The Election Of Grace
Tuesday, 19. February 2008, 20:37:29
Introduction.
Most Christians today simply believe that one chooses to believe in Jesus.
I do not hold to that perception at all.
I believe that it is God who chooses the Believer; and that God made his choice before the dawn of creation.
Since most have never hear of the doctrine of election, or given it much thought, I present information on the Election of Grace.
It is God who gives the Grace for the obedience to faith.
Romans 1:5 ... We have received grace for obedience to the faith.
God gives one repentance to acknowledge the Truth
Romans 2:4 ... Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.
It does not depend on the individual exercising the faith rather salvation is initiated by God who shows mercy; thus salvation is not initiated by human choice.
Romans 9:16-18 ... So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Although One, receives the Faith, 2 Peter 1:1, and calls upon the Name of the Lord, Romans 10:13, One's salvation experience is God’s work.
2 Tim 1:9 ... according to the power of God, He saved us.
Titus 3:5 ... but according to His Mercy.
1 Thessalonians 1:4 ... your election by God.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 ... God from the beginning chose you.
Philippians 1:28,29 ... salvation ... and that is of God.
Acts 11:18 ... God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.
Romans 16:25 ... To Him who is able to establish you.
Ephesians 2:5-6 ... God has quickened us together with Christ.
1 Peter 1:2 ... Elect according to the foreknowledge of God.
No man can come to Christ except the Father draw him.
John 6:44 ... No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
God predestined, that is predetermined, those to be saved
Rom 8:29-30 ... For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Eph 1:5 ... Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
Eph 1:11 ... In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will (His will, not the believer's will; the dead have no will, they being in Adam, are dead, dead, and dead, and thus have no choice.)
One does not choose God; Rather, God does the choosing
1 Cor 1:28 ... of Him you are in Christ Jesus
Eph 1:4 ... He chose us before the foundation of the world
2 Thes 2:13 ... God chose you for salvation
The fact one is in Christ is God’s doing
1 Cor 1:29 ... Of Him you are in Christ Jesus
Acts 2:47 ... The Lord added to the Church who should be saved
John 6:37 ... All the Father has given me, shall come to me
Acts 15:14 ... God at the beginning, visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name
Acts 13:48 ... And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (Only those appointed to eternal life believe)
One is Born of God and this is an action of both of the Word and of the Spirit
1 Peter 1:13 ... Grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:29 ... You know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him (One does not give birth to one's self)
Titus 3:4,5 ... But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
One does not exercise will; rather God exercises His will and saves those of his choosing.
James 1:18 ... Of His Will, He begot us.
Eph 1:11 .... Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.
One is unable to believe apart from God’s empowerment.
Rom 3:10-18 ... None righteous, no not one
Eph 2:1-5 ... He made alive
2 Cor 4:4 ... God commanded light to shine in our hearts
2 Tim 1:9 ... Not according to our works
Luke 8:10 ... To you it has been given to know
Colossians 2:13 ... Being dead in your trespasses, he quickened with Christ.
Eph 2:8-9 ... Salvation is a gift from God separate from any human effort or achievement.
Rom 3:24-27 ... Being justified freely by His Grace
Eph 2:8,9 ... For by grace, not of yourselves it is the gift of God
Mt 11:25 ... Jesus himself said: “You (The Father) have hidden these things … and revealed them to babes.
Election is irrespective of merit
Romans 9:11 ... The purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who called.
On some, God shows compassion. God has mercy on whom he wills, while others he hardens; it is God who forms some as vessels of salvation; others as vessels of dishonor.
God has two kinds of vessels, the first vessel is found in Romans 9:20-23 and the second vessel in Isaiah 51:20 and I Thessalonians 5:9.
The apostle John records this: “He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I (the Lord) should heal them”
John 12:40
Thus, it is God who appoints some to salvation and others to wrath
1 Thessalonians 5:9
It is only to some, the Father gives the Holy Spirit, even the Spirit of Truth that they might know Him
John 14:16,17
Mt 11:25
Mt 16:17
Those in the world are blind and cannot see
John 14:17
Luke 10:21
They are spiritually dead and unable to come to life.
