Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

(Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

God did not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor statesmen, nor men of wealth, and power, and
interest in the world, to publish the gospel of grace and peace. He best judges what men and what
measures serve the purposes of his glory. Though not many noble are usually called by Divine
grace, there have been some such in every age, who have not been ashamed of the gospel of
Christ; and persons of every rank stand in need of pardoning grace. Often, a humble Christian,
though poor as to this world, has more true knowledge of the gospel, than those who have made
the letter of Scripture the study of their lives, but who have studied it rather as the witness of
men, than as the word of God. And even young children have gained such knowledge of Divine
truth as to silence infidels. The reason is, they are taught of God; the design is, that no flesh
should glory in his presence. That distinction, in which alone they might glory, was not of
themselves. It was by the sovereign choice and regenerating grace of God, that they were in
Jesus Christ by faith. He is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption; all we need, or can desire. And he is made wisdom to us, that by his word and Spirit,
and from his fulness and treasures of wisdom and knowledge, we may receive all that will make
us wise unto salvation, and fit for every service to which we are called. We are guilty, liable to
just punishment; and he is made righteousness, our great atonement and sacrifice. We are
depraved and corrupt, and he is made sanctification, that he may in the end be made complete
redemption; may free the soul from the being of sin, and loose the body from the bonds of the
grave. And this is, that all flesh, according to the prophecy by Jeremiah, Jeremiah 9:23-24, may
glory in the special favour, all-sufficient grace, and precious salvation of Jehovah.

Humbled by Choice (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
Related Media

This is a busy time for our high school seniors. Many of them are applying to different colleges
and universities. This can be a very competitive process. Consequently, we tell our young people
that before they apply to a particular school, they need to find out what the admissions
committee is looking for when they evaluate prospective students. Is it grades? Test scores?
Personal references? Work experience? Extracurricular activities? Creative ability? All of the
above? Whatever it is, youd better know what it is and youd better make sure youve got what
they want before you turn in your application.
1

What sort of people does God look for when He gets ready to populate heaven? If heaven has an
admissions committee, what qualifications do committee members look for? Gods admission
committee is different than any other that we have ever considered, for Gods thoughts are not
like our thoughts, nor are His ways like our ways (Isa 55:8). What types of people does God
choose for His family? God chooses those that have nothing to brag about. In 1 Cor 1:26-31,
2

Paul is going to pull the rug out from underneath us and turn our thinking upside down. First, he
is going to tell us that

1. Gods choice eliminates self-esteem(1:26-29). In 1:26 Paul writes, For
3
consider your
calling, brethren, that there were
4
not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble. Paul begins by taking the Corinthians back to their spiritual roots. He reminds
them of who they were not when God saved them. The word consider is the first imperative in
this book. Thus, this is a key verse. Paul commands the Corinthians to consider or contemplate
their calling.
5
The word calling refers to their position in the world when they first believed in
Christ.
6
This issue of calling is important to Paul (cf. 1:1, 2, 9, 24). He believes that in order to
become a Christian you must respond to Gods call. Likewise, if you are a Christian today, it is
because you have answered Gods call.
Two weeks ago, I met with Ryan Davis to talk to him about baptism. Ryan is an eight-year-old
boy in our congregation. I asked him how he became a Christian. He told me that God called
him. I said, Excuse me? Im used to hearing a lot of things, but this isnt one of them. As I
probed further it became clear that, like Samuel, Ryan heard the Lord calling him. As a result of
Gods call, Ryan believed in the One who was calling him. While this may sound peculiar to
you, this is exactly what God does. He calls men, women, and children to Himself.
Since Paul will have some difficult things to say, he addresses the Corinthians as brethren (cf.
1:10). He then shares with his readers that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble.
First of all, the Corinthians were not academically elite (wise). They were not wise according
to a worldly standard. There were some from the educated classes in Corinth, but most of the
people in the church were uneducated.
Second, the Corinthians were not political movers and shakers (mighty). The word translated
mighty referred to the ruling class of a society. There were some in the church who were
politically involved in the city, but most of the church members in Corinth had no influence in
Corinths political power structure.
Finally, the Corinthians were not from well-to-do families (noble). Not many had what the
world calls good breeding. By and large, most of them were from the lower ranks of society,
including the slave class.
7

What Paul is saying to the Corinthians is, You know what sort of people you were when God
called you out of sinful darkness into the light of salvation. You know that He didnt accept you
as His child because you were brilliant or wealthy or powerful, because most of you werent at
all. And those of you whose lives were defined that way were saved in spite of those positions,
not because of them. If anything, they were obstacles between you and Gods grace. The reality
is that position and wealth and influence really can be hindrances, keeping people from the sense
of need that leads to salvation.
In a sense, Paul holds up a mirror and says, Take a good look. What do you see? If the
Corinthians were honest, they didnt see many impressive people. They saw ordinary men and
women from unimpressive backgrounds whose lives had been utterly transformed by Jesus
Christ. There is an important message here if we care to receive it. God prefers losers. When God
calls people to His family, He intentionally chooses those whom the world rejects. He prefers the
weak over the strong, the forgotten over the famous, and the nobodies over the somebodies. He
starts with the people the world chooses last. He actually prefers to choose the weak instead of
the strong.
Its not as if God intends to take equal numbers from every social class in the world. And its
definitely not true that God populates the church from the upper classes but sprinkles in a few
from the lower classes. The opposite is closer to the truth. God populates His church with the
rejects of the world and then sprinkles in a few wealthy and powerful people. He prefers losers.
God deliberately chooses the forgotten of the world and He prefers the company of the poor. He
loves to save the uneducated, the foolish, the addicted, the broken, the downcast, and the
imprisoned. In short, He specializes in saving those whom the world counts as nothing.
8

Before we move to our final point this morning, I wonder if there might be someone here asking
the question, If God chooses down-and-outers, is there any place for the famous, the wealthy, or
the brilliant in the family of God? The answer is definitely, Yes! Notice carefully that 1:26
does not say, Not any of you were wise, not any were influential, not any were of noble birth,
but rather not many. Thank God for the letter M. Thank God for the athletes, musicians, and
actors who have became Christians, but Gods Word tells us we should never expect the Church
to be filled with such people.
Have you forgotten your calling? Memory can be a blessing or a curse. In the spiritual life, it can
be very healthy to remember what life was like before we met Jesus. If you remember where you
started, youll appreciate much more the grace of God that has brought you to where you are
today. Do you remember where you came from? Do you recall what you were doing when God
saved you from yourself? God chooses those that have nothing to brag about.
[Now that Paul has reminded the Corinthians of who they were not, Paul goes on to inform them
of who they were.]
In 1:27-29, Paul transitions with a strong contrast. He writes, but God has chosen the foolish
things
9
of the world
10
to shame the wise,
11
and God has chosen the weak things of the world
to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised
God has chosen, the things that are not,
12
so that He may nullify the things that are, so that
no man may boast
13
before God.
14
Three times in 1:27-28, Paul writes that God has chosen.
This is the doctrine of sovereign choicethe biblical doctrine of election. These words mean
exactly what they seem to mean. If we have a problem with them, the problem does not rest in
the Greek text or the English translation. We may not like the idea that God chooses whom He
will save, but thats exactly the meaning of these words. There are no naturally born children of
God; all are adopted. They are children by choice, never by accident. Ultimately, we do not
become Christians because of an independent decision we have made; rather, even the initial part
of our becoming believers comes as a result of an inner call from God, rooted in His love and
undeserved grace (cf. also 7:20).
15

