Unconditional Election
Unconditional Election
By
Daron Alleman
The doctrine of God’s Unconditional Election is displayed upon the backdrop of man’s Total Depravity. As a result of man’s sinful condition the works of God must begin with God’s loving choice of us. How is that choice made? The Arminian and the Calvinist answer that question in two different ways. Here is a comparison of each view.
Arminianism
2. Conditional Election
God’s choice of certain individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His call. He selected only those whom He knew would of themselves freely believe the gospel. Election therefore was determined by, or conditioned upon, what man would do. The faith which God foresaw, and upon which He based His choice, was not given to the sinner by God (it was not created by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit), but resulted solely from man’s will. It was left entirely up to man to determine who would believe and therefore who would be elected for salvation. God chose those whom He knew would, of their own free will, choose Christ. Thus, the sinner’s choice of Christ, not God’s choice of the sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation.
Calvinism
2. Unconditional Election
God’s choice of certain individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause, of God’s choice. Election, therefore, was not determined by, or conditioned upon, any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus, God’s choice of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation.
The Reformers argued that the Scriptures use the term Foreknowledge in the sense of a predetermined choice and plan, and not simply to just know about something. Any Christian who reads his Bible finds himself constantly confronted with this doctrine of election, and very often in the first few verses. Take for example 1 Peter 1:1 – 2 where we read of those, “who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”. In verse 20 of the same chapter speaking of God’s foreknowledge of Jesus Christ we read, “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you”. The word foreknowledge in verse 2, and foreknown in verse 20, are the same word. So in the same way Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world, so the church was foreknown by God. Obviously God “knew” Christ in the sense of a predetermined relationship as Jesus is His eternal Son, the third member in the Trinitarian Godhead. In Acts 2:23 Peter addresses the crowd with these words, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst just as you yourselves know – this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death”.
Several theological reasons to reject the Arminian understanding of Foreknowledge present themselves. It makes man sovereign. It gives man the credit for his salvation and allows him to share in the glory. It assumes man can seek after God (cf. Romans 3:11 No one seeks God). It makes salvation the result of a human work. Finally, it makes God a victim of man’s choice, which is inconsistent with our God who says, “My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure (cf. Isaiah 46:10).
In Ephesians 1:4 we read, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him”. So to be elect is not the same as being saved, since those who were chosen were yet to be made holy and blameless. All who are elect will be saved inevitably in time as a result of God’s Irresistible Call, but that is our topic for May.
In our church we are currently engaged in a wonderful study of 1 Thessalonians where again the doctrine of election is front and center. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5 we read, “for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in full conviction”. Let us begin with the word “for” in this verse. It is the Greek word hoti {hot’-ee}. This word is a purpose clause which is translated as “that, because, or since” in our English Bibles. It is the purpose of what had just been written. To give you a sense of how this word is used in the Bible consider the first sermon our Lord Jesus ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount. Mathew 5:1 – 4 says;
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”
The sermon continues like that always using this word for or hoti (hot’-ee) in the Greek. Jesus says in Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit”. And why are the poor in spirit blessed? Because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn. And why are those who mourn blessed? Because they shall be comforted.
The same is true for the word “for” in our verse 1 Thessalonians 1:5 which says, “for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” Again we see the word “for” hoti {hot’-ee} in the Greek. A purpose clause translated as “that, because, or since”, and it is the purpose of what has just been written. That is 1 Thessalonians 1:4 which says, “knowing, brethren beloved of God, His choice of you.” And why does Paul know God’s choice of them? “For or Because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”
The word “knowing” in verse 4 is the Greek word oida {oy’-da}. It simply means to see or to perceive something. As Paul looked upon the Thessalonians he knew that they had been chosen by God because as 1 Thessalonians 1:3 says he could see evidence of their salvation in their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope.
The word “beloved” in verse 4 is a verb, and is the Greek word agapao {ag-ap-ah’-o}. This was not a common word until the New Testament made it so. When a typical first century pagan thought of love agape would not be the word that came to mind. The Greeks had two other terms for love they commonly used. The term phileo or brotherly love, and eros or romantic love. The love that God had for the Thessalonians, and for us, is described as agape, or unconditional love. Four things characterize this type of love.
1.) It is spontaneous: There is nothing of value in the person loved that calls forth such sacrificial love. God of his own free will sets his love on us in spite of our enmity and sin.
2.) Agape love is a love that is initiated by the lover because they will to love, not because of the value or lovableness of the person being loved.
3.) It is self – giving: Agape love is not interested in what it can gain, but in what it can give. It seeks not to satisfy itself, but the one loved whatever the cost.
4.) Agape love is not a mere sentiment cherished in the heart. (i.e. John 3:16) Nor is it mere words however eloquent. It does involve feeling and may express itself in words, but it is primarily an attitude toward another that moves the will to act in helping to meet the need of the one that is loved.
The soul that knows it is loved unconditionally like this by God becomes active. This is why Paul gives thanks to God for the Thessalonians in verse 2, and in verse 3 mentions their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope. The word for love in verse 3 is also agape and so the Thessalonians were showing this kind of love to others as they themselves had been shown this agape love by God. Just as 1 John 4:9 says, “We love because he first loved us”.
The word “choice” in verse 4 is the Greek word ekloge {ek-log-ay’}. The Greek term “ek” means “out of”. The Greek term “loge” means “to pick, to select, or to choose”. So the Greek word ekloge literally means to “pick out” or to “pick out a person or thing from a sizeable number”, and the emphasis is on the one doing the choosing. The chooser is completely free to make a choice based on his own wisdom and purpose. In order to give you a solid mental picture of this words meaning consider this; This same word is used in the LXX, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, for David “picking out” five stones from the creek bed as he prepared to fight with Goliath. In 1 Thessalonians 1:1 we read that this book is written, “to the church of the Thessalonians”. The Greek word for “church” is ekklesia {ek-klay-see’-ah}. Again we see “ek” or “out of”. The Greek term klesia means “to call or summon”. And so the church is made up of the “called out ones”. It must be emphasized that God lovingly chooses and calls his church. Some characterize the doctrine of election as a cruel, loveless, and cold doctrine. Against the backdrop of man’s sin and total depravity the doctrine of election is seen in truth. It is one of the most loving and compassionate doctrines in all of Scripture, for God was under no obligation to save anyone. Salvation is by grace (undeserved and unearned favor) through faith, and that (the faith God gave you) is not of yourselves, but is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). The characterizations of those who oppose this doctrine usually come with questions like, “If God is so loving why doesn’t he save everybody?” That is a great question. Why don’t you come back next month, and we will tackle that one.