The Doctrine of Election

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COURSE IN ADVANCED BIBLICAL DOCTRINES

Lesson #05

• The Doctrine of Election
  • One of the most important doctrines in the Christian faith is the doctrine of election.
  • In a discussion of this topic we will be using the following related words:
    • Elect, election, or selection.
    • Choice, choosing, chosen.
    • Called, calling.
  • The terms “elect”, or “election”, or “selection” mean = to choose.
    • The Biblical concept involves a discriminatory evaluation of persons with the idea that one will be selected over another.
      • This idea of election or choosing humanly speaking means that one is favored while the other is not.
      • Humanly speaking this is a negative concept and leaves us with a negative feeling of favoritism.
    • However, Biblical election does not have a negative concept.
      • God is the creator and the judge. He knows the heart of man better than anyone. He knows the potential of man better because He knows the future.
      • God has a plan that needs to be fulfilled. God knows best how to fulfill His own plan.
      • Therefore, in God’s sovereignty He knows best who to choose and when in order to fulfill His perfect plan in His unique way.
    • Because God is just He does not depreciate any individual in order to favor another by election or by judgment.
      • Read Rom 2:11
      • Read Eph 6:9
      • Read Col 3:25
      • Read 1Pet 1:17
    • When God expresses a choice or a selection, He expresses a preference which involves giving favor, forgiveness, and/or blessings.
      • Read Zec 2:12
      • Read Zec 1:16-17
  • Choices, whether human or divine, are made according to the will and the character of the person making the decision.
    • Man’s choices:
      • Man makes a variety of life choices: what person to marry, what education to seek, what job to pursue, where to live, etc.
      • Man also makes spiritual choices: to choose spiritual life or spiritual death, to follow Christ or not, to serve God or not, to do what is right or not, etc.
    • God’s choices:
      • God makes choices in line with His character of wisdom, goodness, justice, fairness, and love.
      • Because God cannot act opposite from his divine nature, His choices are perfect and right even when we do not understand His choices.
        • Habakkuk cried to God, “How long, O Lord must I call for help? Why do you tolerate wrong? (Hab 1:2-3)
        • God’s choice was that He would use Babylon to punish Israel. Israel was rebellious but Babylon was a pagan empire that did not acknowledge God. However, in the end, Babylon, too would pay the price for attacking Israel even though it was permitted by God’s choice.
        • However, the end result of God’s choice is always for good, and always to fulfill His plan.

Read Rom 8:27-28

• • We can best see and understand “election” if we consider God’s choices in scripture.
    • =1= God’s election of angels
      • Read 1Tim 5:21
      • When God created the angels, He gave them free will to choose between right and wrong or between good and bad.
        • Some of the angels chose to follow the fallen angel Lucifer who became Satan.
        • Some of the angels chose to follow God.
      • God’s choosing of angels was to fulfill His plan of holiness and service to God. The angels’ choice of rebellion did not nullify God’s election of angels.
        • Read Rom 11:29
        • BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ELECTION: God’s election is sure and wise. He does not withdraw it just because a few fail.
    • =2= God’s election of Israel
      • Read Deu 7:6
      • Read Deu 14:2
      • Read Psa 135:4
      • The most troubling “election” in the entire Bible for many believers is the election of Israel.
        • God did not choose the Israelites (the Jews) because they were the most faithful, the largest group, the more obedient group, or the most physically attractive people.
        • God chose them because of the love of God. What does this tell us?

God’s choosing of Israel tells us that God could choose even the poorest example of humanity. This fact gives the worst of us a great deal of hope.

BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ELECTION: Even the worst of humanity is not beyond God’s election.

We find this concept in God’s choice of David as Israel’s king.

Read 1Sam 16:1, 6-12

• • • • Along with the blessings of election, come the heavy responsibilities of being chosen.
        • Because God chose Israel to be the physical example on this earth for all the spiritual truths and all the working of God, they were responsible to be obedient to God. If they were not obedient, they would pay the price for rebellion.
        • BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ELECTION: With election comes a heavy responsibility that God will eventually judge one’s faithfulness to that responsibility.

Read Jam 3:1-2

Read Amo 3:2

Preachers and teachers are chosen by God and called to preach and teach His word. Therefore, with that calling, they have a greater responsibility, and therefore, a greater judgment.

• • • • God’s election of Israel was made by means of a covenant.
        • The election began in the covenant with Abraham.

Read Gen 26:3-5

• • • • • The election was reinforced in the covenant with Moses.

Read Exo 6:7

• • • =3= God’s election of the land
      • Besides choosing Israel, God also chose the land for them.
      • There is a unique link between the people and the land.
        • When the people were obedient to God their land was blessed.
        • When the people were disobedient, they eventually lost the land as a result of God’s punishment.
      • Read Deu 10:11
      • Read 1Kin 8:48
    • =4= God’s election of the manner and a place of worship
      • God chose Mt Zion as the place for the temple.
        • Read Deu 16:11
        • Read Psa 132:13
      • The city where worship was to occur. (1Kin 11:13)
      • The temple where His presence would dwell.
        • Read 1Kin 8:44
        • Read 2Kin 21:7
      • The priesthood that would lead the worship.
        • Read Deu 21:5
        • Read Num 16:5,7
        • The miracle is that God chose Aaron to be the high priest when he was the one that made the golden calf for the people to worship when Moses was with God in the mountain.
    • =5= God’s election of people in authority.
      • In the Old Testament:
        • God chose the leader of His people:

Abraham (Gen 18:19)

Jacob (Psa 135:4)

The election of Jacob is equally troubling because it occurs before birth.

