THE POPULAR VOTE

Many people want to insist on the popular vote. That may be a good way to choose a student body president, but following the popular vote brings destruction to people spiritually.

Noah stood in a vast minority while he was building the ark. Only seven other people in the whole world stood with Noah. But the minority (only eight souls) was saved because they were in the ark, which was a picture of Christ.

Caleb and Joshua were in the minority. They were the only two spies who brought back a good report from the land of promise. They were the only two in the whole nation who believed that God would give them the land. But only the minority entered the land of promise. Of all the children of Israel who were over twenty years old when they left Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb entered the land of promise, which was a picture of entering into rest in Christ.

At mount Carmel, Elijah stood in the minority. He was the only prophet who stood against four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. But God only had respect to Elijah’s offering because Elijah’s offering was a picture of Christ, who was sacrificed for the sin of His people.

Then at Calvary, Christ the Savior suffered in the vast minority as He suffered completely alone for the sin of His elect. No one has ever been more alone than Christ was at Calvary. But in that sacrifice He won the victory for His people. “When he had BY HIMSELF purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3).

The majority of men will always be wrong about God and salvation. The scriptures plainly tell us that only a remnant will be saved. May God be pleased to put me in that minority…in the ONLY Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is rejected by the majority.

I recently heard a basketball player being interviewed after a game describe his god when he said, “I’m just going to let God have His way”. That is the description of man’s god. Man’s god can only do what men allow him to do.

I ask you what kind of god do we have if he needs us to LET him do anything? That god is an idol who can’t save anyone. If he can’t enable me to make more free throws unless I let him, he certainly doesn’t have the power to save my sinful soul.

The true and living God is God. He always does His will. Nebuchadnezzar learned that truth. Nebuchadnezzar learned that God “doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?” (Daniel 4:35)

The believer who knows and trusts God is thrilled to know God always does His will. If God purposed to save me by His Son, nothing can stop God from saving me and keeping me and bringing me into His presence forever.

Being a depraved sinner, what can I do to impress God? What can I offer or bring to the Sovereign that would cause Him to be mindful of me? Can I do a work of righteousness that would grip His attention? No, I am dead in trespasses and sin and I can do nothing! Am I to offer Him my heart? No, my heart is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9) If He would desire to look into the deep recesses of my mind would He find anything worthy of His mercy? No, nothing is there but carnality and enmity. The Old hymn writer, Augustus Toplady concerning chosen and saved sinners rightfully penned, “In my hand no price I bring.” Why? Because we are nothing, we have nothing, and we can do nothing that would cause God to be merciful to us. So what is a sinner to do? SIMPLY CLING to the Christ of the cross. Everything God required of His people Christ provided for them. Truly He is the Rock of Ages.