Introduction. Most people seek to make informed decisions about major purchases. They use Consumer Reports or the Internet to compare features to make the best choice possible. The more expensive the purchase the more effort made to make a wise decision.
The most expensive purchase ever made occurs each time God redeems the soul of a sinner. Jesus’ death, and the value of His blood are priceless! “you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold,” “but with the precious blood of Christ,” (1Pet. 1:18-19). We were “bought at a price,” and each member of His church was “purchased with His own blood.” (1Cor. 6:20; Acts 20:28). He “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem ((to buy back by payment) us from every lawless deed,” “in Him we have redemption (paying the price) through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Titus 2:14, Eph. 1:7). He “redeemed us from the curse of the law,” and “obtained eternal redemption” for us (Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:12-13).
Although God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” and is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9), when asked “Lord, are there few who are saved?” Jesus replied “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Lk. 13:23)
The most expensive purchase ever made occurs each time God redeems the soul of a sinner. Jesus’ death, and the value of His blood are priceless! “you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold,” “but with the precious blood of Christ,” (1Pet. 1:18-19). We were “bought at a price,” and each member of His church was “purchased with His own blood.” (1Cor. 6:20; Acts 20:28). He “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem ((to buy back by payment) us from every lawless deed,” “in Him we have redemption (paying the price) through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Titus 2:14, Eph. 1:7). He “redeemed us from the curse of the law,” and “obtained eternal redemption” for us (Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:12-13).
Although God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” and is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9), when asked “Lord, are there few who are saved?” Jesus replied “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Lk. 13:23)
In the parable of the draw net, Jesus compared His kingdom to fishermen who “gathered the good” and “threw the bad away,” concluding: “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.” (Mt. 13:49-50). In the parable of the talents, Jesus spoke of a “good and faithful servant,” and a “wicked and lazy” one, again concluding, “cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.” (Mt. 25:21-30)
After warning that without repentance all will perish, Jesus gave the parable of the fig tree: “I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?” (Lk. 13:1-7). As a vine, Jesus demands that all His branches bear fruit, because “every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” (Jn. 15:2) From these parables, it is evident that the initial selection process is broader than the final one. Some who entered the draw net (first selection) did not make the final selection into heaven. We must therefore heed Jesus warning: “For many are called, but few chosen.” (Mt. 20:16; 22:14). Hence there are two steps leading to our eternal salvation. The first is being called and the second is being chosen.
Being called occurs when we obey the gospel (He called you through our gospel – 2Th. 2:14). Although God wanted everyone to be saved, the multitudes who refuse to obey the gospel will never be called. The gospel was specially crafted to call only those He would ultimately want to choose. If someone doesn’t want to be what God wants, they will reject His call. “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.”
The manner God chose to call draws some and repels others. God placed things in His gospel call that would lead those who don’t want to be what God seeks to reject it. God set up the criteria for what He wanted, then called only those people. That is why “God has chosen:
Conclusion. The gospel is a draw net and a screen. It draws those God seeks and repels those He will reject. God wants all to come. But coming requires repentance and a desire to know the truth. If we do not have a love for the truth or refuse to repent of every sin, we cannot be saved. If anything in the gospel appears foolish, it is only revealing a flaw in our character. If we want to be chosen at the end, we must accept everything in the gospel as the wisdom of God and reject our own folly that would question Him.
After warning that without repentance all will perish, Jesus gave the parable of the fig tree: “I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?” (Lk. 13:1-7). As a vine, Jesus demands that all His branches bear fruit, because “every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” (Jn. 15:2) From these parables, it is evident that the initial selection process is broader than the final one. Some who entered the draw net (first selection) did not make the final selection into heaven. We must therefore heed Jesus warning: “For many are called, but few chosen.” (Mt. 20:16; 22:14). Hence there are two steps leading to our eternal salvation. The first is being called and the second is being chosen.
Being called occurs when we obey the gospel (He called you through our gospel – 2Th. 2:14). Although God wanted everyone to be saved, the multitudes who refuse to obey the gospel will never be called. The gospel was specially crafted to call only those He would ultimately want to choose. If someone doesn’t want to be what God wants, they will reject His call. “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.”
The manner God chose to call draws some and repels others. God placed things in His gospel call that would lead those who don’t want to be what God seeks to reject it. God set up the criteria for what He wanted, then called only those people. That is why “God has chosen:
- the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise
- the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
- the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen. (1Cor. 1:26-30)
Conclusion. The gospel is a draw net and a screen. It draws those God seeks and repels those He will reject. God wants all to come. But coming requires repentance and a desire to know the truth. If we do not have a love for the truth or refuse to repent of every sin, we cannot be saved. If anything in the gospel appears foolish, it is only revealing a flaw in our character. If we want to be chosen at the end, we must accept everything in the gospel as the wisdom of God and reject our own folly that would question Him.