Election

Election

Bro. Lee Vayle - ?? - ?? 1967

I'm going to start with verse 1 of [Romans 9:] 1-24

(1) I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

(2) That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

(3) For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

(4) Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

(5) Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

(6) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

(7) Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

(8) That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

(9) For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

(10) And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

(11) (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

(12) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

(13) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

(14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

(15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

(16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God (who) sheweth mercy.

(17) For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

(18) Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

(19) Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

(20) Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

(21) Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

(22) What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

(23) And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

(24) Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

2. Now, just reading again, just about three verses in there, beginning in verse 21

(21) Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another (vessel) unto dishonour?

(22) What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

(23) And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Now, these verses are about the hardest verses in the Bible to accept. You'll find people just don’t want to accept them. Now, they are not the hardest to understand, except when one refuses to take them in the way which they are written. Then of course they cannot be understood. Now, one group says that these verses do not set forth election and reprobation as to people, but rather inform us that all are reprobate by nature, and we come elect by rebirth.

3. In other words, they say that the old Esau nature is your reprobate nature. And then of course when you're born again you have the Jacob nature which would make you one of the election. But you can see that this does not represent the two natures. The Scripture does not say that. Now, it's very easy to say, "I'll go along with that." Because you don't want to believe in a God who elects and reprobates. People just don't want to believe in a sovereign God. And when you talk about God, you must make Him sovereign, or He is not God. And when you make Him sovereign you have to concede with Nebuchadazzar that he ruleth in of the armies of the heaven and earth, and he doeth whatsoever he will. He can bring up and He can set down. He can do anything He wants absolutely, because He is God and He is doing absolutely everything He does want, because He is God and there's nothing anybody can do about it, because He is God.

And anybody who took an attitude other than that, they're absolutely fooling themselves, because then they do not believe in God. (See?) In other words, they themselves are setting the rules and the attributes of a supreme Deity, which is absolutely ridiculous.

4. Now also, there are some who do not believe in this and understand election, reprobation, because in that 22nd verse, It says,

(22) What if God, ...endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

And we're in the grammar of the original group. It signifies that the vessels themselves are fitting themselves for destruction, which is absolutely true. But this does not annul the fact of verse 23. Because verse 23, distinctly says,

(23) And that (God prepared these vessels) ...unto glory,

They were already prepared before "unto glory." (See?) Now, certainly these people are setting themselves for destruction. Otherwise God couldn't possibly have a judgment and then denounce them. But, when it comes to the vessels of mercy then God has foreordained and fore-prepared them for that glory according to the Scripture.

In other words, one does not annul the other. It's just like saying, "Well, John and Joyce don't have a good marriage, therefore Ronald and Marjorie can't have." Hogwash, that's the best marriage under high heaven. (See?) You get to see what I mean when you argue that way? You just become ridiculous. (See?) It won't work.

5. Now, let us remember that since God is His Own interpreter He has to make known His Own understanding, or what He said by bringing it to pass. Now, you understand Bro. Branham said that. There are many things we don't particularly think we know in Scripture, we just stand back and wait till God fulfills them and that's the understanding of it. Now, let's see according to what God Himself did concerning this subject. Both verses 21 and 23, you'll notice [Romans 9:] that God is like unto a potter. He is called a Potter. Now of course a potter is the intelligence over the inanimate substance. In other words, He's in absolute complete control, because the substance has no will. Right?

All right, God is likened to a Potter. The potter has one lump of clay. He doesn't have two lumps, He doesn’t have three lumps. He has one lump of clay and no more to work with.

Thirdly, the potter according to what he has in mind, takes the lump of clay and makes any kind of vessel he wants out of it. He can make on one hand an ashtray, or he can make a beautiful container to house a gem, a beautiful gem that somebody might have. If he wants, he can make a spittoon, on the other hand make a vessel to cook out of. I'm using those expressions to give you an idea exactly what we're talking about. Reprobation and election, vessels fitted unto wrath, vessels fitted unto mercy. (See?) They're just as far apart as east is from the west. But there is one person doing it all.

6. Now, mankind is that lump of clay. They all came from the dust, and we all go back to the dust. And God has the right to make any human being the kind of person that He desires. Because that's exactly what the Bible says. That He did just that it seems in the illustration of Isaac and Ishmael, and Esau and Jacob. Because It distinctly says concerning Esau and Jacob, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." [Rom 9:13]

Now, that's the absolutely the interpretation of God as the Potter. That's the interpretation of God preparing vessels for wrath, and God preparing vessels for mercy. Because that's exactly what He did, and when Esau tried to find repentance he couldn't do it. Just as Bro. Branham said, "There are many people who want to get saved and they can't." There's your picture.

Now, you can't do a thing with this, because God's His Own interpreter. He showed you what the interpretation is by doing it. And the doing of it was just the same as God raised up Pharaoh, and God raised up Moses you're going to see what God did to Pharaoh, and you're going to see what God did to Moses. And in the biography, the heavenly biography which is written up there right now, and in the Book of Hebrews you get a little picture there is not one mark against Moses. And there isn't one good thing said in the case of Pharaoh. And yet He said, "Who He will, He hardenth, and whom He will He doesn't harden." (See?) God doing it. Just like the Scripture says that God blinded Israel. (See?) He's a sovereign God.

7. Paul actually challenges any dissenters to this truth who will not accept the sovereign ability of God. He says, "When you do so, you impute evil to God." Now notice how it's brought up here. It says in [Romans 9:] verse 18,

(18) Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. (God said He does the hardening.)

(19) Thou wilt say then unto me, (said Paul) Why doth he yet find fault? (Why will there be a judgment, why will God bring wrath, why will God do so and so,) For who hath resisted his will?

If He's in the driver's seat doing all these things and He's behind it all, then throw the blame back on God. Here's what Paul does. He doesn't say one thing in defense of his doctrine, he stands and he says,

(20) Nay but, O man, who art (you to dare to reply) against God? ...

If He casts you into hell, you have no right other than to praise Him, because He's a God, and God means you got to worship Him. (See?)

(20) Nay O man, who are thou (to reply) against God? ...

