What does God's choice of Abraham teach about divine election and grace? A God who Chooses Nehemiah 9:7: “You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham.” • God’s initiative precedes human response. • Election is personal: “chose Abram,” not merely a nameless group. • The verb “chose” underscores a deliberate, sovereign act—no accident, no lottery. Why Abram? A Portrait of Grace • Scripture offers no hint that Abram earned God’s favor (cf. Joshua 24:2 – his family served other gods). • Divine choice highlights grace: undeserved kindness extended to an idol-worshiping Mesopotamian. • Genesis 12:1-3: Promise follows choice; blessing flows from grace, not merit. Election Anchored in Promise • Genesis 15:5-6: God seals His word with covenant; Abram “believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” • Deuteronomy 7:7-8: Israel later reminded that God’s love and oath— not their size or virtue—secured their status. • Romans 4:16: “Therefore the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace.” Election and grace remain inseparable. Faith Responds to Divine Initiative • Election does not cancel human responsibility; it enables it. • Hebrews 11:8: “By faith Abraham obeyed…”—faith is the appropriate, Spirit-enabled response to grace. • James 2:23: Abraham’s faith expressed itself in obedience, confirming (not causing) God’s prior choice. From One Man to a People • Genesis 17:4-6: God turns a solitary elect man into “many nations.” • Election is missional: through Abraham “all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). • Galatians 3:8-9: The gospel was “announced in advance” to Abraham; believers share in his blessed status. Assurance for Believers Today • Ephesians 1:4-6: God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…to the praise of His glorious grace.” • 1 Peter 2:9: A chosen people proclaiming His excellencies; election fuels worship and witness. • 1 Corinthians 1:26-31: God’s pattern—choosing the unlikely—magnifies Him, not us. Key Takeaways • Divine election is rooted in God’s sovereign grace, not human merit. • God’s choice of Abraham models the pattern for all redemptive history: grace first, faith second, obedience third. • Election carries purpose: to bless the elect and, through them, the nations. • Believers rest in God’s unchanging choice and rise to their calling as channels of His grace. |
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