Election and Reprobation.
Election occured when God decided to choose us to be saved
before the foundation of the world.
They are not elected because of any foreseen merit, but only because of his sovereign and good pleasure.
Is predestination in the Bible?
Acts 13:48, "And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed."
Romans 8:28-30, "Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son...."
God chose Jacob over Esau, according to Paul, not because of anything they had done, but that God's purpose of election might continue.
Eph 1:4-6, "He chose us in him before the foundation of the world,"
And the list goes on....
Election should be a:
1. comfort. An assurance. Past, present, and future, God has acted for our good.
2. A reason to praise God. We cannot take pride, but simply thank God for saving us.
3. An encouragement to evangelism. We may go forth confidently, knowing that God has chosen some people to be saved from every folk and people.
Misunderstandings of election.
1. Is it fatalistic? (i.e., we have no choice in the matter) In a true fatalistic system, our humanity is destroyed as our choices mean nothing, and there is no motivation for moral accountability. The Bible speaks many times about "come to me," or "they refuse to come," thus putting a personal willful choice into the mix.
God doesn't just know a person is "elect" because he can see in the future, but rather that he knew from the beginning of the world.
Scripture shows that we are not elect because of any redeeming factor in us, but rather purely for Christ and what he did. We are chosen by grace, so that we can see that there is no merit in us or as God's basis for choosing us. Salvation is all about grace and not about human ability!
If God makes us in a certain way and then tells us that our voluntary choices are real and genuine choices, then we must agree that they are. God is the ultimate definer of truth.
When people "who never had a chance to believe" rejected God, then he blames them in their willful choice to reject him. "You refuse to come to me that you may have life."
Election is unfair? True fairness would be for God not to save anyone. This question reaches deep into our understanding of ourselves as creatures and of our relationship to God as our creator. We have no right to tell God what he should be doing in our finite person.
God says in his word that he wills to save everyone.
1 Tim 2:4, God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Ezekiel 33:11, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked will turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, o house of Israel?
next week, The Gospel call and effective calling.
Election occured when God decided to choose us to be saved
before the foundation of the world. They are not elected because of any foreseen merit, but only because of his sovereign and good pleasure.
Is predestination in the Bible?
Acts 13:48, "And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed."
Romans 8:28-30, "Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son...."
God chose Jacob over Esau, according to Paul, not because of anything they had done, but that God's purpose of election might continue.
Eph 1:4-6, "He chose us in him before the foundation of the world,"
And the list goes on....
Election should be a:
1. comfort. An assurance. Past, present, and future, God has acted for our good.
2. A reason to praise God. We cannot take pride, but simply thank God for saving
us.3. An encouragement to evangelism. We may go forth confidently, knowing that God has chosen some people to be saved from every folk and people.
Misunderstandings of election.
1. Is it fatalistic? (i.e., we have no choice in the matter) In a true fatalistic system, our humanity is destroyed as our choices mean nothing, and there is no motivation for moral accountability. The Bible speaks many times about "come to me," or "they refuse to come," thus putting a personal willful choice into the mix.
God doesn't just know a person is "elect" because he can see in the future, but rather that he knew from the beginning of the world.
Scripture shows that we are not elect because of any redeeming factor in us, but rather purely for Christ and what he did. We are chosen by grace, so that we can see that there is no merit in us or as God's basis for choosing us. Salvation is all about grace and not about human ability!
If God makes us in a certain way and then tells us that our voluntary choices are real and genuine choices, then we must agree that they are. God is the ultimate definer of truth.
When people "who never had a chance to believe" rejected God, then he blames them in their willful choice to reject him. "You refuse to come to me that you may have life."
Election is unfair? True fairness would be for God not to save anyone. This question reaches deep into our understanding of ourselves as creatures and of our relationship to God as our creator. We have no right to tell God what he should be doing in our finite person.
God says in his word that he wills to save everyone.
1 Tim 2:4, God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Ezekiel 33:11, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked will turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, o house of Israel?
next week, The Gospel call and effective calling.
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