Election

“Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be save not on the basis of any special qualifications in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure”

Does the New Testament teach this?

Acts 13:48 ESV

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.

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 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.

Romans 9:11–13 ESV

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Romans 11:7 ESV

What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,

Ephesians 1:4–6 ESV

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.

verse 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

1 Thessalonians 1:4–5 ESV

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

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.

1 Timothy 5:21 ESV

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.

2 Timothy 1:9 ESV

who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

1 Peter 1:1 ESV

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Revelation 13:7–8 ESV

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Revelation 17:8 ESV

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.

So how Does the bible teach the Doctrine of Election?

1. As a Comfort

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 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.

Since God has always and will always be working for our good and ultimately his glory, wouldnt he do the same here and now for those who are suffering for his sake?

2. As a Reason to give praise to God

Ephesians 1:5–6 ESV

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.

1 Thessalonians 1:2 ESV

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

1 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

2 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

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.

it was essentially Pauls job as a christian to praise God for these christians in thessalonica. What makes this so important is because he wasnt praising God for his own labor but for God choosing these people

“understood in this way, the doctrine of election does increase praise given to God for our salvation, and greatly deminishes any pride that we might feel if we thought our salvation was due to something good in us...” (Gruden pg. 674)

3. As an Encouragement for Evangelism

2 Timothy 2:10 ESV

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Key Things to Understand about the Doctrine of Election

1. Our Election is not Fatalistic

“Fatalism is a system in which human choices and human decisions really do not make a difference. In fatalism no matter what we do, things are going to turn out as as they have previously been ordained. Therefore it is futile to try to attempt to influence the outcome of events.” (Gruden)

in a fatalistic system our humanity is destroyed because our choices dont really matter

In actuality, we do make real and willing decisions, and our decisions have real effects on the world around us. We make decisions that not only affect our lives but also the lives and destinies of others. Especially when it comes to accepting Jesus.

John 3:18 ESV

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Our personal decision to accept Jesus is real and holds real and powerful concequences on our lives. scripture is not afraid to talk about the importance of our response to this question. will you bend the knee and honor Jesus as your Lord and Savior now or when its too late? (phillipians 2:10-11)

2. Our Election is not Mechanistic

In a mechanistic reality, the universe is impersonal in which time andreality are ridgid and predetermined sequences of cause and effect, put into action by an impersonal creator.

In actuality, the bible teaches and shows God is personal. And he is working to have an intimate relationship of love with his creation.

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

his election is real and permiated with personal love for those who he has chosen.

to make matters even clear God personally cares fo all of his creation even creation that is in rebellion with him

Ezekiel 33:11 ESV

Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

the bible views us as not as mechanical creatures or robots but as genuine persons who make a willing decision to reject Jesus.

Jesus’s offer of salvation is open to all

Matthew 11:28 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Revelation 22:17 ESV

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

John 5:40 ESV

yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

Matthew 23:37 ESV

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

3. Election is not based on Gods foreknowledge of our faith

people will argue based on Romans 8:29 (for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son.) that Gods election is based on God looking in the future and seeing who will accept Jesus as savior. however this is why the arguent is wrong.

God foreknows the Person, not just a fact about them.

Gods foreknowledge is intimate and personal instead of God looking in the future and seeing who would accept him he looked in the future and thought of people whom he knew in a saving relationship. He already knows the people who he has saved. he knows them in love because they love him. when the bible talks about knowing God it talks of knowing him intimately not intellectually.

1 Corinthians 8:3 ESV

But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

Galatians 4:9 ESV

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

Scripture never speak of our faith as the reason God chose us.

in fact in romans paul explicitly excludes that as a possibility.

Romans 9:11–13 ESV

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Romans 11:5–6 ESV

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.

“But faith isnt viewed as a work in scripture, this is just saying that your salvation is determined by God because of your deeds but is instead determined on the basis of whether someone would believe.”

this isnt likely, this scripture isnt contrasing human faith and human works: he is contrasting Gods soveriegn choosing of people with any human activity. paul directs us to look directly to Gods soveriegn grace to as the ultimate basis for our salvation.