Eph 2:1
Col 2:13
1 Cor 15:22
God has chosen a remnant out of this world for salvation. It is His choice; these are the “election of grace” (Romans 11:5); God’s favor is not related to one’s good works, spiritual worthiness or racial descent; but is solely is a matter of His grace; and this grace was given before time began (2 Tim 1:9).
Further evidence that election is a matter of God’s Grace is found in these verses:
Romans 1:5 ... through Him we have received Grace for obedience to the faith
1 Thes 1:4 ... know brothers of your election by God
Romans 11:7 ... Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have; and the rest were blinded.
God issues a general call to all to believe (Mt 20:16); While “who so ever will” may come to the Father, only those whom the Father gives the ability “to will” toward Him, will come to him.
Titus 3:5 ... not by works of righteousness we have done, but…
Eph 1:4 ... He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
Mt 16:17 ... flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but
John 17:2 ... that He (Christ) should give eternal life to as many as you (The Father) has given Him.
Acts 22:14 ... The god of our fathers has chosen you
2 Thes 2:13 ... But God from the beginning choose you for salvation through sanctification by the Holy Spirit and belief in The Truth.
John 6:45: One is taught by God to grasp the truth and is drawn by God to embrace the Son. Those who God has chosen will believe because God has sovereignly determined that result from eternity past.
Eph 1:4-11 ... He chose us, having predestined us according to His will: he made us accepted in the Beloved
Phil 1:28-29 ... to you of salvation, and that being of God
God communicates to the elect according to the foreknowledge of God 1 Peter 1:2
Those to be saved are elected meaning “picked” or “selected”, before they are ever born, for salvation in Christ Eph 1:11
Only those ordained to eternal life believe: “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” Acts 13:48
The word Elect means “chosen”
The term chosen was spoken by Christ Himself in the New Testament
Mt 24:24 ... For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders; so much so that, if it were possible, they would deceive even the elect.
Mt 24:31 ... And God shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Luke 18:7 ... And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him
God’s Elect are found in the Old Testament as well
Abraham ... Neh 9:9
Isaac ... Genesis 21:12
Jacob ... Is 41:8
Israel ... Is. 45:4
Children of Jacob ... Ps 105:6
A Seed (Christ) whom the elect shall inherit ... Is 65:9
A Prophet (Christ) ... Deut. 18:18
The Apostles wrote to the faithful calling them elect
1. Peter wrote the strangers (meaning those alien to the world system) scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia addressing them as elect. (1 Peter 1:2)
2. John wrote to a woman addressing her as elect. (2 John 1:1). 3. Paul wrote to the Colossians to inform them that God “elected” -- “chose” them (Col 3:12); and in light of this, they should put on Love (Col 3:14).
Paul considered himself as elect: Titus 1:1, Romans 9:21, Eph 1:1, 2 Cor 4:7, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Timothy 2:21, Acts 9:15, Acts 10:41, Acts 15:7, Galatians 1:15, and 1 Cor/ 2:10
Paul wrote of election meaning “selection“ as he wrote in
1 Thessalonians 1:4 ... know brothers of your election of God
Romans 9:11 ... the purpose of God according to election might stand
Romans 11:28... as regards the election, they are beloved for the fathers' (the patriarchs) sakes.
Along with the fact that one is born again from above, we have the following assurances
One is saved by Christ’s Life (Rom 5:10); Christ’s Life is Eternal, thus, we have Eternal Life.
We have been born of incorruptible seed (1Peter 1:23); incorruptible seeds cannot be corrupted even by physical death. He who had begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ (Phil 1:6)
Those born of God will manifest three things:
1. Righteous Living
1) 1John 2:29
2) 1John 3:6-9
3) James 2:20-26
4) 2 Peter 3:11
5) 1 John 3:10
2. Loving deeds and sound doctrine
1) 1 John 3:18-23
2) 1 John 4: 19-21
3. Hearing; those born of Him hear the apostles
1) and need no man to teach, rather one is taught of God (1 John 2:27)
2) and know the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error (1 John 4:5)
3) and will not be deceived by false Christs or false prophets (Mt 24:24)
4) and will contend for the faith that was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3)
The elect will conform with Christ (Romans 8:29) and go on to eternal glory (Romans 9:23)
Knowing that one is elect of God, serves as extra strength to endure all things. (2 Tim 2:10)
The history of election is provided by Clouse P. Yahauchi from 'The Story of the Church'
1. Controversies in the Church over election began about 350 BC when Augustine contended with Pelagius who taught that the believer himself takes the first steps toward salvation.
