Election

We have looked at grace, what it means, and how it is God’s means of providing salvation (faith in Jesus) to those whom he has called (Rom 8:29).  What about election and predestination?

In the Greek, election is from eklogē which denotes “divine selection.”  Ek is a Greek primary preposition denoting an origin/beginning and legō means to “set forth.”

The prophet Isaiah, speaking of the coming of the Christ in Isaiah 42:1-4 (KJV) says

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.  2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.  3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.  4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Isaiah tells us that Jesus is coming and that judgement is coming to the Gentiles.  From this we see that Jesus is God’s elected choice for service and his “judgement to the Gentiles” is the Gospel message that will be the “true light, which enlightens everyone” (John 1:9 ESV).  His kingdom shall not fail and it will go to all the earth.  Jesus proclaims this with the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15).  Isaiah continues in 42:5-7 (KJV)

5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:  6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;  7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Here we have a grand picture of the Sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing God, the God who merely spoke the Universe into existence speaks again, yet this time He speaks personally and intimately through His Son to do what John tells is in John 1:9–be a light.  This light will (v.7) “open the blind eyes” and free prisoners.  We see this echoed in the words of Jesus in John 15:16, speaking to his disciples, he says “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”  Jesus is telling them that he has set them forth which he also does in the Great Commission, saying “go.”

Grace… Theologically (2)

So, since we are all sinners and we have all fallen short of the glory of God, how do we obtain God’s free gift of grace?

Paul in Romans 5:1 tells us we are “justified by faith.”  The writer of Hebrews proclaims in Hebrews 11:1 that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  He goes on to recount the great OT patriarchs that acted by faith, not seeing God’s promise come to pass in their lifetime, yet knowing it would be fulfilled.  As well, he tells of those who were persecuted or suffered hardships for the sake of Jesus’ name knowing that God has a better promise.  Matthew Henry makes an insightful observation, “We should be pleased to think how great the number of believers was under the Old Testament, and how strong their faith, though the objects thereof were not then so fully revealed. [And, we] should lament it, that now, in gospel times, when the rule of faith is more clear and perfect, the number of believers should be so small and their faith so weak.”  How true!

Now that we see the Scriptural definition of faith… one could ask, Faith in what?  Paul tells us in Romans 5:1 we are “justified by faith…through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  This justification produces peace with God.  His wrath is no longer turned against us.  But what did Jesus do?

Paul explains in Romans 5:6-11

(6) For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  (7)  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die–  (8)  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (9)  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  (10)  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  (11)  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

While we were still weak.  We had no strength to cause Christ to die, we didn’t will Christ to die, we didn’t WANT Christ to die; yet, Christ died for the ungodly.  Paul explains that Christ died for us “while we were still sinners.”  We were enemies of God (v.10) and Christ died for us.  This immense love that God poured out, his own blood, is the blood that justifies us.  The blood of Jesus was the sacrifice that paid for our sin and reconciled us to God.  We are declared righteous (the meaning of justification) and we should be rejoicing in God, through Jesus, for this great gift of grace.  While we were sinners we had no desire to do good, to seek God, to believe in Jesus, but God, through the Holy Spirit, has poured His love into us (Rom 5:5).

But why faith?  Paul answers this in Romans 4:16-17

(16) That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring–not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,  (17)  as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”–in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

God uses faith to allow the one who shares the faith of Abraham be guaranteed the grace (the free gift) of Jesus’ death.  Faith is used to fulfill the promise to all Abraham’s offspring–Jew and Gentile.

Grace… in the New Testament

Looking now at the concept of grace in the New Testament, we see, immediately, the fulfillment of God’s promises in the OT regarding the Messiah.  In Luke 1:30, the angel Gabriel, tells Mary to “not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”  He goes on to declare that with the power of the Holy Spirit she is going to conceive, bear a son, call him Jesus, and he will be the Son of the Most High (cf. Isa 7:14).  This phrase “favor with God” is from the same Greek word–charis.  So, here Gabriel tells Mary that God has graciously and full of joy chosen her to be the carrier and earthly mother of His son.

In the OT we have seen glimpses of grace.  These stories are of people that God used by His gracious enabling, to accomplish His purpose in the life and times of the OT–leading to Christ!!  Now, in the NT, the theology and the doctrine of grace is exemplified in Jesus Christ, who graciously came to die for those “who are far off.”  Jesus’ death is the ultimate in unmerited favor bestowed upon us, not just person we read about, but you and me.  Jesus makes grace personal.  Not only through his humbling coming to earth and humiliating death, but everyone who believes Jesus paid for their sins through his death on a cross will be saved.  Grace is personal.  It is now bestowed, freely, upon individuals.

