.

They're sorry they can't be there for your party today,

but they wanted to wish you a happy birthday.

Now, it would have been really weird if Gus would have looked at me

and take that present and said, oh man, this is wonderful.

And then turn to Marty and say, thank you, Marty.

Thank you for this gift.

That would be weird, wouldn't it?

And yet that's exactly what Paul does in this passage.

In verse number three, he says, we thank God for you.

And then he goes on to explain that what he's giving thanksgiving for

is something that the Thessalonians have done,

but the object of his thanksgiving is God.

That seems weird.

We give thanks to those who are ultimately responsible for an act.

And what Paul understands in this text and what he communicates in the text

is that God and his grace was the definitive cause of the Thessalonians' conversion.

And when we get to these verses, verses four through seven,

what we find Paul doing is he explaining that further.

He's explaining to them why he's giving thanks to God.

And the interpretive clue for that is in the very first word of verse four.

It's the conjunction four, which is a grounding statement.

It's referring back to something else,

which we can see very clearly is this thanksgiving.

In other words, verse four, this phrase,

is the grounding statement that explains why Paul is thanking God in particular.

And what is the content of this explanation in verse four?

It is God's electing love of the Thessalonian Christians.

We might read it this way.

We give thanks to God always for all of you,

for we know, brothers and sisters loved by God,

that he has chosen you.

That's the principal clause in the passage.

Everything else that flows out from verse four through verse seven

is supporting statements for what Paul says in verse four,

that he is certain of their election.

But the question is, why is Paul saying this at all?

Why is he even bringing this up?

Why does he feel the need to make such a confident assertion

and affirmation of these people?

There's a few ways we might answer that.

We might surmise it.

It's possible that there were people in the church of Thessalonica

who were struggling with the assurance of their salvation.

And what they needed was the reassurance that is offered by Paul in these verses.

And certainly this would have been wonderfully reassuring to them.

Now you may be here this morning and that's a particular battle for you.

A struggle for you even this morning.

What you're facing is how can I know for sure that I'm saved?

How can I know for sure that God has saved me?

And this text can bring you tremendous clarity, can't it?

It can bring you clarity as to where you stand in relationship to God.

On the whole, however, it does not seem that Paul is addressing a church

that is generally overcome with doubt.

But rather a church that is overcome with discouragement.

Affliction.

Suffering.

Conflict.

Opposition.

Temptation.

Kill.

Are all words used in this letter to describe the immediate circumstances

of the Christians in Thessalonica.

Though they notably persevered in their faith, they were undoubtedly discouraged.

Because who doesn't get discouraged at the constant barrage of hardship,

especially the hardship that comes in spiritual forms.

So Paul sought to encourage his brothers and sisters in Christ by reminding them that while they are disdained

and persecuted and hated by their unbelieving neighbors,

they are loved and chosen by God.

And what a wonderful encouragement that must have been.

The doctrine of election is never meant to confuse or frustrate us.

It is always meant to encourage us.

Isn't that Paul's reasoning in Romans chapter 8?

Romans 8 · chapter mention

And he says, this electing work of God.

When he gets to the end of this, that golden chain of grace, what is it that he says?

He says, if God before us, who can stand against us?

He who did not spare his own son, but gave himself for you.

And then he goes on and he says, who can separate you from the love of God?

None of these things can.

And he offers up this glorious doxology in that moment.

What is all of that relating back to?

The encouragement that can be found in God's electing love.

But Paul didn't merely say they were part of God's elect and move on.

That would be to say that, well, the proof is in the chili recipe on its own.

That's not what Paul does.

No, he substantiated the claim by recalling the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the Thessalonians' conversion to Christ

and in the Spirit's persevering work in their faith.

For Paul, the proof was in the preaching of the gospel and their perseverance in affliction.

All things being orchestrated by the gracious and powerful work of the Holy Spirit.

And that is the point of this text.

