Election

Election is defined by an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in then, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure. 


Some examples of predestination and election that are taught in the New Testament:
Romans 8:28-30 - planned for people to be like his Son, for his plan
Romans 9:11-13  / 2 Timothy 1:9- election isn't based on merit
Romans 11:7 - distinct groups of elect and non elect
Ephesians 1:4-6 / Ephesians 1:12 / 2 Thessalonians 2:13 - election before the world began - predestination
1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 - chosen through Jesus and holy spirit


BUT BUT BUT!


Election doesn't mean people should turn to fatalism (where human choices and decisions don't make a difference). We all making willing choices as real humans, and they affect our lives and those around us. We make the personal decision to believe or not to believe in Christ, and that has eternal consequences. 

Election also is not based on God's foreknowledge of our faith. So, he doesn't look into the future to see who will be Christian, and who will not be. He gives confirmation to the decision he knows people will make on their own (Romans 8:29)


It also says in the bible that the reason that God chose us, isn't really to do with faith, or that we would be Christians that God chose us. Nothing in our lives would change God's decision, it's just in order that his purpose of election might continue. 


We're never will be good enough for Christ, we've all sinned and messed up, so the fact that salvation is earned on meritocracy is so not true. It's unconditional election.

Matthew 5:14-15 - Light

Part one of "salt" so that talks of how we should do, and how we should behave as Christians, by being set apart, by making a difference, and going into the world. Part two is all about us showing Jesus in the way we act and telling the world about him. 


Matthew 5:14-15 Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand - shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.


How do we show light through how we live? Well, we show the way of salvation. By being set apart Christians, by being like "salt" we are effectively showing the world Jesus! We do this by our actions, by being a witness to people, by acting like Jesus. We know how to act like Jesus, from looking at the beatitudes and the fruits of the spirit. However chances are, we're not like all of them, all the time. Chances are that we're human and sometimes intentionally and unintentionally we are going to mess up. But, if it can be helped, try not to sin in front of non believers, because although you are not trying to be fake, or try to portray that life as Christian is in any way easy, people look at us as Christians, and we do get judged. 
I've had numerous conversations with people, going along the lines of:
"she doesn't give money to charity, but she's meant to be a Christian?"
"are they a Christian? they swear a lot"
and etc, you can understand the picture. we don't want to be portraying Jesus in a negative light, we want to be bringing people to him, and not displaying ourselves as hypocrites either.


How do we show light through telling people about Jesus? but as well as showing Jesus through us, we need to be talking about Jesus to everyone, we need to "sing it til the whole world hears" (Casting Crowns). In some situations, bringing up Jesus may be easy, but in others it can be extremely difficult. It's great when it's an easier situation to talk about Jesus, but in honesty, we're going to come across more situations where it's harder.  Jesus never said that everyone would love and accept us, he said blessed are those who are persecuted, because they are the ones trying hard enough to spread Jesus around. 


Is there a medium? there's either light, or darkness. there's no inbetween. there may be a little light, or lots of light, but there's no grey area, it's one or the other. so we're either showing Jesus, or we're not! a Christian who is not showing light, is effectively useless. so as a Christian, if we're not showing Jesus and we're not talking about Jesus . .well are we really Christians? We have to be all or nothing Christians, there's no medium. In the same way, we can't be Christians but hide our faith, we're lights, it's obvious we're Christians! 

Matthew 5:13 - Salt

I quite like the message version of this. Although The Message is an interpretation of the bible, I liked this version and shall share it. 
 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage."

Okay, so we're called to be salt and light. We've been told this since we were little, and I had some understanding of it, but the implications and applications as always, are much greater once examined. There's three ways I think in which we can be salt and I will now divulge :P

1) Being a set apart Christian

First game we're going to play, is called spot the christian. In the picture below, which one do you think is a Christian?

Okay so pretty sure you wouldn't have found it. Christians physically look the same as everyone else, sure, there may be a crucifx necklace, a WWJD band, and maybe socks with sandals, but Christians look the same as normal everyday people. 

What? Being salt in the world means that we're called be set apart Christians, and although physically we can't, it is all about our behaviour which stems from our own morals, values and what we believe in.  If we're not like salt, we don't have the holy spirit and effectively we're worthless. How we are, and how we behave can come from the holy spirit.

Who / When? ALL Christians are called to be set apart Christians. And we need to be doing it right now, right this second. Until recently I thought that there was no point trying to be a set apart Christian in school, they all knew how I used to be. I was jealous of the people who had never sworn and people looked at them and saw Jesus. But yet, I realized that I was a walking testimony, and maybe sometimes, I can prove  to people and they can see for themselves how God has changed me. So, even if you haven't been a set apart Christian, do it now. It may be a radical change, it might not be but you need to do it. 

Why? So, why do we do it? What's the point in being a set apart Christian? I hope we've all figured out by now that we can't see Jesus, or God. We are his witnesses and we are the people that the world looks at and sees God. It's a harsh reality, we're trying to be perfect like Jesus was to display God. Yeah we'll mess up, yeah we'll sin. But that's never an excuse, we always need to do it , no matter what. 