Why even speak back? Why do you raise your thinking? Why do you raise your voice? Why do you ask any questions? Why do you say one solitary thing? You are nothing but absolutely nothing.

(20) (Can) the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why (have you) made me thus?

And what was it that God formed? God formed Adam out of the dust of the earth, then formed Eve. (See?) No man can say, "What is going on here anyway?" (See?) The challenge is thrown right back in the face of the unbeliever.

8. Now, with this in mind let us look at the doctrine of election. To do so, we're are going study under a three-fold proposition.

First of all, we will study as much length as we can the foreknowledge of God concerning the Elect.

Secondly: God in His redemption and the purchase of the Elect.

And Thirdly: the Spirit of God regenerating the Elect, or bringing them into the relationship to Christ they have need of.

9. All right, we begin our studies by going to first of all to the Book of Acts 13: we're going to look at God's foreknowledge: the vessels fore-prepared into glory. That's foreknowledge. All right. [Acts] 13: 48.

(48) And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (And nobody else did.)

Now, this is one verse that there is no way that anybody can get around it. No matter how you read It in the Greek. How you read It in the Aramaic, how you try to look at the grammar of It, it simply stands there like an impregnable lock and you can't change It. Because It says, "As many as were ordained to eternal life." As many as were ordained to receiving Christ and being baptized into Him. Were ordained, were commanded by God, and they and they alone believed and nobody else. And there's nobody under high heaven, there is no student, there is no scholars, there's no theologian, there is no nothing that can get around this verse. Now, believe me, I know so, because I've got the books. This is one verse nobody can dispute.

It's exactly as It was said. And you cannot challenge God, neither can you wipe it out by pitting Scripture against Scripture. That is the wisdom of the fool, because God is of one mind. And there is no place where the Scripture ever contradicted Itself. You cannot have falling away and eternal security at the same time. You cannot have a freewill, (and I mean a complete free will, not what Bro. Branham says about) and I'm talking about a complete free will and have this at the same time. You can't do it.

10. Now notice: "as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed," and they got it. Now listen, believing is the consequence. Now watch this, believing is the consequence and not the cause of God's decree. Believing is the consequence, "as many as were ordained to eternal life," that's the decree, foreordination. (See?) Believing is the result of that decree. Not believing becomes the effect that brings you to the decree. You follow me? There's a big difference, otherwise you've got the cart before the horse.

Notice also, only a limited number will believe. There are not unlimited number that who will believe. Because It says, "as many as were ordained," not one more, not one less. (See?)

Now look, if you compare this to the body of Jesus Christ, (which it is) you can see it's very simple. You take a little baby, within the egg and the sperm is exactly perfectly if there is a proper sperm and egg, the exact perfect number of cells, not one more, not one less. Did you have any more or less? You're out of kilter.

Now, how could God predestinate a perfect body of the Lord Jesus Christ and have one member too little, or one member too less? As Irenaeus said, "Christ cannot come, till the last elected member comes into the Bride." You see?

11. Now notice also: ordination, the commandment, the ordination is approved of God, (the ordination) is unto eternal life, not something less. (See?) God ordained me to have a chance. God did not ordain me to have a chance. God ordained me to life. (See?) Exactly what the Scripture says.

Notice also, those who are ordained are going to believe. (See?) Because who, (as the Bible said) "Who can go against God?" (See?) "Who can reply?" Then who can foil God's plan? See, nobody could. It would be impossible with anybody could do anything to flout the command of Almighty God, because God has thus ordained it.

12. Now also we go to Romans 11:5-6, notice Paul says,

(5) Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

There's a little group of believers, seven thousand that are standing right now, (said God) to Elijah according to the election of grace. Not disgrace, election of grace. Not pre-grace, election of grace. Not man choosing, elected. (See?)

(6) And if by grace, then it is no more works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Now, that sounds like a tongue twister, but it's simple as a-b-c, you can't mix grace and works. If it's up to you to believe by yourself that's a work's. Because it's called a work of faith. (See?) It won't work. It's got to be absolutely unmerited.

Now, as I said the remnant by God according to the election of grace. In other words, the choosing of the individual is by grace. They were not chosen, because God had foreseen something good in them, or had foreseen faith in them. Many people say, "Well God knew you'd believe." That's rubbish, you can't reconcile Scripture to it. Well you can say it, if you just try to get the people to sort on follow along so you wouldn't stumble them too bad, so you get it right down to brass tacks. It wasn't because God foresaw faith in them, they were not chosen on that ground. They were chosen on the grounds of grace which over looked faith or no faith. Grace means you can have the loaf of bread whether you have the money or not. (See?) Whether you get to eat it or not. (See?) That's what grace means. In other words, it's gratuitous election. In other words, it all lies in God and not the individual.

13. Now, let's just take some more Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

(26) For (you) see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

(27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

(28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen,...

God doing the choosing. He says what He wants and how He wants it.

(28) ... and (the) things which are not, (n-o-t) to bring to (nothing the) things that are:

(29) That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Notice, the choosing is all of God.

14. Notice in John 15:16

(16) (You) have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that (you) should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever (you) shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (God choosing, God ordaining.)

In Matthew 20:16

(16) So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few (are) chosen.

You can have a large number. And notice that God is making choice amongst many. He is making choice, multitudes, and God will make a choice. Not that the person makes a choice, but that God makes the choice.

15. Thirdly notice: God decreed who would be the recipient of this grace. God is decreeing who would receive this grace and who would have eternal life. In Ephesians 1:3-5 and 11.

(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, ...

Now then, where were you before there was a foundation? You were nowhere, speaking physically now. Speaking materially, speaking concerning this day in which you live. Where were you? Nowhere! Now, many people try to say "yes," because choosing the election was in Christ Who was before the foundation of the world. And now of course, if you come into Him. Oh, how can they pervert Scripture? Why can't they just settle down and say, "Look, there's a God, and a God means He can do anything He wants, whatever time He wants to do it, and nobody can say one thing, or they'll get slapped down for saying it."

16. Why, you get a dictator like Hitler absolutely more prestige then you give to God. You give Stalin more prestige than you give to God. You give a Brezhnev and Kosygin more prestige then you give God. Because you know if they want they can take any man out of his house in Russia, and kill him just like that. But when it comes to Almighty God they've got some sneering contempt concerning Him and say, "Well, God just can't do those things." And you try to make something stupid as though it's love, or they say that or the other thing.

