The Doctrine of Election
The Doctrine of Election:
What is it?
Election is God's decision to choose us to be saved before the foundation of the world.
Predestination is another word that will be frequently used, it is a broader term that encompasses two aspects. For believers, election; for unbelievers, reprobation. However, double predestination is not a helpful term in this discussion. It gives the impression that both election and reprobation are carried out in the same way by God and have no essential differences between them. This is not the case as we will find out in the next two posts.
Scriptural Basis for Election:
Election is an act of God before creation in which He chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of His sovereign good pleasure.
A. Does the New Testament Teach Predestination?
1. Acts 13:48 "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."
2. Romans 8:28-30 "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."
3. Romans 9:11-13 "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 his call--she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'"
4. Romans 11:7 "What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,"
5. Ephesians 1:4-6 "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 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."
6. Ephesians 1:12 "so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory."
7. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 "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."
8. 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."
9. 1 Timothy 5:21 "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."
10. 2 Timothy 1:9 "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."
11. 1 Peter 1:1 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,"
12. 1 Peter 2:9 "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."
13. Revelation 13:7-8 "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 that was slain."
14. Revelation 17:8 "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."
Clearly the New Testement teaches Election, but how are we to understand what Election is.
What can we see from these 14 passages listed?
1. There will be Gentiles among the elect.
2. The elect are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.
3. They are called, justified, and glorified.
4. Election is not from any works that we have done.
5. Election is according to God's purpose.
6. There elect Jews as well as elect Gentiles.
7. We are chosen through Jesus Christ from before the foundation of the world.
8. The purpose of Election is that the elect would live a Holy and Blameless Life.
9. The elect are Adopted through Jesus Christ.
10. Election is according to the purpose of God's Will.
11. It is also from and through God's Grace.
12. The Elect are Blessed through this election and called Beloved.
13. It is the the Praise of Jesus Christ's Glroy.
14. The elect are Loved by the Lord.
15. God does the chosing.
16. Election is realized those that receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
17. The power behind election is the working of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
18. The Holy Spirit convicts us of the Gospel and the realization of our Election.
19. God does the chosing.
20. Election is enacted by the Sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
21. Election is also enacted by Belief in the Truth (the Gospel of Jesus Christ).
22. There are Elect Angels as well as Jews and Gentiles.
23. God does the chosing.
24. The elect are called to Holy living.
25. Election is not from the works of man.
26. Election is by the Grace of God.
27. Election is according to the Purpose of God.
28. Election was determined before the beginning.
29. In Peter's day there was a dispersion of the elect out of Israel.
30. The Elect are a chosen race.
31. The Elect are a Royal Preisthood.
32. The Elect are a Holy Nation.
33. The Elect are a People for God.
34. The Elect are to proclaim the excellencies of God.
35. The Elect have been saved from Darkness and into Light.
36. Satan will not have power over the Elect, but He will be allowed to conquer them.
37. Election was determined before the foundation of the World.
38. Those who are not elect will marvel at the Beast (Antichrist).
We can group these into 3 main catagories:
A. Comfort: Romans 8:28-30 is very clear on this issue. God's foreknowledge should bring great comfort to the believer. In the past, before the foundations of the world God has predestined His people to be conformed into the likeness of Christ; in the recent past, He has called and justified those whom He has predestined; and in the future at Christ's return He will grant perfect and glorified bodies to those who have believed in Jesus Christ.
So, in the past and in the future we can see that God is working all things to the good of those who love Him, and we can deduce that even now (just like in the past and in the future) God is working all things out for our good.
B. A Reason to Praise God: Ephesians 1:5-6, 12; 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 4; and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 all speak towards this.
We are predestined to be God's sons "to the praise of His glroy." Paul gave thanks to God for those who were predestined and even in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 he said that He was bound to give thanks! We are obligated to thank God for our salvation as well as the salvation of others.
Understanding this aspect of Predestination will seriously reduce any pride that we might have towards our salvation. For in continually giving thanks to God for our salvation, we will remember that it was He who has done the saving, and we could never earn it.
C. Encouragement to Evangelism: 2 Timothy 2:10 is what Paul clings to in Evangelism. He understands that not all will be saved but is encouraged to Preach non-the-less knowing that some have been predestined and He will have some success even though for the most part He will endure suffering.
There are some Misunderstandings of the Doctrine of Election:
1. Fatalistic or Mechanistic:
2. Election is based on God's Foreknowledge of Our Faith:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Incomplete:
In Christ,
David
What is it?
