Rather, it is compelling persuasion. Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. The miracle of inspiration, as Lewis Sperry Chafer long ago noted, is that God did not violate anyones personality, yet what was written was exactly what he wanted to say. We see mention of this in God's "chosen" priesthood. If God were fair, we would all go to hell. This love of God, which God foreknew, was the basis by which He elected to appoint our day of salvation. Those people are the elect of God. Third, Pauls prayer in vv. The signs of salvation are in the saints, but the cause of salvation is in God. Envision the names of all humans having been written on individual slips of paper and put in a huge hat (an obviously really, really big hat!). The question goes like this: Does God choose sinners to be saved and then provide for their salvation? Or it may be that it is simply Pauls way of introducing the first and most glorious spiritual blessing given to us by God. Aside from the fact that nothing is more effective in killing human pride and promoting godly humility and granting insight into the nature of God and inflaming the heart in worship, just to mention a few, we must devote ourselves to this issue because of its pervasive and unavoidable presence in Scripture. In the final analysis, Calvin believes we should study divine election primarily for its ability to tell us why one person who hears the gospel comes to saving faith in Jesus Christ and why another does not. Clearly, Calvin intended neither of these ideas. The devil has blinded the eyes of the world (2 Cor. He hath chosen them as his treasures, as a man picks and chooses out gems from a heap of stones, only that with this difference: that man finds gems very different from other stones and therefore chooses. God has inspired the very words of scripture (2 Tim 3:16), yet his modus operandi was not verbal dictation. A: God cares about everything that affects our livesincluding who our leaders will be and how our society will be governed. (11) The doctrine of election is analogous to that of inspiration. It is here that we run headlong into the brick wall called the secret things of God in Deut. Two Republicans who lost the popular vote reached the Oval Office by prevailing in the Electoral College. (Matthew 25:34) Okay, so God has an elect, Christians are that elect, and it's awesome to be a part of that elect. First, Paul declares that God is blessed (v. 3) precisely because he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, chief among which is being the object of his electing love. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.". Chosen for Life: The Case for Divine Election, The Saint's Fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (eBook), The Best Match: The Souls Espousal to Christ (eBook), Pursuing Intellectual Growth for Gods Glory, Mercy Magnified: Sermons on the Penitent Prodigal (eBook), Toe the Government Line or Lose Your Kids, Christians Who Feel They Dont Need Church Anymore, 7 Reasons Why Mormonism and Christianity Are Not the Same. (Romans 8:29) In eternity past, a kingdom was prepared for the elect/chosen. This Pelagians are strenuous asserters of free will. It pleased the Lord to set his love upon you. The question at issue here concerns the meaning of foreknowledge with respect to election, particularly in Romans 8:29 - specifically, whether "whom he foreknew he . Thus, we are presented with a mystery: Each biblical writer wrote the very words of God, yet each exercised his own personality and will in the process. I.e., together with election comes enlightenment. It is the highest link in the golden chain of salvation. (9) Actually, three basic questions arise when discussing election: All three questions are answered in Romans 9-11, the great passage in the Bible which deals with this doctrine. We would do well to listen to the experience of Jonathan Edwards: From my childhood up, my mind had been full of objections against the doctrine of God's sovereignty, in choosing whom he would to eternal life, and rejecting whom he pleased; leaving them eternally to perish, and be everlastingly tormented in hell. 1. To this I answer, God gives a reward as a just Judge, not to the worthiness of our works, but to the worthiness of Christ. But God chooses them, and therefore they become gems and very different from others (278-79; see Mal. Pray for our nation, especially as we look forward to elections a year from now. Something John Calvin said in his definition of election will thrust us into the very heart of the debate: We shall never be clearly persuaded, as we ought to be that our salvation flows from the wellspring of Gods free mercy until we come to know his eternal election, which illumines Gods grace by this contrast: that he does not indiscriminately adopt all into the hope of salvation but gives to some what he denies to others (Institutes, III.21.1). Permissions Nowhere do we read in the Bible that God is not sovereign over our wills. With each day, as we submit to the leading of the Spirit and study His Word, God changes us to be more and more like Christ so that we would even have the mind of Christ (Philippians 1:27; Philippians 2:5; 1 Peter 4:1). Unconditional election means that God out of the sovereignty of his own will, God chooses people for salvation, not based on any quality in themselves and not based on anything foreseen in regard to that individual. Look with me at John 17:1b-2. 