Election...

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Arminianism and Calvinism are two somewhat divergent philosophies regarding being saved. Arminianism appears to emphasize that being saved is the free choice of each person. Calvinism, on the other hand, appears to emphasize Divine foreknowledge and election regarding being saved.

(5/16/2010) The seeming discrepancy between free will and election proceeds from seeking to interpret the Bible deductively–fastening on a few passages and ignoring the others. The Bible has to be interpreted inductively. The believer must accept every passage of Scripture as God's Word. Any seeming contradictions must be understood as proceeding from our limited understanding of the whole counsel of God.

The Scripture teaches clearly that whoever believes the Gospel and is baptized in water shall be saved. The Scripture teaches clearly that God draws to Jesus whom He chooses.

Are these two truths contradictory? Not at all! As we follow Christ diligently we understand that both are true. One aspect of the problem is that scholars often do not seem to recognize that there are two classes of saved people. One class consists of God's royal priesthood. The other class is the members of the nations who believe and are baptized.

Whoever, of the nations of the earth, believes the Gospel and is baptized shall be saved. This is God's unchanging promise. They shall be held over to citizenship in the new world of righteousness.

Then there are those, like the Apostle Paul, who are struggling to the end of their days to grasp that for which they have been grasped. This struggle is true of every member of God's elect priesthood. They are "Israel." They struggle with God.

The saved members of the nations must seek to live according to the Bible; for it is possible to turn back into the world after having been baptized in water. Then they are as a dog that returns to its vomit.

The members of the Church, the elect, must make their calling and election sure by embracing the virtues of godly behaviour.

In no case, whether of the elect or the saved members of the nations, does Christ "do it all." We could wish that He would! But He doesn't. The New Testament is filled with exhortations to righteous behavior. I know that some teach that salvation is ordained of God and no matter what we do we will, when we die, go immediately to Heaven to live in a mansion.

They are mistaken as to means and ends.

The position that any person can choose to attain whatever position in the Kingdom he or she desires is acceptable to the American ideal of equality of opportunity. However, this is not true of the Kingdom of God. Our position in the Kingdom is God's choice.

If we are to grasp that for which we have been grasped by the Lord, we have to obey Jesus Christ strictly and consistently. It is entirely possible for someone to steal our crown of righteousness, life, and authority if we are not diligent.

The people of Israel are an excellent example of election, and also of the danger of not obeying God after we have been called out from the nations of the earth.

God has dealt with no other nation on earth as he has with the Jews. This election continues on through to the new Jerusalem, the gates of which are inscribed with the names of the families of Israel. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance.

The ninth chapter of the Book of Romans includes clear teaching on the matter of Divine election. If we are to accept this chapter as being the Word of God, we cannot in conscience deny the reality of election. "God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.

Again, Paul states that before the twins were born, God loved Jacob and hated Esau.

If we cannot accept Paul's statements about election, why should we accept anything Paul wrote? Of course, this seems unfair. I think we Americans are just going to have to get used to the fact that God is the Potter and human beings are the clay. The Potter can form the clay into whatever He wishes.

Can any person choose to follow Christ? Of course. Jesus will never turn away anyone who comes to Him, unless that individual knowingly and willfully has chosen to disobey Christ.

Where all of this comes together is that no person can even want to come to Jesus unless the Father draws that person. Even the desire to come to Jesus proceeds from God.

Sometimes people are afraid they have blasphemed the Spirit of God and are afraid they are doomed. I tell them that if they even have a desire to be accepted by the Lord they have not gone past the point of no return.

So much depends on our desires! If we are wise we will ask God to give us His desires for us. I pray this prayer frequently. We do not know what will bring us love, joy, and peace; so we are wise if we ask God to give us His desires for us. Then He can give us the desires of our heart.

There is a practical effect of clearly understanding the role of elect. It helps us realize we are not of the world. Christ has called us out of the world to be part of the royal priesthood. We are not of the world as He is not of the world. The word "Church" means "called out." Did you know that?

We are not to compare ourselves with the unsaved. The local assembly is infinitely more than a social gathering. It is supposed to be the Light of God among men. It is a prophet, a lampstand, a witness of Almighty God. The local church should have a healthy social component, but its first purpose is to reveal God to the world.

The follower of Jesus Christ is a "saint," a "holy one." As such he is to come out from the world, as the Spirit enables, and touch not the unclean thing. He is to purify himself in the fear of God, putting out of his personality all that is not clean in the Lord's sight.

I mentioned before the conflict between the "free will" and the "elect" philosophies of salvation. At one time the "elect" emphasis prevailed. Today the "free will" emphasis is prevailing. Hopefully the pendulum will swing back to the middle so that election and free will are assigned their rightful places in Christian thinking.

You can hear the morning sermon at morning. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

You can hear the evening sermon at evening. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

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