2. It was in the time period of 1610 to 1620 Netherlands, that schism developed over election as Jacobus Arminius taught that one exercises free-will to respond to God in faith.
3. The Synod of Dout was convened in 1618 to summarize a doctrine of election; and thus the acronym TULIP was developed to present the Calvinist teachings of Election:
T: Total Depravity
U: Universal Election
L: Limited Atonement
I: Irresistible Grace
P: Preservation of the saints in Grace
4. In the Netherlands, The Reformed Church was active in proclaiming the principles of Calvinism.
On the other hand, in England, through John Wesley’s Methodism, Arminianism was promoted.
Arminian teaching is the predominant theological position today.
Arminianism, that is, the position that one exercises one’s free-will and chooses to follow Christ is the widespread theological stream that predominates in most churches. Probably a very small number of Christians -- that is, 1 out of 10,000 know and believe in the doctrine of the Election of Grace (Romans 11:5)
Calvinist teachings can be found in only some churches today.
The author of this document doesn’t support Calvinist teachings on election for a number of reasons: one of which is wording such as “universal election” and “limited atonement”; such words could mean different things to different people and therefore generate confusion. The history of election teaching presented above is provided simply to acknowledge a framework from which many people have viewed election; the history of election is also provided to show that most totally reject election teaching, whether they be Calvinist or more modern election oriented.
The author of this paper believes in the Election of Grace (Romans 11:5) where God has both a universal will (John 3:16) and a sovereign will (John 6:44); the latter God exercises to beget children (James 1:18); that these are the elect (1 Peter 1:2); only these appointed unto eternal life believe (Acts 13:48); the rest are blinded (Romans 11:7); and that one is to make his calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10).
Most Christians today simply believe that one chooses to believe in Jesus.
I do not hold to that perception at all.
I believe that it is God who chooses the Believer; and that God made his choice before the dawn of creation.
Since most have never hear of the doctrine of election, or given it much thought, I present information on the Election of Grace.
It is God who gives the Grace for the obedience to faith.
Romans 1:5 ... We have received grace for obedience to the faith.
God gives one repentance to acknowledge the Truth
Romans 2:4 ... Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.
It does not depend on the individual exercising the faith rather salvation is initiated by God who shows mercy; thus salvation is not initiated by human choice.
Romans 9:16-18 ... So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Although One, receives the Faith, 2 Peter 1:1, and calls upon the Name of the Lord, Romans 10:13, One's salvation experience is God’s work.
2 Tim 1:9 ... according to the power of God, He saved us.
Titus 3:5 ... but according to His Mercy.
1 Thessalonians 1:4 ... your election by God.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 ... God from the beginning chose you.
Philippians 1:28,29 ... salvation ... and that is of God.
Acts 11:18 ... God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.
Romans 16:25 ... To Him who is able to establish you.
Ephesians 2:5-6 ... God has quickened us together with Christ.
1 Peter 1:2 ... Elect according to the foreknowledge of God.
No man can come to Christ except the Father draw him.
John 6:44 ... No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
God predestined, that is predetermined, those to be saved
Rom 8:29-30 ... For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Eph 1:5 ... Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
Eph 1:11 ... In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will (His will, not the believer's will; the dead have no will, they being in Adam, are dead, dead, and dead, and thus have no choice.)
One does not choose God; Rather, God does the choosing
1 Cor 1:28 ... of Him you are in Christ Jesus
Eph 1:4 ... He chose us before the foundation of the world
2 Thes 2:13 ... God chose you for salvation
The fact one is in Christ is God’s doing
1 Cor 1:29 ... Of Him you are in Christ Jesus
Acts 2:47 ... The Lord added to the Church who should be saved
John 6:37 ... All the Father has given me, shall come to me
Acts 15:14 ... God at the beginning, visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name
Acts 13:48 ... And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (Only those appointed to eternal life believe)
One is Born of God and this is an action of both of the Word and of the Spirit
1 Peter 1:13 ... Grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:29 ... You know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him (One does not give birth to one's self)
Titus 3:4,5 ... But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
One does not exercise will; rather God exercises His will and saves those of his choosing.
