Election

by G. Prasher, Manchester | Category: The Gospel And Its Ministry | Oct 1979

Among things which "eye saw not, and ear heard not, and which entered not into the heart of man" is the wonder of God's choice of the believer in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3,4). "Knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election" wrote Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:4). How did these recent believers in Christ know truth so profound? "God revealed it through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10 RVM). Where believing hearts are open to receive divine revelation, the Holy Spirit still gives assurance from Scripture that God foreknew and foreordained each one to the glorious election of grace. In this is seen brilliant expression of sovereign divine mercy during this present dispensation of the grace of God (Rom. 8:29, 11:5, Eph. 3:2).

It is on God's electing purpose in this present age of grace that we focus attention, nevertheless noting that this harmonizes with divine methods of working in other periods. For God exercises His right of choice for this purpose or that. As, for instance, His choice of Abram from an idolatrous family (Josh. 24:2, Isa. 51:1,2); of Israel from among all other nations (Deut. 7:7,8); of His elect during the end-time following the rapture of the Church (Mat. 24:22,24,31); or of certain angels (1 Tim. 5:21).

Encouragement to Gospel Witness

In our New Testament it is always to the believer that the truth of election is presented, for assurance, encouragement and joy. Yet it is a truth closely relevant to the gospel and its ministry. Not that the gospel preacher would normally include it in his presentation of Christ to the unregenerate. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto Him; and he cannot know them". But an understanding of God's electing grace will immensely help those witnessing in the gospel, who will see their role in relation to the mighty sovereignty of the eternal God. It is the divine plan that the message of grace should be proclaimed by frail mortals who have themselves known God's saving mercy (Rom. 10:14,15, 2 Cor. 4:7). Believers should be impelled by the realization that until Jesus comes there are souls whom God will save. In this spirit Paul served: "I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:10). This was illustrated when in Antioch (Pisidia) Paul and Barnabas encountered blasphemous contradiction of the gospel. They "spake out boldly" in response. Gentile hearers were glad, and "glorified the word of God". Then Luke adds: "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:4449). So the truth that God has His elect awaiting reception of the message becomes a mainspring incentive to the instructed believer. God has ordained that the testimony of believers to the truth of the gospel (publicly or in personal witness) is the link between His electing purpose and the salvation of those chosen. It is true that some are saved without the immediate witness of another; but in some way God will have brought to each the knowledge of His salvation through human transmission of the gospel, whether oral or written.

Appreciation of the truth of election also makes those witnessing very much aware of their own limitations. Mere human persuasion is of no avail. Birth from above of each chosen individual is not of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). So witness to Christ will 'be made in dependence upon the working of God's Spirit. When this becomes evident in a soul's responsive repentance and sense of need of Christ, trust in the assuring promises of the gospel will be encouraged.

The Mystery of Divine Choice

There are of course fathomless depths about God's election of some to eternal life, yet the universal proclamation of the gospel to everyone who believes in the Saviour. These two things appear irreconcilable to human analysis. Yet both are plainly stated in our New Testament and acceptance of God's revelation in both respects is called for. The mind of the enquiring believer "ponders the impenetrable mystery of the relation of the Infinite Will to human wills; he remembers how, in a way whose full reasons are unknowable, (but they are good, for they are in God) the Infinite Will has to do with our willing, genuine and responsible though our willing is. And before that opaque veil he rests. He knows that only righteousness and love are behind it; but he knows that it is a veil, and that in front of it man's thoughts must cease and be silent" (Moule on Romans).

It will be appreciated that the believer's election is not simply a matter of God having foreordained those whom He foresaw would believe the gospel. This is illustrated in Rom. 9 by reference to the choice of Jacob, the ~younger, to serve Esau, the elder brother, "neither having don~ anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand" (vv. 11,12). God's choice was made in His foreknowledge of Jacob's deceitfulness as well as Esau's profanity; neither merited special favour. "The reason of the choice lay in the depths of God, that World 'dark with excess of bright'. All is well there, but not the less all is unknown" (Moule). Similarly in Romans 11 Paul describes those of Israel who believe the gospel as a "remnant according to the election of grace". Explanation follows: "But if it is by grace, it is no more of works:

otherwise grace is no more grace" (see verses 5,6). Had God's choice been governed by whether a sinner would believe the gospel it would not have been made in sovereign freedom. So while each believer does make a responsible personal decision in acceptance of Christ, he is nevertheless saved altogether on the ground of God's grace: it was by divine choice. "Where fallen man chooses God, it is thanks to God who has chosen fallen man".