You can say that you're part of God's elect.

The proof will be the same for you as it was the Thessalonians.

So this text this morning, it will either be for you a line in the sand that exposes your spiritual state,

or it will come to you as a wonderful encouragement that reminds you of God's saving love for you.

This text then reveals two ways to know that you belong to God.

Two ways to know that you belong to God.

Number one, the proof is in Spirit-empowered preaching.

The proof is in Spirit-empowered preaching.

Look at verse 5.

We know He has chosen you because our gospel came to you, not only in word, but in power, in the Holy Spirit,

and with full conviction, you knowing what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake.

The first thing Paul did to substantiate the claim was call the Thessalonians to remember their gospel beginnings.

Remember, we talked about this in great detail a couple of weeks ago,

and Paul now turns to them and he says,

I want you to remember when the gospel came to you.

There are so many things, both theological and philosophical,

that Paul and Silas and Timothy, that they could have reasoned over with the Thessalonians.

Still, it would not have been enough for them to arrive in Thessalonica preaching just anything.

It wouldn't have been enough.

For their preaching to make a lasting impact,

it had to be laser-focused on the gospel message.

For as Paul writes to the Romans,

it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

The gospel is.

But what exactly is this good news that they proclaimed in Thessalonica?

That's what gospel means.

It means good news.

What is actually the content of that gospel?

Well, we're told in Acts chapter 17, verses 2 and 3,

Acts 17:2

Paul went in, this is in Thessalonica,

as was his custom,

and on three Sabbath days,

he reasoned with them from the scriptures,

explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer

and to rise from the dead,

and saying,

this Jesus,

whom I proclaim to you,

is that Christ.

The good news of the gospel is about a Savior.

It is all about a Savior.

God promised in the scriptures that this Savior would die in the place of sinners,

and that after that death,

he would rise from the dead to prove

that his atonement was sufficient

to satisfy God's wrath,

that it would prove in his resurrection

that he provided sinners with true eternal life

because he alone has the power over life and death.

All of that is foretold in the prophets and in the law,

pointing forward to this promised Savior.

And Paul says,

Jesus of Nazareth is that Savior.

He is that Christ.

He is that Messiah.

He is the sinless Son of God

who bore the punishment for our sins,

and he rose from the dead to prove it.

That is the gospel.

And he offers forgiveness of sin.

He offers reconciliation with God.

He offers eternal life in his name

to all who will trust him.

That's the gospel message.

That's what Paul came to Thessalonica preaching.

That's what Paul went to Philippi preaching.

That's what Paul went to Berea preaching.

That's what Paul went to Athens preaching.

That's what Paul went to Corinth preaching.

Everywhere he went,

that's what he preached.

Why?

He could have preached about so many things.

He could have reasoned with them

over so many philosophical things,

particularly in Athens.

But no, he doesn't do that.

What does he do?

He goes and he preaches the gospel.

Why?

Because it is the gospel

that is the power of God

unto salvation.

There's a lot of instruction.

There's a lot of messages out there

that will stir you.

There is a lot of instruction

that may even change you.

There is only one message

that can save you.

Apart from the proclamation

of the gospel of Jesus,

you cannot be saved.

Acts chapter four,

there is salvation in no one else

for there is no other name

under heaven given

among men by which we must be saved

other than the name of Jesus.

Romans 10, 17,

faith does not come by epiphany.

Faith comes from hearing.

Hearing what?

Hearing the word of Christ.

What's the word of Christ?

It's the gospel.

It's the gospel message.

What Paul preached in Thessalonians.

How could Paul say,

well, I know for certain

that God has chosen you

because Paul knew

that what they received

was the true gospel message.

He knew what was preached to them.

And apart from the preaching

of that gospel,

there can be no salvation.

You say, well, how can I know

I'm saved?

Well, do you know the gospel?

If you don't know the gospel,

Paul, if the true gospel

has never been proclaimed to you,

you can't possibly be saved.

