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Election: its your turn!

• This year marks one of the most contested elections in the modern era
• Not since the final episode of Seinfeld, or the demise of the Twinkie have people been so worked up over something
• Don’t worry if you haven’t filled out your ballot. Get out your Bible and vote your values
• But here’s an election that is monumentally more important- Your election in Christ- that is- are you the elect? Have you appropriated Christ’s forgiveness by turning from your sin?
• 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

• IN just a moment, we’re going to get into our scripture- and here’s the key verse today- Mark 4:12 “Lest they should turn”
• The hope of Jesus is that ALL would become the ELECTION and TURN to HIM
• And that my friends is the most important election of All
• Title- Election- Its your turn!
• Mark 4:10-12 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’”

• These are some difficult verses!
• What does it say
• Basically, what Jesus is telling his disciples is this- You guys know what I’m talking about because you’re on my team, but to those that aren’t on my team? They are only going to get parables.
• Do you know why? Because they have been hearing the truth for so long, and since they’ve rejected it for so long, I’m not even going to speak clearly to them, they are going to become more blinded.  And now? Its going to cost them their soul because they refuse to repent.

• What does it mean
• 1.Anyone CAN be saved
• “to you it has been given the mystery of the kingdom of heaven”
• Jesus makes it clear to these disciples- they have been given a gift , a mystery. They know the truth of  kingdom of God.
• Some versions say “Secret” Secret- but in the greek a secret to be shared not to be kept
• And Jesus hope- is that everyone will come to faith in Him. That all would be saved.
• V12 he says “lest they should turn” that idea of “should turn”
• The idea of repentance is that ANYONE that turns to God can be saved- ANYONE
• It doesn’t matter the sin that you have committed, the pain you’ve caused- the issues you’ve been a part of. By accident or by design- If you turn to God- you can be saved from your sin

• Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
• Romans 10:13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
• Acts 16:31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
• John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
• What does it mean to you?
• If you are a believer in Jesus Christ- be excited about it- You know the truth and you should walk in it
• I think sometimes people don’t realize what a gift it is that we’re saved and know the truth
• This is where a heart of worship comes from- understanding that we are saved because of Jesus
• Isn’t it the greatest thing when someone realizes what you’ve done for them? When a kid is thankful?
• Its not about having a higher view of yourself- its about having a higher view of Jesus

• Whenever you meet someone, believe and know that God wants them to come to him and act like it
• Don’t ever write someone off- Don’t ever think that someone is outside of God’s grace
• That’s truly what Matthew 7: “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
• We should never be the person that decides who is outside God’s grace and who God cannot still reach and touch and save-
• Love everyone. Serve Everyone. Preach to Everyone.

The Problem-

• But here’s the problem that Jesus saw and spoke of in this scripture-
• He’s quoting Isaiah 6:9-10 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
• Here’s what was going on in the Isaiah scripture- and what is important
• Isaiah was prophetically told what message he was going to bring to Israel-
• What was going to be the outcome? Their hearts would be harder and blinded to the truth.
• Why ever would God do this to a people?  Because God had sent his word to them over and over, and their hearts continually hardened to the truth and they rejected it.
• The actions of the nation of Israel showed that they did not desire truth, so the path of God’s judgment was preaching a message to them that they couldn’t understand.

• W. E. Vine’s Commentary on Isaiah he writes, “The people had so persistently perverted their ways that they had gone beyond the possibility of conversion and healing. A man may so harden himself in evil as to render his condition irremediable, and this by God’s retributive judgment upon him.”
• Did you catch that? The nation of Israel hardened their heart because they didn’t want the truth, so God preached a message to them they couldn’t understand so they couldn’t be saved
• This right here is a scary truth- there will be some people who will not make heaven because their mind has been seared- they can no longer hear the truth
• Here’s a hard truth- Some will become reprobate

• What is a reprobate? unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally): – castaway, rejected, reprobate.
• A person who once was accepted who is now rejected.
• noun. a person rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation.
• Adjective rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation.
• verb (of God) to reject (a person), as for sin; exclude from the number of the elect or from salvation.
• This is a real thing folks- There are people that God will reject that will not make heaven

• READ Romans 1:24-28 GAVE THEM UP. GAVE THEM OVER.
• God’s judgment is often him removing his protection from us and giving us over to our sin- its that he is DOING it to us- its just a point where he takes his hands off and says- if that’s what you want- that’s what you’re going to get!
• 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
• There is a point where God actually sends a delusion to those who reject God’s truth
• This is very difficult to understand and comprehend- for some people this may be a bit shocking- but God doesn’t play around with those he’s given his best to
• 2 Tim 3:1-9 READ 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
• There are people who RESIST the truth- They don’t have any love for it, no faith in it, they don’t want anything to do with it
• James admonished against this- warned us to not become this
• James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• Thats what happens to the reprobate mind- they deceive THEMSELVES- things that are UNTRUE
• What are some of the characteristics of the reprobates?

• A long life of a propensity for Sin- continually and habitually sinning with no remorse
• Habitual neglect of Grace- never appropriating God’s eternal grace for the sinner
• Entirely destitute of the strivings of the Spirit- No desire for the things of God, spirit etc
• Passed through a revival and are not converted- constantly hearing the word w no effect
• Grown old in Sin- The stench of the house has become the norm- no longer notice
• Absent of Chastisement- No longer even feel the prick of the spirit when sinning
• Chastened, but not reformed- HS chastises, rebukes come, but to none effect
• Embracing damnable heresies- Clear biblical standards are rejected as false
• Charles Finney-The only true reason that any of you are not Christians, is that you are unwilling; you are not made unwilling by any act of God, because you are a reprobate; but if you are a reprobate, it is because you are unwilling.

• How one becomes a reprobate- 1. Natural curiosity – nothing wrong with this – God gave to Adam and Eve  2. Awakening of conscience – reasoning with the mind – dangerous 3. Sensual focus – eye toward lust 4. Questioning Scripture – dangerous; Eve’s root sin 5. Violation of conscience – law in the heart 6. Awakening of guilt – conviction 7. Response to guilt – suppress the truth 8. Incomplete repentance – feeling sorry is not enough; root sin of self on the throne 9. Religious compensation – rationalize 10. Frustration over drives – confusion 11. Re-examine Scripture – doubt 12. Justify immorality – cannot think clearly 13. Argumentation – reprobate mind given to perversion – judgment certain
• There are some who will not be saved There are some who have crossed over
• Isaiah 5: 20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!

• So what to do?
• Jesus said in Mark4:12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.
• That’s the hope of Jesus- LEST THE SHOULD TURN
• If you are on the path to becoming a reprobate, or want to keep from becoming one- there is a SECRET to it- and this one right here is the one that will hold you from the edge of the pitfires of hell-
• John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
• The only way to heaven is through Christ Jesus- we all know that- but he’s THE TRUTH- No other
• 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 READ they did not receive the love of the truth,
• The way to not become a reprobate is to fall in love with the TRUTH-

• The Truth of Christ being our Salvation- the only way to heaven- fall in love with that
• The Truth of the Scriptures- Christ being the word of God- Fall in love with that truth
• The Truth of WORD- What the Bible says about doctrine and life- Don’t be mad about what the Bible teaches- be in LOVE With it!
• The Truth of God’s Precepts- LOVE THEM- Be excited that God has RULES and Guardrails!
• James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
• Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
• 2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
• Psalm 139:19-24 FIND THE WICKED IN ME
• Love of the TRUTH SAVES LOVE The TRUTH- Turn to GOD- Be the ELECTION