Am I a True Christian?

Romans 9:6-13
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, September 12, 2010
Copyright © 2010, P. G. Mathew

God the Father is seeking true worshipers who worship him in spirit and in truth. That tells us there are false worshipers who pretend to be people of God. We want to know who are true Christians, authentic children of the living God.

In Romans 9 Paul expressed his great grief and unending pain because his fellow Jews, in spite of the great spiritual privileges they enjoyed as the covenant people of God, had rejected their Messiah, Jesus Christ. He came to his own, but his own did not receive him as Savior and God. The question we find in the first part of Romans 9:6 is, did God’s covenant word to Abraham and his descendants fail? Did God’s purpose fail to come to pass? Or, as Professor John Murray says, “How can the covenant promise of God be regarded as inviolate when the mass of those who belong to Israel . . . have remained in unbelief and so come short of the covenant promises?”¹ This question is answered in chapters 9, 10, and 11 of Romans.

Romans 9 is the most difficult portion of Scripture in the entire Bible for those who are arrogant toward God. Yet it is not difficult to understand by those who fear the Lord, who recognize that God is sovereign and just in all he does as the Lord of history. God is not surprised that the vast majority of Israel, the people of the covenant, have rejected their Messiah.

True and False Believers

The visible church of Jesus Christ consists of both true and false believers. Dr. James Boice speaks of a Bavarian wood carver who carved some grains of wheat out of wheat-colored wood. He then mixed the carved kernels with genuine wheat grains. He had done such an excellent job that neither he nor his friends could distinguish the wooden grains from the real ones. So he put all the kernels in water, and in due time the real ones sprouted while the wooden ones did not.²

All professing Christians may appear authentic, yet only some have the life of God in them, while others have no spiritual life. Some are wise virgins, but others are foolish. The question we must ask is, am I a true believer? Am I born of the Spirit? Jesus said that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6). We must examine ourselves to see whether we are truly in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).

The vast majority of those belonging to the nation of Israel rejected their Messiah, as did also the vast majority of the Gentiles. They are the many who are traveling along the broad way of autonomy, narcissism, and eternal destruction. Only a few travel on the narrow way of holiness that leads to eternal life. But this is not a surprise to God, who knows that in his eternal plan only a few will believe in Christ. Why do only a few believe in Christ while the majority reject him? The answer is found in the doctrine of the election of God.

Divine Election

In Romans 5:12-21 we learned that in Adam all became sinners. All people by nature are under the wrath of God, and all must die because the wages of sin is death. So Paul says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). That is the perspective we have to keep in mind when we speak about election. It is called the infralapsarian perspective, that is, “in the timeless mind of God, this decision [to elect some to salvation and to ordain others to reprobation] was made in view of the Fall.”³

God sees two humanities. One is headed by the first Adam. The other is represented by the last Adam, Jesus Christ, who by his incarnational life and death, made atonement for all whom he represents (i.e., all whom God chose from eternity). Of all the sinful descendants of the first Adam, God elects some to eternal salvation. God sovereignly chooses some that he may show mercy to them. But he chooses not to show mercy to the vast majority of sinful descendants of Adam, who are under the just wrath of God.

God, therefore, deals with some people in mercy while he deals with the vast majority of people in justice. It is this divine election that is the key to understanding why only a few Israelites believed in Jesus Christ, while the vast majority rejected their Messiah.

J. I. Packer makes the following points about election:⁴

1. Election is a gracious choice. It is not based on our merit; it is election of grace. Paul says, “So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom. 11:5). Paul also says, “[Christ] has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Tim. 1:9). Packer writes, “Election is an act of undeserved favor freely shown towards members of a fallen race to which God owed nothing but wrath.” So we read, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Rom. 1:18). He chooses to save sinners who are enemies of God, and he does so to magnify his grace.
2. Election is a sovereign choice, prompted by God’s own good pleasure alone and not by any works of men, accomplished or foreseen, or any human efforts to win God’s favour. Paul writes, “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Eph. 1:5). He also says, “And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ” (Eph. 1:9). Packer says, “God in sovereign freedom treats some sinners as they deserve, hardening and destroying them; but He selects others to be ‘vessels of mercy’, receiving ‘the riches of His glory.’ This discrimination involves no injustice, for the Creator owes mercy to none and has a right to do as he pleases with his rebellious creatures.” Packer makes this important point: “The wonder is not that He withholds mercy from some, but that He should be gracious to any. God’s purpose of sovereign discrimination between sinner and sinner appeared as early as His limitation of the Abrahamic promise to Isaac’s line and His setting of Jacob over Esau. It was true from the first that ‘they are not all Israel, which are of Israel’ (Rom. ix. 6).'”
3. Election is an eternal choice. God chooses us before the foundation of the world. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Eph. 1:4). Packer says, “This choice was . . . a part of God’s eternal purpose.” God elects in love from all eternity and predestinates, and in time calls and justifies that we may be glorified at the end of time. Because election is eternal, it is immutable; therefore, nothing that happens in time can shake God’s resolve to save us.
4. Election is a choice of individual sinners to be saved in and through Jesus Christ. Packer explains, “The goal of election is so that God’s chosen should bear Christ’s image and share His glory. They are chosen for holiness . . . in this life and for glorification . . . in the life to come.” So Paul writes, “He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2:14). Paul also says, “who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Phil. 3:21).