Paul tells us in Eph 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” and in Eph 2:4-7

(4) But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  (5)  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–  (6)  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  (7)  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

He continues in Eph 2:9, saying “not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”   Paul’s point is perfectly clear: God did the work, boast about Him!

In John 1:16, John tells us “from his fullness, we have received grace upon grace.”  “His fullness” is Jesus Christ’s fullness of humanity; His fullness of diety; His fullness of death; AND His fullness of resurrection!  It is Jesus’s fullness of humanity AND fullness of diety that make his fullness of death and fullness of resurrection so powerful.  God came to earth as a human, in the person of Jesus Christ to die; yet, in the fullness of diety, Jesus went willingly showing his (God’s) great love for us (sinners) by dying in our place.  This is why John declares that we have received “grace upon grace.”  We haven’t received grace upon works or grace upon self or grace upon deeds or grace upon anything else.  We have received grace upon grace.  We have received free upon free.  God’s joyful gift of salvation comes to us freely, through no work of our own.

Introduction

This series comes from observations I have been making regarding the blogging scene on a few particular blogs.  These blogs have been arguing/debating the Arminian vs. Calvinism view of God’s role in salvation, the world, etc.  I wish to explain my point of view as a “Calvinist,” yet in an informative way to share an opinion.  My prayer is that it blesses those who read it as well as myself in preparing it, and, as always, brings God glory!

Father, my prayer is that you use this series of posts to let us come together as Christians.  To come together as those who profess the saving work of Your son, Jesus, on the cross, Your word tells us you “were pleased” to send your son and have Him die in our place, so that WE could live in eternity with you.  Father, I pray that you continually remind me of the common attributes that all Christians have–the death of Christ for our sins and His resurrection for our salvation!  Father, I praise you for that.  Jesus, I thank you for your willingness.  Keep me focused.  Amen.

One of the biggest arguments against “Calvinism” is the “we’re all robots” argument.  It goes like this:

1. Calvin believes that God has “elected” and “predestined” us before the beginning of time, AND
2. Jesus has told us (through His disciples) to “[g]o therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:19-20), AND
3. Assume that Calvin is correct; THEREFORE
4. Evangelism has no point because God “elected” those and “predestined” those before time, SO we have to be all robots.

Now, some may say that I have taken loose liberty with the “Arminian” argument against Calvinism.  That may be.  But I want to examine the doctrines of election and predestination, not as Calvin taught it (I haven’t read his Institutes), but as the Bible teaches.  (Through doing so, I also wish to dispel the assertion that many “Arminians” believe that the words “election” and “predestination” are bad, even though they are in the Bible.)  I am going to do this by looking at the Biblical context of election and predestination, first, and second, by examining their connection to salvation.

I’ve been thinking about this post I’ve read recently, and wanted to respond to it.

The passages regarding the power of God, His being being all-powerful are numerous.  The beginning of the Bible, in Genesis, we see in Genesis 1:1-3

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  (2)  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  (3)  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  (4) And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.  (5)  God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

So, by the power of the Word, there was light.  Immediately.  The rest of the creation account in Genesis affirms the power of God through His spoken word (see Gen 1:6-8; Gen 1:9-13; Gen 1:14-19; etc.) is all that is needed to create the entire Universe ex nihilo!!  We learn later in the Gospel of John that “the Word” (that is the Christ, Jesus; cf John 1:14) was “in the beginning” (eternally existant), “with God”, and “God”.  Further, in verse 3 we see that all things (the entire Universe) was made through him.

Then if verses 12 & 13 we have, I believe, the lynchpin upon which John’s gospel message is built.  John 1:12-3 says

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (13) who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Setting up these two verses is verse 11, saying “He [the Word, Jesus] came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.”  Then the great transitional statement in verse 12, “But” so contrast is taking place against those who did not receive.  Those who believe, Jesus gave the right to become children of God.  That is a guaranteed promise.  As we in America, we know all about rights.  Our rights are guaranteed.  The right to freedom of speech, right to an attorney, right to remain silent, etc.  These are things that the government cannot deny us in this country.  Jesus gives us the same security in believing in His name–we are guaranteed children of God.  Adopted by the almighty creator of the Universe!!  Amen!!