But it is proclaimed to you now.

Therefore, the door of faith is open.

The proof of the Thessalonians' election

is not less than the gospel message.

That's what I'm trying to say.

It's not less than the gospel message.

That is essential, of course.

But what we find in this text

is that the proof of their election

wasn't merely the words

of the gospel, though.

Look again at what he says.

Our gospel came to you

not only in word,

but in power.

Power.

We talked about this

in our Sunday school class

this morning in Lakeside Connect.

That word power,

it's deutamus.

In Greek,

it's the word we get dynamite from.

It's powerful.

It's explosive.

The source of that power,

Paul says,

is the Holy Spirit,

God himself.

The display of that power,

how he knew that that power

was actually being made evident,

was the full assurance

with which Paul preached the gospel

and with which the Thessalonians

believed the gospel.

So follow what he's saying.

I preached the gospel,

but when we preached the gospel,

it wasn't just empty words.

There was power to it,

and it wasn't our power.

It was the power

that was sourced in the Holy Spirit,

and we know that power was at work

because there was a full conviction,

not only in our preaching,

but in the way you received it.

Power.

Their gospel preaching

had a spiritual power

that could not be manufactured.

It couldn't be manipulated.

That's what he's saying.

It is a gracious work of God's Spirit

that occurs according to God's saving purposes

through the proclamation of the gospel,

whether from a pulpit on a Sunday morning

or at a coffee shop

on a Tuesday afternoon

with Bibles open,

the gospel being proclaimed.

That's where the power is.

Can I just prove that to you

in a few other places?

You're in 1 Thessalonians.

Set your eyes on chapter 2

and verse 13.

Notice what Paul says here.

We also thank God constantly for this,

that when you received the word of God,

which you heard from us,

you accepted it not as the word of men,

but as it really is,

the word of God,

which is at work in you.

Now, that's an important phrase, isn't it?

That it's not that the word,

the gospel didn't come in word only.

That's what he's saying.

But as the gospel came,

the gospel itself was doing a work,

and what was the source of that work?

The Holy Spirit.

In Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12,

Hebrews 4 · chapter mention

that's clarified for us.

The writer says,

the word of God,

the scripture,

the gospel,

it's living,

it's active,

it's sharper than any two-edged sword.

It pierces to the division

of soul and spirit,

the joints and marrow.

It discerns the thoughts

and intentions of our heart.

That's a strange thing to say.

We read books,

and the author of Hebrews says,

the Bible is a book

that actually reads you.

Well, how does it actually do that?

It's just a book.

It's just words.

Oh, but it's not just words.

When it is infused

with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let me give you another one.

Acts chapter 16 and verse 14.

Acts 16 · chapter mention

This is the narrative

of the beginnings

of the church in Philippi.

It says,

one who heard us

was a woman named Lydia.

In Thessalonica,

the Lord opened her heart

to pay attention

to what was said by Paul.

And what was said by Paul.

The same thing he said

in Thessalonica.

And there was power in it.

How did he know

there was power in it?

Because the Lord opened

her heart to believe.

First Peter chapter 1,

1 Peter 1:23

verse 23.

You have been born again,

not of perishable seed,

but of imperishable.

How?

Through the living

and abiding word of God,

Peter says.

And then we have in this

kind of strange statement

here at the end of this verse.

He says,

you know what kind of men

we proved to be among you.

What does he mean?

He's like,

you know.

You know what this was like.

You know who we were like.

Paul lived among the Thessalonians

in such a way

that they could be sure

of his character.

His character then

giving credibility

to the power of God

that was at work

in his preaching.

And he's going to elaborate

on this in chapter 2,

so we won't spend

a lot of time on it now.

But here he acknowledges

that they knew

he didn't behave

as some charlatan.

That he wasn't manipulating them

for personal gain.

And they knew

because they watched him live.

They saw when he refused

to take money from them.

