In our human pride, the doctrines of election and reprobation are indeed “horrible doctrines.”   Yet as we carefully consider what the Bible says about the total depravity of our fallen condition, these “horrible doctrines” soon become “doctrines of grace.”  Were God to base His decision to save on anything in us, we would be hopelessly doomed.  The early American pastor, Jonathan Edwards, once declared, “we contribute nothing to our salvation except the sin that made it necessary.”  And Jesus taught that “unless a man is born again [from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”    Those horrible doctrines, which at first fill us with indignation and accusation toward a Holy, Sovereign God, become gracious doctrines when the Holy Spirit enables us to see the depth of our sin.   Listen as we consider the comfort and power of God’s calling and election from Jeremiah 24.

“The Horrible Doctrine,” Jeremiah 24:1-10