Consider the implication of the text. When the world throws a party, the beautiful people are
always invited. They rent a nightclub and hire a security team to keep the ordinary people out.
Only the in crowd makes it past the rope line. Helicopters circle overhead and the paparazzi
strain to a get a picture they can sell to People magazine. Its all about who shows up and who is
wearing what kind of dress, and trying to match this man with that woman. Thats how the world
throws a party. But God does it differently. God chooses those that have nothing to brag about.
God chooses people that no one would invite to a party. He includes those who would normally
be excluded. He does this so that He can subvert, invert, and convert human values.
16
He shames
the wise, He shames the strong, and He reduces to nothing (NRSV) the things that are
impressive to our world. Why does God do this? God chooses the despised so that no man or
woman can boast before Him. God is a jealous God and will not share His glory with anyone (cf.
Isa 42:8).
Mensa is an organization whose members have an IQ of 140 or higher. A few years ago, there
was a Mensa convention in San Francisco, and several members lunched at a local caf. While
dining, they discovered that their saltshaker contained pepper and their peppershaker was full of
salt. How could they swap the contents of the bottles without spilling, and using only the
implements at hand? Clearly this was a job for Mensa! The group debated and presented ideas,
and finally came up with a brilliant solution involving a napkin, a straw, and an empty saucer.
They called the waitress over to dazzle her with their solution. Maam, they said, we couldnt
help but notice that the peppershaker contains salt and the saltshaker pepper. Oh, the waitress
interrupted. Sorry about that. She unscrewed the caps of both bottles and switched them.
17

This is how God works! He likes to shame those who are wise and strong. God used trumpets to
bring down the walls of Jericho. He reduced Gideons army from 32,000 to 300 to rout the
armies of Midian (Judges 7:1-25). He used an ox goad in the hand of Shamgar to defeat the
Philistines. With the jawbone of a donkey He enabled Samson to defeat a whole army. And Jesus
fed over 5,000 with nothing more than a few loaves and fishes.
18

God does these types of miracles to humble humankind so that no one can take credit for
anything! Augustine, when asked what were the three most important virtues, replied, Humility,
humility, humility.
19
Truly, that is Gods heart for you and me. He wants us to daily recognize
that we have nothing to brag about before Him. Rather, we are completely indebted to Him.
[Gods choice eliminates self-esteembut now we will also see that]
2. Gods choice demands Christ-esteem (1:30-31). Paul closes chapter one with these words:
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,
20
and
righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
31
so that, just as it is written, LET HIM
WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD
21
(1:30-31). It is by His doing (lit. of Him)
that you are in Christ Jesus.
22
He is both the source and the cause of the Corinthians being in
Christ.
23
The believer is described here very simply as one who is in Christ. You know, you
cant be any closer to something than in it. Thats our position as born again believers.
24
God
the Father sees you and me as a part of His Son. This is just one of many reasons a believer cant
lose his or her salvationthe believer is one with Christ.
This phrase (But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus) explains the previous verses: If things
that were not have now become something, it is due to God alone. The crucified Christ becomes
the manifestation of Gods wisdom, which here refers to Gods long-established plan for the
worlds salvation (cf. 1:21; 2:7; Eph 3:10).
25
In Him, believers receive true wisdom: the wisdom
of the cross and all its benefitsright standing before God (righteousness), moral cleansing
(holiness), and rescue from slavery to sin (redemption).
26
These three words describe the
fruit of Gods wisdom in Christ.
27
Let me explain.
Weve been given Gods righteousness. God is perfectly righteous because He is totally as He
should be. He cant vary from His rightness. And when we trust His Son, He shares His Sons
righteousness with us. He makes us right with Him, right within ourselves, and right with other
people.
Weve received Gods sanctification. Weve been set apart and made holy, both positionally and
practically. This is the daily manifestation of the Christ-like character that has been placed into
us. The character of Christ is gradually revealed in us more and more the longer were in
relationship with Him, as we learn how to handle life according to Gods wisdom. Well become
more patient, more loving, more insightful, and more courageous. Its a wonderful lifelong
process.
Weve received Gods redemption. To redeem means to buy something back. God, through
Christ, has purchased us from the power of sin. Its because of Christs redeeming work on the
cross that we have eternal life. God chooses those that have nothing to brag about.
Paul writes because of these wonderful gifts, we can boast.
28
Christians can properly boast, not in
their own achievements, but in the Lord (1:31), as in Jer 9:24, the verse Paul quotes here.
29
This
quote interestingly follows a verse that declares, Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or
the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches (Jer 9:23). And those are
precisely the three categories Paul has enunciated in 1 Cor 1:26.
4

However, please note that in Jer 9:23 the Lord is Yahweh, but in 1:31 it is Jesus. Paul is saying,
We can boast but we must boast in Christ. May our boast be not in what we do for Christ but
in what Christ does for us. When it comes to salvation we contribute nothing but the sin that
makes it necessary to be saved. God does the rest. God chooses whom He pleases, and He does
so by choosing those whom the world overlooks. The reason God does what He does is to
demonstrate that He alone is the source of our salvation. Thus, if we believe what this passage
teaches it will change the way we look at ourselves, and it will change the way we talk about
ourselves. Some of us talk so much about ourselves that we hardly talk about the Lord at all. Our
real problem is the vast difference between our view and Gods view.
Now, you may be thinking this is a nice sermon, but it further demonstrates that I will never
amount to anything. Even though I am chosen by God and included in His plan, I still feel like a
nobody. If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a
mosquito.
30
I want to assure you that God has you right where He wants you. If you feel average,
weak, and foolish, God can use you. Those people that He has used the most are those that have
plenty of sin and weakness.
Noah: Rejected from society. Built an ark for 120 years and had no converts.
Abraham: Offered to share his own wife with another man, not once but twice.
Joseph: Ostracized by his dysfunctional family; possesses a prison record.
Moses: A modest and meek man, but poor communicator, even stuttering at times. Murderer.
David: Affair with his neighbors wife; murdered her husband to avoid charges.
Elijah: Prone to depressioncollapses under pressure.
Jeremiah: Emotionally unstable, alarmist, negative, always lamenting things.
Hosea: Wife became a prostitute.
Peter: Aggressive, hot-tempered fisherman, loose cannon who denied Christ.
Ordinary people of faith can do extraordinary things for God if they eliminate self-esteem and
put on Christ esteem. God chooses those that have nothing to brag about but Him.

