Doctrine: Election

ELECTION by Anonymous

"God’s plan to bring salvation to His people and His world. Election encompasses the entire range of divine activity from creation-God’s decision to bring the world into being out of nothing-to the end time, the making anew of heaven and earth. The Bible uses words such as “choose,” “predestinate,” “foreordain,” “determine,” and “call” to indicate that God has entered into a special relationship with certain individuals and groups through whom He has decided to fulfill His purpose within the history of salvation.

The doctrine of election is rooted in the conviction that out of all peoples on earth God has chosen to reveal Himself in a special, unique way to Israel. Five major motifs in the OT portray God’s election of Israel:

1. Election is the result of the sovereign initiative of God.
2. Israel described their special relationship with God as covenant, not a contract between equal partners, but a bond established by God’s unmerited favor and love (Deut. 7:6-7)
3. God selected certain individuals to fulfill specific functions though in different ways and for various purposes: Abraham (Neh. 9:7), Moses (Ps. 106:23), Aaron (Num. 16:1-17:13), David (Ps. 78:70), Solomon (1 Chron. 28:10), and Zerubbabel (Hag. 2:23). Jeremiah believed God had elected him and set him apart as a prophet even before he was born (Jer. 1:4-5).
4. Israel’s election was never intended to be a pretext for pride; but rather an opportunity for service (Isa. 42:6; compare Jer. 7:1-14; Amos 3:2; Jonah).
5. Later OT writings and especially intertestamental literature tend to identify the “elect ones” with the true, faithful “remnant” among the people of God. The birth of the Messiah is seen as marking the dawn of the age of salvation for the remnant (Ezek. 34:12-13, 23-31; Mic. 5:1-2).

Early Christians saw themselves as heirs of Israel’s election (1 Pet. 2:9). Certain individuals are chosen by God: the 12 apostles (Luke 6:13), Peter (Acts 15:7), Paul (Acts 9:15), and Jesus himself (Luke 9:35; 23:35). The Synoptic Gospels always set the term “elect ones” in an eschatological context (Mark 13:20). Many of the parables of Jesus (Matt. 20:1-16; 22:1-14) illustrate the sovereignty of God in salvation. Jesus is the unmistakable Mediator of the election (John 15:16; compare 17:5,12). Through Judas’ status as one of the elect is called into question by his betrayal of Christ, not even this act was able to thwart the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation.

Romans 8:28-39 presents divine election as the ground and assurance of the Christian’s hope. Romans 9-11 is preoccupied with Israel’s rejection of Christ that, in the purpose of God has become the occasion for the entrance of Gentile believers into the covenant. Ephesians 1:1-12 points to the Christ as the center of election: God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Our election is strictly and solely in Christ. As the eternal Son, He is along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, the electing God; as the incarnate Mediator between God and humankind, He is the elected One. We should never speak of predestination apart from this central truth.

Paul admonished the Thessalonians to give thanks because of their election (2 Thess. 2:13), while Peter said that we should make our “calling and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10)

Predestination does not negate the necessity for human repentance and faith; rather, it establishes the possibility of both. God has chosen the preaching as the means to awaken faith in the elect (1 Cor. 1:21). We should proclaim the gospel to everyone without exception, knowing that it is only the Holy Spirit who can convict, regenerate, and justify).

Some passages (Rom. 9:11-22, 2 Cor. 2:15-16) portray God as a potter who has molded both vessels of mercy and vessels of destruction. God chose us “to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit” (2 Thess. 2-13). We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, even though to be sure, it is God who is at work within us both to will and do His good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13). The proper response to election is not pride but gratitude for God’s amazing grace that saves eternally.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ (Rom. 8:35-39)"
-----------------
I was given this article by a good friend of mine and thought it might serve useful in enlightening (or challenging) some of us in our thoughts on being apart of God's election. For all you Arminians out there, forgive me, but I left your camp after I read this. Free will has been given to us, but our free will will always lead to our fate whether into the arms of our Lord or to the "lord of the air".