Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God
Election
I. The election “of God” is not connected with “knowing” nor “election.” The meaning is that the Church was “beloved” of God, not merely of the missionaries. And the proof of their being the subject of the Divine love is their election. This election was their historical selection out of the Western World to be the earliest European recipients of the gospel. The narrative in Acts 16:6-10 is expository of it. The missionaries’ course was narrowed off from this and that place until the vision of the man of Macedonia. Thessalonica being the chief city of Macedonia, the vision was a declaration of the election of its inhabitants. The term “election” is a rare one in Scripture, and is absent, except in this case, from all Paul’s earlier Epistles. It had been used of Paul to Ananias in reference to his own similar selection: “He is a vessel of election unto Me.” In both cases it means selection for privilege, and therefore for service. The same election is ceaselessly seen--one nation, city, family, individual, called before another. Many perplexities gather round the subject, and its ultimate solution is to be found in the Divine sovereignty alone. Often, however, the thing is clear. Here, e.g., there was a fitness in the choice of Thessalonica as a centre for Christian influence (1 Thessalonians 1:8). Thessalonica was a great emporium of commerce by sea. It lay also on the line of one of the great Roman roads. Cicero describes it as “placed in the bosom of the Roman Empire.”
II. The grounds of the apostle’s knowledge of this election were--
1. Subjective--on his part.
(1) “Our gospel,” a phrase implying--
(2) Heart possession of it. “I believed, therefore have I spoken.” This is the first prerequisite of a faithful ministry. As Melanchthon used to say to his students, “It is the all thy house shall be saved.” These words were proclaimed by the apostle’s lips. Human instrumentality is employed in what is in the strictest sense God’s work. But often it is in “word only.” Even from the lips of Christ the message fell ineffectual, and Paul has his share in this. But it was far different here.
(3) This gospel came “in power”--not miraculously, but persuasively. It was no cold, formal performance of duty, but in a very exceptional degree heart work.
(4) It was therefore “in the Holy Ghost.” The presence and energy of the Divine Spirit were recognized by Him. His utterances were more than the struggles of an earnest human spirit; they were the winged words of the Spirit of Truth.
(5) Hence it came “in much assurance,” i.e., in the firm conviction that his message was from heaven, and that it was not in vain (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). So he knew from within himself that they were “appointed unto salvation.” From this we may gather--
(a) Every minister feels sometimes powerless, unaided by the Spirit, and oppressed with doubt. In such a case he is bound to search for causes in his own heart. But he is also entitled to look without; to trace the cause of his own feebleness in the apathy of the people. He may even, after the example of Paul, conclude in some cases from this ineffective preaching that they are not the chosen people of God. Pulpit and pew react on each other. “Like people, like priest.”
(b) The apostle appeals to their knowledge of his bearing and conduct as well as his words. Personal influence is far more direct and effective than official. Truth must be taught by example as well as precept. An infidel once said to Fenelon, with whom he had been residing: “If I stay here any longer I shall become a Christian in spite of myself.”
(c) This bearing was not self-interested, but for their sakes, as every minister’s should be.
2. Objective--the eager joyfulness with which the Thessalonians received Paul’s preaching. The two grounds cannot be separated. The first could be no safe evidence without the second. Their having been chosen of God is shown by their having chosen God’s gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:13). It became theirs as well as Paul’s. They became followers, i.e., imitators, of Paul and Christ. How? Not in their reception of the truth. In this they might be imitators of Paul, but not of Christ, who was the Truth. The point of imitation is the joyful endurance of suffering. Paul preached the gospel “in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost,” as Christ had wrought it out: “Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.” In this sphere of trial, and of spiritual joy in the midst of it, Christ and His apostles and people are at one. Embracing Christ entailed suffering; but sorrow from without could not destroy inward joy. Afflictions come from men, but joy from the Holy Ghost. The gospel cannot be received without joy. Paul, then, would encourage them to greater endurance still, by his grateful recognition of this evidence of their election. (J. Hutchison, D. D.)
Evidences of election
I. The Word of God coming home with power. The power of the gospel--
1. Does not lie--
(1) In the preacher, otherwise men would be the converters of souls.
(2) Nor in the preacher s learning, or it would consist in the wisdom of men.
(3) Nor in the preacher’s adaptation to his work; that is a secondary agency, not the cause.
(4) Nor in the pathos the preacher may employ. People may weep at a theatre. No, there is something more wanted. A half-drunken man said to Rowland Hill, “I am one of your converts.” “Yes,” said he, “I dare say you are one of mine; but if you were one of God’s, you would not be in that state.”
