Election, Predestination, and Friends

Definitions

The history of election goes back to the OT

Definition from Lexham Bible Dictionary: God’s choice of a person or people group for a specific purpose, mission, or salvation. The theme of election is prominent in both the Old and New Testaments. The doctrine of election traditionally is related to the concepts of predestination, foreknowledge, and free will.

From Holman’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary: ELECTION God’s plan to bring salvation to His people and His world. The doctrine of election is at once one of the most central and one of the most misunderstood teachings of the Bible. At its most basic level, election refers to the purpose or plan of God whereby He has determined to effect His will. Thus election encompasses the entire range of divine activity from creation, God’s decision to bring the world into being out of nothing, to the end time, the making anew of heaven and earth.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary (Election of Grace)

ELECTION OF GRACE—The Scripture speaks (1) of the election of individuals to office or to honour and privilege, e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were all chosen by God for the positions they held; so also were the apostles. (2) There is also an election of nations to special privileges, e.g., the Hebrews (Deut. 7:6; Rom. 9:4). (3) But in addition there is an election of individuals to eternal life

It is this, a NT concept, on which we will focus

Relative Texts

2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.”

Ephesians 1:3–6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

The ground of this election to salvation is the good pleasure of God

Ephesians 1:11 “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,”

Matthew 11:25-26 “At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”

John 13:18“I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’”

John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

God claims the right so to do

Romans 9:16 “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”

Romans 9:21 “Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?”

It is not conditioned on faith or repentance, but is of sovereign grace

Romans 11:4–6 “But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

Ephesians 1:3–6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

All that pertain to salvation, the means (Eph. 2:8; 2 Thess. 2:13) as well as the end, are of God (Acts 5:31; 2 Tim. 2:25; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 2:5, 10).

2 Timothy 2:25 “correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,”

Faith and repentance and all other graces are the exercises of a regenerated soul; and regeneration is God’s work, a “new creature.”

Men are elected “to salvation,” “to the adoption of sons,” “to be holy and without blame before him in love” (2 Thess. 2:13; Gal. 4:4, 5; Eph. 1:4, already cited). The ultimate end of election is the praise of God’s grace

Easton’s Bible Dictionary (Predestination)

PREDESTINATION—This word is properly used only with reference to God’s plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered “predestinate” is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28 ; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or “determinate purpose” of God governs all events.

Romans 8:29–30 “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. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the “secret things” of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guide, we must accept this doctrine with all its mysteriousness, and settle all our questionings in the humble, devout acknowledgment, “Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.”

For the teaching of Scripture on this subject let the following passages be examined in addition to those referred to above; Gen. 21:12; Ex. 9:16; 33:19; Deut. 10:15; 32:8; Josh. 11:20; 1 Sam. 12:22; 2 Chr. 6:6; Ps. 33:12; 65:4; 78:68; 135:4; Isa. 41:1–10; Jer. 1:5; Mark 13:20; Luke 22:22; John 6:37; 15:16; 17:2, 6, 9; Acts 2:28; 3:18; 4:28; 13:48; 17:26; Rom. 9:11, 18, 21; 11:5; Eph. 3:11; 1 Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:2. (See DECREES OF GOD; ELECTION.)

The Problem

Though, from the above,we cannot dispute election, we also have evidence that there is a choice involved (free will)

Some Relative Texts

However, we have a concept beginning in Joel 2:32 (a) “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Also in Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

With the related thought in Acts 9:14, “And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

Romans 10:13 “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ,

And a similar concept in Matthew 7:21 ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

There are multiple command that imply a clear choice

Matthew 3:2 ““Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,”

1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”

Another Twist

We were dead in our sins…dead men can make no choices!

Ephesians 2:4–5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”

Colossians 2:13 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,”

Where Does that Leave Us?

We have two Biblical truths—God’s election and our will, which seem to be contradictory

The Law of Antinomy

In philosophy, antinomy is nearly synonymous with the term paradox. It was a concept that was particularly important in the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. (Wikipedia)

Philosophy had been the main thought of the world until Christianity, beginning with Clement of Alexandria (2nd-3rd century) it became the “Philosophy is the handmaiden to theology”

Kant was, at best, a mono-theist, but seems to have no true understanding of who God is

To again quote Grudem on the topic of God’s Providence:

It seems better to affirm that God causes all things that happen, but that he does so in such a way that he somehow upholds our ability to make willing, responsible choices, choices that have real and eternal results, and for which we are held accountable. Exactly how God combines his providential control with our willing and and significant choices, Scripture does not explain to us. But rather than deny one aspect of the other (simply because we cannot explain how both can be true), we should accept both in an attempt to be faithful to the teaching of all of Scripture.

If we fail to do think in this manner, we run into a couple possible errors

It’s all about me, my choice

Or

If I’m elect, nothing will stop God from saving me, so I’ll just do what I want