The Doctrine Of Divine and
Unconditional Election
by Jerry Dodson, Sr.
There is perhaps no
Biblical doctrine more misunderstood, despised and hated by men than the
doctrine of predestination and the divine, unconditional election of God. Yet
the truth is that apart from Divine Election, no sinner could ever be saved.
IF ONE ONLY UNDERSTOOD THE DEPRAVED CONDITION AND THE NATURE OF MAN, HE WOULD
OF NECESSITY EMBRACE THIS BIBLICAL DOCTRINE.
The word Election is
easy enough to understand. Noah Webster defined the word, "elect," as to pick out of, or
to select from among two or more; to take by preference from among two or more.
In theological terms, it means to be chosen as the objects of God's mercy. We
as men are accustomed to making choices. Our choices, however, are often
determined by some attraction in the object of our choice. We will choose this
candidate over another because he is more conservative etc. We choose this meal
over another because it tastes better or this car rides more smoothly than the
other or perhaps is a better buy.
Men will concede that
even God has a choice. In the scripture men agree that the nation
The doctrine of
Predestination and Election is not some new teaching which began with Augustine of the
fourth century or John Calvin of the sixteenth, though both were advocates of
what is referred to as the five-points of the Doctrine of Grace. That doctrine
did not originate with them. I am not an Augustinian, for he is called the
Father of the Catholic Church. Though he believed the five-points of what is
commonly called Calvinism, he believed that man could not be saved apart from
the church. I am certainly not a Calvinist. Though Calvin put the five-points
in a systematic order from which we get the acrostic "TULIP", he
never fully separated himself from Catholic Doctrine. He had the wrong view of
Baptism. Whether immersed, poured or merely sprinkled
was simply a matter of preference to Calvin. He practiced infant baptism. He
supported a state church and joined forces with Catholics in persecuting
Baptists. Calvin was guilty murdering Baptists. I AM NOT A CALVINIST, but I
embrace the five-points of the doctrine of salvation by the sovereign grace of
God.
I embrace the doctrine
of divine election because it is biblical and is found throughout the pages of
the Holy Bible. The
Doctrine of Predestination and Election is harmonious with the gospel. In fact
it is the foundation for the gospel of salvation by grace. Without
divine election, there can be no grace extended, for election makes the objects
of grace possible. Without divine election all stand condemned. Every
departure from the doctrine of election in any degree is a departure from the
gospel that Jesus preached; taught by the apostles; embraced by the
In our day you seldom
hear the true gospel preached. Rather you hear easy believism. There is no
halfway position. It is an all or nothing doctrine. Either God chooses whom
He will save or else man chooses whether or not he will be saved. One or the
other is sovereign and has the final say in the matter of salvation. There
can be no middle ground. Either Christ's death at Calvary was victorious to
secure the salvation of those for whom he died; those whom the Father chose
unto salvation before the world began and gave to the son according to
scripture, or else He failed in his desire to save all Mankind. It is evident
that all men will not be saved.
I want to remind you of the
BIBLICAL PROOF OF THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION; WHAT THE DOCTRINE IS AND WHAT IT IS
NOT. I want to DEFEND US FROM BEING CALLED HYPER-CALVINISTS by exposing the
errors of their way and finally to SHOW YOU HOW THE FIVE-POINTS OF THE DOCTRINE
OF GRACE ARE INTER-RELATED. Either we believe all of them together or we
believe none. None can stand apart from the others.
THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION IS EASILY FOUND IN SCRIPTURE
2 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul wrote, "But we are bound
to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God
hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our
gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been
taught, whether by word, or our epistle."
Ephesians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his
will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved.
In the passages of
scripture just read, we clearly see the doctrine of election and
predestination being taught. God hath from the beginning chosen us unto
salvation before the foundation of the world. He was writing to believers.
REMEMBER WEBSTER'S DEFINITION OF THE WORD "ELECT," TO PICK OUT OR
SELCT FROM AMONG TWO OR MORE. The very term "elect" or
"chosen" implies that one is chosen while another is not.
DIVINE ELECTION IS UNCONDITIONAL
Earlier I made reference
that a man's choice is often influenced by the object of his choice. We
chose the vehicle we drive because of the make or model; perhaps because of the
gas mileage or performance. It might have been because it was a good buy. THE
POINT IS, WE OFTEN CHOOSE BECAUSE OF SOME INNER QUALITY OR BENEFIT TO US. Not
so with God. Remember that all mankind is totally depraved and in enmity
against God. There was nothing in any man to attract God or to benefit Him. All
are guilty and worthy to be eternally damned and God would be just in doing so.
The Law of God condemns the guilty yet God in his infinite mercy chose to
bestow His grace upon some.
Romans 9:11, declares, "For the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of
God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calleth;"
The scripture just read
reminds the believer that He predestined us unto the adoption of children. God
determined beforehand to do so and He did it according to the riches of His
grace; according to the good pleasure of His will. Yet many today continue to
reject the Biblical doctrine of Divine Election. Others believe it to one
degree or another though they completely misunderstand what it really means.
