WHAT SAY THE SCRIPTURES RESPECTING THE NON-ELECT?

In the Scriptures the NON-ELECT is composed of two classes:

We have reversed the order of the two classes as they are presented in the original article for emphasis.

The First class of the non-elect: from the Scriptural viewpoint is the world of mankind, including three classes: –

(a) It includes those who have never had any knowledge of God’s provision of grace in Christ, and who consequently could not have gone on further to be of the called elect class of this age.

This would include all incapable of comprehending this grace due to various deficiencies mental or otherwise as well as minors and infants.

(b) It includes those who have heard of the grace of God, but in that indistinct, indefinite manner which does not bring conviction – those who have seen in Jesus something wonderful and great and admirable, but who have never seen him from the Lord’s standpoint of Redeemer and Savior – their eyes being blinded by the manifold evil influences of “the god of this world,” business or pleasure or love of money or distracting religious dogmas. These, not having seen and not having accepted Christ as the Redeemer, could go no further and by no possibility could they have been amongst those called to the election of this Gospel age.

(c) It includes those who have heard of Christ as the Redeemer, and have appreciated him as such, and have accepted him as their Savior; but who like the nine out of the ten lepers cleansed by our Lord at his first advent, thought not to return to give glory to God – thought not to present their bodies living sacrifices in his service. (Thought not to follow in the Master’s footsteps and fully consecrate themselves to the Lord.) These having reached the point of justification were, undoubtedly, amongst the ones called; but they failed to make their calling and election sure, not caring to respond to the call. Of this class, apparently, are the thousands, the masses of church members of the various sects (The Church Nominal). They are glad for what they see, but not anxious to see any more, as, intuitively, they realize that further knowledge would bring greater responsibilities, which they desire to avoid and not even to think much about.

These last mentioned “receive the grace of God [the privilege of justification] in vain.” (2 Cor. 6:1.) The intention of this reckoned or faith justification of the present time is to enable the justified ones to present their “bodies living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable to God,” their reasonable service; because they could not be acceptable to God as sacrifices, nor in any sense of the word come unto his altar, while still they were sinners. Since to permit this sanctification and sacrifice is the only object of the giving of this grace (reckoned justification) in the present time, they have received it in vain, in that they have not used it as God designed it to be used by those who are appreciative.

Amongst this second class of non-elect, we may say that the vilest are too good to be turned over to devils for an eternity of torment, either mental or physical, and God their Creator was too wise to have ever made them in such a condition as to necessitate such an abominable result, so inharmonious with his character and with every sense of right and justice, and necessitating the everlasting perpetuation of evil, upheld, and therefore sanctioned, by divine power. And God’s Word, rightly understood, teaches no such thing. It is only where the false theory has corrupted and perverted the judgment that it is able and willing to construe such a theory from the parables, symbols and “dark sayings” of our Savior, instead of understanding and construing them much more reasonably and in full accord with the divine character of justice, wisdom and love.

The Second class of the non-elect: are those who in the present life were (1) enlightened, (2) justified through faith, (3) called, and accepting the call were sanctified and begotten of the holy spirit, and started on the course with a view to making their calling and election sure – but who have not made it sure, but on the contrary have failed, by not coming fully up to the requirements.

This class in turn is Scripturally divided into two parties: –

(a) Those who sin willfully after that they have received a knowledge of the truth, and been made partakers of the holy spirit, etc. For those there remains no more a share in the sacrifice of Christ – no further mercy, opportunity or hope. To them the result is the Second Death – nonentity. – Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26,27.

(b) The other class consists of those who, while at heart preferring righteousness and truth, and loving the Lord, have not become copies of God’s dear Son, in that they fail to attain to his Spirit of full devotion of heart to the doing of the Father’s will – rather they permit themselves to become overcharged with the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches, and thus fail to complete that sacrifice according to their covenant, and hence fail to make their calling and their election sure.

For these the Lord has a gracious provision, as suggested in Rev. 7:13-15. They will not be utterly confounded, because they have trusted in him (Psa. 22:5), and he will surely carry them through. Yet the Lord’s intervention on their behalf must be strictly along the lines of his covenant and general plan – he cannot interfere with their free moral agency; he will not coerce their wills, but he can and will bring them to such a place of experience as will test them and compel them either to renounce their loyalty to him or to seal that loyalty with their lives.

Those who renounce the Lord will, of course, in so doing bring upon themselves the penalty of the Second Death, but those who, under such compulsory circumstances, are faithful, cannot be counted as of the same likeness with God’s dear Son, who, without compulsion, voluntarily gave up his life in the Father’s service. The little flock of the elect Church will contain all of this class, and to them will be granted the Kingdom, and to sit with Christ in his throne, and to be the Temple of God and to have the crowns. (Rev. 3:21; 1 Pet. 5:4.) But the others, who will “come up out of great tribulation,” having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, although they will have suffered equally as much as the elect (more indeed, if the mental conditions are taken into consideration) will not get a crown of victory, but a palm of victory; will not get a seat in the throne with their Lord, as his Bride, but nevertheless an honorable place before the throne as servants. They will not become pillars and stones in the living Temple of God, but they will have the honorable privilege of serving God in his Temple, the Church.

This class is not prominently referred to in the Scriptures, nor in the types and symbols even; because none were called to this position, but, as the Apostle declares, “Ye were all called in one hope of your calling” – to the highest place of joint heirship. (Eph. 4:4.) The position attained by these is an unpromised one, of the Lord’s abundant mercy.

Continued with next post.