He's going to elaborate

on that later.

He's saying,

look,

we came to you.

We preached the gospel.

And you know,

you know the character

and integrity

with which we preached

that gospel.

What they experienced

was not the power

of Paul's rhetoric,

but it was the gracious

power of God,

which is a similar argument

that Paul makes

to the Corinthians.

In 1 Corinthians 2,

he says,

when I was with you,

I came in weakness

and fear

and much trembling.

And my speech

and my message

were not in plausible

words of wisdom.

That is,

they weren't meant

to be eloquent.

I didn't come to you

trying to impress you

with my speech.

No,

my words were

in demonstration

of the Spirit

and of power

so that your faith

might not rest

in the wisdom of men,

but in the power of God.

What is he saying?

He's saying that

the power of gospel preaching

is not in the speech itself.

It's in the Spirit's work

through it.

That doesn't mean

that the gospel

cannot be communicated

with eloquence,

that it cannot be communicated

with persuasive rhetoric,

apologetic,

or undeniable

apologetic

persuasion.

It's not what that means.

But what it means

is that those things

are ultimately

unnecessary

to the power

of the gospel.

And many times

they're actually

even harmful.

Why?

Because they may,

someone may rest

their faith

based on the way

someone has formed

their speech

rather than on

the thing itself.

That's what Paul's saying.

He says,

we didn't do that.

The best sermon

is utterly ineffective

without the Spirit's power.

And the most simple

and basic presentation

of the true gospel

is infinitely powerful

when the Holy Spirit

is at work in it.

And some of you,

sometimes you question yourself.

Maybe you even question

the insurance that you have

because you look back

on your conversion

and you think about the guy

that was preaching that day

and you just think,

well, that guy

was very smart.

It really wasn't that great

of a presentation.

Or maybe you look back

on it now

and you think,

you know,

I'm so different

about him

on theological things.

Can I really trust

that what he gave me

that day,

it doesn't matter.

He doesn't matter.

The speech

and the way

it was formulated,

it didn't matter.

Even the most simple

and basic presentation

of the true gospel

when it is infused

with the power

of the Spirit

will make an eternal

difference in your life.

Brian,

I think it was

Wednesday morning,

quoted R.C. Sproul

and he said,

it doesn't matter

how beautiful

a ship is

if there's no wind

in its sails.

It's just gonna

stay adrift.

Sometimes we're looking

but we say,

okay,

I'll trust Christ

when somebody

finally convinces me

with just the right argument.

No, you won't.

No, you won't.

I can give you

every possible argument

and defend it

to perfection

and it won't make

a difference in your life

if it doesn't come

with the power

of the Spirit.

Isn't this what Jesus

meant in his conversation?

with Nicodemus?

John chapter 3,

John 3 · chapter mention

Jesus tells Nicodemus,

don't marvel

that I said to you

you must be born again.

The wind blows

where it wishes.

You hear it sound.

You see the evidence

of it that it's there.

But you don't know

where it comes from

or where it goes.

And then Jesus says,

this is how it is

with everyone

who is born

of the Spirit.

Preaching is only effective

when it has the power

of the Spirit.

This is a soliloquy

you can take with you today.

Preaching is only effective

when it has the power

of the Spirit.

Paul's preaching

in Thessalonica

had the wind

of the Spirit.

Therefore,

he knew for certain

that God chose

the Thessalonians

and he praised God

for them.

Can I ask you,

has there been a time

in your life

when upon hearing

the gospel message,

the wind

of the Spirit

blew?

And you know

that it did

because it came

with conviction.

It convinced

a dead heart,

brought it to life.

Turning your unbelieving

stony heart

into a heart

that expressed

genuine saving faith.

That's the work

of the Spirit,

my friend.

How can I know

I belong to God?

Has the Spirit

been blowing

in your lives?

Now I want you

to follow Paul's argument

as it unfolds

in the text.