THE DEBATE CLARIFIED
In the fourth century,
Pelagius taught that man could indeed save himself. He said that mans' sin
problem was caused by his environment. By putting man in the right environment
and giving him a chance, he would do what was right, thus save himself. Isn't
this a major philosophy in this present day? Augustine, the forerunner of
Calvin, refuted him. In the sixteenth century Jacob Arminius, who at the
beginning was a student of Calvin but later parted ways, disagreed with
Pelagius. MAN CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF, he contended. God MUST HELP HIM. Since God
has DONE ALL HE CAN DO, MAN MUST DO HIS PART AND MEET HIM HALF WAY. Adam's fall
left man weak and wounded but with enough strength and goodness to reach out to
God if only he would. To that, Calvin objected.
Calvin had begun to revive
the teachings of Augustine concerning predestination and election. Man was so
corrupted by nature that he could not save himself and except God had chosen
him unto salvation he would never be saved. Though Arminius confronted him, he
could not disagree with the doctrine of divine election. It was indeed
biblical, but he attempted redefine it. God's election and predestination was
therefore based upon God's foreknowledge. Since God knew from beginning who
would believe, He chose them. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? It means THAT
God's CHOICE WAS BASED UPON MAN'S PERFORMANCE. IS THAT NOT WORKS? Yet that
is the most common view of election today, but there is just one major problem
with that position. "IT JUST AIN'T SO." That is not good English but
it is awfully good theology.
If God chose sinners on
the basis that He knew they would receive Christ, of necessity, the opposite
would also be true.
God did not choose others because He knew they would not believe. That makes
Salvation based upon what man does or does not do. Anything a sinner might
contribute to his salvation, however small it might be, must be called works.
You cannot mix works and grace.
Romans 11:4, declares, "But what saith the
answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have
not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present
time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And
if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But
if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise
work is no more work."
Elijah, sought after by wicked Jezebel to
kill him for slaying her prophets of Baal at Mt Carmel, cried, "Lord I am
the only faithful servant left and they seek to destroy me." Yet God said
in His word, "I HAVE RESERVED UNTO MYSELF 7000 MEN. I HAVE PUT MY MARK
UPON THEM. THEY ARE MINE. THEY ARE SET ASIDE FOR ME. THEY HAVE NOT BOWED THE
KNEE TO BAAL."
Likewise God, in the same
manner, has reserved unto Himself a people, a remnant according to the election
of Grace; a people that does not deserve it. They could never have purchased it
nor earned it. Grace did for the sinner what we could never have done for
ourselves. God provided Himself a sacrifice for a burnt offering, taking our
sins upon Himself and bearing our judgement so that
the justice of God could be met.
Ephesians 2:8, tell us, "For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of
works. lest any man should boast."
If any man dare say
"God chose me because He foreknew that I would believe" is actuality
boasting about his belief. He is saying that God chose him because HE knew that
he would believe. IF THAT IS TRUE, THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE. If he had not
believed, God would not have chosen him. What then is the basis for salvation?
IS IT NOT WHAT MAN DOES? NEVER, FOR THAT IS WORKS.
Paul wrote in Ephesians
2:8 that faith by which a man believes is a gift from God. We are saved by
grace through faith. Through faith he said, and it, that is, faith, is the gift
God. It is interesting that 2 Thessalonians 3:2 says, for all men have
not faith.
THE GIFT OF SAVING FAITH COMES THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD
Romans
Yet the teachings of
Arminius are most popular today. They contend that God looked ahead and saw who
would believe which became the basis for God's election and predestination. God
chose us because He knew we would chose him. YET WHAT
SAITH THE SCRIPTURE?
John 15:16, Jesus told His Disciples, You
have not chosen me, I have chosen you."
Now someone has to be
wrong and I doubt it was our Lord.
GOD'S ELECTION IS UNCONDITIONAL
Since the election of God
is not dependant upon any quality or action foreseen in man that makes God's
election unconditional. By that I mean there are no conditions which must first
be met. Had God looked ahead in time to evaluate man, what would he have
seen? The scriptures tell us plainly.
Genesis 6:5, we are told, "And GOD saw
that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
There is certainly nothing
there; no quality whatsoever to have drawn God to man, but rather what He
saw stirred up His divine wrath. That is why He judged the world in Noah's
day.
UNDERSTANDING THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE ELECTION
We have seen what the
Biblical Doctrine of election is not, now let us see
what it is. Please keep in mind what we said about Total Depravity last week.
Every sinner is depraved totally and is thoroughly crooked in all his ways. Man
is by nature corrupted and there is nothing in him that sin has left unscathed.