If you've got a God, that means a supreme absolute authority and we can't even question. Why, the Bible says, "Every mouth is going to be made dumb in that day." We ought to learn to make our mouth dumb today, bless God, He can talk to our ears. Yes sir!

(4) According as he hath chosen us in him (the choosing) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

(5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

[Verse 11]

(11) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

That's what He told Job, when Job got smarten off a little bit. Nice sweet religious man too, a spiritual man, he got talking out of turn. And God said, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?" [Job 38:4] (See?) "What have you got to say about this anyway? "

When we learn to say less about these things we're going to be better off. That's like one fellow said, "God gave us one mouth and two ears. We ought to hear twice as much as we talk." And the Bible says the same thing, "You ought to be quick to hear and slow to talk." [Jas 1:19b]

17. Now listen, what time was it when God did this choosing? It was before the foundation of the earth, when there wasn't one physical thing, even an angel to choose between. (See?) There wasn't one thing at all. There wasn't one speck of stardust when God did that choosing. (See?) When He did it. Now, we're talking about real personalities.

Now what, listen... His policy is perfect, because the choosing and the whole thing was according to His purpose. And what was His purpose? That we could be holy and without blame and be adopted and manifested as sons and receive an inheritance. And it all figured out.

Notice, what was His motive? His motive was love. (See?) Now, this refutes the idea that God is a tyrant. People say, "Oh, I can't believe that, I can't believe that God is such a tyrant, as He picks one and leaves the other." What right do you have to say that this makes God a tyrant? You're a liar and a hypocrite and the truth isn't in you. And if you think you've got the Holy Ghost I got Word for you, not one of us has got the Holy Ghost talking that way and thinking that way.

18. Not one of us try to impute unto God and say, "Lord, You're not a God of love." The very love of God is elective love, and people forget it. They forget the fact my brother my sister that God chose us, and opened our eyes to this Message ought to make us the most obedient self-sacrificing and humility propounding people this world has ever seen, to know that God chose us. Go around carping and criticizing like a bunch of nincompoops. It's pitiful. See, that old legalistic spirit still on us. That old Pentecostal hogwash doctrine, the Methodism still on us. (See?)

Sure, the doctrine ran the seed back there in those days. Because the thing runs the seed doesn't mean it's wrong, it's man that perverted the truth. But the truth always was there, it was by election. God Almighty choosing. And It said in love that God did it, because God said, "Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated."

The very love of God is elective love. It's not this wishy washy stuff that people come around and say, "Well, you got to be so sweet and so nice, and so naïve." I'm so fed up with that all I know, is this mealy mouth bird running around the country so sweet and so nice. They lie behind their backs, they take you to the pit of hell, they take everything you've got, but they're sweet, sweet, sweet. Why I've got news for you, how sweet is God in the light of this Scripture? He's absolutely the sweetness, the essence of sweetness. But man that doesn't want to avenge his thinking to the thinking of God. Man doesn't want to achieve, or acquiesce to what God has said. He wants to stand apart and be critical. No wonder he doesn't know the things of God and never will. Can't deal with an attitude like that. (See?) Just can't do it.

19. Now notice, His motive is love. God is not some tyrant reprobating people. It's His purpose is being conformed to. Now notice, God's will alone is involved, because It says, "According to the good pleasure of His will." It's His will that's involved. And the Bible distinctly says in Romans 9:16, "It's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who showeth mercy." (See?) Absolutely. Not your will, not my will, but it's absolutely His will. It's just like Jesus Christ praying in the garden. "Not my will, but thine be done." [Lk 22:42b]

Why? Because it's going to be done anyway. (See?) Why? Because God does exactly what He wants. Oh, I know people think they circumvent His will. But you just keep in mind what Bro. Branham said about the bringing forth of children. They did it by sex when God wanted them out of the ground breathing life into them. Because He said He's going to have His way anyway, because He's going to call them out of the dust. You see?

20. Notice now, 2Thessalonians 2:13, continuing our study.

(13) But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, (listen, who are you?) brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Now, where is that found? That's found right after that chapter on the old antichrist coming, and people turning down the love of the truth. (See?) Now, notice again:

(13) But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning..

What beginning? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." [Jn 1:1] That's the beginning, in that very beginning in Christ.

(13) ...(God chose) you (unto) salvation (how?) through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

A man says he's in the elect of God, and turns down the revealed Word of God? A man says he's the election and ends up and doesn't know the revealed Word of God when it come to his attention, he's no more elect than nothing. Can't, can't because the truth and election go together. (See?) Now notice: the Elect are chosen to salvation. "Why are You choosing me God?" To salvation, to be a son, a joint heir with Jesus Christ.

21. Now listen, notice: they are not saved apart from need. People say, "Well, look here, if you're going to get saved, bless God, then you don’t need even come to an altar, (which you don't really) but you don't need to do anything else. The Bible denies that. The Bible does not say you're saved apart from needs. The Bible tells you exactly what the means are. And It says you're sanctified by the Spirit. In other words, the Spirit of God gets you out from the rest of them, and calls you to Jesus. (See?)

Notice, you are not saved apart from needs. Because you are saved through sanctification of the Spirit, and the Spirit brings it to the Word. The Spirit of God outside of you brings you to the Word, and the Spirit of God inside of you explains the Word. I wish I'd have brought my Greek study with me, because that's in the Hebrew, and that's in the Greek.

That's absolutely 'Thus saith the Holy Scripture', the Spirit of God outside of you brings you to the Word, and the Spirit of God inside of you reveals the Word. And a man says he's got the Holy Ghost and turns down God's revealed Word, that's impossible.

22. Notice, this election, (this election) God's choosing from the foundation of the earth, is the cause for fervent praying, and devotion. Notice what Paul said: "We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, because He chose you out from the rest, and turned the rest down."