Memory Verse: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out
of darkness into his marvellous light: 1 Peter 2:9:
Read: 1 Samuel 16:12- 13.

1 Samuel 16:12-13:And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of
a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him:
for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his
brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So
Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Message:

When they brought in David from watching over his fathers sheep in the wilderness,
the first thing that God said to the man of God about him was that he was the chosen
one. What kind of person will God choose? 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 offers the answer to
this question. God will choose the foolish. God will choose the weak. God will choose
the people regarded as nothing. Why will God choose the foolish? It is because He
will fill the foolish with His wisdom.

If you believe you are already wise, He can no longer fill you with His wisdom, so He
will not use you. This is probably why we find very few academics in the service of
God. The ways of God dont conform to human sense. For example, God says if you
want to be rich, you must give. God says if you want your home to overflow with
blessings, you must pay all your tithes. This does not make human sense. For some
people, 100% of their earnings is not enough, not to mention 90%. When I became
born-again, I really argued about this question of tithe with God. I thank God that He
took my wisdom from me and replaced it with His foolishness. This is why I am where
I am today.

Why will God choose weak people? He will choose weak people so that He can fill
them with His power. If you are already strong, how can God give you strength? The
Bible says He gives power to the faint, and to those that have no might, he increases
strength (Isaiah 40:29). If you say you are strong because you are young, a time will
come when you will exhaust the energy in you. Nevertheless, they that wait upon the
Lord will constantly have their strength renewed by God. Before I became born-
again, I was a sportsman, but malaria fever knocked me down at least once a month.
When I became born-again, I told God to heal me and I will serve Him. He healed me
and I am now serving Him with more than ten times the ability I had back then. By the
grace of God I am waxing stronger. Why will God choose those who are nothing, like
David? God finds it difficult to use those who are already something. I like one
inscription that I saw in one of the offices at the Redemption Camp in Nigeria which
says: God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. God does not choose
the qualified, the wise or the strong; He makes His chosen vessels wise and strong.
You too can be Gods chosen vessel. Allow Him to work on you and you will be a
chosen vessel of honour in Jesus Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please work on my weakness and foolishness. Make me strong and wise
enough to be your chosen vessel in Jesus Name.

Bible in one year: Ephesians 1:1-4:16 Chapter 1 to Chapter 4:16; Psalm 18:20-28

Commentaries:
Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
<< 1 Corinthians 1:26 1 Corinthians 1:28 >>


1 Corinthians 1:26-29
I Corinthians 1:26-29 resounds through our minds as a constant reminder that we are the foolish,
weak, base and despised of this world. In these verses God formally states that He has sought no
particular advantage in carrying out His purpose by calling us.
This is humbling in both a present and future sense. We seem to fall short when we compare
ourselves to those who have accomplished great things or seem to have strong and good
character in today's world. When we consider the World Tomorrow and the daunting challenges
that will face those reconstructing a world out of the chaos of the Tribulation and the Day of the
Lord, it is enough to make us feel completely inadequate.
Vanity keeps telling us we are intelligent, beautiful, clever, talented, cultured, and unappreciated,
but these verses should pull us back to reality. God's assessment is accurate because when we
compare our accomplishments with people in the world, ours fade into near nothingness!
John W. Ritenbaugh
Preparing to Rule!
Related Topics: Base, God Has Called | Called According to God's Purpose | Called Out Ones |
Calling | Calling Out | Foolish, God has Called | God's Calling | Not Many Wise Called |
Preparation for Rulership | Vanity


1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Nobody will ever come before God and say, "I did it by the strength of my own hands." Though
this person may have faith and a strong will, he is certainly not perfect. Many times, when the
Israelites' faith broke down, God had to intervene in some way to save them. Whether it is Israel
at the Red Sea or Israel out in the wilderness, time and again He had to intervene and spare them,
even in times when they showed a measure of faith.
Since man's creation, humans have been exalting themselves against God by choosing to do
things their own way. However, there is only one way that works eternally, and every human
being will be led to see his weaknesses and know that it is by grace that we are saved. This
realization does wonders to a person's feelings about himself, making humility possible. This, in
turn, makes it possible for him to yield to God, which makes it possible for him to deal with
other human beings, not with a high hand or as a master to a slave, but as a friendas an
understanding brother or sister who has gone through similar experiences and seen their own
failures, and who can commiserate, sympathize, show compassion and mercy, encourage, and
inspire the one who has failed.
God will work in each person and will do it in such a way that he will come to realize that
merely knowing the truthand even believing the truth and acting on itare not enough. God
must save them by grace.
This is not to say that works are unimportant. They are vital to maintaining and developing a
relationship with God. They are important in building character, and in this sense, without works
we will have a difficult time being saved. If nothing else, doing good works shows that a
relationship exists between a person and God. So works are important to earning rewards, to
building character, to providing a witness for God, but they still will not save us of and by
themselves because, since we are imperfect, they are also terribly flawed.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Faith (Part 1)
Related Topics: Building Character | Commiseration | Depending upon Self | Doing it God's
Way | Doing it My Way | Doing it Our Way | Empathy | Exalting Self | Failure | Faith | God's
Compassion | God's Intervention | Grace | Humility | Relationship With God | Self Exaltation |
Strength in Weakness | Sympathy | Weakness


1 Corinthians 1:26-29
This passage, a New Testament parallel of Deuteronomy 7:7, removes any doubt about the
qualifications of those God has chosen to call. Twice in verse 27 and once in verse 28 Paul says,
"God has chosen." We did not volunteer. He did not choose us for any skill, ability, or social
quality we had. Even those who are "wise," "mighty," and "noble" are not that way through
godly spirituality.
Instead, God, with deliberate forethought, chose those who were foolish, base, despised, and
nothing. What a rag-tag outfit we are! God certainly has not surrounded Himself with the elite to
give Himself an advantage in His battle against Satan! He has given Himself, it seems, a great
disadvantage in dealing with us when better people may be readily available.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Sovereignty of God: Part Seven
Related Topics: Base, God Has Called | Called According to God's Purpose | Called Out Ones |
Calling | Chosen People | Foolish, God has Called | God has Chosen Foolish and Weak Things |
God's Calling | Not Many Wise Called


1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Let him glory, not in human naturenot in what he has done by way of worksbut "let him
glory in the Lord."
We can summarize what Paul writes here by putting it into different words. He says: "It is
because of what the Father did. It is because of His work that we are in Christ, for in Christ are
all the riches of salvation. All that we are that is right, we owe to them; therefore, if we're going
to glory, let us glory in the Lord."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Sanctification and Holiness (Part 1)
Related Topics: Glorying in the Lord | Glorying not in Human Nature | Glorying not in Works |
Sanctification and Holiness