If we fully understood that doctrine then there would be no problem in
receiving the doctrine of unconditional election. "Oh but preacher,"
one might object, "Suppose God chooses one who does not want to be saved;
or perhaps He doesn't choose another who really wants to be saved." I have
heard that very thing expressed. To you, dear friend, I would say you
understand not the total depravity of man. The scripture doeth say, "for
there is none that seeketh after God," (Romans
That was certainly true of
Paul who considered himself to be the chief of
sinners. Before his conversion, he was Saul of Tarsus breathing out
threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. He certainly had
not been seeking to be saved. His confidence was in the Jews Religion (Galatians
1). Yet while on the road to
MORE SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE OF UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
Romans 9:1, I say the truth in Christ, I lie
not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I
have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for
my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Wouldn't you like to see
all men saved and come to Christ, especially your own kinsmen and family?
Indeed we all would, yet in the fourth and fifth verses of Romans nine, Paul
raised a most profound question, "WHO IS THE TRUE ISRAELITE?"
Remember that Abraham had two sons; Ishmael according to the flesh and Isaac
according to the promise of God. Verse seven says, "in
Isaac shall thy seed be called." Paul had declared in the sixth verse that
not all of the Israelites were really
Romans 9:8, That is, They
which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the
children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9 For
this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall
have a son. 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by
one, even by our father Isaac; 11 For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to
election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; 12 It was
said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written,
Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is
there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
God had chosen Jacob
over Esau before they were ever born; before the world began in fact; before
either had done any good or bad. He chose one over the other. Is that not
unconditional election. God's choice did not take into account any
actions which He perceived to have been done. TAKE TIME TO READ GENESIS 25 AND
SEE HOW DECEPTIVE JACOB HAD BEEN. He was a deceiver and as much a scoundrel as
Esau, yet God loved Jacob and hated Esau. God hated one but loved the other.
There are those whom God hates.
Romans
That sounds like
uncondtional election to me. Out of the same lump of the clay of humanity, God, whom
Jeremiah eighteen portrays as "The Potter," hath made two vessels. One after Esau and the other after Isaac. The one a vessel
of wrath fitted for destruction. The other a vessel of mercy
which he hath before prepared unto glory. One a vessel
unto dishonor and the other a vessel unto honor. The one He hardeneth
and the other He hath compassion. Hath not the potter power over the clay.
Indeed, so scripture testifies. Is there unrighteousness with God? "God
forbid!" Can fault be found with God? NO!!! Paul clearly called
attention to two companies of people; the elect and the nonelect, to establish
the truth that salvation is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth, but
of God that showeth mercy so that the purpose God might stand, not of works but
of him that calleth.
Jeremiah 31:3, The LORD
hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an
everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Psalm 65:4, Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in thy courts:
we shall be satisfied with the goodness Of thy house,
even of thy holy temple.
THE EFFECTS OF DIVINE AND UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
THIS GLORIOUS DOCTRINE
MAGNIFIES THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND SETS HIM FORTH AS GOD. The God whom the Arminian serves
is small, trying to save men, yet men reject him and He is powerless to do
anything about it. THE SCRIPTURE, however, PORTRAYS GOD BEING VERY MUCH IN
CONTROL, PERFORMING HIS OWN WILL.
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
MAGNIFIES THE GRACE OF GOD. It shows how God can so work in the life of a sinner, depraved and
dead, and how through the quicken work of the Spirit of God, He enables the
sinner to turn to Christ; to love God that he before hated and to be in
subjection to his word that he before loathed. Only a work of grace can do
that.
Galatians 1:15, But
when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by
his grace.
THE DOCTRINE OF UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION MAKES SALVATION SURE.
John 6:37, All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will,
but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which
hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but
should raise it up again at the last day.
John 10:14, I am the good shepherd, and know
my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the
Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the
sheep." And in the twenty-sixth verse, "But ye believe not, because
ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
John
Unconditional election is
indeed sure, for the elect of God shall be saved to the last one.
Romans 8:29, For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of
his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover
whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
Romans
If one understands that sin
condemns every man and places him under the just demands of the Law of God;
that man sins willfully and loves his sin, hating God; that there are none
righteous and none that seek after God. Yet it pleased God to choose an elect
from among the people of the world whereby His grace might make them to be
different. Then and only then will one embrace the doctrine
of divine and unconditional election.
HOW SHALL WE ANSWER OUR CRITICS?
Indeed we do believe in
the five-points of salvation according to the Sovereign Grace of God, however,
we are not Calvinists nor will we permit ourselves to be confused with
"Hyper-Calvinists" who have gone to seed on the doctrine of predestination.
They do not preach the Gospel because they say God will save them. Though that is
essentially true, God is pleased to save sinners through the foolishness of
preaching (1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 2:1, and I, brethren, when I came to
you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,
declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For
I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much
trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words
of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That
your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
We believe that all whom
the Father has given to the Son shall come to him according to scripture. We
believe that God shall add to His church all such as should be saved. We will
faithfully proclaim the gospel with whom we have opportunity trusting God to
have mercy upon whom He will. Salvation is of the Lord and may He receive Glory
for the good things He hath done.
May God's word honor and
glorify Him. We are assured that His word will not return unto Him void but
will accomplish the purpose which He intended.