You say, "What cause is that to give thanks...praise to God for?" The Bible says so. People say, "I don't like that doctrine." You should be praising God and screaming 'hallelujah' just like David, when he said, "I'll praise Him according to Thy righteousness, and Thou will deliver me according to Thy righteousness, not according to mine." (See?) It's cause for praise. Yet you can see more sour faces, more ...?.... glum looks, more ...?... bless your hearts over this doctrine, when they said, "You ought to be shouting!" Hallelujah, it makes us sure of God. How is his salvation? [unintelligible comments] Oh, my, God have pity.

Who do you belong to, the devil or God? Who are you listening to? The Word or some mishmash? (See?) And I'm doing this on purpose, because the Bible said, "For this cause we are bound to, bound to, bound to. As he's bound to give thanks.

Now, how many get real happy over this doctrine? Oh don't be...?... I'm not going to ask you to pretend you're happier. I'm just teaching the Word. A lot of times I myself don't get the whole gist of it. I admit it, I'm not up here as though I'm some paragon of virtue and got this thing all down pat. But I'm going to stand here and say the truth if it kills all of us. The Bible said, "We are bound to praise God over this thing that the people hate and deny; and fuss at, and scream at, and don't want to come under it." Yet Bro. Branham certainly preached it, and he preached it rougher than I'm doing it. You don't think so, get that Israel series tape.

23. All right, in 2 Timothy 1:9

(9) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Now, It tells you right there. Now, this is the subject we're dealing with is salvation. We're not dealing with any other subjects. We're dealing with eternal life. And the subject of eternal life says right here: "That He saved us not according to our works, but by a holy calling," See, God's calling, and it's a holy calling. It's a loving call, hasn't a thing to do with it. "But according to His Own purpose." God's the sovereign, moving the checkers on the checker board. Moving the chess men on the chess board. God is sovereign moving the vessels doing what He wants. He called us with a holy calling, according to His Own purpose, what He wanted. Which is what? To bring his sons into glory, just like Jesus Christ that He may have many sons and a great family. And when was this done? It was given us in Jesus before the world began. (See?)

Now notice, salvation then is not according to works, nor the results of anything that we have produced or will produce. It is the result of God's Own purpose. (See?) It is by grace, and this grace was bestowed upon us even before Adam fell, before a speck of stardust.

24. Now, let's read a couple of more verses, 1 Peter 1:2 and Romans 8:28. Peter says the same thing as Paul, identical go to 2 Thessalonians 3:13)

(2) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, (notice) unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:...

How can you be sprinkled with His Blood unless you're one of the Elect? How can you come under the obedience of Blood? How can you apprehend the sacrifice? How can you have faith in what did through Jesus Christ by Him shedding His Blood? It says you can't do it, unless you were in the election. Elect according to God foreknowing you.

25. Now, let's go to Romans 8:29

(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, ...

Foreknowledge, election, predestination, confirmation, glorification in the Son. Notice again, election precedes the work of the Spirit. The Spirit does not call anybody but the elected, named in the Lamb's Book of Life, before the foundation of the world, if you please.

And remember, everyone of those names is a Word of God, and every Word of God will be made manifest. Every one of those was a thought, and now it's a Word has come into reality clothed by flesh. Now, you can see the Book of Life here and the Lamb's Book of Life.

Now listen, election precedes the work with the Holy Spirit. And our obedience of faith whereby we are saved. Election precedes the obedience of faith. "As many as were ordained unto eternal life believed." [Acts 13:48] In ordination is the election.

26. Now, notice also the foreknowledge of God, it does not refer to the omniscience of God, as though God knew everything. Not many people take it that way. And some misunderstand Bro. Branham that take it that way. But if you follow what he really said, and you're going to find it doesn't' work out that way. The foreknowledge of God is not simply omniscient, God knowing everything, God being intimate. How many fleas there be, how many times they'd bat their eyes as Bro. Branham would say. (See?) But signifies that the Saints were eternally present in Christ in the mind of God, because that's what he said.

Where were those things? Where were those Elect? They were in the mind of God. They were His eternal thoughts. (See?) The Word, the thoughts which must become Word, because a Word is a thought expressed. (See?) The Logos, if you please, they were in that Logos. "In the beginning was the Logos, (see the Word) and the Word became flesh." And you've got the same thing right now, that every one of those thoughts in Him, everyone of those attributes, everyone of those members must be brought into manifestation. (See?) Just like He was.

27. Now listen, God did not simply see and know who love or hate Him. But that He decreed who would love Him is clear in Acts 2:23

(23) (Him, Jesus) being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore- knowledge of God, ...

Now, if you were in Him you got to go through the same thing. If you're in Him and you are here today, (the body) you got to have the same thing, can't be different. Notice:

(23) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge...

Absolute determined, absolutely the way it was going to be, no if, and's, or but's, just the way it had to be because God's sovereign. God was going to see to it. Now:

(23) ...(Him (having) delivered by the determinate counsel ...

And what counsel did God take? With nobody. Counsel with nobody. (See?) Absolute immutable, unswerving personal, original, Word of Almighty God is seen right here.

(23) ...(and foreknowledge) of God, (you) have taken, (God knew they'd do it) and by wicked hands have (slain) and) crucified...

Now notice, determinate counsel precedes foreknowledge. Right. And how could God simply have known things? It was His determine counsel. (See?) The will of Almighty God backed up by omnipotence to do a certain thing made Him know that He could do it. That's the reason he could foreknow it. (See?) The Elect according to God's eternal counsel precedes foreknowledge. The Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God are those chosen of Him for His special love and approval. That is why He says to the others, "I never knew you." (See?) That's why He can say it. He never did know them. They were not in His thoughts, (see?) for eternal life.

28. They were not in Christ. They were in a great plan, but they weren't in Him. You look at nature here, that's not Christ, that's a work of Christ. Cain, he came by the laws of God. That wasn't the son of God. He's not in the election. You can't find this in the election. You can't find Esau in the election. But every one of them is a manifestation that there is a God, but they never were in, (see?) neither was creation in Him. (See?)

Now, you can put creation in Him on the grounds that all things were of Him and in Him, because He did it. But you try to make a tree out there God, see what happens to you. You can't do it, you're into pantheism. You can't do that. But one man said, "I wave my arms and I wave it through God, I breathe and breathed in God." That's the utter nonsense of the heathen, that's not a Christian, but he said he was.