Read Gen 25:23-24

God chose one boy over the other because he knew the choices these two boys would make in their lives.

Neither boy was a prime example of righteousness, but God knew He could work with Jacob and that Esau’s heart was unworkable.

Moses (Psa 106:23)

Aaron (Psa 105:26)

• • • • • God chose the king.

Saul, even though it was not God’s perfect time to give them a king, God, in His permissive will chose Saul. (1Sam 10:24)

Read Deu 17:15

Read 1Sam 9:15-17

David, which was God’s perfect time and will to give them a king.

Read 1Sam 16:1-12

Read 2Chr 6:6

Solomon

Read 1Chr 28:5-7

• • • • • God chose the priests.

Read Deu 21:5

They must be from the tribe of Levi.

The high priest must be from the lineage of Aaron.

Read Num 17:5,8

• • • • In the New Testament:
        • God chose the original disciples and apostles. (Joh 6:70)

God chose the apostle Paul (Act 9:15)

God chose the apostle Peter (Act 15:17)

• • • • • God calls pastors to the work of the ministry in the church.
        • God calls people to church leadership.
    • =6= God’s election of the Messiah.
      • Jesus Christ is the chosen Messiah explained by the prophets.
        • Read Isa 42:1
        • Read Luk 9:35
      • Jesus was chosen before the creation of the earth and for a specific task.
        • Read 1Pet 1:20
        • Read 1Pet 2:4-6
  • God’s principles of election:
    • God’s election brings blessings to the elect.
      • Read Psa 33:12
    • God chooses according to the heart of the one being chosen.
      • God looks for a humble heart that He can mould and change for His purposes so that He receives the glory.
      • God chooses the foolish, the weak and lowly things to confound the wise.
        • Read 1Cor 1:26-28
        • Read Jam 2:5
    • God’s choosing always has a purpose that fits His ultimate plans.
  • God’s election unto salvation
    • We have seen that God’s election always has a purpose. A major purpose of God is to choose people who will be called His people (the elect). This was God’s purpose in choosing Israel in the Old Testament. In the New Testament God chooses people who will be saved for an eternity with Him.
    • This election unto salvation is sometimes misunderstood in that it appears to some that man does not have a choice but that God does all the choosing whether man wants to be saved or not. This misunderstanding is called “Calvinism”. It says that a man who wants to be saved cannot be saved if God has not “chosen” him for salvation.
    • Read 1The 1:4
    • This passage tells us that we must understand our election. To understand it correctly we must consider:
      • …that man has a free will that God does not violate.
      • …that God is sovereign and in his sovereignty he knows the beginning from the end and the depths of man’s heart.
      • ….that God predestines events and not people. (Rom 8:29) These predestined events are determined by God for those who will come to know God at some point in time in their life.
        • Read 1Pet 1:2
        • Read 2Tim 1:9
      • Read Joh 15:16
      • The confusion comes from this verse. While man thinks that he has chosen God, it is God that has chosen him long before man knew he needed Christ. Therefore, the Holy Spirit of God has brought together events, people, and time in the sovereignty of God to bring a person to the point of choosing to receive Christ in his life.
      • Read Mat 22:14
        • God calls all to repentance, but all will not come.
        • Those that do come to the Lord are “chosen” by God.
        • God, in His endless wisdom, long before the event, knows the heart. He knows those who will accept the calling and those who will not. He therefore works with the person whose heart is humble to bring him to salvation.

Read Eph 1:4

Read 2The 2:13

• • • • Why is it important to know that it is God who has chosen us instead of thinking that we have chosen God?
        • Read Rom 9:11

God’s choosing gives God the glory.

If man does the choosing, it is man’s works and man receives the glory.

• • • • • Read 2Pet 1:10

If the believer knows that it is God’s election, then he is assured that God will preserve that election for eternity.

The believer makes his calling and election sure by cooperating with the Holy Spirit to bring change to his life and by obedience to God’s guidance.

• • • • God’s purpose for the New Testament election to salvation:
        • Read 1Pet 2:9
        • The New Testament believer is to serve God as a priest, preaching the gospel and bringing people to the knowledge of Christ. (This is not a formal priest like the Catholic Church, but the priesthood of believers where every believer does the work of a priest.)
  • The responsibilities and blessings of New Testament election:
    • The New Testament believer is chosen for these responsibilities:
      • … to show God’s praise. (1Pet 2:9)
      • … to live in obedience to Christ. (1Pet 1:2)
    • The New Testament believer is chosen for these blessings:
      • … for God’s protection and blessing in every situation in his life. (Rom 8:28-29)
      • … for God’s protection against the false charges of the enemy. (Rom 8:33)
      • … for God’s protection against separation from God. (Rom 8:39)
      • … specifically because of God’s great love and endless mercy. (Eph 1:4-5)