Packer says that this election means, then, that our salvation from first to last “is all of God, a fruit of sovereign discriminating mercy.” Through election, every spiritual blessing flows to us through him “who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). The ultimate end of election is that God should be praised. Paul says, “to the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Eph. 1:6). Election, declares Packer, “assures the believer of his eternal security and removes all grounds of fear and despondency. If he is in grace now, he is in grace forever.” Election spurs the believer to a holy life. Packer concludes, “It is the supreme incentive to humble, joyful, thankful love, the mainspring of sanctifying gratitude.” So Paul writes, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Col. 3:12-14).

Whether we like it or not, divine election is a reality in the Scripture. God chose Abraham, an idolater from Mesopotamia, not others, including his own father. God chose Isaac, not Ishmael. God chose Jacob, not Esau. God chose the nation Israel, not other nations. God chose David, not his older brothers. God chose Solomon, not his older brothers. God chose Mary, not any other young Israelite girl, to be the mother of Jesus. Jesus chose twelve apostles, not twelve hundred. Jesus did not choose twelve women as apostles. God chose to preach the gospel to some countries first. And thank God, God chose us to be saved. It is my prayer that God will save many more. Praise God for his sovereign, discriminating election of us sinners to eternal salvation!

God’s Word Never Fails

Paul poses the question in verse 6: In light of the few people of Israel who are saved, did God’s word fail? The answer is, not at all! God’s declared purpose did not fail. God’s covenant design did not come to naught. God never fails; his word never fails. God alone declares the end from the beginning.

How can God’s plan fail? Joshua declared that God’s every promise is fulfilled: “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled” (Josh. 21:45). Paul says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Cor. 1:20).

God’s word did not come to every Israelite without exception, but only to the elect few in the nation Israel. Only a remnant would be saved, as Isaiah declared: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved” (Rom. 9:27). This remnant trusted in the Messiah and were saved, as Paul declares, “As it is written: ‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame'” (Rom. 9:33).

The remnant chosen by grace believed in word of God. So Paul says, “So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom. 11:5). To the elect, the word of God is effectual. Paul explains, “What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened” (Rom. 11:7). The non-elect were hardened so that they would not believe God’s word and be saved. There is election and reprobation.

Did the word of God fail because the vast majority of the nation Israel became apostate? Not at all. Jesus says, “It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law” (Luke 16:17). The will of God can never be frustrated. God’s purpose shall be done in human and world history. Theekklêsia of God (i.e., God’s church) consists not of everyone in the nation of Israel nor of everyone in the visible church nor of everyone in the world. It is the company of those chosen from eternity, called out in time, and made alive by the gospel.

God’s word powerfully and irresistibly always brings about what God purposes. The Lord himself declares, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:10-11).

Therefore, if you do not want to believe in Jesus Christ, it may be that you are a reprobate. Listen to what the Spirit is speaking and ask God to soften your heart. Believe in Christ and be saved. But never think that God’s word fails to do what he purposes. Paul writes, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life” (2 Cor. 2:14-16). It is the purpose of God that his word may make alive some and confirm others in their death and reprobation.

Saul of Tarsus, the murderous exterminator of the Christian faith, was transformed by the gospel to become a battle-scarred veteran of the cross. All this was based on divine election. So Paul himself says, “But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man” (Gal. 1:15-16). He wrote to Timothy: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 1:12-14).

