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Election on a grand scale!
From Spurgeon's sermon, "Free Grace"
The motive for the salvation of the human race is to be found in
the breast of God, and not in the character or condition of man.
Two races have revolted against God-
the one angelic, the other human.
When a part of this angelic race revolted against the Most High,
justice speedily overtook them; they were swept from their
starry seats in heaven, and henceforth they have been reserved in
darkness unto the great day of the wrath of God.
No mercy was ever presented to them, no sacrifice ever offered
for them; but they were without hope and mercy, forever
consigned to the pit of eternal torment.
The human race, far inferior in order of intelligence,
sinned as atrociously.
However, the God who in His infinite justice passed over angels,
and forced them forever to expiate their offences in the fires of
hell, was pleased to look down on man.
Here was election on a grand scale-- the
election of manhood,
and the reprobation of fallen angelhood!
Had you and I been put upon the choice of which should have
been spared, I do think it probable we should have chosen that
fallen angels should have been saved. Are they not the brightest?
Have they not the greatest mental strength? If they had been
redeemed, would it not have glorified God more, as we judge,
than the salvation of worms like ourselves?
Those bright beings- Lucifer, son of the morning, and those stars
that walked in his train- if they had been washed in His
redeeming blood, if they had been saved by sovereign mercy,
what a song would they have lifted up to the Most High and
everlasting God!
But God, who does as He wills with His own, and gives no
account of His matters, but who deals with His creatures as the
potter deals with his clay, took not upon Him the nature of
angels, but took upon Him the seed of Abraham, and chose
'sinful men' to be the vessels of His mercy.
God sees us-- abandoned, evil, wicked, and deserving His
wrath; if He saves us, it is His boundless, fathomless love that
leads Him to do it- nothing whatever in us.
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