29. See, now summarize it. Election, there. It is most evident that the Elect are only Elect because of God alone. The Elect have nothing, your election and mine have nothing to do with ourselves, we are not elected because we want to be elect, or because we thought we should be elect, or there's something good in it. The Elect are elect alone, because of God. It is all in God and of God, it is not in man or of man. Matthew 19:17 says, "There is none good but one, and that is God."

Now remember, it's the good purpose of God. (See?) His Own good will. Then there being only one that is good, man could never qualify with anything of himself, they would introduce Him to this great purpose and plan which God has made. As David said, "There is none that doeth good, no not one." [Ps 53:1b] "There is none that seeketh after God, no not one." [Rom 3:11b] Then how do they come in? (See?)

30. Why did God bring in one and not the other? There's nobody seeking God. As Jesus said, "I have chosen you, and you've not chosen Me." [Jn 15:16a] They said, "there's none of you." Paul has also mentioned, "There is none that seeketh after God." [Rom 3:11b] They have all gone out of their way, every single one. Then how come somebody did, and somebody else didn't?

Why, when you bring this right down to the finish line, you can see the perfection in the illustration Paul gave, Esau and Jacob. The same father, the same mother, the same everything. And what was it that Rebekah said when those children were in the womb, she said, "Why are they striving, what is going on anyway?"

And God said, "Two manner of people are in thy womb." [Gen 25:23a] Two nations, one heavenly, the other an earthly. One carnal, one spiritual. God did the choosing. As He said concerning Jeremiah, "Before thou was born in the belly I knew thee and ordained to be a prophet." [Jer 1:5] God in complete foreknowledge. (See?)

31. What is it then? It is Acts 18:27

(27) And when (Paul) was...pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

Unmerited favor. It means positively not one of us had anything within us which would give ua even the ability to believe God, it was God calling us. (See?)

32. Now, what's grace? Unmerited favor. Okay, let's examine for a while then Christ's atonement and the Elect, because this is necessary. In other words, God's purchase, or redemption of the election. If salvation is utterly dependent upon election, and it is, and election is utterly founded in

God Himself, it would then stand that the sacrifice of Christ is efficacious only to the Elect.

In other words, salvation is utterly dependent upon election, and election is in God and nobody else, then the sacrifice of Christ must be a limited atonement. Now, right away people don't like that. They don't want to limit it. But we're going to have to limit it if the Bible is going to come out right. Now, this is exactly so. Yet, we look at a few verses in the Word that which seem to say that the atonement was not limited.

33. Let's go to Romans 14:7-9 (I'm going to use those)

[Tape cuts out and continues]

Now, let's go into the Old Testament and to run back and forth to the New. We go first of all to Isaiah 53: because that is the great one, we'll skip the ones in the Psalms, but we'll go to the one in Isaiah. Because these are the ones under scrutiny, and the ones that are debated. We go first of all to verse 8

(8) He was taken from prison and from judgment: who shall declare his generation? ...

You know Christ has a generation, and He's got children. Who's going to declare it? If you're taken out of prison and killed, you can't have issue, it was in the marriage. Never knew a woman.

(8) ...for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people (not somebody else's, but mine, God's people ) was he stricken. (See?)

Now, verse 10-12

(10) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; (God shall) put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, ...

Now, how many men are running around to copulate with every woman to have children? You're nothing but a slimly scum, and I hope you roast in hell if you're doing it. Now, I'm a rough preacher. I'm going to lay it right down, every filthy rotten skunk that runs around pregnating women, leaving little children in this world. Rotten filth. That's a rotten filth, and I mean the rottenest filth. Can you put Christ in that category? Can you see him spilling his seed in every whore's belly, or anyone who would lie with him? Can you see him raising up these children? Not that way, but He's going to see His Seed.

34. Now, is that indiscriminate? You think one minute they're going to be indiscriminate? Hardly, not when God said, "You can't have Ishmael,you can't have Esau, you can't have this one." And yet Abraham had actually nine sons. Seven by Keturah, one by Sarah, and one by Hagar. And yet He said, "Not one of these except Isaac is Seed. Every one is a seed. Oh no, it wasn't. See, I had to bring what was awful strong a while ago of what I said. But remember, I've got Scripture for it. You can't see Christ running around with this one, this one, this one, spilling seed. You can't see Him indiscriminately just raising up somebody.

In other words, you simply cannot see this plan of God as this helter-skelter, and why spread like some seed sown on the ground? You can't do it. You say, "Oh, my brother, my sister." You can't do it. You can't do it and believe this Bible. You can't do it and believe in a holy God. You can't do it and believe in a family the laws of God laid down. Remember, the bed is undefiled only in a marriage. Every other bed defiled and stinks to high heaven. (See?)

35. Let's be puritans brother/sister and come down. I don't pretending I'm a puritanical guy. Let's face it, I can't condone this rot that going on. I never was able to condone, even as a sinner. Now listen: [Isaiah 53:]

(10) ...he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, ...

You and I prolong our days only through our children. Then who's going to do the changing? No sir: now watch:

(10) ...and the pleasure of the LORD...

What's His good pleasure? Election, to bring forth his purpose. Listen, after the pleasure of His Own good will. After the purpose:

(11) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify...(everybody who wants to come. No sir, He justifies) many; ...

How many is many? Many is not everybody. Many is just many. And who are the many? The election.

(11) ...for he shall bear their (the many,) iniquities.

(12) Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin(s) of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Who is He interceding for? Tell me. Let's find out. We'll take our time getting there, we'll find out.

36. Now, let's go to Hebrews 9: let's find out what the Bible says here. Hebrews 9:25-28, Notice:

(25) Nor yet (nor yet) that he should offer himself often, as the high priest ...

Now, there's part of the offering right there. "Oh, He's just a sacrifice." Oh no, He's just not a sacrifice, He's a High Priest carrying His Own Blood." And to whom is He bearing His Blood? Only the election. Because you that were foreigners to the commonwealth of Israel, now you're made in one body in Christ having broken down the middle wall of partition. Not out there in some lunacy with a bunch of heathens. Not out there is some annaiminity. But now your name:

(25) ...the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

(26) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

(27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

(28) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; (to many, true Israel. Israel, the true Israel, which is us today) and unto them that look for him... (see, that look for him.)