Verse 13 continues, excitingly, telling us how this happens and how this is a guarantee.  Those who believe are born (as all believers are born again) “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  So, breaking this all down, we see first how believers are NOT born.

1. Believers are not born of blood, that is born as a baby is born of the womb.
2. Believers are not born of the flesh.  I take this to mean that believers are not born of their own will (flesh), that we don’t “decide.”
3. Believers are not born of the will of man.  I believe this is saying that others are not going to be able to determine for another person their salvation, i.e., a minister/priest declaring one saved without the person believing themselves.

Second, we see how believers are born very succinctly: of God.  Believing is all God’s doing.  There is no US in the picture.  (See John 6:44-5; John 6:64; John 6:65.)

Limiting God’s power creates a contradiction with God because He claims through His word, that He is all-powerful and that He is holy.  However, if God limits His power, He would not be all-powerful as He shows and demonstrates to us through His word–the Bible.  This would mean that God, Himself, would be contradicting what He has revealed to us in His word.  As such, He would be a contradiction and cease to exist.

I am going to share my view on the “but then we’d be all robots” objection next.

Over the past few days, I have been scanning blog posts between Calvinists and Arminians, and I am disturbed by these who feel that their blogging time should be spent arguing back and forth over finer points of one’s understanding of theology, instead of putting those talents of typing and critical study and eloquence to use spreading the Gospel of Jesus.  However, one post that disturbed me was by an Arminian, who was thankful for being Arminian since he/she doesn’t have to worry about the complications of God’s sovereignty since God is sovereign, however, he just limits His sovereignty in regards to man’s free will.

Now, I am a “Calvinist” because as I mentioned here, it is what I believe the Bible teaches.  However, I also rejoice in those who, as I have, confessed Jesus as their Savior and Lord.   I pray I don’t waste the precious time that God has given me arguing over a trivilous point but instead rejoicing with my brothers and sisters in Christ and advancing the Gospel of Jesus together.  Paul, in one of his letter, remarked about those who were spreading the Gospel under false pretense, that he rejoiced that the Gospel was being preached.  We know from other Scriptures that faith comes through hearing and hearing comes from one proclaiming the message of the Gospel.

However, I do want to take this opportunity to discuss God’s omniscience–all knowing–power.

In English, we get the word omniscience from Latin, omni-”all” and scientia-”knowledge.”  So, by saying that God is all knowing, we are saying that He knows everything that there is to be known, completely and consistently.  He knows everything from eternity past to eternity future.  The Psalmist, David, tells us in Psalm 139:1-10

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, you have searched me and known me!  (2)  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.  (3)  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.  (4)  Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.  (5)  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.  (6)  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.  (7)  Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  (8)  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  (9)  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  (10)  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Here David is affirming the omniscience of God and the omnipresence of God.  He affirms the omniscience of God by saying “you have searched me and known me”, “are acquainted with all my ways”, and “before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it altogether”; the omnipresence of God with “where shall I flee from your presence?”

The absoluteness of God’s sovereignty doesn’t bother me.  It is, in fact, a comforting thought.  If God limited His sovereignty, then I could take no comfort from Romans 8:28 because I couldn’t know for absolute certainty that God was working “all things together for good” be it extremely low times or amazing high times in life.  However, since God is sovereign and knows everything, He already knows how my rough and tough times will be used for HIS GLORY and how my high, mountain top experiences will proclaim His Name.  Without that knowledge, that assurance of salvation, the assurance of hope, the knowledge that God knows all and holds all things in His Almighty hand–I would be utterly lost.

This is the third letter that Beth wrote me.  Sometime when we were dating.  It’s long.

Kevin,

To begin this third letter to my husband on our wedding day, I am just amazed by the Lord and how He is building this relationship.  In the last 8 days our relationship has grown exponentially deeper and closer!  I am certain now that he has such a great plan for us.  I am more certain that when his timing is right that you will be my husband and I will be your wife!!  Wow!!  That’s still a little scary but at the same time peaceful!  God is tearing down so many of the footholds that the Enemy had on me, ones that I didn’t even understand or know were there.  I am loving growing together in Christ and building this relationship in His name for His purpose, trusting Him fully to take care of the details!  He has truly shown you how to love me like Christ loves the church, and that is the only true love and is the greatest of all love.  He is teaching you how to lead me and teaching me how to be submissive!