1 Peter 1:8). It used to appear like a horrible doctrine to me. It is absurd to think anything in us could have the least influence upon our election. Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. They were, like all others, at enmity with God, serving Satan, deserving of death and condemnation, without righteousness. Given the descriptions of the same in the Old and New Testaments, Gods elect are believers that love God because He first loved them. We see mention of this in God's "chosen" people Israel. Romans 10:14-17. Difference of opinion, however, arose over whether God determines who is reprobated. (3) Election is necessary because we are totally depraved sinners.2 In other words, we would not choose God unless he first chose us. Therefore that which carries the main stroke in our salvation, is the purpose of God. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy, as he pleaseth,for the glory of his sovereign powerover his creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice. Dr Michael L has written 155 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Answer While there are numerous ideas of precisely what election means in regards to salvation, the fact that believers are elect is indisputable ( Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:4-5, 11; 1 Thessalonians 1:4 ). Next post: What Was The Transfiguration About? Each person is held responsible before Almighty God as to what they will do with his Son. Indeed, no fewer than 11x in these verses do we find vocabulary reflective of divine sovereignty: he elected us (v. 4), he predestined us (v. 5), his good pleasure (v. 5), Gods will (v. 5), Gods will (v. 9), his good pleasure (v. 9), his purpose (v. 9), he foreordained us (v. 11), his purpose (v. 11), his counsel (v. 11), his will (v. 11). It isnt that among all flesh over whom Jesus has authority some have distinguished themselves, set themselves apart, caught Gods eye because of a lingering spark of goodness or the faint promise of a reformed life or great accomplishments or good intentions. by Sam Storms There are many who believe that thinking about divine election reflects how terribly out of touch I am with both modern culture and the contemporary church. For example, in political elections, people are elected by the voters or their representatives. Question. "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality," ( 1 Timothy 5:21 ). Who makes one person to differ from another: the person or God? Others suggest that wisdom and understanding might be connected with the following participle (having made known) in v. 9; hence, the qualities referred to are therefore indispensable requisites to the publication of a mystery (Eadie, 46); i.e., the words define the method in which the mystery is disclosed (hence, God wisely and in an understandable way made known to us the mystery of his will, or some such paraphrase). But, if you don't desire it, why on earth should you be so preposterously foolish as to grumble because God gives that which you do not like to other people? (Emphasis mine). (7) Election is not just to salvation, but to sanctification and glorification. 16:4). God chose one instead of another because it was pleasing to God, and that is all the reason he needs. The Old Testament applies the term "elect" (Gk: , Hebrew: ) to the Israelites in as far as they are called to be the chosen people, or people of God, or are faithful to their divine call. We want to explain it, to rationalize it, to provide grounds and warrant for it. (article), Objections to Election - How Can God Be Just? Does God Care About the Presidential Election? What compelled God to choose the elect? Christ Himself said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). While many cry out against church sacrilege, they are in the meantime guilty of a far greater sacrilege, in robbing God of His glory, while they go to set the crown of salvation upon their own head. The "elect of God" is a theological phrase that refers to predestination. Jesus says come. Further, we have the explicit testimony of Romans 9 to the opposite effect. Then God has elected you. We see from the context of these verses that there are several different people being referred to as Gods elect: Isaiah 42:1, Gods elect is Jesus Christ. The WCF ch 3 states: *keep your eyes on the italicized and bolded sections*. It made him happy. i. This then means that those whom God did foreknow that would love Him are believers. Those that are Gods are his jewels, his treasure. Election season is in full swing, but many are still unsure who to vote for. According to Adrian Rogers of Crosswalk.com, "If you want to be saved, come to Jesus. Who are the elect of God? | GotQuestions.org "Yes, there is," says some one, "I do." At the same time, we can see similarities with those in Isaiah: The elect can refer to Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:6). In other words, election was not haphazard or governed by nothing. Paul doesnt assume that simply because they have been so richly blessed they need no further understanding or growth or application of these truths. Eph. I. e., here is how we know God blessed us, he chose us . But I have often, since that first conviction, had quite another kind of sense of God's sovereignty than I had then. You do not like holiness, you do not like righteousness; if God has elected me to these things, has he hurt you by it? The biblical doctrine of