James 1:18 ... Of His Will, He begot us.
Eph 1:11 .... Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.
One is unable to believe apart from God’s empowerment.
Rom 3:10-18 ... None righteous, no not one
Eph 2:1-5 ... He made alive
2 Cor 4:4 ... God commanded light to shine in our hearts
2 Tim 1:9 ... Not according to our works
Luke 8:10 ... To you it has been given to know
Colossians 2:13 ... Being dead in your trespasses, he quickened with Christ.
Eph 2:8-9 ... Salvation is a gift from God separate from any human effort or achievement.
Rom 3:24-27 ... Being justified freely by His Grace
Eph 2:8,9 ... For by grace, not of yourselves it is the gift of God
Mt 11:25 ... Jesus himself said: “You (The Father) have hidden these things … and revealed them to babes.
Election is irrespective of merit
Romans 9:11 ... The purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who called.
On some, God shows compassion. God has mercy on whom he wills, while others he hardens; it is God who forms some as vessels of salvation; others as vessels of dishonor.
God has two kinds of vessels, the first vessel is found in Romans 9:20-23 and the second vessel in Isaiah 51:20 and I Thessalonians 5:9.
The apostle John records this: “He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I (the Lord) should heal them”
John 12:40
Thus, it is God who appoints some to salvation and others to wrath
1 Thessalonians 5:9
It is only to some, the Father gives the Holy Spirit, even the Spirit of Truth that they might know Him
John 14:16,17
Mt 11:25
Mt 16:17
Those in the world are blind and cannot see
John 14:17
Luke 10:21
They are spiritually dead and unable to come to life.
Eph 2:1
Col 2:13
1 Cor 15:22
God has chosen a remnant out of this world for salvation. It is His choice; these are the “election of grace” (Romans 11:5); God’s favor is not related to one’s good works, spiritual worthiness or racial descent; but is solely is a matter of His grace; and this grace was given before time began (2 Tim 1:9).
Further evidence that election is a matter of God’s Grace is found in these verses:
Romans 1:5 ... through Him we have received Grace for obedience to the faith
1 Thes 1:4 ... know brothers of your election by God
Romans 11:7 ... Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have; and the rest were blinded.
God issues a general call to all to believe (Mt 20:16); While “who so ever will” may come to the Father, only those whom the Father gives the ability “to will” toward Him, will come to him.
Titus 3:5 ... not by works of righteousness we have done, but…
Eph 1:4 ... He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
Mt 16:17 ... flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but
John 17:2 ... that He (Christ) should give eternal life to as many as you (The Father) has given Him.
Acts 22:14 ... The god of our fathers has chosen you
2 Thes 2:13 ... But God from the beginning choose you for salvation through sanctification by the Holy Spirit and belief in The Truth.
John 6:45: One is taught by God to grasp the truth and is drawn by God to embrace the Son. Those who God has chosen will believe because God has sovereignly determined that result from eternity past.
Eph 1:4-11 ... He chose us, having predestined us according to His will: he made us accepted in the Beloved
Phil 1:28-29 ... to you of salvation, and that being of God
God communicates to the elect according to the foreknowledge of God 1 Peter 1:2
Those to be saved are elected meaning “picked” or “selected”, before they are ever born, for salvation in Christ Eph 1:11
Only those ordained to eternal life believe: “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” Acts 13:48
The word Elect means “chosen”
The term chosen was spoken by Christ Himself in the New Testament
Mt 24:24 ... For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders; so much so that, if it were possible, they would deceive even the elect.
