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Credits
The article below, and the next few articles on
Fundamental Faith, will be from a book which was
published in 1971 by Elder Wiley W. Sammons, in his
book titled: “IDENTITY OF THE TRUE BAPTIST CHURCH,
Doctrine Precept & Practice, From 1701 – 1971, In
West Tennessee, North Carolina and Alabama. The five
Primitive Baptist Elders who contributed to this
effort were: Wiley W. Sammons of Tennessee, C.M.
Mills of North Carolina, Guy Hunt of Alabama, T.L.
Webb Jr. of Arkansas, and E.B. Watts of Alabama. |
While we
will only publish a few of the well-crafted articles from
this book, we want to take all care in giving credit to
these men who labored to produce such a work. Fundamental of
Faith is so very important for the child of God to be
well-grounded in the “rudiments of truth,” and we commend
these good brethren for their efforts to furnish the
generations of the Lord's people with sound fundamental
teachings.
This book would be a great addition to the library of every
“Old School Primitive Baptist,” with a desire to seek after
the truth.
Elder John P. Young – Editor
ELECTION
By Elders Wiley W. Sammons (dec.) and C.M. Mills (dec.)
This
love that God has for his people was the moving cause of God
setting apart a people and purposing to take care of them
later. The election did not get men into trouble. The
purpose was made before man fell and notwithstanding man did
fall into sin and corruption. God's love was still for them
that made him reach down and bring them out of this state by
fulfilling his promise as he had promised them eternal life.
This is called the work of Grace—it is performed by the
third person in the Godhead known as the Holy Spirit. All
things necessary to complete the eternal purpose and will of
God are in Christ and will be accomplished by him. This is
clearly set forth in Romans 8:21: "Because the creature
itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of
God." We go now to Romans 8:28: "We know that all things
work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose. v.29. For whom he
did foreknow- (that means to know them beforehand), he also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. v.30.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called, them
he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified. v.31. What shall we then say to these things?
(The things embraced in this lesson are the things
aforementioned. Things don't mean everything that is going
on in the world but what God determined to do for his
people.) If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Who can overthrow his purpose? that is, his eternal purpose
that he determined to do before time—because if it had been
made in time, it would not be an eternal purpose. His
eternal purpose was sure to be fulfilled in his Son, Jesus
Christ.
The last thing to be done will be to raise up these bodies
of the ones he foreknew, called, justified by the blood of
Jesus Christ, and glorified. He is head over all things to
the church. The head was raised when Christ was raised out
of Joseph's new tomb in the glory of the Father. Therefore
the rest of the body (his children) will be raised at the
last day. God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those
things that be not as though they were. God only could
declare the thing not yet done as they were already done
because he was sure he could complete what he said he would
do. When men will not believe in the wisdom of God in his
creation of natural things here in the earth, they will not
believe in his wisdom of the doctrine of salvation of men by
grace. Wisdom knew his people and love embraced them, and in
his wisdom of his foreknowledge, arrangements were made to
take care of them even though man later by his own
transgression brought ruin and condemnation on man and his
posterity. This did not hinder God from perfecting his
purpose.
Every writer of the New Testament mentions the election of
grace or "The children of God" in some form as well as the
writers of the Old Testament. This shows that this doctrine
is so vital that it cannot be neglected without neglecting
the sacred scriptures. The scriptures teach that he has
quickened us together with Christ even when we were dead in
sin, God's plan is in Christ. Paul spoke concerning this in
Timothy saying, "Who hath saved us and called us with an
holy calling, not according to our works but according to
his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began." Notice that this was before any had
a being in the world and by applying and administering this
grace God's design and purpose in saving his people was
brought about. The ones who were marked out and given to
Christ in his covenant are called "the elect of God" and
were in every nation, kindred, tongue, and people of the
earth. This is one of the basic and eternal principles
taught in the Bible. No man can preach salvation by grace
and not acknowledge the doctrine of election.
