CHAPTER XXIII
D. T HE RESULTS OF CHRIWS RESURREC~ON What are the results of Christ’s resurrection?
I. THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION
Assuming the above order of the decrees, we still have different perspectives concerning the definition of election. Is election the sovereign act of God whereby he chose some to salvation solely on the basis of sovereign grace apart from the merits or acts of the individual, or is it the sovereign act of God whereby he chose those whom he foreknew would respond to his gra- cious invitation? What is a working definition of election?
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258 Soteriology A. THE DEFINITION OF ELECTION
The election under consideration relates to election in its redemptive aspect.
The Scriptures speak of an election that relates to a nation (Rom. 9:4;
11:28); one that relates to a particular office (Moses and Aaron, Ps. 105:26;
David, 1 Sam. 16:12; 20:30; Solomon, 1 Chron. 28:5; the apostles, Luke 6:13-16; John 6:70; Acts 1:2, 24; 9:15; 22:14); and one that relates to the unfallen angels (1 Tim. 5:21). In its redemptive aspect, election means that sovereign act of God whereby he graciously chose in Jesus Christ for salva- tion all those whom he foreknew.
Election is a sovereign act of God; he is under no obligation to elect anyone, since all have lost their standing before God. Even after Christ died, God was not obligated to apply that salvation, except as he owed it to Christ to keep the agreement with him as to man’s salvation. Thus, election is a sovereign act because it is not due to any constraint laid upon God. It is an act of grace, in that he chose those who were utterly unworthy of salvation.
Man deserved the exact opposite, but in his grace God chose to save some. He chose them “in Christ” (Eph. 1:4). He could not choose them in themselves because they deserved judgment, so he chose them in the merits of another.
Furthermore, he chose those whom he foreknew. But how do foreknowledge and predestination relate to election?
At this point we move into one of the great mysteries of our Christian faith. The Christian church is divided on the understanding of this doctrine especially as it relates to divine sovereignty and human responsibility coupled with the righteousness and holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. Scripture indicates that election is based on foreknowledge (1 Pet.
1: If. ; cf. Rom. 8 : 29), but the actual meaning of foreknowledge is debated. Is it merely prescience or foresight, or does it relate more closely to actual choice? Does God, in his foreknowledge, perceive what each man will do in response to his call and then elect him to salvation in harmony with this knowledge? Or does foreknowledge mean that God, from eternity past, looked with favor upon some and then elected them to salvation? Both of these positions must be set forth with arguments for and against.
B. ELECTION BASED ON PRESCIENCE
In this position ,* God in his foreknowledge foresaw those who would re- spond to his offer of salvation and actively elected them to salvation. That is, election is that sovereign act of God in grace whereby he chose in Christ for salvation all those whom he foreknew would accept him. Though we are nowhere told what it is in the foreknowledge of God that determines his
‘This is the position held by Thiessen.
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choice, the repeated teachings of Scripture that man is responsible for accept- ing or rejecting salvation suggest that it is man’s response to the revelation which God made of himself that is the basis of his election. The elect are those whom God foresees will respond personally to the gospel.
Closely related to election is predestination or foreordination. The Greek verb occurs several times in the New Testament (Acts 4:28 ; Rom. 8:29f. ; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11). It carries the idea of marking off or appointing beforehand. Though election and predestination are similar in meaning, they may perhaps be distinguished in this manner: in election God has deter- mined to save those who accept his Son and the proffered salvation ; and in foreordination or predestination he has resolved to effectively accomplish that purpose. Thus Paul writes, “Whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29), and “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself” (Eph.
1:5; cf. v. 11).
1. Arguments for this view of election. This position can be argued along several lines.
a. Scripture teaches that God’s salvation bringing grace has appeared to all men, not merely the elect (Tit. 2:ll). Though mankind is hopelessly dead in trespasses and sins and can do nothing to obtain salvation, God, by preve- nient grace, has restored to all men sufficient ability to make a choice in the matter of submission to God. This grace operates on the will before one turns to God. God, in common grace, gives mankind many blessings of life, health, friends, fruitful seasons, prosperity, the delay of judgment, the pres- ence and influence of the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the church. In addition to these he has restored to the sinner the ability to make a favorable response to God. Thus God, in his grace, has made it possible for all men to be saved.
There is no merit in this transaction; it is all of God.
b. The Bible clearly and unequivocally teaches that Christ died for all (lTim.2:6;4:10;Heb.2:9;2Pet.2:1;1John2:2;4:14).Goddoesnotdesire
“for any to perish but for all to come to repentance ” (2 Pet. 3:9; cf. Ezek.