Mt 24:31 ... And God shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Luke 18:7 ... And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him
God’s Elect are found in the Old Testament as well
Abraham ... Neh 9:9
Isaac ... Genesis 21:12
Jacob ... Is 41:8
Israel ... Is. 45:4
Children of Jacob ... Ps 105:6
A Seed (Christ) whom the elect shall inherit ... Is 65:9
A Prophet (Christ) ... Deut. 18:18
The Apostles wrote to the faithful calling them elect
1. Peter wrote the strangers (meaning those alien to the world system) scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia addressing them as elect. (1 Peter 1:2)
2. John wrote to a woman addressing her as elect. (2 John 1:1). 3. Paul wrote to the Colossians to inform them that God “elected” -- “chose” them (Col 3:12); and in light of this, they should put on Love (Col 3:14).
Paul considered himself as elect: Titus 1:1, Romans 9:21, Eph 1:1, 2 Cor 4:7, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Timothy 2:21, Acts 9:15, Acts 10:41, Acts 15:7, Galatians 1:15, and 1 Cor/ 2:10
Paul wrote of election meaning “selection“ as he wrote in
1 Thessalonians 1:4 ... know brothers of your election of God
Romans 9:11 ... the purpose of God according to election might stand
Romans 11:28... as regards the election, they are beloved for the fathers' (the patriarchs) sakes.
Along with the fact that one is born again from above, we have the following assurances
One is saved by Christ’s Life (Rom 5:10); Christ’s Life is Eternal, thus, we have Eternal Life.
We have been born of incorruptible seed (1Peter 1:23); incorruptible seeds cannot be corrupted even by physical death. He who had begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ (Phil 1:6)
Those born of God will manifest three things:
1. Righteous Living
1) 1John 2:29
2) 1John 3:6-9
3) James 2:20-26
4) 2 Peter 3:11
5) 1 John 3:10
2. Loving deeds and sound doctrine
1) 1 John 3:18-23
2) 1 John 4: 19-21
3. Hearing; those born of Him hear the apostles
1) and need no man to teach, rather one is taught of God (1 John 2:27)
2) and know the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error (1 John 4:5)
3) and will not be deceived by false Christs or false prophets (Mt 24:24)
4) and will contend for the faith that was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3)
The elect will conform with Christ (Romans 8:29) and go on to eternal glory (Romans 9:23)
Knowing that one is elect of God, serves as extra strength to endure all things. (2 Tim 2:10)
The history of election is provided by Clouse P. Yahauchi from 'The Story of the Church'
1. Controversies in the Church over election began about 350 BC when Augustine contended with Pelagius who taught that the believer himself takes the first steps toward salvation.
2. It was in the time period of 1610 to 1620 Netherlands, that schism developed over election as Jacobus Arminius taught that one exercises free-will to respond to God in faith.
3. The Synod of Dout was convened in 1618 to summarize a doctrine of election; and thus the acronym TULIP was developed to present the Calvinist teachings of Election:
T: Total Depravity
U: Universal Election
L: Limited Atonement
I: Irresistible Grace
P: Preservation of the saints in Grace
4. In the Netherlands, The Reformed Church was active in proclaiming the principles of Calvinism.
On the other hand, in England, through John Wesley’s Methodism, Arminianism was promoted.
Arminian teaching is the predominant theological position today.
Arminianism, that is, the position that one exercises one’s free-will and chooses to follow Christ is the widespread theological stream that predominates in most churches. Probably a very small number of Christians -- that is, 1 out of 10,000 know and believe in the doctrine of the Election of Grace (Romans 11:5)
Calvinist teachings can be found in only some churches today.
The author of this document doesn’t support Calvinist teachings on election for a number of reasons: one of which is wording such as “universal election” and “limited atonement”; such words could mean different things to different people and therefore generate confusion. The history of election teaching presented above is provided simply to acknowledge a framework from which many people have viewed election; the history of election is also provided to show that most totally reject election teaching, whether they be Calvinist or more modern election oriented.
The author of this paper believes in the Election of Grace (Romans 11:5) where God has both a universal will (John 3:16) and a sovereign will (John 6:44); the latter God exercises to beget children (James 1:18); that these are the elect (1 Peter 1:2); only these appointed unto eternal life believe (Acts 13:48); the rest are blinded (Romans 11:7); and that one is to make his calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10).
WIDGETIZE