election teaches that God chooses to save some, and, by necessity, if He does not choose everyone, then there are some who are passed over. It is the impulsive cause of our vocation, justification, glorification. It might even have the sense, in accordance with the fact that (Lincoln, 17). They argue that we should speak of it with sadness and regret, and talk about it only when pushed or coerced to do so. 10 Things You Should Know about Election | Crossway Articles The latter has become something of a cuss word among many Christians. God has moral attributes (goodness, love, mercy, justice, etc.) 7. But I remain convinced that the most likely thing is that wisdom and understanding are gifts which accompany the bestowal of electing and redeeming grace, gifts which make possible the perception of his will which the following verses proceed to define. The Bible teaches that Gods elect are those whom God foreknew would love Him. Thanks for stopping by! He's reaching His nail-pierced hands to you, saying, "Come.". For many Christians nothing could be more contradictory to their concept of God than that. I am not aware that Scripture provides such information. But dont let these blind you to the importance of our elections, or cause you to shut your mind to our nations need for honest and able leaders. Instead, we will look at who are the elect in the Bible. Calvin contends that this doctrine identifies or brings to the surface at least two kinds of men. 1 Thess. No Bible author teaches that the Lord does predestine some people to be saved and some other people to be lost, despite their own freedom of choice in the matter. New Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. ix. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). . The consistent testimony of scripture is that God is the one doing the choosing, not us. I want to reach the world with the Good News by equipping the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association with resourcesincluding personnel, materials, support services, buildings and moreto urgently respond to every opportunity to share Jesus Christ with others. Romans 9 answers the question of our choice, Rom 10 answers the question of the need for evangelism, and Rom 11 answers the question of God's fairness. Likewise, He also foreknew there are some people that no matter what the situation or circumstance, they will never trust Christ as their Savior. But the point is this: If we do not understand election, its basis, its goal, etc., how can we expect to bless God with any degree of intelligence or accuracy? If God so distinguishes you with his mercies, you ought to distinguish yourself in his praises. What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and men?A. Why did God choose me? | GotQuestions.org 6. First Tim. Bullinger did not believe that it was Gods will that one of these little ones should perish. He maintained that Christians should always hope for. The elect of God - Who are they? Non-believers are portrayed as unable to do or think anything which would move them one step closer to God. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:19). Suppose a man in the street should say, "What a shame it is I cannot have a seat in the chapel to hear what this man has to say." When it comes to evangelical Christianity, its roots are found in the soil of the sixteenth-century P Does God choose who will believe? | Baptist Press He hath chosen us, that we should be holy (Eph. "God has extended great kindness and goodness and patience and invitation . In the, a small number of the elect who have been chosen in advance and destined to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Election does not negate prayer, but rather encourages it, since salvation is God's doing. The purpose of this verse is a practical one. In addition, as children of Abraham, this makes us Gods elect as heirs of the promises that He made to the Israelites (Galatians 3:6-9; Galatians 3:26-29). For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (4) The process of election, as worked out in our own lives, does not violate our will. Gods purpose is the ground of assurance. God, from all eternity,did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected some angels to glory; and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof: and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will, (whereby he extendeth or withholdeth favor as he pleaseth,) hath passed byand foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice. Answer. Paul simply tries to comfort the troubled children of God and affirms to them that their salvation is secure with the Lord and that it is in the process of being fulfilled according to His plan. To be his peculiar treasure! Bellarmine holds that good works do expiate sin and merit glory; but the text says that we are called according to Gods purpose, and there is a parallel Scripture, Who hath saved us, and called us, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace (2 Tim. WASHINGTON - Ron DeSantis and his allies like to say presidential campaigns are marathons, not sprints. In the New Testament and mostly in the writings Paul, we find references to the words choose/chosen (Matthew 22:14; John 15:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:13), elect/election (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Romans 8:33), and Predestine (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4,5,11,12).