1 Corinthians 1:26-31
God has purposely chosen this means to put proud and stiff-necked man totally in debt to Him
for the most important achievement in all of life. Men have accomplished much and will
continue to do many great things. However, verses 19-21 expose why the wise of this world will
not submit to God. The reason becomes clear in the phrase, "the foolishness of preaching" (verse
21, King James Version [KJV]). This translation is somewhat misleading in the King James; it
should read "the foolishness of the message preached," as in the New King James Version
(NKJV). Paul is not saying that the wise of this world reject the act of preaching but that they
consider the content of the message preached to be foolish. In other words, the wise will not
believe the gospel, most specifically that God in the flesh has died for the sins of the world.
It cannot be overestimated how important humility expressed by faith before God is to the
overall spiritual purpose of God for each individual! Each person must know as fully as possible
that Christ died for him, that his own works do not provide forgiveness, and that he has not
created himself in Christ Jesus. Nobody evolves into a godly person on the strength of his own
will. It is God who works in us both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13). No new creation creates
itself. So, by and large, God calls the undignified, base, weak, and foolish of this world, people
whom the unbelieving wise consider to be insignificant and of no account. He does this so that
no human will glory in His presence. On this, a German commentator, Johann Albrecht Bengel,
clarifies, "We have permission to glory, not before God, but in God."
The term "in Christ Jesus" (I Corinthians 1:30) indicates that we are in an intimate relationship
with Him. Paul then detailsthrough the terms "wisdom," "righteousness," "sanctification," and
"redemption"that God, using our believing, humble, submissive cooperation, will be
responsible for all things accomplished in and through us. Some modern commentators believe
that, because "wise" and "wisdom" appear so many times earlier in this chapter, the terms
"righteousness," "sanctification," and "redemption" should be in parentheses because Paul
intends them to define what he means by true wisdom in this context.
God, then, is pleased to save those who believe and to do a mighty work in them. This set Abel
apart from, as far as we know, every other person living on earth at that time. What he did by
faith pictures what everyone who receives salvation must also do to begin his walk toward the
Kingdom of God. Everyone must be called of God; believe enough of His Word to know that he
is a sinner who needs the blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins; repent, that is,
undergo a change of mind toward God; and be justified, made legally righteous by having Jesus
Christ's righteousness imputed to him. This enables a relationship with God to begin, and
sanctification unto glorification can proceed.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Christian Fight (Part Four)
Related Topics:


1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Paul inserts this truth to help the proud Corinthiansand usto understand with humility who
and what we are. Where could we possibly acquire the spiritual power to live a righteous life that
would be pleasing to and glorifying of God? It most certainly is not in us as a natural result of
being born human.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Living By Faith and God's Grace
Related Topics: Glorifying God | Humility | Living by Faith and God's Grace | Pride of
Corinthians | Proud Corinthians | Spiritual Power to Lead a Righteous Life


1 Corinthians 1:25-29
God has set up a system to call, convert, and educate a people for Himself. They are a minority,
very few in number. They are not mighty, noble, and learned, but the weak of the world. God
calls them and gives them His Spirit and teachers to help them understand. Of all people on
earth, only they have a chance to understand the Bible
Question: "Why did God choose Israel to be His chosen people?"

Answer: Speaking of the nation of Israel, Deuteronomy 7:7-9 tells us, The LORD did not set His affection
on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest
of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers
that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the
power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God,
keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His
commands.

God chose the nation of Israel to be the people through whom Jesus Christ would be bornthe Savior
from sin and death (John 3:16). God first promised the Messiah after Adam and Eves fall into sin
(Genesis chapter 3). God later confirmed that the Messiah would come from the line of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3). Jesus Christ is the ultimate reason why God chose Israel to be His special
people. God did not need to have a chosen people, but He decided to do it that way. Jesus had to come
from some nation of people, and God chose Israel.

However, Gods reason for choosing the nation of Israel was not solely for the purpose of producing the
Messiah. Gods desire for Israel was that they would go and teach others about Him. Israel was to be a
nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world. Gods intent was for Israel to be a distinct
people, a nation who pointed others towards God and His promised provision of a Redeemer, Messiah,
and Savior. For the most part, Israel failed in this task. However, Gods ultimate purpose for Israelthat
of bringing the Messiah into the worldwas fulfilled perfectly in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Recommended Resources: Faith of Israel, 2d ed.: A Theological Survey of the Old Testament by William
Dumbrell and Logos Bible SoftwareParallel Commentaries
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:26-31 God did not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor statesmen, nor men of wealth, and
power, and interest in the world, to publish the gospel of grace and peace. He best judges what
men and what measures serve the purposes of his glory. Though not many noble are usually
called by Divine grace, there have been some such in every age, who have not been ashamed of
the gospel of Christ; and persons of every rank stand in need of pardoning grace. Often, a
humble Christian, though poor as to this world, has more true knowledge of the gospel, than
those who have made the letter of Scripture the study of their lives, but who have studied it
rather as the witness of men, than as the word of God. And even young children have gained
such knowledge of Divine truth as to silence infidels. The reason is, they are taught of God; the
design is, that no flesh should glory in his presence. That distinction, in which alone they might
glory, was not of themselves. It was by the sovereign choice and regenerating grace of God, that
they were in Jesus Christ by faith. He is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption; all we need, or can desire. And he is made wisdom to us, that by
his word and Spirit, and from his fulness and treasures of wisdom and knowledge, we may
receive all that will make us wise unto salvation, and fit for every service to which we are called.
We are guilty, liable to just punishment; and he is made righteousness, our great atonement and
sacrifice. We are depraved and corrupt, and he is made sanctification, that he may in the end be
made complete redemption; may free the soul from the being of sin, and loose the body from the
bonds of the grave. And this is, that all flesh, according to the prophecy by Jeremiah, Jer 9:23-24,
may glory in the special favour, all-sufficient grace, and precious salvation of Jehovah.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 27. - God chose; not, hath chosen out. We may remark, once for all, that there was no
reason why the translators of 1611 should thus have turned the Greek aorists of the New
Testament into perfects. In this and in many instances the change of tense is unimportant, but
sometimes it materially and injuriously affects the sense. The foolish things... the weak things.
So, too, the psalmist, "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength"
(Psalm 8:2); and St. James, "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith?" (James
2:5).