Who will listen to Him? Those whose sins He bore as the High Priest taking in His Own Blood. (See?)

37. Now notice, He bought the whole world when He died on Calvary, rose again, proving His authority. proving He was a supreme God. Now, He is bearing what? As the High Priest for the believer who couldn't believe unless he was elected to eternal life. See, and where's the sacrifice? Where's your atonement? It's for the many. And He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Now, let's keep reading further: the sacrifice was the will of God. Which sacrifice? Hebrews 10:7

(7) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

What was the will of God? It was the will of God to have an elected king to bring into glory, and this was the need. What was the need for? Election. (See?)

38. John 6:38, now notice It:

(38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

What was He sent for? To bear the iniquity of the many in order to bring the sons into glory which were predestinated. (See?) Through the foreknowledge of God.

Notice, the sacrifice and work of God manifest in flesh did not exceed the plan and purpose of God for the elect. I'll read it again: the sacrifice and work of God manifest in flesh as Jesus did not exceed the plan and purpose of God for the Elect.

39. Let's go back to John 6: again. Didn't exceed it. People think it did, but it didn't. Because remember, the Blood was going to present the spotless. The Bride has got to be spotless and it's in love that He did it. That's election, can't help it. John 6:36

(36) But I said unto you, That (you) also have seen me, and believe not. (See, not believing it, see?)

There are those who do not believe. Now, they didn't believe then, why? Because they couldn't believe.

40. Now, in John 17:1, that they who watch over here, the Elect.

(1) ...Jesus, lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

(2) As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Now, how many given? As many as were in Him before the foundation of the world. (See?)

(3) And this is life eternal, ...(and so on.)

Now notice, in verse 6

(6) I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world:

You say, "God so loved the world." [Jn 3:16] Sure He did, but He only gave so many out of it. (See?)

(6) ...thine they were, (say why? Because the Word is God, that same one) and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

Verse 9

(9) I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

This great beautiful prayer of intercession is still continued right today as Intercessor. (See?) He came for the election.

Verse 24, same chapter, notice:

(24) Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; (New Jerusalem in the throne) that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

That's exactly what He did to the Bride. He loved them before the foundation, because they were in Him. God raised Him up a Bride out of Jesus Christ like He raised one up out of Eve, out of Adam too.

41. Now notice, when Christ became a curse, the sins of all men were not discharged. For if they were then all men must be free. In other words, that the atonement was for all men, then the curse would have discharged, would have been discharged from them and everyone would have been free. Let's see if that happened. Let's go to Isaiah 53:10

(10) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,...

Now, He's going to make His soul an offering for sin, and it's going to accomplish the plan of God. What's the plan of God? The purpose of God stands in election. Right? The purpose of God stands in election. No election, no plan can stand. (See?) In other words, He's got to have the power to bring it to pass, or it is merely a theory. If God has a plan and He can't bring it to pass, then He's not God. If God has a plan and the devil can bamboozle, then God's not God, the devil is God. (See?) It won't work. You got to stick with the Word.

42. Now listen, let's go to Galatians 3:10-13, and look at this first, and here's where It is:

(10) For as many (of us) as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all (the) things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

(11) But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

The justified, those to him God won't impute sin. Now, how can He not impute sin? By the Cross of Calvary. (See?) Now then, to whom will He not impute sin? Those who were foreknown in Him before the foundation of the world.

Now listen: Christ has redeemed us. Not the world, this is Paul talking to those redeemed from the curse of the law. Now that's any law. Not the Ten Commandments to Israel, that's all law. Every law. (See?)

(13) ...being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles. Let the blessing of Abraham, that "in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed." [Gen 22:18] In thy Seed, which is Christ, which is election. Every Seed was in Him. Just like Bro. Branham said, "Every orange that will ever come on that tree, was already in that little seed." Every one that will ever come to God in the Bride, was already in Christ. Every single solitary one.

43. Now, what says the Word about this curse. Was it ...?.... for everybody. Let's find out. Let's go to Matthew 25: and find out. And I think we're going to find something different here. Matthew 25:41

(41) Then shall he say also (to) them on the left hand, Depart from me, (you) cursed, into everlasting fire, ...

And I say tonight, the covenant is limited. People says, "Well, I tell you, if the covenant is limited if you don't want it, as Bro. Branham said, 'a pardon is not a pardon unless it is received'." Then who is going to receive it? (See?) Who is going to receive it? Only those that are the predestinated. (See?)

Notice, the present mediatorial Priesthood of Christ does not avail to all. Christ as a Mediator brings you in, and Christ as an Intercessor keeps you in. But what's the Intercessor? He's the High Priest with the Blood. And who's the High Priest for? For those who belong under the priesthood, nobody else. You can't have a priest unless you're part of that spiritual organism. It's impossible.

44. Let's go then to Hebrews 9:24

(24) For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,...

No sir, He's up there where God given by the Spoken Word.

(24) ...which are the figures of the true;...

Now, you've had a place made down here where a priest come into it to sprinkle the blood. That is a picture of what's in heaven. (See?)

(24) ... but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Who are us? Beloved Elect of God, foreknown before the foundation of the world. (See?) Peter said the same thing.

45. Notice, Hebrews 7:25, here It is:

(25) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost (all that) come unto God by him, ...

Who is going to come into Him? "All that the Father has given will come unto Me, and him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." [Jn 6:37] And to whom is He pleading? Who is He keeping? He's keeping them in the election.

(25) ...seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

God giving a provision for the election so that they stand complete in Him.

46. Notice, John 17:9. We read It, we'll read It again. All right:

(9) I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Notice the condition, this would sound like an insult, it you read It just right. We need constant vigilance and prayer, even though we are sons of God. We still can't make it on our own. We're still dependant on Him. There is nothing you can do, except God give you to make it, it's all of God or nothing. Every but us, wants to... those loss and say, "Well, you're going to make it, if you do right with what God gave you." Hogwash! That's blasphemy against the Word of God. And if you're going to make it by what you do, then you don't need Jesus Christ. He actually needs us, because we're going to see that His plan doesn't fall through. What nonsense.