He was sure

of the Thessalonian

church's election

because his gospel

preaching

in Thessalonica

was infused

with the Spirit's power.

But how could he know

that the Holy Spirit

empowered his preaching?

Verse 6.

And you became

imitators of us

and of the Lord

for you received

the word

in much affliction

with the joy

of the Holy Spirit.

Proof number one

is Spirit

empowered preaching.

Proof number two

in this text.

Spirit

enabled

perseverance.

Spirit

enabled

perseverance.

perseverance.

The proof

was in the Thessalonian

spirit

enabled perseverance

here.

When they heard

the gospel

they received it.

That is

they believed

what they heard.

And their reception

of the word

was marked

by what?

Joy.

They were excited

to hear

and believe

the gospel.

You remember

what that was like

don't you?

Don't you remember

when you finally

came to faith

or at least

when you got

to the point

where you

realized

and you

put all the

pieces together

that oh

I'm a Christian.

There's joy

that comes with that

right?

And when they

received the gospel

when they received

the word

they did so

with joy.

But again

the ultimate

proof of their

genuine conversion

was not less

than joyful

belief.

But in this verse

it's more than

joyful belief

isn't it?

For the Thessalonians.

Paul recognized

that the Holy Spirit

must have been

the one

to supply

this joy

because their

faith in the gospel

endured in

much

affliction

he says.

The proof

of the pudding

is in the eating.

The proof

of God's

electing love

is in

persevering

faith.

It's in

persevering faith.

You see this is not

something you can

determine in prospect.

It is something you

determine in

retrospect.

Jesus said

something about

this in his

parable of the

soils.

Do you remember

it?

In Mark

Mark 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4

these are the

ones sown

on rocky

ground.

The ones

who when they

hear the word

immediately

receive it

with joy

but they have

no root

in themselves.

They endure

for a while.

Then when

tribulation

persecution

arises

on account

of the

word

immediately

they what?

They fall

away.

That's the

words of

Jesus.

Jesus's point

is that there

are people

who for one

reason or

another

joyfully

receive the

gospel

but their

faith proves

to be

superficial

when they

abandon it

under

challenging

circumstances.

now this

is not a

reference to

a person

in a moment

of weakness.

Think Peter

and his

three denials.

Peter's

three denials

were not true

denials were

they?

He was trying

to preserve

his life

certainly he

shouldn't have

done what he

did but Peter

wasn't really

denying Christ

personally in his

heart right?

That's different

than Judas

though isn't

it?

Judas's

betrayal and

rejection was

a heart level

rejection.

So what Jesus

is talking about

here he's not

talking about a

person who has

a moment of

weakness and a

moment of doubt

where they don't

follow through on

their faith like

they should.

The scriptures

actually clarify

for us that

this cannot be

an individual

who after truly

being saved by

God loses

or forfeits

that salvation.

Instead

the Bible

teaches us

that this

falling away

reveals that

their initial

display of

faith was not

actually authentic.

A verse we

often turn to

for that is

1 John 2

and verse 19.

John says

in speaking of

the spirit of

Antichrist

those who go

out denying

the Christ

denying the

gospel

they went out

from us

but they were

not of us

for if they

had been of

us

they would have

continued with

us

but they went

out.

Why?

That it might

become plain

that they are

not of us.

Paul was

certain of the

Thessalonians

election because

the Holy Spirit

enabled them to

persevere despite

severe persecution.

Look at this

text on the

screen from

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 8:1

chapter 8

verses 1 and 2.

This is when

Paul is describing

to the church

in Corinth

the struggle

of the churches

in Macedonia

which is the

church of

the Thessalonians.

We want you

to know brothers

about the grace

of God

that has been

given among

the churches

of Macedonia

for in a

severe test

of affliction

their abundance

of joy

and their

extreme poverty

have overflowed

in a wealth

of generosity

on their part.