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world,.... So the Jews, in distinction from their
wise Rabbins and doctors, call others, , "the fools of the world" (p); the persons whom God made
choice of from all eternity, as appears by his calling them in time, are such who with respect to
the wisdom of the world are foolish; have not those natural parts and abilities, that sagacity and
penetration in things natural and civil, that knowledge and learning which many others have; and
are therefore esteemed foolish by the men of the world, in comparison of whom; who are the
wise and prudent, they are but babes: and God's end in his choice of them, and calling them, is

to confound the wise; who sooner or later will be brought to shame and confusion, to see such
idiots, as they took them to be, wiser than they in the business of salvation; having been directed
and influenced by divine grace to choose that good part, which shall never be taken from them,
when they will be stripped of their nobility, wealth, and wisdom; to see these men go into the
kingdom of heaven, and they themselves shut out:

and God hath chosen the weak things of the world; who cannot boast of their birth and pedigree,
of their ancient and illustrious families; have no titles of honour to aggrandize them, nor estates,
possessions, and worldly substance to support themselves with; and this he has done,

to confound the things which are mighty; as Haman was by the advancement of Mordecai. It will
be to the utter confusion of the rich and mighty, to see persons of the lowest class in life made
kings and priests by Christ, set among princes, and upon the throne of glory; and they themselves
fleeing, and calling to the mountains to fall upon them, and cover them from the sight of him that
sits on the throne, and the Lamb,

(p) Zohar in Numb. fol. 63. 3. & 65. 4

Gods Power in Weakness (2): God Chooses Those Who Are Not

Has God called you to do something, but you feel totally inadequate for the task? Perhaps youve
responded saying:
Im not qualified
Im not capable
I dont have the proper training
Im not smart enough
Im not outgoing enough
Im not articulate
Im not confident in front of people
Im not.
Youve answered God with a litany of excuses citing everything that youre not.
But Im not __________. If youre like me, youve filled in the blank with a host of vital skills
and talents youre lackingall seemingly legitimate reasons youre the wrong person for the job.
But these weaknesses show why youre precisely the right personGods chosen personfor
the job.
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human
standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
27
But God chose the foolish
things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the
strong.
28
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised thingsand the things that are
notto nullify the things that are,
29
so that no one may boast before him (1 Corinthians 1:26-
29).
Mary
When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, he told her she would give birth to a son whom she was
to give the name Jesus. Mary replied, How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a
man?(Luke 1:34, HCSB)
Mary didnt have the qualifications or prerequisites necessary for being a mother, let alone the
mother of the Messiah.
People had expectations for the coming Messiahand they didnt include his mother being an
obscure teenager of low estate whod become pregnant outside of marriage. No, in others eyes,
Mary wasnt qualified.
But even in her own eyes, Mary wasnt qualified. She didnt have the one necessary prerequisite:
having been with a man. She was a virgin. For intimacy to have been right in Gods eyes, she
wouldve had to have been married. This was an additional strike against her. Mary was
engaged but not married. There was no natural means by which she could conceive. What the
angel was telling her sounded impossible.
How Can This Be?
Do you reply to God as Mary did to the angel? Do you ask, How can this be? Because I dont
have_____. Im not_____.
The angel told Mary how it would happen. She would conceive by Gods power through the
Holy Spirit. It would happen supernaturallythe same way God works through you and me in
our inadequacies.
The angel replied to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of GodFor
nothing will be impossible with God. (vv.35, 37).
Like Mary, we first look to natural means (I dont have this ability or that prerequisite) while
God plans to supernaturally supply.
Responding in Faith
After Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, Mary responded in faith:
And Mary said, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word
(v.38, ESV).
Mary essentially said, My purpose for being alive is to serve the Lord, so I make myself
available to Him. What His word has said of me shall be become reality in my life.
Doubt vs. Faith
What if Mary had said, I cant! Maybe after Im married. But then I still wouldnt be the best
choice to be the mother of the Messiah. Not me! No way! Let me out of it. I cant do this! Matter
of fact, I cant do anything! Im a failure
How melodramatic! Sadly, its similar to the way you and I sometimes respond to God. Even
worsethis isnt just a response of exaggerated emotions, its a response of doubt.
David Wilkerson explains why this isnt mere humility, its unbelief:
When we complain of our inabilities and weaknesses, were not just putting ourselves down.
Were putting down our Lord. Were refusing to believe His Word.
The Israelite spies were so focused on their inabilities, they were ready to quit. They even talked
about going back to Egypt. What was Gods response to their fears and unbelief? The Lord said
unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be ere they believe
me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them? (Numbers 14:11). God charged them
with one sin: unbelief.
Today, the Lord is asking his people the same question he asked Israel:When will you believe
what I promised you? I said my strength would come to you in your times of weakness. Youre
not to rely on the strength of your flesh. I told you I would use the weak, the poor, the despised
of this world to confound the wise. I am Jehovah, everlasting strength. And Ill make you strong
through my might, by my Spirit. So, when will you act on this? When will you trust what I say to
you? [i]
Chosen as an Are Not
Ive done this. Ive responded in doubt, focused on my weaknesses and inabilities. In fact,
choosing to trust God and focus on His ability rather than my inability is a constant choice I have
to make.
Although I speak publicly and am a guest on radio and television programs, I feel articulation is
one of my greatest weaknesses. Due to Lyme Disease, Im a slow thinker. I have trouble with
word recall. My cognitive processing is weak. As a college student, I was an occasional guest on
TV programs because of my involvement with the Miss Texas pageant. I was sometimes given a
list of talking points while walking onto the TV set . Within seconds I had them memorized and
was then able to work them into the conversation on the program. But when Im a guest on
programs now? I am utterly helpless apart from God. He has to speak through me, bring things to
mind, and supply my responses.
And this is just one of my weaknesses. Chronic Lyme Diseasean illness that can even reduce
the IQ of people who have itcan leave you feeling totally inadequate, physically and
intellectually. The days I have interviews or speaking engagements are often the days I am the
most physically sick and weak. Im not just foggy brained and challenged cognitively, I struggle
with lack of bodily strength and energy.
I already feel completely inadequatebut when I begin noticing all the servants around me who
are seemingly better qualified, I instantly compile an endless list of reasons God shouldnt
choose me.
One time, I couldnt seem to find a Yes sir in me when responding to a specific call from God.
I could only think of everything I wasnt. As I mentally listed my inadequaciesIm not this,
Lord; Im not thatHe surprised me with His reply. He took me to 1 Corinthians 1:26-29and
agreed with me.
Yes, Natalie. Youre an are-not. Thats exactly the type of person I choose to use. That
ended my debate. I had no further response except, Yes sir, Ill do it.
God chooses the lowly things of this world and the despised thingsand the things that are
notto nullify the things that are so that no one can boast before Him.
My vast weaknesses didnt get me out of the callingthey got me into it. God chooses the
are-nots! Why? So that we can have no pride in our own ability! So that He gets all the
glory!
Our weakness requires His resurrection power to function in its place. So not only can we not
boast, but our service carries spiritual unction and anointing that wouldnt be present otherwise.
If we could fulfill Gods call on our own, it would be mere performance of the fleshbut
because Gods strength is being completed, accomplished, and fulfilled in our weakness, its a
presentation of His power (see 2 Cor. 12:9-10). Flesh doesnt touch hearts or change lives. Gods
power does. Its part of His plan, then, that His power is a requirement to fulfill the calling!
We see it over and over in the Bible. God is attracted to weakness.
Now Therefore Go
Perhaps you feel like Moses. The one skill he thought was essential to Gods call was apparently
his greatest weakness. Notice how God responded to him:
But Moses said to the Lord, Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you
have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue. Then the Lord said to him,
Who has made mans mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the
Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak
(Exodus 4:10-12).
God knew He was going to call Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Yet He created Moses
with a weakness in a necessary ability. He planned to be Mosess supply and ability.
Beloved, God will be your ability. He will be your sufficiency. Whatever God has called you to
do, He will do it through you!
Fill in the blanks in Exodus 4:12 below. Insert your weakness or perceived shortcoming for the
task to which God has called you. Hear Gods heart, and His directive, to you today.
Now therefore go, and I will be with your ____________and teach you ______________.
Now therefore go. God will be with you and give you His ability.
A Closing Confession
My purpose is to serve the Lord, so I make myself available to Him, even in my weakness. What
His word has said of me shall be become reality in my life. God works through the weak things
of the world to shame the strong. He chooses the lowly things, the despised thingsthe things
that are notto nullify the things that are. His power will be accomplished in my weakness.
Now therefore, I will go.
Questions: What list of Im-nots do you routinely rattle off to God? Are you willing to
forsake your list of inadequacies and follow Him in faith today?