Remember, the parents lay up for the children, the children never lay up for the parents. Children never bring parents to birth, it's the parents that bring children to birth. Never does a child care for the parent? It's the parent that care for the child. What does a little baby know about taking care of the parent?

47. Romans 8: and in verse 33, It says,

(33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?...

Who dares arraign in God's courts? God says, "I’m righteous?" On what grounds? The meritorious work of Jesus Christ upon Calvary. And then the meritorious work as a High Priest behind the Throne, where there He sits as Bro. Branham said in three places. The Seals, and the Church Ages, and one more place. And he said, "There that Body sits as a memorial to the sacrifice upon Calvary's rugged Cross." Amen.

And what It is, it's a man that's doing it. I'm glad that we can identify with a man, because he knows all about it. You and I could never identify with God. Absolutely impossible, But He sent a man, became a man, and now we can identify. Amen. Absolutely the great High Priest, Mediator, Intercessor. Based upon what? God's plan to bring into perfection what God was going to do. Oh how people think they can foil God's plan. How can you foil God's plan? As Bro. Branham said, "If we are not the Bride, God's raising up a Bride somewhere, and it's going to fulfill that Word just like God said It."

48. All right, thirdly: God's Spirit dealing with the Elect and drawing them to Himself. We took first of all showing you there was election, how it was. We showed you how God took care to bring that election to Himself through Calvary. That is to make propitiation and purchase the right to them.

Now, the Spirit of God deals in drawing only the Elect. He does not draw the sinner, He draws the Elect. Let's go to John 3:8, It says here:

(8) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Now, why did they use the word 'numa' for wind, when every other place they use 'spirit'? There's a wrong translation. Here's how It should read:

"The Spirit bringeth where He willeth, and Thou heareth His Voice, but knoweth it not whence He cometh, and wither He goeth, in this manner if everyone is born of the Spirit."

49. In other words, it's an absolute perfect mystery. The Spirit of God speaks to Whom He will, and to nobody else. You can't say, "Speak to me, and you cannot say, don't speak to me." You cannot say anything at all to influence Him. The Spirit moveth, breatheth, speaketh whether He wants, and whenever He wants. And no man can do one thing about it. The most hardened sinner, if he's an Elect child of God, like Paul, breathing out threatening and destroying the very Bride of Christ thinking he's doing God a favor, ...?.... He can do anything He wants. And He can turn His back on the most self-righteous smug individuals, (and I've heard them) who say, "I've never told a lie in my life." That's the biggest lie right there ...?.... You see women do that, not men. See, that female spirit gets you in trouble girls never forget that. You're by nature made to be mothers, don't ever let it fool you, for that makes you a child of God.

Because if you're weren't seed, you think you'd go through pregnancy anytime a man wanted to go through. He does it for pleasure. His act is a few minutes, yours in nine months and in years later, because you've got to take care of the kids. ...?.... rotten little ...?.... picking those little filthy noses. (See?) Gets you varicose veins, your hemorrhoids, everything else. ...?.... your pregnancy. Come on, because you're made to do that. That's not God, that's your human spirit ...?.... to be mothers. See, that little nature, that's where women got the thinking they're preachers and things. Never forget as long as you live, it's not ...?.... I'm just trying to help you today. Never get confused, just go to that Word and cling to It. Be a real liberated woman, let your husband be the boss in the house, and stick with that Word and you'll be liberated. (See?) That's right, see?

50. Now, the Spirit Himself, He alone is sovereign. Now, except a man be born of the Spirit, he is not quickened. Yet It is a sovereign Spirit that quickens. For of necessity He must quicken, because He's a quickening Spirit.

Now, wouldn't it be some Spirit, to call a quickening Spirit and It wouldn't quicken? Why, if he's a quickening Spirit, all It wants to do is quicken. (See?) If a man's a real provider, all he wants to do is provide. (See?) If you got something real, that's what you want to do.

Now, a quickening Spirit is going to want to quicken. Now, what's He going to want to quicken? Now, who's He going to quicken?

51. All right, 2 Thessalonians 2:13 again.

(13) But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification...

How? Through the Spirit of God separating you. (See?) There it is. Who's the Spirit of God going to speak to you? Who's the Spirit of God going to draw? Who is He going to separate? Who is He going to validate? Who is He going to baptize unto Christ? Only one, that is the predestinated Seed that which was in Christ. That thought, that eternal thought that is finally come into manifestation. God recognizing that thought, that manifestation.

Just like that Seed in there, as Bro. Branham said of the eagle. Where is that eagle, she knew she laid two eggs, but one little eagle is missing. And now she goes sweeping over the country, and she begins screaming. That little eagle sitting under a chicken, knew right away there was some-thing there and he was a part of it. (See?) The scream, but there's got to be something down there to respond to the scream. But, there's a deep here, there's got to be deep there. But if there's a Deep out there, then God must have a deep in here in order for God to do something. (See?)

52. So, therefore God put the Seed in there. And now the Seed is responding, because the Spirit is calling. (See?) Sanctified, separated, chosen, placed into Christ by the Holy Ghost. (See?) And Who's He doing it to? Elect, foreknown before the foundation of the world. Why? Because now a many membered body is going to be many sons into glory so that Christ can have praises sung into in the midst of the Church. And for this very reason: He took upon Himself flesh and blood, that He might bring us to God, and be a faithful High Priest and land us in glory. So, there's absolutely no imputation of sin. Who, to whom? The election. (See?) Election.

Who does a good husband want to have children by? His own wife, not somebody else. Then he wants those children absolutely right by her. Even Abraham didn't want to take the woman. Really, oh he got into it because of his natural lust imagine, his own idea. But the thing is, "I prefer my wife, I want a child by her." (See?) And that's where the promise of God is, it's got to be absolutely according to God's will, and God's will is His purpose. Which is His Word, He's raising up many sons which we term as a Bride.

53. Now notice, again we read in 1 Peter, (because we were reading the same verses again, because they're the clearest) 1 Peter 1:1

(1) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered through- out Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,...(and so on.)

