UNCONDITIONAL ELECTIONFive Points in Five Weeks and Why They MatterWeek Four

ARMINIAN OPTIONS ON ELECTIONNo ElectionConditional Election

NO ELECTION Not really the Arminian position, but common

today Some Christians just duck the issue

altogether and deny that God elects But this is putting your head in the sand Election is mentioned repeatedly throughout

Scripture Honest believers can’t deny the Bible

teaches election, so to protect free will, they may believe…

CONDITIONAL ELECTION True Arminian position Acknowledges that God elects But on the CONDITION of

foreknowledge Romans 8:29

This inconsistent with overwhelming biblical evidence to the contrary And misses meaning of

“foreknowledge” in the verse It is to know in the intimate

sense, not just knowing what they’ll do

Reformed response: Since dead in trespasses (Eph

2:1) only come to Christ if Father draws them (Jn 6:44)

PROBLEMS WITH THE ARMINIAN VIEW If God loves all the

same, why does he not make a plan to save all?

Is our free will important enough for so many to die in sin?

If God only makes salvation available, he actually saves no one

And the difference in who is saved or not is due to a work

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION Clearly NOT Calvin’s

starting point in the discussion

As we saw last week, Calvin develops the doctrine of providence first, then election much later as a specific incidence

If God is not Lord of election, then He is NOT over all

PROVIDENCE

Election

REMEMBER… …Election is a subset of providence If God controls everything, then it is his to

intervene If he cannot control our wills, he is not provident

Man, having sinned and fallen, is justly doomed to die and perish apart from God

All persons deserve hell and want nothing else due to original sin For that would surrender autonomy

God himself must step in if ANY are to be saved

AUGUSTINE ON ELECTION “The elect of God

are chosen by Him to be His children, in order that they might be made to believe, not because He foresaw that they would believe.”

In doctrinal terms: Regeneration

precedes faith

CALVIN ON ELECTION

INTRODUCTION Importance of the

doctrine “We shall never be

clearly persuaded, as we ought to be, that our salvation flows from the wellspring of God’s free mercy until we come to know his eternal election”

Two wrong approaches Prideful diving into

the study without awe at entering “the sacred precincts of divine wisdom” We should not be

ashamed NOT to understand it fully

Duck the issue altogether

DEFINITIONS Predestination:

“God’s eternal decree, by which he compacted with himself what he willed to become of each man.” Both individual and the

offspring (physical and spiritual) of Abraham

God’s grace is uneven showing it is free

Thus many seek to limit God’s freedom to protect our own

Election “As Scripture, then, clearly

shows, we say that God once established by his eternal and unchangeable plan those whom he long before determined once for all to receive into salvation, and those whom, on the other hand, he would devote to destruction.”

God chooses in eternity the fates Independent of anything

about that person or his/her works

BIBLICAL EVIDENCE Chosen in Christ before

creation (Eph 1:4-5; 2 Tim 1:9) Note: Goal is holiness, not

just salvation (and is result of election, not works)

Romans 9-11 Note Jacob and Esau (9:11-

13) Refutes foreknowledge Refutes works For God will have mercy on

whom he wills (9:15; cp. Ex 33:19)

John 6:37,44 Only those drawn by God

come to him

And hardens whom he wills (9:18)

1 Peter 2:9 “chosen people”

Jesus says he chose us, not vice versa Jn 15: 16,19 He loses none given him by the

Father (Jn 6:37-39) “and as many as were

appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48 ESV)

Horton: “When we give in to election, we finally give up on ourselves in the matter of salvation.”

MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND OBJECTIONS

ELECTION WITHOUT REPROBATION?? Election only stands if mirrored by

reprobation By passing over some in election, they are

left to the condemnation they deserve…and choose

God’s justice doesn’t owe sinners a chance This is offensive as we tend to see how we as

humans, who are equal, treat one another But God is NOT human and does not take well to

the defiance of His holiness Recall Romans 9:14: he hardens Also 9:22: some “prepared for destruction”

BUT THIS MAKES GOD A TYRANT How do you define right? Calvin says, “Whatever

he wills, by the very fact that he wills it, must be considered righteous”

God merely gives people what they deserve

Beyond that, who are you to argue with God? (Ro 9:20-21)

And note Arminian view of God’s love isn’t a saving love (only makes salvation available)

BUT THIS TAKES RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM PEOPLE Back to idea of

federal headship of Adam

Calvin holds tension in Adam had free will But God willed the

Fall Once we’re fallen,

sin is sin…even if it is inevitable due to our nature

We struggle to see justice in sin that isn’t willed directly

But sin is falling short of God’s glory …PERIOD

…not just personal choices to do wrong

Again, Calvin’s doctrine is God focused, not man focused

BUT THEN GOD PLAYS FAVORITES God is not partial in

many ways (Acts 10:34) Jew vs. Greek Riches, poverty, etc.,

spread among all Rain falls on the just and

unjust This is common grace

But in salvation, election is unconditional Not a distinguishing by

anything in us

God is fair in punishing sinners

And gracious in giving ANYONE a way out

No one has given God anything he has to repay (Ro 11:35) He doesn’t “owe” us

a chance

THEN WHY NOT JUST PARTY? Recall the goal of

election: HOLINESS If not inclined to

holiness, not regenerated

Edwards’ true religious affection is loving the beauty of holiness

Rather, election causes us to Tremble at God’s

judgment Esteem his great mercy

SPIRITUAL REGENERATION CHANGES US “for it is God who

works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13

If we are regenerated, we have a will to do right and the Spirit moves us so to do

John15:16: Jesus chose us so we’d bear fruit

WHY THEN PREACH THE GOSPEL? “hypercalvinists”

see no need Preaching and

sharing are means to God’s end of effectually calling

We don’t know who is elect

And, uh, well, … God commands us!

Mt. 28:19-20

OTHER OBJECTIONS Ezekiel 33:11: But God

wills the wicked to turn back ANS: God will meet their

repentance …but that won’t happen

1 Tim. 2:3-4: Wills all to be saved ANS: In context of

prayer, remember all TYPES of people are to be saved

And welcomes those who turn (but they don’t without Him)

This raises doubt in Gospel promises ANS: Not at all as they

are extended freely But only God gives life

so we can embrace them

He gives the faith to trust them (Cp. Mt. 23:37 about Jerusalem)

As Augustine says, to judge God’s justice by human standards is to act “perversely”

WHY IT MATTERS

WHY ELECTION MATTERS Protects God’s sovereignty

Compare the “poor Jesus” theology of our day

Jesus pitifully pleading for us to be saved but unable to change our powerful free will

Back to providence When God is weak in salvation,

we lack faith in his power in other areas

Draws us back to the God of the Bible Yes, God is loving But he is also HOLY

Empowers prayer God is greater than free will

Keeps us humble We’re not saved because we were

clever enough to believe

Gives us assurance As salvation is of God, not of us

Yet motivates us to be faithful be all the more diligent to

confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall

2 Peter 1:10 Gives us great hope

God is in control Witness the ups and downs of

Israel Why would the Church look

different?? Moves us to worship And to serve out of gratitude,

not fear of punishment or hope of reward (contra Wesley)

THE BIG PICTURE Election is a means, not an

end The goal is to be conformed

the image of Christ But not an option if we’re

spiritually dead So, those God intimately knew

because he chose us Are predestined to

Christlikeness Requiring God to effectually

call Then justify (once

regenerated) And eventually glorify us!

THIS is why all things work together for good

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. (Romans 8:26-30 ESV)

SUMMING IT UPAnd you were dead in the trespasses and sins in

which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV)