The Election Principle

a. Definition. . … 1
That principle of divine revelation whereby God in working out His purposes set aside all firsts and established all seconds.

  1. God has a purpose, and this is worked out all through Scripture.
  2. For example: Rom. 9:10-12. The purpose of God declared that the elder should serve the younger; and nothing can set this aside. It is clear and candid. The seconds that the Lord establishes are established on the basis of the cross.
  3. The reason why God sets aside the firsts, is because the firsts are of the flesh and of Satan; and the seconds are associated with the spiritual and with the Lord Jesus Christ.
    a. Illustrations:
  4. Heb. 10:7-9—Sacrifices under the law are compared to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The sacrifices of the Jewish altars are set aside for the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  5. Examples in families of Scripture:
  6. Cain set aside for Abel.
  7. Japheth set aside for Shem.
  8. Ishmael set aside for Isaac.
  9. Esau set aside for Jacob.
  10. Reuben set aside for Judah.
  11. God set aside the first and chose the second, or a second. “Except a man be born again”—the first birth is not enough; only the twice-born man is accepted.
  12. Adam had two possible grounds of access to God. Before the fall, he had access to God and fellowship with God on the ground of his own continuance in righteousness. But, because of one evil deed, fellowship with God was lost, and communion was cut off. As soon as sin entered in, what did God do? He made provision for clothing Adam and Eve by slaying animals. No man can enter in the presence of God by good works, but only by the shedding of blood.
  13. Cain and Abel. The above truth is brought out in this incident also. God set aside the offering of the first, and established the second.
  14. Gen. 48:8-19— Jacob crossed his hands, and by this act, the second son of Joseph received the blessing that the first should have received. In the crossing of Jacob’s hands we have a figure of the fact that all things are based on the cross.
  15. II Pet. 3:13—Sin has access to both earth and heaven at the present time, but God will establish a second heaven and earth where righteousness shall reign.
  16. According to God’s Word, we were lost in our first condition; but by His grace, those who believe are saved by the second condition. God has set aside our first condition on the grounds of the cross of Calvary.
    In our first condition, we were without hope; in the second condition we are saved in hope. In the first condition we wandered in darkness and sin; in the second we are walking in the light. In the first condition we were rebels against God, but now we are ambassadors for Him. In the first condition we were hell-doomed sinners, but now we have the hope and assurance of heaven.