(2) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through...

There's your Elect manifested. (See?) They're not just Elect, there's got to be an evidence. There's got to be a manifestation, there's got to be something done to make your election sure. (See?) To bring it into reality.

(2) ...through sanctification...(the choosing, the drawing, the seeking, the quickening of the Holy) Spirit, unto obedience ...(of faith, there the Holy Spirit speaking, drawing you, talking.)

What happened? Placed things up in the heart, moves a man right into Christ,

(2) ...(through the) sprinkling of the blood... (See?)

Water, that is, blood, water and spirit. Well, water, blood and spirit. Still the way we want to put it. Sometimes a person comes through to God before water baptism sometimes, not so.

54. Now, upon whom does the Spirit come? Let's look at It again: We go to Galatians 3:26. I might have confused you there by how the Spirit comes. Remember, when the Corinthians heard they hadn't been baptized in water yet, the Holy Ghost fell. But remember, you got to come just the same by water, blood and spirit. And if you didn't get baptized the right way, and you received the Holy Ghost, you got to get baptized the right way now. But it's all in the Book.

Galatians 3:26, watch this: It says,

(26) For (you) are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

(27) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (That's how you prove you're a child. (See?)

(28) (For) there is neither Jew nor Greek, ...bond nor free, neither male nor female: (you) are all one in Christ Jesus.

Now listen:

(29) ...if (you) be Christ's, then (you're) Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

55. [Galatians 4:]

(1) Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, (this is nothing but) a servant, though he be Lord of all.

(2) But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed (to) the father.

(3) (And) even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

(4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, (not man now, made of the woman, she alone, had to be of God) made under the law,

(5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Now listen:

(6) And because (you) are sons,...

You don't become sons, you are sons. Sons that have gone astray. Son's that are lost. (See?) Sons that need redemption and presently unredeemed. (See?)

(4) And because (you) are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, (whereby you cry, our) Father.

Just like Jesus could say, "My Father." In other words, we're all of one source. So, there you see it. God quickening the Son. God pouring water upon the ground. God germatizing the seed, (see?) bringing us into this everlasting relationship.

56. Also, notice again [Galatians] chapter 3:2

(2) This only would I learn of you, Received (you) the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Now, who's going to hear His Voice? Only the Elect. (See?) Who's going to believe? Only the Elect. What can you do about it? If you're bound up for election, you can only believe, because it's a command of God you're ordained to it. As many as were given eternal life before the foundation of the world, they've got to believe. (See?)

In other words, that eagle could sit under a hen for years, be out in the yard there, clipped his wings, hear the 'cluck, cluck, cluck', still an eagle. Just waiting for his day. Just what the Book of Acts says, "As many as were ordained unto eternal life believed." God will quicken only the Elect, even as He brings forth in quickening life, these same Elect ones in the First Resurrection. God can only quicken right now in this earth the Elect. Even as He will bring forth to quickening power the same Elect ones that have gone down into the ground. That's what the Bible says.

57. Now, we all know that the work of the Spirit of God is a revelation ministry. See, a revelation. Let's go to the Book of John 14: 16, He said,

(16) ...I will pray the Father, and (he'll) give you another Comforter,... (and so on.)

And notice in verse 26

(26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

And remember, what is the Holy Ghost? He is the tutor. And to whom is He the tutor? Son. I want to ask you a question, how could you be a son of your neighbors and still be a son of your father at the same time? Can't do it. There's only one way that you can be a son of anybody, and that's to have the genes in you that your father had, because he's got to supply the blood, the hemoglobin like Bro. Branham said. Now then, who's the Holy Ghost going to teach? Son. Now, how can you be a son unless you belong to God in the first place?

Well, the Bible says, "Because you are sons, God has sent His Spirit to draw you apart, to baptize you into Christ in order that you may be trained as a child, in order that you may come into resurrection, and there you may share in His glory." And who is it? It's sons.

In other words, brother/sister exactly as it is in the human race when you bring forth a child, you had to be in the genes of God, like you had to be in the genes of your father, or you never would have ...?... There's your election. Elect, foreknown, chosen, predestinated, ordained, dozen terminologies. All signify the same thing, there's a great God. And brother/sister, this is exactly why preaching is foolishness, because they're going to come anyway.

58. Years ago in Moody Institute, they criticized a young girl, she shouldn't have gone as a missionary, but that's all she knew to do. They criticized her, because she believed in election. And they said, "All right, why are you going, if election and predestination is ...?... why did you go to Africa?"

She said, "Praise God, that's why I am going, because there are seed." They couldn't get around that one. I had to admire though at least she had more wisdom then those twelve United men. And maybe she even had enough of Holy Ghost to stop her going. I hope so, I don't know.

The Lord bless you, shall we rise and be dismissed.

Gracious God, Eternal Father, we thank You, Lord, again this evening hour to come to conclusion, where we've studied Your Word a little bit, Lord, to realize the Scripture is very strong, and Your prophet, Lord, is very, very careful to let the people know that if they did not believe in Your predestinated power, their election and grace, then they were a cult, and they were not Christians. Today, Lord, people look at us and they say, "You're a cult, and you can't be a Christian and have such a God."

But, Father, tonight we thank God you are such a God, because we know You are a sovereign God when You are in the driver's seat and something is going to come exactly right. Shall not the God of all this world do just? Amen and Amen. She's going to do exactly just right.

So, Father, tonight we praise You, and we magnify Your Name. And we adore You, even apart from us the revelation that we really want to have in our hearts. We still say with Paul, "This is cause to give you devotion and glory that Thou hast brought forth and election."

So, we praise You for it, Lord, and thank You tonight, believing and hoping with conviction, that we are a part of that election, and therefore we shall be presented without fault and bring it, because in love You have predestinated us to conform to the image of the Son.

Now, Lord, if You've done all that for us there's not a chance of a slip up, there's no need to worry, but endless praise and joy and good grace to follow the will of God. So, therefore unto the King immortal, immortal, invisible the only wise God, be all power and honor and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Lord bless you.

Let's start singing 'We'll Walk in the Light'.