Salvation based on something good in us (our faith) would be the beginning of salvation by merit

doesnt this contradict what ive said in the past? no because while you have a responsibility to receive and accept jesus, you dont initiate the encounter with God. belief in God is starts in God and ends in Gods glory. your faith in jesus doesnt start in you man isnt sick with sin man is entirely dead in his sin. he cant have faith on his own he needs God to give him the ability to believe.

Predestination based on foreknowledge of faith still doesnt give man free choice.

in this process of thought your decisions are already predestined to occur. would have faith because god saw you would have faith. how can you have a gift youve already got? isnt that result already predetermined by something. how are you anymore free.

So what can we conclude? Election is unconditional

we can really conclude that the reason for our election is sinmply because God chose us soveriegnly.

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

this teaching is called unconditional election. it is unconditional because it is not conditioned upon anything that God sees in us that makes us worthy of his choosing us

Objections to the Doctrine of Election

1. Election means we dont have a choice in whether we accept Christ or not.

this is a mistaken objection because it runs under an assumption that in order for a decision to be free it can not in anyway be influenced by God. if this is the standard by which we define free will, then are any decisions really freely made? do you vote solely because you chose to and thats what you want to do? or is it because your life has been shaped and molded by people and scenarios that have given you very strong and very clear convictions? was your decision to get taco bells nacho party plater only to eat it alone by yourself at 1 am, something you sat and thought of doing without influence, or did the taco bell commercal you saw at 2 am the previous night while you were in the ER influence you to go and buy it? were either of these decisions freely done according to your own standards? do you really have free will if this is your standard?

2. If this is how we define election our decisions aren’t real choices

is that something that the bible tells us? does it ever say decisions arent real if God influences them? how can a decision influenced by the one who is called faithful and true not be a true decision?

3. The doctrine of election reduces us to meat puppets and robots.

God is the author and definer of creation we can not allow our own definitions of reality and free will and personhood to take precident over what he has established. Man is much more sophisticated and introcate than a puppet or even a robot, we have the ability to think and make decisions and face uncertainty. we dont run on algorithyms we run on conscience that makes us aware of good and evil. we have freewill to chose to sin or not sin, we do not have absolute free will apart from to know or not know God him as he reveals himself to whomever he will to confound the wise and bring the boastful to shame.

4. The doctrine of election means that unbelievers never had a chance to believe, and therefore it is not just.

this entire objection runs off the assumption that Gods not being fair because hes not giving everyone a chance and is just condemning people to hell all willy nilly. in reality sending sinners to hell is the fairest thing God can do, no one deserves grace. if they did it wouldnt be grace. God doesnt owe anyone the right to know him intimately, just as i dont have the right to date someone who doesnt want to date me. God doesnt owe you anything relationships are a two way street and if one half doesnt want it its not gonna happen.

ultimately we need to be careful not to accuse God of being unfair because its absolutely fair to send people to hell. if he condemned if he didnt spare his angels who rebelled against him (2 peter 2:4) why wouldnt it be fair for him to strongly and hashly punish those who he created in his image who took the common grace he gave mankind and used it to commit unspeakable evil? and further more who are you to back talk God and tell him hes not being fair look at Romans 9

Romans 9:20–24 ESV

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 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? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

so this begs a really big question, why does God save some and not others if… objection 6

6. The Bible says that God wills to save everyone.

to which I would simply respond with an annectdote. Does going to McDonalds cancel out your ability to become swole by going to the gym. does going to the gym make the 30 happy meals you ate earlier have no affect on your health and weight? clearly we can will for somethings more than others so since we see that not all are saved, what does that tell us about God? clearly he wills for somethings more than others. so what is Gods main mission then?

Gods will is to exalt his holy name and to receive all glory, and worship, and praise.

Exodus 14:4 ESV

And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

Psalm 23:1–3 ESV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Psalm 25:11 ESV

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.

Isaiah 48:9–11 ESV

“For my name’s sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

So where do we fit into Gods will why did he save us out of anyone why am I able to even love jesus why does he want me?

in the words of John Piper “God is most glorified when we are satisfied in him” and for that reason “the chief aim of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.

Key Takeaways

God chooses us as an act of mercy not injustice.

God chose his elect because he desired them

God acts through his providence and gives us his spirit so we can accept him.

God does all this for His glory and our Good.