God’s promise of salvation applies only to spiritual Israel, not to every progeny of Abraham. Even in the Old Testament it was revealed that not every Jew would be saved. “Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return” (Isa. 10:22a). Jesus said that a true disciple is the one who abides in his word. “Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you [abide in] my teaching, you are really my disciples'” (John 8:30-31). He called Nathaniel a true Israelite. Nathaniel was a true worshiper who worshiped God in spirit and in truth, together with the righteous Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna, Joseph, Mary, and many others. Yet of all Israel, they are but few.

The elect are not flesh; they are born of the Spirit. They are circumcised in the heart by the Holy Spirit. They are born again from above. They believe the word of God as Abraham believed and walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham.

The Westminster Confession of Faith speaks about both election and reprobation:

[On election] Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; and all to the praise of his glorious grace. (Chapter 3, article 5)

[On reprobation] The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy, as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice. (Chapter 3, article 7)

God is not going to kiss our feet and beg us to believe in him. He commands all people everywhere to repent.

God’s word, therefore, never fails. It has done, is doing, and will do everything it is meant to do. It gives life to the elect and confirms the vast majority in their death. No son of Adam is entitled to salvation because of some birthright or some physical descent. If that were the case, God would not be free.

Why, then, can we say that God’s word did not fail, despite the unbelief of the nation of Israel? It is because of divine election. God’s saving purpose includes only a small minority, a remnant. Think about it: this great truth should cause us to rejoice in our election. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, “The promise and purpose of God have respect to certain people only.” It is not of universal application, that is, not applicable to every Jew or every Gentile or every professing Christian. He also states that the few who are being saved are being saved not because of their birth, nationality, parentage, or their merits. God calls them into being by grace alone. God’s choice of grace, therefore, is absolutely free and sovereign, totally independent of us. It is according to the good pleasure of his will and purpose.⁵

The truth is, all natural physical Israel is not true spiritual Israel. All ethnic Israel is not the Israel of God. This is the two-circled position. (PGM) The outer circle consists of the vast majority of ethnic Israel; the small inner circle consists of true spiritual Israel, those who are born of the Spirit. Judaism thought that every descendant of Abraham except those who rejected their inheritance by outright apostasy enjoyed eternal salvation. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). He says again, “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matt. 24:10-12).

Paul earlier rejected the view that all who are physically descended from Abraham are true Israelites: “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God” (Rom. 2:28-29). Elsewhere he says, “Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:2-3). Why, then, are most Jewish people outside of salvation? The answer is found in divine election.

Two Illustrations

Paul gives two illustrations to show that not all Israel is Israel. First he speaks of Isaac to show that not even all of Abraham’s physical descendants were true children of Abraham. God did not choose Ishmael; he chose Isaac. In Genesis 17 we read of Abraham’s reaction to God’s news that he would have a son: “Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!’ Then God said, ‘Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him'” (vv. 17-19). Abraham desired that Ishmael be his heir, but God said, “No, Isaac is the one, and the will of God shall prevail.”

The Jews boasted, “Abraham is our father.” They also boasted, “God is our Father.” But Jesus said, “No, God is not your Father. Your father is the devil” (John 8:42-44). It does not matter what we profess and declare about ourselves. What matters is what God says on the last day. He may say, “Thou good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of the Lord,” or he may say, “Away from me, you worker of iniquity. How dare you try to push yourself into my holy heaven!”

Isaac is the son of promise, not Ishmael. Isaac was born of a miracle, through divine intervention. So just as there was a difference between Ishmael and Isaac, so there is a difference between physical Israel and spiritual Israel, between those circumcised only externally in the flesh and those who are circumcised internally in the heart by the Spirit, those whose very nature is changed as a result of that internal circumcision. There is a difference between those who are children of the flesh and those who are children of God. Only the children of the promise are children of God and heirs of salvation-children, John says, “born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:13).

Isaac was not an ordinary child. He was given life because of the promise God had made to Abraham in Genesis 17 that in Isaac, not in Ishmael, his seed would be called (Heb. 11:18). Sarah was always barren and now she was past childbearing age. At ninety, her body was as good as dead. Abraham was about one hundred; he was also as good as dead. Both were incapable of having a son. But God, with whom all things are possible, in due time visited them. God supernaturally enabled Abraham to father Isaac and enabled barren Sarah to conceive and bear a son according to the divine word.

God rejected Ishmael because his purpose was fulfilled in the miracle child Isaac. But one may argue that Isaac was chosen simply because Ishmael was illegitimate. His mother was an Egyptian slave, a concubine. She was not Abraham’s legal wife, and therefore Ishmael had no legal standing. So Paul gave a second illustration of Rebekah’s two sons. Both were legitimate, having the same father, Isaac, and the same mother, Rebekah. The same sex act produced one pregnancy of twins, who were both equal in status and rights. “Yet,” Paul writes, “before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad . . . [Rebekah] was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated'” (Rom. 9:11-13).

Both were sons of Adam. Both were sinners and under God’s wrath. Yet God showed mercy to Jacob and chose him to salvation, but did not show mercy to Esau. God defied the custom of choosing the firstborn. He chose the younger and caused the older to be his servant. This is another illustration of God’s unconditional election. He does what he pleases. Unlike Ishmael, there was no question of legitimacy in this case. Both were children of the same father and mother. Yet God from all eternity chose Jacob to eternal salvation and Esau to eternal damnation. Jacob the sinner was shown mercy. He was chosen to be the object of God’s mercy whom he prepared in advance for glory. Esau the sinner was passed by. He remained the object of God’s just wrath, prepared for destruction.

So we see election and reprobation demonstrated in the lives of Jacob and Esau. Paul writes that God did this “in order that the purpose of God according to divine election might remain,” might stand, might be established, and that the word of God not fail (Rom. 9:11). God’s purpose according to election stands based on the God who calls into existence his plan. He creates out of nothing by his powerful word. His word enabled the dead Abraham and Sarah to bring forth a son, Isaac. His creative word also causes those dead in trespasses and sins to be raised up as children of God and heirs of glory. So it is not of human works, but of him who effectually calls.

Jesus himself spoke of election to his disciples: “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen” (John 13:18). Elsewhere he states, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (John 15:16). He prayed, “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word” (John 17:6).

“Jacob I Loved, but Esau I Hated”

Jacob’s pre-eminence is due to the Father’s distinguishing eternal love for him, and Esau’s servitude is due to God’s hatred for him. God passes by many reprobates but shows mercy to some like Jacob. Some argue that God never hates anyone. He only loves some less, and he loves others more. If God only hated sin and not sinners, he should send sin to hell, not sinners. But God sends sinners to hell.

I agree that the word “hate” has a range of meaning, from loving less to real hatred. Malachi 1:1-5 sounds like real hatred, which is the passage quoted by Paul in Romans 9:13:

An oracle: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.

“I have loved you,” says the LORD .

“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the LORD says. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.”

But this is what the LORD Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the LORD. You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the LORD -even beyond the borders of Israel!’

The psalmist also spoke of God’s hatred: “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors” (Ps. 5:5-6); “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Ps. 7:11, KJV); “I hate double-minded men” (Ps. 119:113a). John says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).

Election is God’s eternal purpose to cause certain specific individuals to be in Christ as recipients of special grace so that they may live to God’s glory and obtain eternal salvation. Reprobation is God’s eternal purpose to pass by certain specific individuals in the bestowment of special grace ordaining them to everlasting punishment for their sins. So there is election and reprobation. Jacob was saved by grace; Esau was condemned for his unbelief and wickedness. Are you a reprobate, or are you an elect? This is why all of us must make our calling and election sure. We have only one purpose in this life: to know Christ and to make him known.

The Danger of False Faith

In 2 Kings 5 we read about a man named Gehazi. He thought he was a believer. As assistant to the prophet Elisha, Gehazi heard the gospel clearly and saw many miracles performed by God’s Spirit with power through Elisha. He was very convinced that he was a believer. But his life demonstrated that he was not. He is like people who are in a church for many years but are not elect. It is serious when the Bible says, “Make your calling and election sure.” We must not self-certify or push ourselves to heaven. It will not work.

At that time, there were many lepers in Israel, but we do not read about any being healed. Yet then a pagan, the Syrian general, Naaman, came to see Elisha and to be healed. His king, Ben-Hadad of Aram, gave him seven hundred and fifty pounds of silver, one hundred and fifty pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing as the price for the healing of the general. The idea is that they thought he could buy salvation. But the psalmist says the price of salvation is very high; no one can pay it (Ps. 49:7-9). And Isaiah says, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you have no money, come, buy and eat!” (Isa. 55:1) Do not think you can buy salvation with money. You must thirst, but you must never bring money, for the price of salvation is too high. Salvation is always by grace.

