This chapter has nine subdivisions.
Many years ago, a much-admired pastor and Bible college professor insisted that the doctrine of election should never be taught to young Christians. I find that sentiment amusing in light of the Apostle Paul’s first inspired epistle, written to believers only weeks old in the faith, reading, “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God,” in First Thessalonians 1.4.
“We now come to the second point of Calvinism. It logically follows from the first. If man is totally depraved and unable to obey God, then he needs salvation. God chose to whom He would give salvation. It also flows from the doctrine of absolute divine sovereignty. God sovereignly and freely elected some sinners to be saved and predestined them to be saved at the right time. It is clearly and repeatedly taught in Scripture. But some preachers skip over it or misunderstand it. Many Christians have never heard a sermon on it. Others are not interested. They seem to be more interested in political elections than divine election.”
The Biblical Terminology. The Greek verb eklego and its related forms is found 22 times in the New Testament. The noun form of the word, eklektos, is found 22 times, of which 17 refer to salvation. A related word is ekloge, found seven times. Proorizo is translated predestined in Romans 8:29–30 and Ephesians 1:5 and 11. Hairgomai is in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. “The doctrine of election is based on these and other words yet is not dependent merely on specific words but how they and others are used contextually and theologically.”
Election in Other Areas. Two paragraphs. “There are instances in which election refers to something other than salvation.”
Election and Salvation. Four paragraphs. “Some non-Calvinists argue that election is never to salvation, only to service. They overlook three explicit verses in particular: 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10.” “The second point of Calvinism deals with this aspect of election. Note that it is election to salvation. Election is not salvation itself but the divine plan that prepares salvation for those who are chosen by God. They were chosen in eternity but saved in time. God foreordained both the subjects and method of salvation – indeed, all the details of this holy blessing (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:1–2).”
Election Is Eternal. Five paragraphs. “God elected the
elect in eternity, not in time. Consider the following:
- ·
‘He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world’ (Ephesians
1:4).
- ·
‘God chose you from the beginning’ (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
- ·
‘Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was
given to us in Christ Jesus before time began’ (2 Timothy 1:9).
- · ‘Eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began’ (Titus 1:2).”
A Definite Number of Elect. Three paragraphs.
Personal Election. Four paragraphs. “Election is individual and personal.”
Election is Irrevocable. Three paragraphs. “God will not, and men cannot, change the election.”
A Mutual Election. Three paragraphs. “George Whitfield called it a mutual choice. First, Christ chose His bride in the eternal marriage covenant. Then when He saves us, we choose Him to be our heavenly husband. Richard Sibbes, the great English Puritan, put it like this: ‘He chose us, loved us, knows us, and therefore we choose, love, and know him.’ We choose because we have been chosen. Or as 1 John 4:19 puts it: ‘We love Him because He first loved us.’ The order is vital. Arminianism reverses it.”
Conclusion. Four paragraphs. “Since God did the electing all by Himself, He met all the conditions. Hence, we call it unconditional election. It is unconditional on the elect. Salvation, to be sure, is conditional on faith and repentance, but God gives us those gifts and meets the conditions through us. But since election occurred in eternity past before we were even created, God alone could and did meet all conditions of election.”
