God's Eternal Purpose of Election

Election prepares the way of salvation in which man learns that relationship with God comes only as a Divine gift. The issue is God’s purpose, but this purpose is in the form and measure of election. Election is not an arbitrariness in which God’s purpose is realized as history in man’s finite way of understanding arbitrariness. God’s electing purpose determines the chosen ones of history, and this history is revealed in the chosen lives of those given by the Father to the Son (John 17). Man would have to be a fool to think his choice determines what God’s choice will be.

God’s purpose determined the course of history for all the chosen ones in Christ before the foundation of the world. Paul said to the Romans, “For this is the word of promise: AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON. And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER. Just as it is written, JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED. What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!” (Rom. 9:9-14 NASB Update).

The real issue is God’s purpose, which determines the course of history for all the chosen ones in Christ. Paul said to Timothy, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who 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, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher” (II Tim. 1:8-11 NASB Update).

Paul could see that the subject of election would pose a problem with the unbelieving Jews. Therefore, he said, “For I could wish [was wishing] that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen” (Rom. 9:3-5 NASB Update). Paul’s words “could wish” are better translated “was wishing.” This is the imperfect middle indicative of the Greek verb euchomai, which means to wish, to pray, or to desire. The imperfect verb signifies continuous action all in past time. There is no indication how long the wishing continues, but it started and stopped in past time. Roman 8 proves that it does not continue in the Christian.

The term “elect” or “chosen” or “purpose” or “decree” is used with reference to the new heaven or new earth or new Jerusalem or the eternally glorified body (Eph. 1:1-14; I Thess. 1:1-10; Rev. 21:1-7; II Cor. 5:1-3). The chosen ones becoming God’s children and sons by regeneration constitute the “holy nation.” The chosen Gentiles shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to whom the covenant was given—in the kingdom (Matt. 8:10, 11). Both the chosen Jews and Gentiles are united to the same olive tree (Rom. 11). Both are fellow citizens of the same commonwealth (Eph. 2). Both are Jews inwardly (Rom. 2). Both are true circumcision (Rom. 3). Both experience the same kingdom at the same time. However, we carefully distinguish between the heirs and the subjects.

Divine election is the heart and soul of the eternal covenant of grace (Heb. 13:20, 21). Jesus Christ is God’s last unchangeable message to His chosen people, and it will never be superceded or supplemented. There is one way that leads to salvation, and that is the way of election. There is no “before” and “after” with God. Solomon said, “I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him” (Eccl. 3:14 NASB Update).

Divine election is the heart of salvation, because it prepares the way of salvation in which salvation comes only as a Divine gift. God’s chosen plan determines the course of history for all the chosen ones. David said, “How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple” (Ps. 65:4 NASB Update). It would be absurd to put “the coming of the sinner” to Christ in the place of God’s “choice and brought near” by Himself. Is the sinner’s faith “the cause of God saving him”? Is faith the cause of ordination, or is “the ordination the cause of faith”? Luke said, “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed [perfect passive participle of tasso, which means to order, appoint, or determine] to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48 NASB Update). The passive voice means the subject is not acting, but he is being acted upon. This absolutely destroys the Arminian statement, “The people who believed disposed themselves to believe.” Such believers should be worried about their position rather than condition, because grace is the foundation and glory is the consummation of salvation.

It must be understood that repentance and faith are neither the foundation nor the capstone of salvation. Although both are inseparably connected with the ones who have been appointed (designated) to eternal life, they are neither the cause nor the consummation. Arminians say that if Acts 13:48 refers to God’s election of certain ones to be saved, then it contradicts verse 46 which speaks of God allowing the Jews freedom of choice to reject the gospel. They say the verse simply means that all who were capable of believing were disposed to believe and did believe. By the gospel and Spirit, they were set in order.

Since a person is as he thinks in his heart, his salvation must reflect his thoughts in harmony with Scripture. Solomon said, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, Eat and drink! But his heart is not with you” (Prov. 23:7 NASB Update). It has been said, “Proverbs are heaven’s laws for men on earth.” Since a person is what he thinks, then you do not know him if you do not know what he is thinking. There is a difference between good thoughts that ascend from one’s heart, and those that are injected from without. Thus, no human knows what another person is thinking, because there is usually more than what is expressed or less than what is expressed.

It is wonderful to know that Christ’s redemptive work for the elect includes the sanctification of our very thoughts. Paul said, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful [or mighty before God] for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete” (II Cor. 10:3-6 NASB Update).

We have come to a subject of great importance for every pastor/teacher to consider. The apostle Paul looked forward to the time when he would have the privilege of presenting his converts as chaste virgins to Christ—the heavenly Bridegroom. His jealousy for them was the product of a well-grounded fear. If the weapons of our warfare are mighty in themselves, then why are they not equally and at all times successful?

Natural philosophers agree that everything that is necessary for the growth and improvement of vegetables is from God. He is the Author of nature, and He gives the seed, the moisture, and the enlivening rays of the sun. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth” (I Cor. 3:6, 7 NASB Update).

It is interesting to observe how Paul kept the most difficult part of his letters to the very last. He could not avoid this direct confrontation on the subject of his delegated authority. Failure to recognize and respect proper authority results in serious problems in the home, society, and in the local assemblies. Discipline is an absolute necessity in all three realms in order to prevent chaos. The Corinthians could not see the “trees” for the “forest” of apostate conditions. Therefore, the persecuted Paul said, “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness?” (I Cor. 4:6-21 NASB Update).

The Devil knows his time is short. It is no pleasure to him to see people to whose hearts Christ means everything. Therefore, he seeks to corrupt their minds from the simplicity and purity of Christ. The early assemblies were constantly faced with this problem. Paul did not want the Christians to be led astray from the pure doctrine of the grace of God which respects the Person and Work of Christ. Therefore, when each Christian faces death, he will triumph over death, saying, “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” (I Cor. 15:55 NASB Update). This is an eminent act of faith. It spends a man of God to declare the whole counsel of God, but more to be silent (I Cor. 9:16). Paul was highly exalted at first, but this changed quickly (Gal. 4:15, 16). Weighty things are not heavy in their own element.