Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 587
Delivered on Sunday Morning, August 28, 1864
“For you see your calling, Brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confuse the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confuse the things which are mighty. And base things of the world and things which are despised has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: that no flesh should glory in His Presence.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.
THE Apostle Paul had been led to make the confession that Christ Jesus was despised both by Jew and Gentile. He confessed that this was no cause of stumbling to him, for what others counted foolishness he believed to be wisdom and rejoiced that the foolishness of God was wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger than men! Lest, however, any of the Corinthian Church should be confused by the fact that Christ was despised, the Apostle goes on to show that it was the general way of God’s proceeding to select means which men despised in order that by accomplishing His purpose through them, He might have all the Glory.
And he reminds them, for the proof of this, to the one instance of their own election and calling—“You see your calling, Brethren,” says he, “how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” But you, the poor, illiterate, the despised, you have been called—still for the same reason—that God may be All in All and that no flesh may glory in His Presence. It is clear to everyone who will observe either Scripture or fact that God never did intend to make His Gospel fashionable! The very last thing that was ever in His thoughts was to select the elite of mankind and gather dignity for His Truth from the gaudy trappings of rank and station.
On the contrary, God has thrown down the gauntlet against all the pride of manhood. He has dashed mire into the face of all human excellency. And with the battle-ax of His strength He has dashed the escutcheon of man’s glory in two. “Overturn! Overturn! I overturn!” seems to be the very motto of the Lord of Hosts and shall be so “until He shall come whose right it is to reign and He will give it Him,” for His is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. There is no doctrine more truly humbling than the doctrine of election. And it was for this reason that the Apostle Paul refers to it—that the disciples at Corinth might be quite content to follow the humble and despised Cross-bearing Savior because the election of Grace consists of the humble and despised, who, therefore, cannot be ashamed to follow One, who, like themselves, was despised and rejected of men.
Coming then, at once to our text, we observe in it very clearly, first, the Elector. Secondly, a strange election. Then the elected. And when we have considered all these a little, we shall pause over the reasons which God has given for His election—that “no flesh should glory in His Presence.”
I. First, then, let us this morning soar aloft upon the wings of thought to consider for awhile, the ELECTOR. Some men are saved and some men are not saved. It remains as a fact never to be questioned that some enter into eternal life and some pursue the evil way and perish. How is this difference caused? How is it that some mount to Heaven? The reason why any sink to Hell is their sin and only their sin. They will not repent, they will not believe in Christ, they will not turn to God—and therefore they perish willfully by their own act and deed.
But how is it that others are saved? Whose will is it that has made them to differ? The text three times most peremptorily answers the question. It says not “man has chosen,” but it says three times, “God has chosen, God has chosen, God has chosen.” The Grace which is found in any man, and the glory and eternal life to which any attain are all the gifts of God’s election and are not bestowed according to the will of man. This will be clear to any thoughtful person if we first of all turn to facts. Wherever we find a case of election in the Old Testament, it is manifestly God who makes it. Go back, if you will, to the very earliest time. Angels fell—a multitude of bright spirits who surrounded the Throne of God and sang His praises were deceived by Satan and fell into sin.
The great serpent drew with him the third part of the stars of Heaven—they fell from their obedience—they were condemned to chains and to eternal fire forever. Man also sinned. Adam and Eve broke the covenant with God and ate of the forbidden fruit—were they condemned to eternal fire? No, but God, in the plenitude of His Grace, whispered this promise in the woman’s ear—“The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head.” Some men are saved, but no devils are saved. Why? Did man make the difference?