Election Objections (2)

Introduction

We are talking about the biblical teaching of God choosing believers

Friendly Reminder: We are here to seek biblical truth. We are here to have friendly honest biblical discussions. I do hate when people say these topics don’t matter

Last week, I made the argument that God chooses believers without a condition of faith (unconditional election)

Acts 13:48 ESV

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

This belief is sometimes called Calvinism. This is because a pastor named John Calvin was very famous for his writings on this. Sometimes we as pastors get asked, are you a calvinist? I do not think there is any need to say you are a Calvinist, our church disagrees with Calvin on so many issues. At the same time, just know, if you hear someone talking poorly about Calvinists, feel free to say: “My youth pastor is a Calvinist. You should go egg his house.”

Opposing View

Conditional Election

Romans 8:29 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

What did he foreknow?

Persons, and not facts about people

Have you ever known a guy who thought they were better with the ladies than they were?

He gets a girlfriend and says, I chose her out of any of the girls

You investigate and find out: “He asked every single girl out and this was the only one who said yes.”

You didn’t chose your girlfriend, she chose you buddy

Why would people hold to this view?

The Ought, Implies Can

If you are commanded to do something by God, it must be something you are able to do for it to be a genuine command

If your parent told you to clean your room, that is reasonable. But if your parent told you to set up a teleportation station at the house or to fly to the store and pick up some eggs, this would be ridiculous.

If you believe that any command can be followed, all you have to do is find a command to repent or believe

Mark 1:15 ESV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Game: Can you obey the command?

Philippians 4:4 ESV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Matthew 5:48 ESV

48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Hebrews 3:12 ESV

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

Corporate Election

This is interesting

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Objections to my View

God’s Character

God’s character does not interpret the scriptures, but rather the scriptures interpret God’s character

Job 38:1–4 ESV

1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

"Jesus Christ as the full and perfect revelation of the character of God" - Roger Olson, Arminianism FAQ: Everything You Always Wanted to Know.

Game: What biblical belief is the following quote attacking using the love of God argument?

“twisted version of events”, “morally dubious”, “a huge barrier to faith.” “such a concept stands in total contradiction to the statement ‘God is love’” and “makes a mockery of Jesus’ own teaching to love your enemies and to refuse to repay evil with evil.” - Steven Chalke

This is the type of false teaching that spreads when people take their own concept of love and use it to interpret the rest of the bible

Does it surprise you that Roger Olson also believes there are errors in the bible?

Joshua 6:21 ESV

21 Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

"Just because you can't see or imagine a good reason why God might allow something to happen doesn't mean there can't be one." - Tim Keller, Reason for God

Free Will

God desires to save all

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

If God has the power to save all, and he wants to, why are all not saved?

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Second Edition) 6. Objection: The Bible Says that God Wills to Save Everyone

So in a Reformed system God’s highest value is his own glory, and in an Arminian system God’s highest value is the free will of man. These are two distinctly different conceptions of the nature of God, and it seems that the Reformed position has much more explicit biblical support than the Arminian position does on this question.

Evangelism

Adoniram Judson

“Surely a crown of rejoicing like this is worth aspiring to. Surely it is worth while to lay ourselves out with all our might, in promoting the cause, and kingdom of Christ.” - p.87, Inquiry, William Carey

Ephesians 1:11 ESV

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,