Naaman came to Elisha with huge amount of money. He brought ten talents of silver, though it only cost two talents to buy the hill of Samaria. David paid six hundred shekels of gold to buy Mount Moriah, but Naaman brought six thousand shekels of gold. When Naaman came, Elisha did not even come out to meet him, let alone chant and do magic to heal him. Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naaman, “Go to the Jordan and dip yourself in it seven times. Your skin will be healed and you will be restored.”

Naaman became angry and almost missed his salvation. But then he went and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan River, and he was healed. So he turned back to see Elisha. Remember the ten lepers? Only one returned to thank Jesus, and he was a Samaritan. Here this Syrian general returns in great gratefulness. He says, “I have all these things. Please take them.”

Elisha refused to accept anything. Very rarely do you see people like Elisha. Most modern ministers are beggars. They are the four hundred prophets of Ahab: they will find out what the people want to hear and will preach it. Elisha said no to all the money and clothing. Salvation is by grace.

But then Gehazi sprang into action. He was a minister, and he went after Naaman to deceive him. He begged for one talent of silver, and he got two, weighing one hundred and fifty pounds. He also got two sets of clothes. He thought no one saw what he was doing. He returned home, hid the silver and the clothing in his house, and went and stood before Elisha. But the Holy Spirit revealed everything to Elisha, and he asked Gehazi, “Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants? Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever” (2 Kings 5:26-27).

Surely Gehazi thought he was going to be the next prophet after Elisha. How many people think that way! But he did not make his calling and election sure. The time came when he was proven to be a thief.

Achan also thought he was a believer. He had walked through the dry Jordan River with Joshua and was circumcised at Mount Gilgal. He marched six times around Jericho and on the seventh day saw the walls crumbling and falling. But then Achan saw some gold and silver and a Babylonish garment amidst the plunder. He looked this way and that way, took the items and hid them, and pretended everything was all right. But Achan had been told not to take anything; all the plunder belonged to the treasury of God. He and his family proved to be not people of God, and they were stoned to death (Joshua 7).

We must never conclude that because we have been in a church for a long time, or because our pastor knows us, that we are Christians. It may not be true. Judas was an apostle who was given the Holy Spirit to preach and perform miracles. He preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Unlike Gehazi, who was merely the assistant to Elisha, Judas was an apostle of Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God. But there came an opportunity, and he sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. He is called in the Bible “son of perdition.”

There was a fellow minister to Paul whose name was Demas. Paul often sent greetings from Demas in his letters. But Demas was not a Christian. After some time, life became hard: Christians were being persecuted and not making any money. Demas stopped following Christ, and Paul wrote, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved the present world” (2 Tim. 4:10, author’s translation).

Are you a lover of the present world? Will you desert Christ for two talents of silver and two sets of clothes, or some gold and silver and a Babylonish garment, or thirty pieces of silver? You cannot serve two masters. You will be devoted to one and despise the other. That is the way it works. People who do not love God are not elect of God.

Making Our Calling and Election Sure

The Bible says to make our calling and election sure. How we can do this? No one can peer into eternity into the mind of God to see if we are elect or not. If only we could! But we cannot have such certainty, except by deduction, so we must begin in time, here.

We must examine our present obedience. Our past obedience is not the issue. Gehazi had obeyed previously, as did Demas, Achan, and Judas. The important thing is whether we are obeying now.

Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matt. 7:20). Fruit is another term for obedience. Jesus also declared, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). That is what happened in Antioch. Unbelievers saw the disciples’ obedience and praised God. Jesus also tells us, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Modern evangelicalism wants to separate obedience from faith. I am always under pressure to make sin normal. I am under pressure not to preach the gospel but to preach what people want to hear. But Jesus tells us to behave in such a way that pagans may see our good works and glorify God.

Do you want to know whether you are a true Christian? Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23). God the Father is seeking authentic Christians, not phony believers, but true worshipers who worship him in spirit and in truth. It is not difficult to examine yourselves to see if you fall into that category. It is not difficult to make our calling and election sure. We can do it without looking into the mind of God. Just ask yourselves: Do you obey your parents? Do you submit to your husband? Do you love and obey Jesus Christ? If you do, you are a Christian.

¹ John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, Part 2 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979), 18.

² James M. Boice, Romans, Vol. 3: God and History, Chapters 9-11 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993), 1043.

³ Boice, 1064.

⁴ The following points and quotes are from J. I. Packer’s article, “Election,” in The New Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Douglas et al (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974), 359-361.

⁵ D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: Exposition of Chapter 9, God’s Sovereign Purpose (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1991), 129-130.