The election of Jesus Christ, part 2; The uniqueness of Christ; John 15:16.

Title: The election of Jesus Christ, part 2; The uniqueness of Christ; John 15:16.

 

John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.

 

 “choose” - aorist middle indicative of evkle,gomai[eklegomai] = to choose or to elect. Middle - the subject benefits from the action.

 

The believer has not elected Christ for his benefit, but Christ has elected the believer for His benefit, His glory.

 

All the glory in election goes to Christ, so although there are unfathomable benefits to us in election the ultimate glory goes to Christ, who is the husband while we are His bride.

 

There are three elections in the Scripture:

1.The election of Israel

2. The election of Christ

3. The election of the individual CA believer

 

The election of Christ is the salvation plan of God and is the only basis for the other two elections.

 

A careful reading of the Bible will reveal that the plan of salvation was not an emergency device conceived after the fall of man as a plan of rescue, but rather that it was the solemn decision of God in EP in contemplating the whole of creation. It is a matter of great significance that it was decreed from EP that Christ should become incarnate, that He should suffer the death on the cross for the sin of the world, and that He should triumph in His resurrection, in the salvation of all who believe, and in the ultimate consummation of God’s plan. All this was as certain and clear to God from eternity past as it will be from the viewpoint of eternity future.

 

L.S. Chafer in introducing his Christology expressed his sense of inadequacy when he wrote:

 

In attempting to write of His adorable Person and His incomprehensible achievements - which achievements when completed will have perfected redemption, exercised to infinite satisfaction the divine attribute of grace, manifested the invisible God to His creatures, and subdued a rebellious universe in which sin had been permitted to demonstrate its exceeding sinfulness - the limitations of a finite mind which is weakened by a faulty perception are all too apparent.

 

GEN 22:13

And in your seed [Christ] all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

 

Christ was elected in eternity past. 1 Peter 1:13

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.

 

Acts 2:23

this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

 

MIC 5:2

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are from long ago,

From the days of eternity."

 

Ps 90:2

Before the mountains were born,

Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.

 

ISA 9:6

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

 

The beginning of His election in time is through the virgin birth, ISA 7:14

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel [God with us].

 

Ps 2:7

"I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:

He said to Me, 'Thou art My Son,

Today I have begotten Thee.

 

Christ’s election and predestination in EP follows the pattern: Virgin birth, Impeccability, the cross, Resurrection, Ascension, Session, together comprising total victory over the Angelic Conflict.

 

Therefore, Christ’s election is absolutely unique. He is unique in the Trinity as the only One to become true humanity. He is unique in Israel as the only true Son of David qualified to be the only true King of Israel. He is unique in regards to the Church as the only King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

1 Peter 2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone [He is alive and the only standard], rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God,

 

 “choice” - adjective (of the same verb in John 15:16) eklektos [eklektos] - chosen or elected.

 

 “precious” - e;ntimoj[entimos] = held in honor, prized, precious, highly valued.

 

The mature believer sees Christ in the same way that the Father does, elected to the greatest privilege and precious.

 

The mature believer sees himself in the same way, through the eyes of the Father, as elected to the greatest privilege and precious.

 

1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

 

1 Peter 2:6 For this is contained in Scripture:

"Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone,

And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed."

 

Remember this quote from the OT; ISA 28:16. Yet Peter does not quote it exactly as Paul did.

 

ROM 9:33

just as it is written,

"Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,

And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed."

 

However, while Paul was combining quotes from both ISA 8:14 and ISA 28:16, Peter quotes more accurately from the Septuagint only ISA 28:16, using the Greek adjectives eklektos and entimos = elected and precious.

 

Therefore, the OT and NT describe the Christ as elected to privilege and precious.

 

Christ is the unique one of the universe: COL 1:15-20.

 

COL 1:15 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.

 

Along with this I am going to give you Col. Thieme’s expanded translation:

 

COL 1:15 “Who keeps on being the exact image of the unseen God, the privileged firstborn with reference to all creatures.”

 

Firstborn indicates His eternity before all things and His humanity which is worthy of double blessing - David’s throne and head of the Church.

 

COL 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities —  all things have been created by Him and for Him.

 

COL 1:16 Because by means of him [Christ] the all things were created, in the sphere of the heavens, and upon the earth, the visible things and the invisible things, whether human governments or constituted authorities, or angelic rulers and authorities: the all things through him and for his purpose stand created.

 

COL 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

 

COL 1:17 And he is before all, and the all things by means of him hold together.

 

From the nuclear forces that hold the tiny, invisible atom together to the gravitational forces that hold the universe together, Jesus Christ through power and activity, holds all things together.

 

HEB 1:3

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high;

 

COL 1:18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.

 

COL 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church; himself who is the first cause of the church, the privileged firstborn out from the dead; that he might become the holder of the highest rank [in the Church].

 

COL 1:19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him,

 

COL 1:19 Because in him [Christ] he [God the Father] has determined with pleasure that all the quintessence of blessing and happiness should have permanent residence [in Christ].

And here is the fulfillment of His election.

 

COL 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

 

COL 1:20 And through him [God the Father] to reconcile the all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, through him and only through him; whether things on earth or things in the heavens.