OTHER POSTS IN THIS SERIES:
Gods Power in Weakness (1): Jamie Grace, An Inspiring Example
Gods Power in Weakness (3): Spurgeon, Murray, and Wilkerson on Weakness
Gods Power in Weakness (4): Too Much Going For You
____________________
[i] David Wilkerson, Faith for the Supernatural, http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/1128
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This
means if you click on the link and purchase the item, Shades of Grace will receive an affiliate
commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will
add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16
CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.


The way God chooses people, and enables them to reflect His glory to the
world
Subscribe on iTunes
Play MP3 (Mobile)
Thursday, July 26, 2012, Part 1
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame
the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are
mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and
the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his
presence. But of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, He who glories, let him
glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).
IDEA: If we are proud of being chosen by God, we must boast in the Lord.
PURPOSE: To help listeners see ourselves as we really are.
This is a third program to add to those about chosenness.
Would people who know they are chosen by God become proud of that fact and think of
themselves as very special?
I. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Paul explores the notion of being called by God:
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame
the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are
mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and
the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his
presence. But of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, He who glories, let him
glory in the Lord.
Think of what you were when you were called:
Not many were wise.
Not many were mighty.
Not many were noble.
The people that God chose were not the kind of people that a society would look at as great
people.
Notice that the text doesnt say that we choose God but that God has chosen us, the lowly, the
despised, so that no one can boast before Him.
II. The only reason were Christians is because God placed us in Christ Jesus who has
become for us the wisdom from God. Any claim to wisdom comes from the fact that He has
chosen us.
Conclusion:
Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.

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Categories: Basics Of Faith, Bible Study, Ministry And Outreach, Relationships
Tags: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, God's "chosen people", Listener Questions