18:32). The invitation to salvation is to all, to “whoever” (John 3:15f. ; 4:13f.; 11:26; 12:46; Acts 2:21; 10:43). It is difficult to conceive of a universal invitation to which only the few have the ability to respond.
c. There are numerous exhortations to turn to God (Isa. 31:6; Joel 2:13f. ; Matt. 18:3; Acts 3:19), to repent (Matt. 3:2; Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38;
17:30), and to believe (John 6:29; Acts 16:31; 1 John 3:23). Paul writes,
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (Tit.
2:ll). This results in the freeing of the will in the matter of salvation. In this way man can make an initial response to God, as a result of which God can give him repentance and faith. If man will turn to God on the basis of
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prevenient grace, then God will turn to him (Jer. 31:lSff.) and grant him repentance (Acts 5:31; 11:lS; 2 Tim. 2:25) and faith (Rom. 12:3; 2 Pet.
1:l).
d. Scripture bases election on foreknowledge (Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Pet.
I : If.), and to say that God foreknew all things because he had arbitrarily determined all things is to ignore the distinction between God’s efficient and his permissive decrees. God foresaw that sin would enter the universe but he did not efficiently decree it. Surely he can also foresee how men will act without efficiently decreeing how they will act. God knows how man will respond to the gospel invitation, but he does not arbitrarily necessitate that response.
e. In this discussion the justice of God must also be considered. It is admitted that God is under no obligation to provide salvation for anyone, since all are responsible for their present lost condition. Further, God is not obliged to save anyone even though Christ has provided salvation sufficient for all. But is it not difficult to see how God can choose some from the mass of guilty and condemned men, provide salvation for them and efficiently secure their salvation, and yet do nothing about all the others? God would not be partial if he permitted all men to go to their deserved doom; but how can he be other than partial if he selects some from this multitude of men and does things for them and in them which he does not do for others, if there is not something about the two classes that makes the difference? Common grace has been extended to all, and everyone has the ability restored to him to be “willing to do His will” (John 7:17). The salvation bearing the grace of God has appeared to all men; but some receive the grace of God in vain. Only if God makes the same provisions for all and makes the same offers to all, is he truly just.
f. Acceptance of this view of election tends logically to great missionary endeavor. Christ sent his disciples into all the world, and he instructed them to preach the gospel to every creature. If election means that all those whom God has arbitrarily chosen will certainly be saved and that all those whom he has not chosen will not be saved, why should the Christian be overly con- cerned about preaching the gospel to every creature? But the knowledge that salvation is available to all stimulates and motivates missionary activity.
2. Objections to this view of election. Certain objections have been raised against this understanding of election. These must be addressed.
a. There are statements that the Father gave certain ones to Christ (John 6:37; 17:2, 6, 9), and it is assumed that this was an arbitrary act of God by which the rest were left to perish. But it is more probable that he did this because of what he foresaw they would do, than merely to exercise sovereign authority.
b. Christ said, “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me
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draws him” (John 6:44). This verse, however, must be read in light of another statement by Christ, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12 :32). There issues a power from the cross of Christ that goes out to all men, though many continue to resist that power.
c. Paul writes that God works in us both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). It is assumed that there is nothing a sinner can do until God does these things in him. But this text is not addressed to unbelievers, but to believers. Jesus plainly said to some of the Jews, “You are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life” (John 5:40), clearly implying that they could if they would.
d. In Rom. 9:10-16 God is said to have chosen Jacob rather than Esau, even before they were born and before they had done either good or bad. But two things should be noted. Though it is said that they had not yet done either good or bad, it is not said that God did not know who would do the good and who would do the bad. Esau consistently chose the profane things of life, and Jacob, though far from constant in the things of God, chose the more spiritual things. Further, the choice of Jacob rather than- Esau was a choice to outward and national privilege, not a choice to salvation directly.