I am praying for Him to guide me and how me how to be like the woman described in Proverbs 31:10-31.  Haha!  I just got a vision of us reading these together on our wedding night and you reaching for your Bible to read the passage and I’m laughing because that is perfect!  But if anyone had told me that I would be reading Scripture with my husband on our wedding night 4 years ago I would have laughed in their face.  God is just so amazing in the work he does in our hearts!

As we talked last night and from the conversation with your dad, we do still have a long way to go, but I trust God, he will show us how to argue, how to go through trouble, how to be parents, as long as we keep trusting and obeying!

The second letter that Beth wrote to me was while we were dating…

To My Husband (Dating)

Kevin,

On our wedding day.  First, I want to thank God in HIs glory, grace, love, and mercy that he has chosen to make me your wife.  As I prayed for a husband, I never imagined anyone like you.  You are so much more than I could have wished for or imagined.  Our God is so big, so great.  His plan is so amazing for our lives.  I pray daily that in our marriage we would put full trust in the Lord in every decision no matter how big or small.  I pray that he will build this relationship in his flory and continue to grow us into a Godly marriage, to give you the leadership to lead and the love to love me as the he loved the church.  I pray that he would teach me how to be a submissive wife, because I want what he wants because that is so much sweeter than I can imagine!  As I sit here on the beach I thank him for giving you the strength, grace, love, forgiveness to Love me despite my life before he gave me a new life, because that heart is no more, he has given me a new one, one that Loves him and one that desires to do good, one that Loves Jesus, trusts him, hopes in him.  I know that there will be times of Trouble, and I pray that we will always look to him in those times and trust in him because we deserve nothing and every breath we take is a gift from God and in his Sovereignty he may give and take according to his will and he still deserves all that Glory because he will use all things for good!

Love,

Beth “Robinson”

One very cool, awesome, amazing thing jumps out about the provision of God: my favorite verse (currently) in the Bible is Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Beth and I hadn’t had that coversation yet.  I hadn’t used that verse.  God in his Sovereignty knew and provided and awesome “God rocks!” moment for us to look back on when we read these letters a few weeks ago.  AWESOME!!

Before I begin the synopsis of the sermon from yesterday and how it impact my life, I have to joy and privilege of saying that service on Sunday was attended by the couple that we had met and influenced from Ruby Tuesday and had the excitement to witness their reaction and committment to begin and develop a relationship with Christ!!  (More on that here.)

Yesterday’s sermon from Christ Church Nashville was, to sum it up in one word, AWESOME!!  The text was from Isaiah 6:1-8:

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

The main point of the sermon was that we can only hear the voice of God (v. when we have the clear vision of His infinite holiness and majesty and power and might.  The we, in our current society, with the stock market ups-and-downs and unstability have the ONLY stability that we need to look to–the stability of eternity.  That God is ruling and reigning and the throne of eternity will never be empty (Isa 6:3-5).  Amidst the majesty and praises of the Angels of Heaven that shake the foundations of the temple (Isa 6:4), God hears our cry for help (Isa 6:5-6) and we only cry for help when we realize–when confronted with the holiness of God that He reveals to us–our utter unworthyness and sinfullness, but God, who hears our cry, sends help (Isa 6:6-7).  Ultimately, that help is Jesus who atoned and paid the price for our sin (Acts 2:22-33; Romans 5:18-21; Isa 52:13-53:12).

Praise God for His sovreignty!  That when we think we are alone.  He is there.  He ALWAYS hears us and ALWAYS has the BEST plan for us!!

(…continued from yesterday)

What strikes me so deeply about these words are two things:

1. the humility of the person and the position of the person who quoted them
2. how they spoke to me in the position of my life I am currently in

First, to hear these thoughts from a person on the Supreme Court, a man who is arguably, the best and most gifted writer within the era of the modern court brings encouragement, especially for myself as I have left government and politics for church, pastoring, and politics!

Second, Beth and I thought we were undergoing tremendous trial with getting settled in Nashville, finding jobs, and starting Proclamation Church, that is until, her father got sick and we had to put everything on hold to travel to PA and support her mom.  That experience brought us closer, made our relationship stronger, and taught us valuable lessons.  We PRAISE GOD for that!!  But it also took us away from studying and, through studying, submission.  We became focused and consumed with all that we needed to get done and not all that God wanted us TO DO!

John Piper’s post from Justice Thomas reminded me, convicted me, and allowed me to focus on God, knowing that He will provide all things that are required!