The Devil's riff-raffs!

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(Arthur Pink, "The Doctrine of Sanctification" 1937)

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.
Not many of you were wise by human standards;
not many were influential;
not many were of noble birth.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things . . ." 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

In His determination to magnify His sovereign grace, God has selected many of the very worst of Adam's fallen race to be the everlasting monuments of His fathomless mercy--those whom Luther was accustomed to designate, "The Devil's riff-raffs." This is very evident too from, "Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame." (Luke 14:21)--the most unlikely ones as guests for a royal feast--the waifs and strays of society!

There are thousands of moral, upright, amiable people who are never effectually called by the Spirit; whereas moral perverts, thieves, and heinous ones are regenerated!

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

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