He goes on

later and he

says this is

explained because

they first gave

themselves to

God before

they did

anything else.

By remaining

faithful in

affliction the

Thessalonian

Christians followed

in the footsteps

of the Lord

Jesus who for

the joy that

was set before

him in

endured the

cross

and what

was the net

result of the

Thessalonians

conversion and

perseverance?

Verse 7

So that

that's a purpose

statement it's a

result action

result.

What's the result?

You became an

example to all

the believers in

Macedonia and

Achaia.

We're going to

unpack that next

week but it's

important that we

recognize here the

pattern of grace

Paul was thankful

to God that the

gracious work he

was doing in the

Thessalonians resulted

in the gracious work

being accomplished in

others.

Now I told you why is

Paul saying this?

Well it could be that

some of them just

needed some assurance.

They needed to be

reassured about their

salvation but I think

this is really meant to

be an encouragement and

what a joyful

encouragement it must

have been for these

faithful persevering

Christians to know

that their suffering

was not wasted.

Not only did their

perseverance and

affliction prove God's

electing love for

them but the testimony

of it was being used

by God to bring

others to saving

persevering faith in

Jesus Christ.

The joy of which is

yet another proof of

their election.

Now before we finish

you may be struggling

at this point

because you think okay

the text is about

proofs of our

salvation.

Proofs of God's

electing love set on

us in particular.

Okay I've heard the

gospel.

I think I experienced

the power of the

Spirit in the

presentation of that

gospel because I

responded in joyful

faith.

But then you get to

this point and you

think well you know

I'm struggling a

little bit because I

don't think I've been

tested like this.

Can I actually be

assured of God's

saving grace in my

life if I haven't

gone through such

suffering?

Can I really know

that I belong to

God?

The fact is that none

of us may ever face

the kind of affliction

that the Thessalonians

endured.

But the point is not

for us to compare our

suffering to anyone

else's.

That's never

recommended.

That's never commended

in the scriptures at

all.

And that's not the

point of this statement

here.

I want to suggest to

you that if that's

where you are, that's

a struggle for you.

I want to suggest

that your faith has

been tested in more

ways than you may

realize.

Maybe your life

hasn't been

threatened.

Have you ever

faced a trial?

Some kind of

suffering in your

life and the

greatest temptation

for you was anger

at God?

How could you do

this to me?

After everything I've

done for you, how

could you do this to

me?

You're supposed to be

good.

How could you allow

this to happen in my

life?

You ever been there?

Probably, right?

Can I ask you, in the

midst of that temptation,

did you persevere

through the anger?

That's an affliction.

Have you ever

struggled with doubts

since you've become a

Christian about the

reliability of the

scriptures?

Whether Christianity

really is, as Tim

Keller said after he

became a believer, he

said, Christianity, the

resurrection of Jesus, it

is intellectually

credible and

existentially

satisfying.

Since you became a

Christian, has there

ever been a time in

your life where you

doubted that?

Where you wondered,

what am I doing?

Is this really real?

Am I foolish for

thinking this?

Can I ask you, did you

keep trusting Jesus even

when those questions

didn't receive answers?

That's affliction.

Have you ever been

hurt or abused by a

professing Christian who

even used the Bible to

justify their abuse?

And the temptation in

that moment was, how

could I possibly follow a

Savior whose disciples do

this?

Can I ask you, did your

love for Jesus persevere

through the abuse of

those who claimed to

follow him?

What about your sin?

Have you ever wondered

from, wondered away from

faithfulness in terms of

the way that you live and

you just did something

really, really stupid?

blatantly sinful?

That brought tremendous

reproach upon the name

of Christ?

Maybe it destroyed your

family or at least

threatened to.

I mean, you blew it.

Can I ask you, in the

midst of that, did you

rest in the finished work

of Christ on your behalf

despite the grief of your

own sin?

You don't have to wait

for some overwhelming

test of faith to be

assured of your

salvation.

