The doctrine of election declares that God, before the foundation of the world, chose certain individuals from among the fallen members of Adam’s race to be the objects of His undeserved favor. These, and these only, he purposed to save. God could have chosen to save all men (for He had the power and authority to do so) or He could have chosen to save none (for He was under no obligation to show mercy to any) – but He did neither. Instead, He chose to save some and to exclude others. His eternal choice of particular sinners for salvation was not based upon any forseen act or response on the part of those selected, but was based solely on His own good pleasure and sovereign will. Thus, election was not determined by, or conditioned upon, anything that men would do, but resulted entirely from God’s self-determined purpose.
Those who were not chosen for salvation were passed by and left to their own evil devices and choices. It is not within the creatures jurisdictio to call into question the justice of the Creator for not choosing everyone for salvation. It is enough to know that the Judge of the earth has done right. It should, however, be kept in mind that if God had not graciously cosen a people for Himself and sovereignly determined to provide salvation for them and apply it to them, none would be saved.
Election, therefore, is but one aspect (thoughan important aspect) of the saving purpose of the triune God, and thus must not be viewed as salvation. For the act of election itself saved no one; what it did was to mark out certain individuals for salvation.
A Chosen People
Deut 10:14-15; Ps 33:12; ps 65:4; 106:5; Haggai 2:23; Matt 11:27; 22:14; 24:22, 24, 31; Luke 18:7; Rom 8:28-30, 33; 11:28; Col 3:12; 1 Thess 5:9; Tit 1:1; 1 Pe 1:1-2; 2:8-9; Rev 17:14
Election Not Based on Forseen Responses.
Faith and good works are the result, not the cause, of God’s choice.
1. God did the choosing. Mark 13:20; 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Thess 2:13
2. God’s choice was made before the foundation of the world. Eph 1:4; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 1:9, Rev 13:8; Rev 17:8.
3 God chose particular individuals for salvation – their names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world. Rev 13:8; 17:8.
4. God’s choice was not based upon any forseen merit residing in those whom He chose, nor was it based on any forseen good work performed by them. Rom 9:11-13, 16; 10:20; 1 Cor 1:27-29; 2 Tim 1:9.
5. Good works are the result, not the ground, or predestination. Eph 2:10; John 15:16.
6. God’ choice was not based upon forseen faith. Faith is the result ad therefore the evidence of God’s election, not the cause or ground of His choice. Ac 13:48; 18:27; Phil 1:29; 2:12-13; 1 Thess 1:4-5; 2 Thess 2:13-14; James 2:5.
7. It is by faith and good works that one confirms his calling and electon. 2 Pe 1:5-11
Election Precedes Salvation
Rom 11:7; 2 Tim 2:10
Sovereign Mercy
Exod 33:19; Deut 7:6-7; Matt 20:15; Rom 9:10-24; 11:4-6, 33-36; Eph 1:5
Sovereignty Over All Things
1 Chron 29:10-12; Job 42:1-2; Ps 115:3; 135:6; Isa 14;24, 27; Isa 46:9-11; 55:11; Jer 32:17; Dan 4:35; Matt 19:26.
For the basis of this post, see: A Summar of the Five Points of Calvinism