How? But, how do we do it? How do we become a set apart Christian. Earlier in Matthew, it talks off the beautitudes, we can see how we're meant to be as Christians:

• Humble
• Hunger and thirst for justice
• Show mercy to others
• Thoughts are pure
• Work for peace
• Persecuted for doing good
• Realizing our spiritual poverty

There's many more I'm sure you can think of, of how we're meant to act to show God :D

Why not? The benefits of standing out as a Christian are immense, but sometimes, people don't want to be set apart Christians.

Reason number 1 - their self esteem as a Christian is low. The mantra of  "i'm not good enough" is loud and resounding in their heads. The fear that they are not good enough, may stop them from even attempting from even starting to try to be a set apart Christian, and will merge back into the crowds of the world. But, none of us are good enough. We all fall short of being a Christian. we're not always a shining example, sometimes we swear, sometimes we get angry quickly, sometimes we're whiny, sometimes we lie. And unfortunately, we'll never ever master behaving perfectly as a Christian. You have God and the Holy Spirit on your side, and they will help you

Reason number 2 - there's too much peer pressure around them. especially in education there's so much peer pressure to be like everyone else. "the challenge is to be yourself in a world trying to make you like everyone else". It's so true though, if you wear slightly eccentic clothes, you may get ridiculed for it. It's a harsh reality. People may try and enforce their ideas onto you, or by indoctrination you may start to think like them too. Remember that you are a stranger on this earth, you're not meant for this, you're meant for Heaven and eternity, and greater things than this earth. What you may get ridiculed for as being a Christian, will get celebrated in Heaven. Hold fast to what you believe in. This also links in with fear of disclusion. if you don't believe the same as everyone else, you may  feel discluded and lonely, and it is a fear for many human beings. But again, be set apart, it'll be worth it, and if the people you're with don't appreciate you for who you are, maybe it's time to move on.

Reason number 3 - society's expectations. modern culture tells us that a brand of make up will make us flawless, that it's okay to sleep around, that we need to have money to make us happy and that we're supposed to act in a certain way - society is peer pressuring us. but is modern culture right? no. the bible opposes so many different aspects of our society, which makes it harder to be a set apart Christian, but we will be good, instead of evil and shallow.

2) Making a difference

What? As Christians we're called to make a difference, like salt does to our food. Relating back to set apart Christians, if we're the same as everyone else how can we make a difference in this world? 

Who / When? Again, we all should be making a difference, on a small and on a large scale (talking a little bit about that in a sec) and when, all the time! 

Why? This earth isn't our real home, but we need to make a difference to it regardless. We need to show people God and to make a difference in this world. The person who changed the world in 30 years was Jesus, he challenged the ideals of everyone, and he created a new belief and hope for people. We may not be Jesus, but with the holy spirit and support of other Christians, we can also make a difference. 

How? Just as an example, many christians got together and all bought Delirious? song history maker, and it got to number 4 in the UK charts. Many stations didn't play it, but the example here is that Christians nationally changed the UK charts by getting a Christian song up there. If this can be done, imagine what could be done internationally, on a larger scale, with more Christians and a bigger effect? Imagine, if Christians gave all they had away, and gave it to the poor and poverty was stopped overnight. How amazing would that be. On a large scale, Christians can have an awful lot of difference, and there's no point in being skeptical, because God tells us to do this! But it doesn't even have to be on a large scale, we can show we're set apart Christians and on our own we can have a big impact on someone else's life, and help them on their way to becoming a Christian. In the world context, people need Christians. They need to stop wars, people need love, peace, forgiveness and salvation, not just a new motorway or factories. We can bring progress to our world - if we choose to. 

Why not? Why don't some people like making a difference? Because it's hard, it's effort, it means stepping out their comfort zone. But the end justify the means, how amazing it is to make a difference on a small scale and on a big scale gives us a sense of satisfaction, knowing that we're making a difference for God, and that we're changing the world!

3) Going out the world

What? Okay so  salt also gets everywhere (especially when you spill it all over the kitchen floor) , and we're called to go everywhere and preach the good news of JC! 

Who / When? Again, everyone and now!

Why? We're called to be set apart, we're called to go out into the world and tell everyone about Jesus! The main way people found out about Jesus, is through other people rather than divine intervention. If we're going out and spreading Jesus' word then we;re doing what he wants! Everyone needs to know Jesus to make an informed decision. It's enough for someone to say they aren't Christians because they weren't brought up that way, we all make our own decision. And also, it helps us grow in our faith, encourages us, and teaches us things on the way. 

How? On a large scale, we can take mission trips to Africa and deserted places where Jesus isn't really well known. We can become missionaries and go all over the world and tell people about Jesus. On a medium scale, we can go round England, doing things like beach missions or holiday bible clubs, meeting people we wouldn't usually and telling them all about Jesus in ways that they may not have heard before. On a smaller scale, we can go out to our friends at school and work and tell them all about Jesus, and go out in our world to tell people. There are many ways to do it! 

Why not? Because it's scary, doing beach mission and going on mission trips can be scary because you have to step out your comfort zone. With bringing up with people you know, there's a chance of being ridiculed and being persecuted, but God blesses us because we're doing what he wants!

So:

Be set apart, make a difference and go out into the world!

BE SALT!