Scripture declares that not all the descendants of Israel (Jacob) are Israel, and not all the children of Abraham are children of promise. A descendant of Esau can be saved as readily as a descendant of Jacob.
e. Acts 13:48 reads, “As many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” That this cannot refer to an absolute decree is evidenced by the fact that in v. 46 Paul had already declared that the Jews by their own personal choice rejected the message. Thus God had ordained to salvation those whom he foresaw would believe. It is also possible that the verb
*‘appointed” should be understood as in the middle voice, meaning “as many as set themselves to eternal life believed.”
f. Again, Eph. 1:5-S; 2:8-10 represent salvation as originating in the choice of God and as being all of grace. But this does not contradict the view being presented. God must take the initiative, and he does in prevenient grace. If it were not for the operation of his grace upon the heart of the sinner, no man could be saved. But this prevenient grace does not save the man, it merely enables him to choose whom he will serve.
g. Scripture teaches that repentance and faith are gifts of God (Acts 5:31;
11:lS; Rom. 12:3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Tim. 2:25). But it would seem very strange if God should call upon all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30;
2 Pet. 3:9) and believe (Mark 1:14f.) when only some may receive the gift of repentance and faith.
h. Finally, some claim that if predestination is not unconditional and absolute, then God’s whole plan is uncertain and liable to miscarriage. But this could only be true if God had not foreknown the outcome and had not adopted it as his plan. God has foreseen all that will happen and has accepted
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these eventualities into his program. His plan is certain though not all the events in it are necessitated.
C. ELECTION BASED ON CHOICE
The second approach to election is to understand foreknowledge as actively looking with favor upon some and then electing them to salvation. Election is that sovereign act of God whereby he chose out from the sinful human race certain to be the recipients of his special saving grace. It is solely his sover- eign pleasure and on account of no foreseen merit in those chosen. In this approach foreknowledge is not mere prescience, but more closely related to actual choice. For God to foreknow is for God to choose. His foreknowledge is his choice. Further, the term “know,” with its various cognates, often carries the idea of “to know intimately,” “to know with appreciation,” “to know lovingly.” Examples of this can be found in both the Old and New Testaments. God declares, “You only have I chosen [known] of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3 :2). Keil suggests that the term “acknowl- edge” be used in this verse. He writes, ”Acknowledgment on the part of God is not merely taking notice, but is energetic, embracing man in his inmost being, embracing and penetrating with divine love.” He continues by saying that it “not only includes the idea of love and care, as in Hos. xiii. 5, but expresses generally the gracious fellowship of the Lord with Israel, as in Gen.
xviii. 19, and is practically equivalent to electing, including both the motive and the result of election.“2 The sons of Eli “did not know the Lord and the custom of the priests with the people” (1 Sam. 2:12f.). Surely this does not mean that they were unaware of God or his Levitical regulations; rather they did not acknowledge or have proper respect and appreciation for God and his regulations. The verb “know” is used in similar fashion in the New Testa- ment. Paul writes of our obligation to know (appreciate) our spiritual leaders (1 Thess. 5:12). John writes, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3). Surely this is more than to be cognizant of God; it is rather to have a loving relationship with God, to acknowledge him. With this in mind, can we not interpret God’s foreknowl- edge as God, in eternity past, looking with favor upon some and then electing them to salvation? Foreknowledge is antecedent to election, and both are determinative acts of God; the former is not passive knowledge, but active.
1. Arguments for this view of election. Ultimate reasons for election are beyond the scope of the human mind. We finally leave the understanding of it with a wise, sovereign, and loving God. We rest ourselves in the words of
*Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets, I, p. 259.
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Deut. 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.” But there are several arguments or proofs which can be given in support of this doctrine.
a. There are clear biblical statements in support of election. Acts 13:48 reads, “As many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (cf. Rom.
8:27-30; Gal. 4:9; Eph. 1:5, 11; 1 Thess. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:lf.; 2:9).
b. The whole process of salvation is a gift of God (Rom. 12 : 3 ; Eph.
2:8-10). Granted, man must respond to the gospel, but even his ability to respond is a gift of God. To the Philippians Paul wrote, “God. . . is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (2:13).
c. There are verses which speak of men having been given to Christ (John 6:37; 17:2) and of the Father drawing men to Christ (John 6:44).
d. There are examples in Scripture of the sovereign calling of God upon individuals, such as Paul (Gal. 1:15) and Jeremiah (Jer. 1:5; cf. Ps. 139:13- 16).
e. It is on the basis of election that the appeal to a godly life is made (Col.
3:12; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 2:9).
f. Election is portrayed as being from all eternity. God “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 granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9).
Two items, both of which come from human experience, must be added.
Christians universally thank God for their salvation, not themselves. And further, why pray to God for the salvation of others, if we do not expect God to work sovereignly in their loves to respond to the gospel? Thus by interces- sion for the salvation of others and by giving thanks for salvation, Christians everywhere acknowledge and confess God’s sovereignty in salvation. In all of this, we recognize a mystery in God’s sovereign working in the free will of man.