The lesson in the 9th chapter of Romans, beginning with v.6:
"Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For
they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither,
because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children;
but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." That is, they who
arc the children of the flesh are not the children of God,
but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come
and Sarah shall have a son; and not only this, but when
Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
(For the children not yet born, neither having done any good
nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was
said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is
written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What
shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God
forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I
will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will
have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth nor
of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."
In Genesis, beginning with chapter 25, v.21: "And Isaac
intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and
the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebecca his wife
conceived. And the children struggled together within her;
And she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to
inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations
are in thy womb, and the manner of people shall be separated
from thy bowels: and one people shall be stronger than the
other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." And
when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold there
were twins in her womb."
According to Jewish law the oldest son was to be priest to
the family. He would share two portions of the estate and be
head over the tribe, but in this case it will not be so,
because it will be the reverse of the natural way of doing
things. Esau by natural birthright had that position and
this is the birthright he sold for a mess of pottage.
Although he grieved over it later, he could not undo it
though he sought it in tears. It refers in the scriptures
to, "Jacob have I loved." God loved Jacob before he was born
but God didn't love Esau. Love shows a distinction between
one that is preferred and one that is not preferred. This is
sometimes called a type of the electing grace of God. This
shows that God did love his people before they fell in their
fore parents, Adam and Eve. Although they did fall under the
law of sin and death, God's love collies to them through his
Son who redeemed them and they get the benefits of his
eternal love and this will take care of them because "God is
love" and God is stronger than death.
Jacob is a type of the people that God loved and Esau is a
type of the people that God did not love, so God passed by
and made no provision for them. He did not get them into
trouble and he didn't get them out. They are responsible for
their own fall for that is what they inherited. Man is to
blame for sin and if he has to suffer for it, it is nothing
but right. The two manners of people show that there were
two different types of people and the ones God passed by and
didn't love are characterized by Fsau. It doesn't
necessarily mean all of his seed but that type of people he
passed by and didn't make provision for, while Jacob is the
type of the people that he did love and for whom he made
provision This shows his purpose in Election. The 11th,
12th, and 13th chapters of Romans show that election is
based on the love of God.
The election is the first thing in order. God, knowing the
people beforehand and loving them, as his will for them was
to be with him and in order for them to be with him, knew
what he would do. That is, he would make atonement for all
that he elected and certainly he had that to do with. So he
sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to make the atonement, thus
fulfilling the agreement between God, the Father, and his
Son. The covenant was arranged between them. "My covenant
shall stand fast with him", said the Father speaking of his
Son. Because of his will for his people to be with him, it
was necessary that atonement be made and satisfaction be
made. The thing that separated him from his people, which
was sin, had to be removed and that was removed by the death
of his Son. "Therefore, being justified by his blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through him.” This is that which
keeps us from suffering hereafter. Christ Jesus made the
atonement by his blood blotting out and freeing them,
cancelling out the debt in full, justifying us before God.
"Therefore being justified by his blood, we shall he saved
from wrath through him." The atonement brought about
redemption. Certainly they will receive benefits of this.
Who hath quickened us together with Christ? Ile didn't use
the church, nor the ministry: he didn't use anything but
Christ. Because Christ has redeemed us from under the law of
sin and death, we cannot sin under that law anymore. We can
sin under the law Christ, and do. That is why we feel
condemnation while we live here in time. This law chastises,
rebukes, and condemns us, and we suffer on account of it,
but it does not pay for our sins—The Atonement covers all
sins of the elect. When we come under his law in his family,
he chastises us when we do wrong and blesses us when we do
right. Thus, here are the blessings in obedience and
chastisement in disobedience.
We have the Holy Scriptures which are God's divine work and
word according to his purpose and will. So all that his Son,
Jesus Christ, did in his office work was according to the
election of God and purpose of God. God is sovereign as well
as immutable, omnipotent, and perfect. Therefore, let each
one of us look to him and him alone. |