Is God's election Unconditional? (part I)

-Jon Irenicus

Before anything else, I find it necessary to define precisely what is meant by the term predestination. Altough some use it interchangeably with "foreordination" and "election," for our purposes here "predestination" is midway in specificity between "foreordination" and "election." "Foreordination" we will regard as the broadest term, denoting God's will with respect to all matters which occur, whether that be the fate of individual human persons or falling of a rock. "Predestination" refers to God's choice of individuals for eternal life or eternal death. "Election" is the selection of some for eternal life, the positive side of predestination, while "Reprobation" is the negative.

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What is Unconditional Election?

The doctrine is summarized in this following statement:

...in eternity God chose some individuals from the mass of fallen humanity unto salvation without regard to any merit or foreseen faith in them, but solely based on His sovereign intentions.

Unconditinal Election, therefore, is inseparably connected and consistent with the doctrine of Total Depravity. If all of human race is totally depraved and fallen, then God must take the initiative--God must predestine. Therefore, this initiative of God does not depend on any foreseen worthiness upon the chosen individual (in the first place, all men are not and cannot be worthy in His sight), but solely upon His own independent choice, founded in his free mercy. Thus, we read in Ephesians 1:4-5 and 11:

• For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- Eph 1:4-5 (NIV)

• In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, Eph 1:11 (NIV)
  

In verse 4 we read that "he CHOSE US in him before the creation of the world TO BE holy and blameless in his sight." Election, therefore, is the cause of our merits (also in Eph 2:10)! Notice that the verse does not say, "he chose us because he foresaw we would be worthy in his sight" as some try to manipulate the meaning of the passage. Another verse verse we must consider is Christ's statement in John 15:16,

• Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. Joh 15:16 (ASV)

It should also be noted from this statement of Christ that we are not chosen because God foresaw our works. Rather, he chose us so that we should go and bear fruits and that our fruits should abide. Another point we must consider is that foreseen faith upon the chosen individual as the the basis of election is equally unacceptable because it is not us who chose Christ--it is Him who chose us. God chose us "in accordance with his [own] pleasure and will" (Eph 1:5), and is in no way based upon ANY foreseen worthiness in us.

Faith is not the cause of our election. In fact, even our faith is a gift from God and not from ourselves!

• For by such grace you have been saved through faith. This [faith] does not come from you; it is the gift of God... Eph 2:8 (ISV)

• For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Php 1:29 (KJV)

• He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." Joh 6:65 (NIV)

Arminians hold that [only] those whom God foresaw that would accept Christ as their Lord and Savior are eventually elected. The truth is: Faith itself is not from ourselves--it is from God, and it was granted to us in behalf of Christ! God chose us even before we have done anything. Surprising as it may seem for some of us, but the Bible also testifies that God has determined already everything that is to happen in our lives:

• "...Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do." Psalms 139:16 (ESV)

Saint Paul also affirmed Unconditional Election when he used the case of Jacob and Essau to provide a relevant example in support to the doctrine. He wrote plainly in Romans 9,

• Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." Romans 9:11-13 (NIV)

We can see clearly from these verses how God elected Jacob, and on the other hand, reprobated Essau, even before they were born or had done anything good or bad. Therefore, it is "not by works," Paul said, "but by Him who calls." At this point, some may object and say: "Then, is God unjust?" Saint Paul knew that some will protest against this doctrine [and consider this as a horrible one] for it seems to contradict God's Justice. For this reason, Paul went on to say...

• What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." Romans 9:14-15 (NIV)

God is just and all his ways are perfect (Deut 32:4). Even if he throw us all in hell, HE IS STILL JUST. Afterall, all of us are guilty of sin and deserving of death and hell (Rom 3:9-20). God doesn't owe us anything! In its first Article regarding Divine Election and Reprobation, The Canons of Dort explains God's justice in condemning all men under his wrath:

[Article 1] As all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice by leaving them all to perish and delivering them over to condemnation on account of sin, according to the words of the apostle: “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God” (Rom 3:19). And: “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). And: “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). [The Canons of Dort (1618-19)]

It is by God's abundant mercy that he saves some. The nature of his grace does not nullify his Justice; in fact, it actually magnifies God's Justice. Augustine wrote:

But "why," says one, "is not the grace of God given according to men's merits?" I answer, Because God is merciful. "Why, then," it is asked, "is it not given to all?" And here I reply, Because God is a Judge. And thus grace is given by Him freely; and by His righteous judgment it is shown in some what grace confers on those to whom it is given. Let us not then be ungrateful, that according to the good pleasure of His will a merciful God delivers so many to the praise of the glory of His grace from such deserved perdition; as, if He should deliver no one therefrom, He would not be unrighteous. Let him, therefore, who is delivered love His grace. Let him who is not delivered acknowledge his due. If, in remitting a debt, goodness is perceived, in requiring it, justice— unrighteousness is never found to be with God. [Saint Augustine; On Perseverance of all Saints, Ch 16]

Ang again,

For by giving to some what they do not deserve, He has certainly willed that His grace should be gratuitous, and thus genuine grace; by not giving to all, He has shown what all deserve. Good in His goodness to some, righteous in the punishment of others; both good in respect of all, because it is good when that which is due is rendered, and righteous in respect of all, since that which is not due is given without wrong to any one. [Saint Augustine of Hippo; On Perseverance of all Saints, Ch 28]

By God's own will He chose some to be objects of His grace, and he elected them Unconditionally. Paul's conclusion on Romans 9 was:

• It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. Romans 9:16 (NIV)

The statement is self-explanatory. It is by God's own will that some are saved, and others not. What he desires, he does (Job 23:13). He does all that He pleases (Psa 115:3). He is totally Sovereign over all things, and his power is UNRESTRICTED by anything he has created (including the will and desires of man!).

• Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. Psa 135:6 (ESV)

In addition to Romans 9:11-16, Paul also mentioned Pharaoh's case to prove his conlusion in verse 16...

• For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. Rom 9:17-18 (NIV)

Therefore, God's election is undeniably based upon his own Sovereign choice, and in no way depends on man's desire and effort. Again, is God unfair? Of course not! As we have said earlier, the Lord owe us nothing! In the first place, we are not in the position to question the Almighty God of heaven and earth. We don't have any right to limit Him--He is God! Do we have the right to question God regarding this matter?

• You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 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? Romans 9:19-21 (ESV)

Believe it or not, this is the truth. I believe UE not because Saint Augustine says so, not because Luther or Calvin says so, not because our pastor says so, but because the Bible clearly says so.

Some argue that God's decree to save some and reject others contradicts God's love (Gk, agape). But the truth is, God's unconditional election is founded in God's love as we read in Ephesians 1:4-5:

• For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. IN LOVE HE PREDESTINED US to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- Eph 1:4-5 (NIV)

God's love is unconditional (agape). In the same way, God's election must also be unconditional.

Many will hear the Gospel, but because all men are totally depraved and incapable of having faith in Christ (as explained here), only those the Father has enabled will surely believe:

• "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day..." Joh 6:44 (NIV)

• He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." Joh 6:65 (NIV)

• "For many are invited, but few are chosen." Mat 22:14 (NIV)

It is NEVER true, therefore, that even if a sinner has truly accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, if he is not chosen, he will not be saved. This is a ridiculous misrepresentation of the doctrine of UE. The truth is, those who are not chosen will never come to Christ by faith. After all, they are totally incapable of doing so (1 Cor 2:14; 2 Cor 4:4). They will just continue to remain in their hopeless state of total rebellion against God (Rom 1:26). They will never believe because it is not granted to them by the Son. Christ said in Matthew 11:27,

• "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Mat 11:27 (NASB)

Another passage in the Scripture that denies the possibility of the reprobate to believe in Christ is John 10:26. Christ himself said [to the reprobates]:

• but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. Joh 10:26 (NASB)

[Please bear in mind that when Christ talks about "sheep," He is simply referring to God's elected people. On the other hand, "goat" is the figure used to designate the reprobates. (Matt 25:32-33)]

Notice that the verse (John 10:26) does not say, "but you are not my sheep (elect) because you do not believe," as some misinterprets the passage. Our faith is the result of our election, not the cause of it. We believe because we are God's sheep (elected ones). Conversely, reprobates (goats) will never turn to Christ through faith because they are not God's sheep.

Another fact we must consider is that all of God's sheep will eventually be saved to the fullest according to God's immutable election. It is plainly written in Romans 8:30,

• Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Romans 8:30 (KJV)

This is what we call The Golden Chain of Salvation. Notice that all stages of salvation mentioned in the verse are God's own doing. He will surely bring into completion what he has already begun for our salvation. Paul said in Philippians 1:6,

• being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Php 1:6 (NIV)

Hey! What about FREE WILL??

I insist, on the other hand, that UE is not inconsistent with free will, that is, as I understand the term. I deny, however, that humans have free will in the Arminian sense. What Calvinists emphasize is that sin has removed, if not freedom, at least the ability to exercise that freedom properly. Loraine Boettner, for example, compares fallen humanity to a bird with a broken wing. The bird is "free" to fly, but is unable to do so. Likewise,

"the natural man is free to come to God but not able. How can he repent of his sin when he loves it? How can he come to God when he hates him? This is the inability of the will under which man labors" [Boettner, Predestination, p.62].

It is only when God comes in his special grace to those whom he has chosen that they are able to respond. Then, seeing clearly and vividly the nature of their sins and the greatness, glory, and love of God, they will most assuredly and infallibly turn to Him.

The doctrine of sovereign election is one of the most hated doctrines of the Reformed theology. A. W. Pink put it this way:

"I am going to speak tonight on one of the most hated doctrines of the Bible, namely that of God's sovereign election,

God's sovereign election is the truth most loathed and reviled by the majority of those claiming to be believers. Let it be plainly announced that salvation originated not in the will of man but in the will of God that were it not so none would or could be saved. For as the result of the Fall man has lost all desire and will unto that which is good and that even the elect themselves have to be made willing and loud will be the cries of indignation against such teaching.

Merit‑mongers will not allow the supremacy of the divine will and the impotency of the human will. Consequently they who are the most bitter in denouncing election by the sovereign pleasure of God are the warmest in crying up the free will of fallen man,.." ~A. W. Pink

To be continued..... click here.

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