2. Objections to this view of election. Several objections may be raised to this view of the doctrine of election.
a. It makes foreknowledge and election virtually the same. It is argued that to foresee is merely to know beforehand. God foresaw that sin would enter the world, but he did not necessitate it, he merely permitted it. In the same fashion, it is argued, God foresaw how man would respond when presented with the claims of Christ, and then elected those whom he foresaw would respond favorably. It has been demonstrated, however, that for God to know someone is often more than just to have a knowledge of the person.
Rather, it speaks of having a personal relationship with. Thus, foreknowl- edge is active, not passive. Further, the doctrine of election retains the sovereignty of God. He can determine to save whomsoever he will. Luke
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reports of the response to the gospel at Antioch of Pisidia, “As many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:38).
b. It is argued that if election is limited by God, surely the atonement must be limited as well. This, however, is contrary to the many Scriptures which teach unlimited atonement (John 1:29; 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9;
1 John 2 : 2). Man remains responsible for rejecting the atonement. It is avail- able to all, but man willfully turns aside from it. That some men reject it, limits the effectiveness of it, but not its availability. An illustration could be used of those who crucified our Lord. It was ordained by God that Christ be crucified, but the men who actually did it will be held responsible (Acts 2:23 ; 4:27f.). Jesus said, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!” (Matt. 18:7). Ryrie counsels :
Balance is the great need in considering this doctrine. While one must not lose sight of the reality of responsibility, that responsibility must not obscure the full meaning of grace. Grace concerns origins, respon- sibility concerns reactions. God originated His plan of salvation and based it entirely on grace (for sinful man could not merit His favor);
yet man is entirely responsible for acceptance or rejection of God’s grace. 3
Salvation is available for all; it is unlimited. But it is effectively limited by man’s rejection of it.
c. It makes God responsible for reprobation. Why God did not elect some to salvation is a deep mystery. But let us remember that election deals not with innocent creatures, but with sinful, guilty, vile, and condemned crea- tures. That any should be saved is a matter of pure grace (Eph. 2:8). Those not included in election suffer only their due reward. We should rather praise God for saving any, than charge him with being unfair or unjust in saving just the few. God does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezek.
33:11), and he is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. 3:9), but man’s iniquities have brought him separation from God (Isa. 59:2). The decree of reprobation, if it indeed can be spoken of in that fashion, is a decree to do nothing, a decree to leave the sinner to himself, to his own self-hardening and self-destruction. It is not correct to say that God elects some to hell.
When Peter writes, ” They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed” (1 Pet. 2:8), his teaching is that they were appointed, not to disobedience, but to stumble because they are disobedient. In like manner Paul’s conclusion, “So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires” (Rom. 9:18), must be understood. God leaves man to his own destructive and self-hardening ways, and in that sense he hardens man’s heart.
“Ryrie, The Grace of God, p. 85.
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d. Further, election discourages evangelism. It is asked, if only the elect will be saved, why evangelize? Those who are elect to salvation will be saved;
those who are not elect will not be saved; therefore, why evangelize? Several things should be noted. (1) The last command of Christ was to communicate the gospel to the world (Acts 1:8). This command is our mandate. God has chosen evangelism as the method through which his election finds its fulfill- ment (Acts 13:48; 18:lO). (2) This doctrine gives the Christian encourage- ment as he shares his faith. Paul writes, “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory” (2 Tim. 2:lO). (3) The child of God who begins to comprehend the great love of God toward him in choosing him for salvation has renewed motivation to share this great truth of salvation with others. Paul declares, “The love of Christ controls us”
(2 Cor. 5:14), and he continues a few verses on, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (v. 20).4
e. It portrays God as partial and arbitrary. Perhaps on the surface this objection seems valid, but two things must be noted. First, it has nothing to do with partiality, because there is nothing in man which commends him to God. Second, to speak of election as arbitrary, indirectly accuses God of not being wise, free, and loving. Election is done by a wise and loving God.
f. Finally, this view of election instills pride within the elect. But surely this is not so. Human works and effort bring about pride (Luke 18:llf. ; Rom. 4:2; Eph. 2:9); the sovereign grace of God causes worship.
Whichever of these two approaches to the doctrine of election might seem more appropriate and biblical to us, our response should be that of the apostle, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”
(Rom. 11:33). We conclude with Paul, “To Him be glory forever. Amen” (v.
36; cf. Isa. 55:8f.).