September 3rd, 1942

We promised again in our last issue to try to write some more on this subject for  this issue. We will try to do as promised. The last text we used in our last article was ((4) (Psalms 65:4), which reads as follows: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we
shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” We also used this text: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.” -(Psalms 33:12). We wish to refer to these passages again because it has been argued by some that it is not persons,
abstractly, that God made choice of, but that He chose character and not persons: thus teaching that one must be of such and such character in order to be embraced in the election. For instance, it has been argued that one must be a believer in order to be embraced in the election; that God chose only such as become believers; that the choice is, or was, based on the fact of them becoming believers; thus contending that it as not persons, as such, that He chose, but such and such characters. Let us here call attention to the fact that David said in (Psalms 33:12), “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.'' A nation is composed of people; people, not character, make up and compose a nation. That nation whose God is the Lord is a blessed nation And David, most emphatically, says the people are blessed whom the Lord hath chosen for His own inheritance. If David told the truth, and he did, then God chose people; and people are persons of Adam's sinful race. Hence, God made choice of sinners of Adam's race for His inheritance. And in ((4) (Psalms 65:4) he said, “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto the.'' It is the man which God chooses, and not character, and then He causes that man whom He has chosen to approach unto Him. If one approaches unto Him in repentance and faith,
or in faith and repentance, it is because God had made choice of him and caused him to thus approach unto Him. It was not the faith and repentance which God hath made choice of, nor because of the faith and repentance that God made the choice; but God chose the man and then caused the man to approach unto Him.
 

The choice was first, the man was chosen, and the faith and repentance were some of the ends to be reached as a result of the choice and the Lord causing the one chosen to thus approach unto Him. Hence, the faith, or belief, and repentance are evidences-inspired evidences-that the person was chosen of God. If one approaches the Lord, it is because God had made choice of that person and caused him to approach. God made choice of him first, and then, after the choice, caused him to approach unto Him. No poor sinner has ever yet approached the Lord, or ever will approach unto Him, upon any other principle other than that the Lord had
made choice of him and caused him to approach unto Him. If any poor sinner ever has approached the Lord, or ever will approach unto Kim, upon any other principle than this, then it was not necessary for the Lord to make the choice and cause the person to approach unto Him; and if it was not necessary, then the Lord has done an unnecessary thing. A thing done which was not necessary to be done is a thing; by which no good is accomplished. But good is accomplished by that which the Lord  has clone and does do. It is good for the Lord to possess His inheritance. Hence, it was not an unnecessary thing for God to choose sinners of Adam's race and cause them to approach unto Him; and. as a result of the choice which God has made, and the work which He does in causing poor sinners to approach unto Him, He will have ail His inheritance, and will bring all of them home to glory; and they shall be satisfied. This is consoling to poor sinners of Adam's race who have been given to see and to realize their lost condition by reason of sin-that, notwithstanding their deplorable condition. God made choice of them and caused them to approach unto Him, and will finally bring them off more than conquerors through Him that loved them and gave Himself for them. Let us here quote (Luke 18:1-8): And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will
avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on
the earth? In this Scripture we have the lesson taught us that the unjust judge avenged the widow who cried unto him. It was not done by him as an act of mercy, or because he feared God or regarded man; but it was because he might be wearied by her continual coming to him. But this is not the reason why God will avenge His own elect. God is not an unjust judge, nor is He unmerciful. He is both just and merciful. He will avenge His own elect because He loves them, and hath mercy on them; and He will avenge them speedily. “Vengeance is mine; I will  repay, saith the Lord.” - (Romans 12:19). Here is language uttered by the blessed Son of God Himself. In it He tells us that God has an elect. As God has an elect, He made choice of them; He did the electing or choosing, and they are His own. How may they be distinguished from others who are not of His elect? They cry unto Him day and night. They do not cry unto Him in order to become elect, or in
order to be elected. If so, they cry before they are elected; and if they cry before they are elected, then some cry unto Him who are not yet elected. And if some cry unto Him who are not yet elected, then the Saviour made a wrong statement when He declared that His elect cry unto Him day and night. Those who cry unto Him are those who have already been elected, already chosen. God had made choice of them, and now they cry unto Him. Have you been brought to cry unto the Lord? If so, the Saviour here describes you as one of the elect of God, and assures you that the same one who has chosen you will care for you and project you, and that He will avenge your adversary. He will preserve and keep yen, because He loves you with an everlasting love, and He changes not. “I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” - (Malachi 3:6). Blessed and glorious promises and insurances are these which the Lord, in His love and mercy, hath given for the comfort, consolation and encouragement of His little ones here in this low ground of sorrow. Dark clouds are hanging over the would today; but God will take care of you, dear children. His elect, the objects of His love and choice. We often wonder if we are embraced in that number. These things here have been of some comfort and consolation to us along life's ragged way. and we feel today to be willing to risk it, and to rely on His precious promises. May the Lord bless you, and comfort your hearts in this dark and cloudy day, is our prayer. We will try to continue the subject in our next issue. C. H. C.