"Is there unrighteousness with God"?

Nor must we harbour the thought that God would arbitrarily condemn to eternal doom any of His creatures because they are not among His elect. All who ultimately experience "the second death" in "the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:14,15) will have only themselves to blame for rejection of spiritual light made available to them. God's offer of eternal life to all who believe is genuine (John 3:16), and His warnings of eternal judgement unmistakable (Mat. 25:46, John 5:29). Those hearing the gospel are responsible to decide for life or for death (2 Cor. 2:15,16). This obtains despite the fact of God's saving purpose towards His elect. There was similar concurrence of divine purpose and human responsibility when Israel clamoured for Christ's crucifixion and Pilate yielded to their coercion. For the Lord was "delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God", yet slain by the hands of lawless men (Acts 2:23), whom God charged with guilt (Acts 7:52). Herod and Pontius Pilate were personally accountable for their mockery and injustice, even though fulfilling what God's "counsel foreordained to come to pass" (Acts 4:27,28). In all this the believer rests on the absolute righteousness and goodness of God. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25). Faith accepts in equal balance all that Scripture states about human responsibility for sin and unbelief, as well as the truth of God's electing grace.

God's Elect Justified and Glorified

The challenging question of Romans 8:33 spotlights a vital aspect of the truth of election:

"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?"

For it necessarily follows that if a believer has been foreknown, foreordained, called and justified by God (see, Rom. 8:30) no one can lay anything to his charge. "It is God that justifies". Indeed the believer is seen by God as already "glorified". In God's sovereign purpose and choice His salvation from eternal wrath is divinely guaranteed. For God's elect there can be "no condemnation" and no separation from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:34-39). How vastly this glorious assurance surpasses any merely human concepts! Humanly designed religions uniformly link ultimate acceptance by God with a person's supposed merit in this life. The true gospel of Christ uniquely reverses man's natural reasonings and reveals the justification and security of every believer on the ground of Christ's atoning work "in whom also ye were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11).

Elect, holy and beloved

Both in scriptural and modern times men have been quick to reason that if God's elect are assured eternal salvation they will abuse their security, feeling at liberty to sin because they can never come into condemnation. "Why not (as we be5landerously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just?" (Rom. 3:8). In contrast to such cynical suggestions, the appeal of Col. 3:12-14 finds glad response from the hearts of God's elect: "Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering ... and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness". Paul's appeal was made on the ground that they were God's elect, holy and beloved. The very fact that they had been so graciously chosen by God for such high and eternal blessing would stir their desire to please and glorify Him. It remains true in Christian experience that where believers are delighting in the assurance of their election in Christ, this becomes a strong motivation to act in character with their holy calling.

"Chosen not for good in me,

Wakened up from wrath to flee,

Hidden in the Saviour's side,

By the Spirit sanctified.

Teach me, Lord, on earth to show

By my love how much I owe".

Argument or worship?

The key to Christian enjoyment of having been elected in Christ before the foundation of the world lies in acceptance by faith of all aspects of truth revealed in Scripture. "Scripture isolates for treatment truths which converge in experience". It is not for us to attempt the "rational" harmonizing of truths which appear to our minds at variance. God's ways are "past tracing out" by limited human thought, for at present we know only "in part", seeing in a mirror or in a riddle" (1 Cor. 13:12 R.V.M.). If everything in Scripture could be comprehended by human reason divine thought would appear to be reduced to the limits of the natural mind. That much is revealed which transcends our reason goes to confirm the Bible as being the Word of God. Among these truths is our election according to divine foreknowledge. This truth is not intended to provide an arena for intellectual argument, but a hallowed place of vantage for adoration and worship. After disclosing something of the mystery and glory of God's electing purpose and grace, Paul seemed to bow in this spirit before the Eternal as he wrote:

"0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgements, and His ways past tracing out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? For of Him, and through Him, and unto Him, are all things. To Him be the glory for ever. Amen" (Rom. 11:33-36).

G. Prasher, Manchester | Oct 1979
The Gospel And Its Ministry