2. It does lie in the power of the Holy Ghost.
(1) Did you ever--never mind where--in listening to the Word, feel a Divine power coming with it? Not an impression--that may be wiped out--but a power convincing of sin, making you tremble under it, and then wooing you to Christ, in whom you believed and then became a changed man?
(2) And since that has the Word rebuked you, filled you with God’s love and light and joy, and desire after holiness? If not, you lack a proof of your election. Not that it will be so every time, for the preacher is not always in a fit frame.
II. Receiving the Word with much assurance--not full assurance; that comes afterwards. There are some people who play fast and loose with principles; put a hymn book in their pockets when they are going to meeting and a song book when they are going somewhere else. They can hold with the hare and run with the hounds. Such people have never much confidence in their religion: and it is very proper that they should not, for their religion is not worth the time they spend in making a profession of it. But the true Christian, when he gets hold of principles, keeps them. His religion is part of himself. He believes the truth, not because he has been taught it, but because it is true to him; like the servant girl who, when she could not answer her infidel master, said, “Sir, I cannot answer you, but I have a something in here that would, if it could speak.” Now, if you have received the gospel with much assurance, you can say, “Christ is mine. I know that Christ is precious, not by ‘Paley’s Evidences’ or ‘Butler’s Analogy,’ but by my heart’s inward evidence, the analogy of my soul’s experience.” If you can say that, whether you believe the doctrine of election or not, you are one of the elect.
III. Becoming followers of us and of the Lord; by which the apostle does not mean that they said, “I am of Paul, I of Silas, I of Timothy.” No, they imitated them so far as they imitated Christ. Are you Christ-like, or do you want to be? Can you forgive your enemy, love him, and do him good? Are you prayerful as Jesus was? If a man follow not Christ, whatever he may say about election he is not the Lord’s.
IV. Endurance of affliction with joy. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Conditional election
A man of colour who had received the gospel became a preacher among his black brethren. He was addressed on one occasion by his master in these words: “And so I hear that you have become a preacher, Sam, and that you believe in the doctrine of election.” “Well, yas, sah, I believe dat truth is clearly revealed in the Word of God.” “And I suppose, Sam, that you think that you are one of the elect.” “Well, sah, I’se prepared to say dat I gib all diligence to make my calling and election sure, dat is true.” “But I suppose you don’t think that I am one of the elect,” said Sam’s master. The sable preacher gave an answer that is worth quoting. Sam knew his master was given to the pursuit of pleasures, money, and the service of sin. Very quietly he replied, “Well, massa, I am not sure about that; dis I know--I nebber knew of an election whet’ dar was no candidate.” (H. Varley.)
Knowledge of election
An Arminian being about to pay a Calvinist a sum of money, asked, “Is it decreed that I shall pay thee this money?” “Put it in my hand, and I will tell thee,” was the reply. Is it not to be wished that many professors of religion would infer their “election of grace” by their actual possession of grace? (New Testament Anecdotes.)
God’s electing providence
Henry IV, King of France, was in every point of view a great man. It is said that on an anniversary of his birthday he made the following reflection: “I was born on this day, and, no doubt, taking the world through, thousands were born on the same day with me; yet, out of all those thousands, I am probably the only one whom God hath made a king. How peculiarly am I favoured by the bounty of His providence!” But a Christian, reflecting on his second birth, may, with greater reason, adore the free and sovereign grace of God.
Proofs of election
The way by which the apostle knew the election of the Thessalonians must be the method by which we are to know ours. We have known some men who pretended to know their election by their impudence. They had got into their head the presumption that they were elected, and though they lived on in sin, and still did as they liked, they imagined they were God’s chosen. This is what I call presuming upon election by sheer impudence. We know others who have imagined themselves to be elect, because of the visions that they have seen when they have been asleep or when they have been awake--for men have waking dreams--and they have brought these as evidences of their election. They are of as much value as cobwebs would be for a garment, and they will be of as much service to you at the day of judgment as a thief’s convictions would be to him if he were in need of a character to commend him to mercy. You may dream long enough before you dream yourself into heaven, and you may have as many stupid notions in your head as there are romances in your circulating libraries, but because they are in your head they are not therefore in God’s book. We want a more sure word of testimony than this, and if we have it not, God forbid that we should indulge our vain conceits with the dainty thought that we are chosen of God. I have heard of one who said in an ale house that he could say more than the rest, namely, that he was one of God’s children; meanwhile he drank deeper into intoxication than the rest. Surely he might have said he was one of the devil’s children with an emphasis, and he would have been correct. When immoral men, and men who live constantly in sin, prate about being God’s children, we discern them at once. Just as we know a crab tree when we see the fruit hanging upon it, so we understand what spirit they are of when we see their walk and conversation. “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” If we are God’s elect, we shall have some substantial evidence to attest it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)