If you are persevering in

this moment, loved

ones, that is a

testimony of God's grace

in your life.

It's not because you

figured something out that

no one else has.

It's because you're the

beneficiary of a work

of grace that cannot be

fully explained.

It's the power of the

Spirit at work.

What does all of this have

to do with election?

This saving and

persevering faith, it's not

something that we can

produce on our own.

Just like Paul, as

capable as he was, and

you only have to read

through a few of his

letters to realize he

could have come preaching

with quite a bit of

eloquence and persuasion,

and yet that's not what

he did.

He couldn't manipulate or

manufacture what was

happening in the people

in Thessalonica.

He couldn't do that.

You can't manipulate it

in yourself either.

The Scriptures describe

our natural condition

in at least three ways.

We're told that in our

natural condition we are

in bondage to sin.

We're slaves to sin, just

like Israel was slaves in

Egypt.

We're told that in

Ephesians chapter 2 that

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

in our natural condition

we are dead in our

trespasses and sins.

Not dying.

Not dying.

Not drowning.

Drowned.

Dead.

In the Corinthian letters

we're told that in our

natural condition the

natural man cannot even

really fully comprehend

the gospel in and of

themselves because it's

spiritually discerned and

they do not have the work

of the Spirit to discern it

for them.

And we're told that in our

natural condition, Romans 3,

we are unwilling, not just

unable, we're unwilling to come

to God on His terms.

That's our condition.

If we are to be saved, it

requires that someone who is

free break our bondage.

That someone who is living

bring us to life.

that someone with true

spiritual power

take our hardened hearts

and transform them to love

and worship God.

If we are to be saved,

that's what it will take.

God's election then

is a divine act of grace

whereby He accomplishes

those things

through Spirit-empowered

preaching

so that we might then

willfully

respond to the gospel

in repentance and faith

and continue

forthwith

to respond to the gospel

in repentance

and faith.

When God makes

someone His own,

He never lets them go.

Isn't that wonderful?

No matter how great

the trial,

He will hold them fast.

And the proof

will be in their

willful perseverance

of faith.

Now here's the truth.

We have an enemy

that would love nothing more

than to hinder

that perseverance.

That would love

for our discouragement

like the discouragement

of the Thessalonians

to be so severe

that we would

begin perhaps

to show signs

of falling away.

That's what He wants.

We should expect

to face

significant temptation

to abandon the faith

throughout our lives.

But the wonderful thing

about God's grace

is that it holds us

even when we don't feel

we can hold on

to Him.

Why does Paul say,

I thank God

for what's happening

in you?

Because Paul knows

that it's God

doing it.

So how can we know

that God has set

His saving love

on us?

Well,

did the wind blow

when you heard

that Jesus died

for your sin

and rose from the dead

and invited you

to receive eternal salvation

from Him

as a free gift?

You may not be able

to pinpoint

a particular moment.

And don't let that

discourage you.

If you are in the faith

today,

it's because

the wind was blowing

and it may have been

blowing for a little while

before you realized it.

Not everybody has

a dramatic

transformational moment.

Some people do

to the glory of God.

Some people do have

those Damascus Road moments

as Sarah Lynn

talked about

in her testimony

last week.

Many of us

don't have that.

The Lord does

His unique work

in everybody

in different ways

but the truth is

it always comes

through the gospel

and it always comes

in the power

of the Spirit.

Did you turn

from sin

and trust in Him

if not,

what's keeping you

from doing it now?

You can turn

to Christ

now

by faith

and you'll prove

in the process

that you do actually

indeed belong to God.

Well, the second thing is

are you persevering

in that faith?

Does it mean

that you don't

regularly face temptation

to doubt the Lord

but it does mean

that your perseverance

continues despite

all the doubt?

That's not because

you got it all together

but because God

has made you

His own.

So we thank God

and we find

encouragement

in God's saving

electing love.

Let's pray.

for better