In The Master's Service

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WHAT ADVANTAGE HAS THE JEW AND THE AMERICAN?

None of us has been permitted to look into the Lamb's book of life to see the names written there. We do know according to the plain teachings of scripture that all the elect of God, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, have their names written in this book (Revelation 20:15). We also know that they are described as "a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues" (Revelation 7:9). They are further described as innumerable as the stars of heaven and as the sands of the sea (Genesis 15:5; Jeremiah 33:22; Hebrews 11:12).

Moreover, the Lord told Abraham: "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad ... and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 28:14). What are we to gather from these expressions? Dust of the earth, sands of the sea, and stars of the heaven would seem to indicate that we are looking at more than a small portion of the human family. Notice the Lord did not describe His family as the mountains of earth or even the pebbles of the creeks, but rather as dust, sand and stars.

I realize that 50 per cent or an even smaller portion of the human family could be so described. But reason, it seems to me, would indicate that the Lord is likely dealing with a majority of the human family. I believe overwhelming evidence points to the fact that there will be many more people in heaven who have never heard the good news of the gospel than those who have heard it. This observation in no way diminishes the importance of preaching the gospel to God's elect children.

What we believe about the scope of election does not change the truth. None of us can nor need to know its extent. We do know it covers all those who were loved of God, and that it extends to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. I believe that there is ample proof in the Bible for us to hold out hope for the ancestors of those who are blessed to hear and believe the gospel, but whose parents ?-2kand/or?0k grandparents were pagans. This seemed to be a comforting thought for Elder Obey from Tanzania.

If those hearing, believing, and responding favorably to the gospel are judged to be the greater part of the elect family, it would seem that there would be a great advantage for a person to have been born into an area where God's election reached in a vastly greater measure than in other parts of the earth. (I'm not saying that God's election was equally distributed throughout the earth. The extent of His election is not revealed to us.) However, if it was extended to embrace overwhelmingly those who would be born in the area of the Jews in olden times and in areas where the gospel is preached since New Testament times, while embracing few in other areas, there would seem to be an eternal advantage in being born a Jew in olden times and an American today. In other words, any given individual born in America would more likely be one of the elect of God than would one born in the jungles of South America.

"What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because unto them were committed the oracles of God" (Romans 3:1-2). What advantage is there today to being born an American or to being born in other areas where the gospel is freely preached? It is because we are privileged to enjoy the blessings that come from the gospel.

When I observe the lives of my acquaintances, family and friends I find great evidences that a great portion of them are bearing fruits of the spirit. I know that I can't see within the heart, and could be wrong about some. But I believe in most cases you can determine whether or not a person shows unselfish love for those about him. "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God and he that loveth is born of God" (I John 4:7).

Is it unlikely that this same type situation exists among people in other areas where the gospel has not been preached? Biblically, we find evidences of God's love dwelling in the hearts of those who never had heard the gospel (Acts 28:2; Romans 2:13-15). What gives us reason to think that only a very few in heathen areas are God's elect? I think this type thinking is a carry-over from the Reform movement. It is not too far removed from the belief among reformers that all the elect will hear and respond favorably to the gospel.

I am thankful I can with great conviction join other Primitive Baptist Elders in declaring the good news that God's election evidently embraces a great portion of the human family whether or not they ever hear the gospel preached in this life. God can and does do a work in the hearts of all His children, which many of them never understand in their heads. Let us pray that the Lord will send more laborers into His field and open doors that more and more of these might hear and understand the gospel message and walk more closely to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In closing, we need to acknowledge that none of us can know what portion of the human family is embraced by God's grace displayed in election. We do know it is a vast number and reaches to every area of the inhabited world. God would still be just had He suffered all of the human family to go to hell or had He chosen to elect only one to go to heaven. We must acknowledge the truth of the sentiments expressed by the poet, "And if my soul were sent to hell, thy righteous law approves it well." How thankful we should be for the precious hope of eternal life!