Divine Election: How and Why does God Choose? - Part II
November 5, 2006 | by: Sam Storms| 0 Comments
Posted in:
Theological Studies |
Posted in:
Divine Election
Look with me at John 17:1b-2. Here Jesus prays to the Father and says, Father, the hour has come;
glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give
eternal life to all whom you have given him (ESV).
There is so much in this passage that I run the risk of getting de-railed from my primary purpose. But I
cant leave it without making a couple of comments. We must take note that not everyone is given
eternal life. Only those whom the Father has given to Jesus are granted eternal life. The idea of people
being given by the Father to the Son is standard Johannine language for divine election (see especially
John 6:37-65).
Note also that God has not utterly cast off the world of mankind, although it would have been entirely
fitting and just had he done so. He has given ultimate authority over all flesh, over every man, woman,
and child to Jesus Christ. Jesus has unassailed, unchallenged, comprehensive authority over all human
beings: over red and yellow, black and white; over male and female, young and old; over the powerful
and the weak; over the rich and poor; over the educated and the ignorant; over those down under in
Australia and those up over at the North Pole; over those who live in caves and those who walk in
marble corridors.
As Edwards himself pointed out in a sermon on 1 Peter 2:9, whether they are elected or not, they
belong to God. He didnt lose his rights to humanity because of the fall nor did he forfeit his power and
authority to dispose of them as he sees fit. They are still in his hands. Neither did he lose his ultimate
end or goal in having created them in the first place (see Prov. 16:4).
Out from among those over whom he has sovereign rights as Creator and Lord, the Father has given
some to the Son in order that the Son might give to them eternal life.
Note well: Those whom God chooses are chosen out from among all others. They who are chosen were
in the same sinful condition, the same misery as the whole of the race. They were alike partakers of
corruption, morally and spiritually destitute of anything good. They were, like all others, at enmity with
God, serving Satan, deserving of death and condemnation, without righteousness. There is no
distinction between elect and non-elect prior to the distinction that election makes.
It isnt that among all flesh over whom Jesus has authority some have distinguished themselves, set
themselves apart, caught Gods eye because of a lingering spark of goodness or the faint promise of a
reformed life or great accomplishments or good intentions. No. Paul made it clear in Romans 3:10ff. that
there is none who is good or understands, all have gone astray, all are corrupt and deserving of death.
Edwards reminds us that God doesnt choose men because he foresees excellence in them, but he
makes them excellent because he has chosen them (Christians a Chosen Generation, Yale 17:280). Or
again, God dont *sic+ choose men and set his love upon them because they love him, for he hath first
loved us (1 John 4:10; 280). Nor did God choose men because he foresaw that they would believe and
come to Christ. Faith is the fruit of election and not the cause of it (280). Nor is it from any foresight of
mens endeavors after conversion, because he sees that some will do much more than others to obtain
heaven, that he chooses (280).
As I pointed out in my study of Ephesians 1, Paul is deafening in his redundancy to make the point that
the distinction in humanity between those who believe and those who dont is ultimately Gods doing.
Note the repeated emphasis on the divine initiative in salvation as seen in the vocabulary related to
Gods will or purpose or plan: according to the kind intention of His will (v. 5), the mystery of His will
(v. 9), His kind intention which He purposed (v. 9), according to His purpose (v. 11), the counsel of
His will (v. 11). Indeed, no fewer than 11x in these verses do we find vocabulary reflective of divine
sovereignty: he elected us (v. 4), he predestined us (v. 5), his good pleasure (v. 5), Gods will (v. 5), Gods
will (v. 9), his good pleasure (v. 9), his purpose (v. 9), he foreordained us (v. 11), his purpose (v. 11), his
counsel (v. 11), his will (v. 11).
Lets be certain that we understand the nature of this sovereign selection
To elect is to choose out from among others. This is no random choice. In other words, election was
not haphazard or governed by nothing. There was deliberate, calculated, reasoned intent on Gods
part. He knew what he was doing when He chose one but not another. He said: I want this person, but
not that person.
We must take note of a serious misconception, indeed caricature, of election. Consider this illustration.
Envision the names of all humans having been written on individual slips of paper and put in a huge hat
(an obviously really, really big hat!). God is then thought by some to have closed his eyes and
indiscriminately grabbed a handful, leaving others in the hat (or in hell, as it were). No! God selected this
one by name and that one by name, and consciously passed over this one by name and that one by
name. God didnt flip a coin: heads = youre in heaven, tails = youre in hell.
If election, as Paul says in Ephesians 1 and elsewhere, is according to Gods sovereign good pleasure,
then God is glad he chose some and not all. It pleased him to choose some for salvation out from
among the mass of hell deserving sinners. Gods choice wasnt driven by forces outside himself. God was
not acting to conform with some external rule.
Heres the rub: We simply dont like the idea that the reason for Gods choices resides wholly within
God. We want to account for his decision. We want to explain it, to rationalize it, to provide grounds and
warrant for it. We want to be able to point to factor A, or datum B, or issue C in something other than
God or preferably to characteristic X, or virtue Y, or work Z in us. We want to point to this quality or
that personality trait or some accomplishment in one that isnt in another as the grounds for Gods
decision.
But if election was solely based on what God wanted and not anything in me or you that might
differentiate the chosen from the unchosen and account for why this one and not another, why didnt
God choose all? If he could have, why didnt he? It is here that we run headlong into the brick wall
called the secret things of God in Deut. 29:29 that it is not ours to know.
On second thought, perhaps it is ours to know, at least to the degree that God may have given us some
indication of why he chose not to choose all. For this we turn to Pauls declaration in Romans 9:22-23 in
which we read: What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured
with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his
glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory . . . Pauls point, as I see it, is
that God chose not to choose all because he wanted to put on eternal display both the justice of his
wrath and the glory of his mercy. Had he chosen none, his mercy would not have been seen. Had he
chosen all, his wrath would not have been seen. In choosing some, but not all, both are seen, and
therein is God most greatly glorified (and only in the case of the latter are we truly satisfied).
But once it is understood that God chose not to choose all, can nothing more be said about why he
chose the particular ones he did? Can we say anything, does Scripture say anything, about what
accounts for Gods choice of one over another? What, in the final analysis, dictates and determines
Gods decision? God. He chooses one, but not another, because it pleases him to do so. Why that
particular choice is more pleasing to God than another, or neither, is not revealed in Holy Scripture. That
is simply the way God wants it, and so it shall be.
Ive heard people say: But I dont agree with or care for Gods reason in choosing one instead of
another. But what, may I ask, is that reason, the one of which you disapprove? I am not aware that
Scripture provides such information. How can anyone object to the reason God elected one instead of
another when no one knows what it is?
I can tell you what that reason is not. It is not anything having to do with either the elect or non-elect,
either foreseen or actual. God chose one instead of another because it was pleasing to God, and that is
all the reason he needs. This is the heart and soul of the doctrine of unconditional election, that God
sovereignly decided to show love and favor toward some who did not deserve it, but not all, without
regard to anything in either. And the bottom line is: we dont like that!
If this is still bothersome to you, consider the following from Charles Spurgeon, taken from his sermon
on 2 Thessalonians 2:13.
But there are some who say, "It is hard for God to choose some and leave others." Now, I will
ask you one question. Is there any of you here this morning who wishes to be holy, who wishes
to be regenerate, to leave off sin and walk in holiness? "Yes, there is," says some one, "I do."
Then God has elected you. But another says, "No; I don't want to be holy; I don't want to give up
my lusts and my vices." Why should you grumble, then, that God has not elected you to it? For if
you were elected you would not like it, according to your own confession. If God this morning
had chosen you to holiness, you say you would not care for it. Do you not acknowledge that you
prefer drunkenness to sobriety, dishonesty to honesty? You love this world's pleasures better
than religion; then why should you grumble that God has not chosen you to religion? If you love
religion, he has chosen you to it. If you desire it, he has chosen you to it. If you do not, what
right have you to say that God ought to have given you what you do not wish for? Supposing I
had in my hand something which you do not value, and I said I shall give it to such-and-such a
person, you would have no right to grumble that I did not give to you. You could not be so
foolish as to grumble that the other has got what you do not care about. According to your own
confession, many of you do not want religion, do not want a new heart and a right spirit, do not
want the forgiveness of sins, do not want sanctification; you do not want to be elected to these
things: then why should you grumble? You count these things but as husks, and why should you
complain of God who has given them to those whom he has chosen? If you believe them to be
good and desire them, they are there for thee. God gives liberally to all those who desire; and
first of all, he makes them desire, otherwise they never would. If you love these things, he has