Election is God's decision to choose us to be saved before the foundation of the world.
Predestination is another word that will be frequently used, it is a broader term that encompasses two aspects. For believers, election; for unbelievers, reprobation. However, double predestination is not a helpful term in this discussion. It gives the impression that both election and reprobation are carried out in the same way by God and have no essential differences between them. This is not the case as we will find out in the next two posts.
Scriptural Basis for Election:
Election is an act of God before creation in which He chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of His sovereign good pleasure.
A. Does the New Testament Teach Predestination?
1. Acts 13:48 "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."
2. Romans 8:28-30 "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."
3. Romans 9:11-13 "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 his call--she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'"
4. Romans 11:7 "What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,"
5. Ephesians 1:4-6 "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 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."
6. Ephesians 1:12 "so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory."
7. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 "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."
8. 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."
9. 1 Timothy 5:21 "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."
10. 2 Timothy 1:9 "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."
11. 1 Peter 1:1 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,"
12. 1 Peter 2:9 "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."
13. Revelation 13:7-8 "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 that was slain."
14. Revelation 17:8 "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."
Clearly the New Testement teaches Election, but how are we to understand what Election is.
What can we see from these 14 passages listed?
1. There will be Gentiles among the elect.
2. The elect are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.
3. They are called, justified, and glorified.
4. Election is not from any works that we have done.
5. Election is according to God's purpose.
6. There elect Jews as well as elect Gentiles.
7. We are chosen through Jesus Christ from before the foundation of the world.
8. The purpose of Election is that the elect would live a Holy and Blameless Life.
9. The elect are Adopted through Jesus Christ.
10. Election is according to the purpose of God's Will.
11. It is also from and through God's Grace.
12. The Elect are Blessed through this election and called Beloved.
13. It is the the Praise of Jesus Christ's Glroy.
14. The elect are Loved by the Lord.
15. God does the chosing.
16. Election is realized those that receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
17. The power behind election is the working of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
18. The Holy Spirit convicts us of the Gospel and the realization of our Election.
19. God does the chosing.
20. Election is enacted by the Sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
21. Election is also enacted by Belief in the Truth (the Gospel of Jesus Christ).
22. There are Elect Angels as well as Jews and Gentiles.
23. God does the chosing.
24. The elect are called to Holy living.
25. Election is not from the works of man.
26. Election is by the Grace of God.
27. Election is according to the Purpose of God.
28. Election was determined before the beginning.
29. In Peter's day there was a dispersion of the elect out of Israel.
30. The Elect are a chosen race.
31. The Elect are a Royal Preisthood.
32. The Elect are a Holy Nation.
33. The Elect are a People for God.
34. The Elect are to proclaim the excellencies of God.
35. The Elect have been saved from Darkness and into Light.
36. Satan will not have power over the Elect, but He will be allowed to conquer them.
37. Election was determined before the foundation of the World.
38. Those who are not elect will marvel at the Beast (Antichrist).
We can group these into 3 main catagories:
A. Comfort: Romans 8:28-30 is very clear on this issue. God's foreknowledge should bring great comfort to the believer. In the past, before the foundations of the world God has predestined His people to be conformed into the likeness of Christ; in the recent past, He has called and justified those whom He has predestined; and in the future at Christ's return He will grant perfect and glorified bodies to those who have believed in Jesus Christ.
So, in the past and in the future we can see that God is working all things to the good of those who love Him, and we can deduce that even now (just like in the past and in the future) God is working all things out for our good.
B. A Reason to Praise God: Ephesians 1:5-6, 12; 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 4; and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 all speak towards this.
We are predestined to be God's sons "to the praise of His glroy." Paul gave thanks to God for those who were predestined and even in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 he said that He was bound to give thanks! We are obligated to thank God for our salvation as well as the salvation of others.
Understanding this aspect of Predestination will seriously reduce any pride that we might have towards our salvation. For in continually giving thanks to God for our salvation, we will remember that it was He who has done the saving, and we could never earn it.
C. Encouragement to Evangelism: 2 Timothy 2:10 is what Paul clings to in Evangelism. He understands that not all will be saved but is encouraged to Preach non-the-less knowing that some have been predestined and He will have some success even though for the most part He will endure suffering.
There are some Misunderstandings of the Doctrine of Election:
1. Fatalistic or Mechanistic:
2. Election is based on God's Foreknowledge of Our Faith:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Incomplete:
In Christ,
David
posted by Mark 1:17 at 12:06 PM
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