ELECTION
Brethren, the election of grace, which is so often denounced, is a fact which men need
not speak against, since they do not themselves desire to be elected. I can never make
out why a man should cavil at another’s being chosen when he does not himself wish
to be chosen. AM323
I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite sure that if God had not chosen
me I should never have chosen him; and I am sure he chose me before I was born, or
else he never would have chosen me afterwards; and he must have elected me for
reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why he should
have looked upon me with special love. 2LS47
Many persons want to know their election before they look to Christ, but they cannot
learn it thus, it is only to be discovered by “looking unto Jesus.” ME398
There will be no doubt about His having chosen you, when you have chosen Him. ME398
Electing love has selected some of the worst to be made the best. ME684
If God has set his choice upon us, let us aim to be choice men. TD105:6
Those who cavil at the doctrine of election should answer this question: “Why is it
that God has left devils without hope, and yet has sent His Son to redeem mankind?
Is not divine sovereignty manifested here?” TN25
Strange to say, the great number of those who are saved are just the most unlikely
people in the world to have been saved, while a great number of those who perish
were once just the very people whom, if natural disposition had anything to do with
it, we should have expected to see in Heaven. WWa139
We do need someone to choose for us in that matter; we want our Father to fix our
eternal destiny, and write our names in the book of life; otherwise, if left to ourselves,
the road to hell would be as naturally our choice as for a piece of inanimate matter to
roll downwards, instead of assisting itself upwards. 33.254
Your damnation is your own election, not God’s; you richly deserve it. 239.119
How is it that some of us who were once drunkards, swearers, and the like, are now
sitting here to praise the God of Israel this day? Was there anything good in us that
moved the heart of God to save us? God forbid that we should indulge the
blasphemous thought. 290.34
We see our election by our calling, and not else. 1321.609
It is quite certain that when we read that God will have all men to be saved it does
not mean that he wills it with the force of a decree or a divine purpose, for, if he did,
then all men would be saved. He willed to make the world, and the world was made:
he does not so will the salvation of all men, for we know that all men will not be
saved. 1516.49
One would have thought, therefore, that God would have restored the angels before
he upraised the human race. But he has not: he has redeemed us, and left the elder
race of rebels unrestored. No man knoweth why, and in our amazement we cry,—
How is this? Whence this election of grace? Tell me, ye who would leave God no
choice, but would deify the will of man, what all this means? Where is your proud
theory that God is bound to treat all alike, as if we had a claim on God? I point you to
the fallen angels, and what can you say? 1820.59
Whatever may be said about the doctrine of election, it is written in the Word of God
as with an iron pen, and there is no getting rid of it; there it stands. 2320.374
I have known some who have said to me, “I am afraid, sir, and this is my daily
trouble, that God has never chosen me to eternal salvation; suppose that, after all, I
should not be one of his elect.” Now, listen: suppose that you should be one of his
elect. Is there not as much sense in supposing the one thing as the other? 2408.171
The way for you to ascertain God’s choice is to talk about Christ to everybody you
meet; try to bring everyone to Christ. The Lord will do the sorting far better than you
can; he never makes a mistake. 2799.477
Jacob was God’s chosen one; he had set his love upon him, and ere he was born, he
had distinguished him as his elect one. Now this is a great deep, and there are many
who cavil at and question it; I am not here to answer them. The Book says so; let
them cavil with the Book, not with me. 3091.219
If you are God’s chosen ones, you will know it by your trusting in Jesus. Simple as
that trust is, it is the infallible proof of election. 3191.165
He knows why he chose us, but that reason is not known to us, and certainly cannot
be found in ourselves. I never met with anybody who ever thought that he deserved
to be chosen unto salvation; the very fact of the choice proves that it must have been
all of grace. 3248.209
While I bless my Lord that he will save you if you seek him, I am more thankful still
that there are men and women whom he will seek as well as save; nay, that there
never was a soul saved yet but Christ sought it first. 3309.319
It is an inspiration for us all to work for Christ, because we are sure to have some
results. 3326.525
They who seek Christ are already being sought of him. 3331.585
Long before time had begun, God had foreknown his chosen, and fore-ordained them
unto eternal life. They had not chosen him, for they were not in existence. 3413.314