The first doctrine we looked at in the acrostic T.U.L.I.P. was Total Depravity and we described it as total inability. That is, man, being dead in trespasses and sins, owns a will that is servant to his intellect, which itself cannot know God, will not seek God, does not want God, and therefore is "without God"; "without Christ", and "having no hope". Since then, we are in this state of inability, a miracle must be performed in order for us to "arise!" out of death's chambers and come to the Lord. That miracle takes place with some people and does not take place with others. That brings us to Unconditional Election!
Let me say first, that election cannot be denied! God is in the business of choosing and He does so according to His will. God chose Noah from all the people of the world; and God chose Abraham out of a heathen land (Genesis 12). God chose Israel out of all the surrounding nations to be His people (Exodus 19). God chose tribes out of Israel to serve Him as He willed. God chose Jacob over Esau at birth, before either could do good or bad (Romans 9:11-13). Jesus Christ chose twelve out of all others and He chose three of the twelve for His inner circle.
You see, God chooses! God chose for his Apostles to go north rather than south, west rather than east and even forbade Paul to go in another direction. God chooses which spiritual gifts He gives to His followers and divides them severally. God is a God who chooses. It can easily be seen that God chooses or elects nations, individuals, and gifts. The question that is most likely to be argued is NOT whether God chooses or elects, that's undeniable, but whether this election is conditional or unconditional.
By establishing the truth of Total Inability we have shown that man cannot do anything to elect himself to God's pleasure. Because he is spiritually dead his will is subject to his intellect and will only choose that which he deems as either pleasurable or in some other way beneficial to himself. So that tends to narrow the discussion! Let's look at one of the more powerful passages in the Scripture, though there are probably hundreds of them:
"Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. Rom 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. Rom 9:9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. Rom 9:10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; Rom 9:11 (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;)
Rom 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Rom 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Rom 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Rom 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Rom 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth"
Here we see that God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Paul argues that all of this election is according to God's will and purpose. God even chose Pharaoh as an example of God's power and sovereignty. God has mercy on those whom He chooses; and whom He wills He hardens. And there is absolutely nothing external from God that influences His choice!
In John's Gospel, and throughout John's Gospel, there is a clear separation between the world and the elect. There is also a clear division between the world, Israel, and the elect. In John chapter one we find : "Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:10-13) Here we see that there are those who become children of God through no force other than God. They are separate from the world and they are separate from the Jews. Their birth is through the regenerating power of God and it cannot be willed, or inherited, or in anyway manipulated by man. It is all of God and these are God's elect!
In Acts we find this verse, "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48) Here we find Paul and Barnabas preaching the good news of Jesus Christ and certain believed. Who were they that believed? They were those who were ordained (appointed; chosen) to eternal life? Why did not others? Because they are left to themselves. I plan on talking about the doctrine of reprobation next installment.
God chooses some to salvation out of a mass of people. It is His right to choose just as it is the Potter's right to determine the vessels he will make. It may be difficult for us to grasp it in its fullest sense but the fact still remains, God elects!
Again, in John's Gospel we find: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 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. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:37-40) Here we find that every one who is given to the Saviour is given by the Father and that not a single one of these will be lost. And verse 44 says, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." So every one who comes to the Savior is given by the Father and drawn to the Son by the Father. One cannot come to Christ through the working of his own limited will. He will not come because he will not choose what does not appeal to the flesh. He is worldly, fleshly and fitted for this world. He is on a wide road that leads to destruction along with most of humanity. But some, those who the Father gives to the Son, will not only come to the Son but will be raised up, without a single loss, at the last day!
I can foresee someone protesting, "What about John12:32 where Jesus says, 'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.' Yes, but it is clear from the context that there were "certain Greeks" (v.20) desired to see Jesus. They fit into the "all" because here "all" means "all kinds". In other words our Lord will draw all kinds of men, even Greeks!
God is in the business of choosing yet "without respect of Persons" for the Scripture says, "For there is no respect of persons with God" (Romans 2:11). The Bible makes statements similar to this several times and it means that God makes His sovereign choices with no respect of persons. Most Christian believe in salvation by grace through faith and they will usually agree that grace means unmerited favor, or something meaning the same thing. Yet, at the same time the cannot bring themselves to bow to God on the matter of election! So, while on the one hand they agree that salvation is all of grace and they recognize grace means unmerited favor, they still hold to the concept that God does NOT elect without first recognizing something in the individual that makes him worthy of saving! This is MASS CONFUSION! If you believe, as you have been taught, that God chooses because he foreknows who has some spark of merit in him, then you do not believe in salvation by grace alone! By the way, for God to foreknow is dependent upon His decree!
I am completely aware that so much more can, and probably should be said, but since this is a simple blog I'm trying to keep it SIMPLE! Remember, all five points of Calvinism make a whole so if you believe in the T you must believe the U. If you agree in the Total Depravity of man, meaning his utter helplessness in getting to and pleasing God, then you MUST accept Unconditional Election!
All Glory to God; May God Bless!
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