V. God's
Purpose of Grace
Election is
the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates,
justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent
with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in
connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's
sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and
unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted
in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away
from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.
Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation,
whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts,
and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments
on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation.
Genesis 12:1-3;
Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.;
Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32;
19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29;
15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15;
11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10;
3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12;
2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10;
1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.