elected you to them, and you may have them; but if you do not, who are you that you should
find fault with God, when it is your own desperate will that keeps you from loving these
thingsyour own simple self that makes you hate them? Suppose a man in the street should
say, "What a shame it is I cannot have a seat in the chapel to hear what this man has to say."
And suppose he says, "I hate the preacher; I can't bear his doctrine; but still it's a shame I have
not a seat." Would you expect a man to say so? No: you would at once say, "That man does not
care for it. Why should he trouble himself about other people having what they value and he
despises?" You do not like holiness, you do not like righteousness; if God has elected me to
these things, has he hurt you by it? . . . If any of you love to be saved by Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
elected you to be saved. If any of you desire to have salvation, you are elected to have it, if you
desire it sincerely and earnestly. But, if you don't desire it, why on earth should you be so
preposterously foolish as to grumble because God gives that which you do not like to other
people? (Emphasis mine)
Some contend that we should believe in divine election reluctantly, wishing that it were otherwise than
what we find in Scripture. They argue that we should speak of it with sadness and regret, and talk about
it only when pushed or coerced to do so. But there is something seriously wrong when we fail to rejoice
in what pleases God. There is a grievous flaw in our thinking and in our affections when we are reluctant
to speak about what God spoke so often of in Scripture. We would do well to listen to the experience of
Jonathan Edwards:
From my childhood up, my mind had been full of objections against the doctrine of God's
sovereignty, in choosing whom he would to eternal life, and rejecting whom he pleased; leaving
them eternally to perish, and be everlastingly tormented in hell. It used to appear like a horrible
doctrine to me. But I remember the time very well, when I seemed to be convinced, and fully
satisfied, as to this sovereignty of God, and his justice in thus eternally disposing of men,
according to his sovereign pleasure. But never could give an account, how, or by what means, I
was thus convinced, not in the least imagining at the time, nor a long time after, that there was
any extraordinary influence of God's Spirit in it; but only that now I saw further, and my reason
apprehended the justice and reasonableness of it. However, my mind rested in it; and it put an
end to all those cavils and objections. And there has been a wonderful alteration in my mind, in
respect to the doctrine of God's sovereignty, from that day to this; so that I scarce ever have
found so much as the rising of an objection against it, in the most absolute sense, in God's
strewing mercy to whom he will shew mercy, and hardening whom he will. God's absolute
sovereignty and justice, with respect to salvation and damnation, is what my mind seems to rest
assured of, as much as of any thing that I see with my eyes; at least it is so at times. But I have
often, since that first conviction, had quite another kind of sense of God's sovereignty than I had
then. I have often since had not only a conviction, but a delightful conviction. The doctrine has
very often appeared exceeding pleasant, bright, and sweet. Absolute sovereignty is what I love
to ascribe to God. But my first conviction was not so (Personal Narrative).
It pleased the Lord to set his love upon you. It made him happy. God has chosen you not simply to be
a servant but a child! Those whom God chose in Christ he predestined to adoption! To be his peculiar
treasure! Said Edwards,
He has chosen you to be blessed forever in the enjoyment of himself, chosen you to dwell with
him in his glory, given you from all eternity to his son to be united unto him to become the
spouse of Christ, chosen you that you might be holy and without blame [and he chose you for
this while you were seen as unholy and wholly to blame!], that you might have your filth taken
away, and that you might have the image of God put upon you, that your soul might be adorned
to be the bride of his glorious and dear Son; that God has chosen you for such glorious purposes
as the manifestation of his glorious grace upon you and chosen you for such glorious work as
the eternal praising of him (283-84).
Those that are Gods are his jewels, his treasure. He has not simply chosen them but has chosen to
bestow himself upon them. He has chosen them to enjoy them, to see his glory, and to dwell with him
forever. He hath chosen them as his treasures, as a man picks and chooses out gems from a heap of
stones, only that with this difference: that man finds gems very different from other stones and
therefore chooses. But God chooses them, and therefore they become gems and very different from
others (278-79; see Mal. 3:17 and Ps. 135:4).
What should be our response to all this? I can think of no better answer than the one Peter provides in 1
Peter 2:9. You are a chosen *i.e., elect+ race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own
possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light.
God did not sovereignly choose you so that the idea of him choosing you might merely bounce around
in your brain. He chose you for worship. The ultimate purpose of predestination is praise! You have
been chosen for this goal: the proclamation of his excellencies and your extravagantly affectionate
and inexpressibly joyful delight in them (cf. 1 Peter 1:8).
Therefore, in summary,
Make God the peculiar object of your praises. The doctrine shows what great reason you have
so to do. If God so values you, sets so much by you, has bestowed greater mercies upon you
than on all the ungodly in the world, is it too little a requital for you to make God the peculiar
object of your praise and thankfulness? If God so distinguishes you with his mercies, you ought
to distinguish yourself in his praises. You should make it your great care and study how to glorify
that God who has been so peculiarly merciful to you. And this, rather, because there was
nothing peculiar in you differing from any other person that moved God thus to deal thus
peculiarly by you: you were as unworthy to be set by as thousands of others that are not
regarded of God, and are cast away by him forever . . . (318).
4. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) Gods foolish wisdom is also displayed by whom He has
chosen for salvation.
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to
put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame
the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are
despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that
are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
a. You see your calling, brethren: Paul says to the Corinthians, Look at
yourselves. Youre no great bargain. There were not many wise according to the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble among the Christians at Corinth.
i. Lady Huntington, the rich and influential friend of Whitfield and
Wesley, said she was going to heaven by an m: it isnt any noble that are
called; instead it is not many noble.
b. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world: Looking again at the
Corinthians, Paul can say you arent wise according to the world, you arent
mighty, you arent noble - but you are among the foolish things of the world.
i. No doubt, many of the Corinthian Christians were beginning to think of
themselves in high terms because of Gods work in them. Paul will not
allow this. They have not been chosen because they are so great, but
because God is so great.
c. To put to shame the wise: This explains part of the pleasure of God described
in 1 Corinthians 1:21. God loves to rebuke the idolatry of human wisdom, and He
often does it by choosing and using the foolish things of the world.
i. God isnt saying that it is better to be foolish or uneducated. Rather, He
is saying that the worlds wisdom and education does not bring us
salvation in Jesus Christ. In putting the strong and wise and great to
shame, God does not exalt the weak and uneducated and worthless, but
brings all of them down to one common level. (Calvin)
ii. God has called the weak and ignorant first, but not exclusively;
shepherds first, then wise men; fishermen first, then the educated (like
Paul, who was himself an educated man).
iii. The ancient Christians were for the most part slaves and men of low
station; the whole history of the expansion of the church is in reality a
progressive victory of the ignorant over the learned, the lowly over the
lofty, until the emperor himself laid down his crown before the cross of
Christ. (Alford, quoting Olshausen)
d. The end result is plain: That no flesh should glory in His presence. No one will
stand before God and declare, I figured You out or You did it just like I
thought You should. Gods ways are greater and higher, and nothing of the flesh
will glory in His presence.
5. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) True wisdom belongs to the believing.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption; that, as it is written, He who glories, let
him glory in the LORD.
a. Jesus, who became for us wisdom: Jesus perfectly shows us, in His teaching
and life, Gods wisdom. This wisdom is often in contradiction to mans
expectation.
i. True wisdom doesnt have to do with getting smart; Gods wisdom is
received in and through the person of Jesus.
b. Jesus is not only wisdom for us; He is also righteousness and sanctification and
redemption. In His work, He communicates three things to those who are in
Christ Jesus.
i. Righteousness means that we are legally declared not only not guilty,
but to have a positive righteousness. It means that the righteous deeds and
character of Jesus are accounted to us. We dont become righteous by
focusing on ourselves, because Jesus became for us . . . righteousness!
ii. Sanctification speaks of our behavior, and how the believers is to be
separate from the world and unto God. We dont grow in sanctification by
focusing on ourselves, but on Jesus, because Jesus became for us . . .
sanctification!
iii. Redemption is a word from the slave trade. The idea is that we have
been purchased to permanent freedom. We dont find freedom by focusing
on ourselves, because Jesus became for us . . . redemption!
c. He who glories, let him glory in the LORD: Paul uses this reference to
Jeremiah 9:23-24 to show that God did it all this way so that God would get the
glory. The path for Gods glory is Christ crucified; the evidence of Gods glory is
His choice of the lowly.