Understanding Election Part I There are two words in the New Testament that speak of God’s knowledge about man’s future. The first is elect and basically refers to those who the Father qualifies to be saved and receive remission of sins. These are alive in Christ. The second word is predestinate and refers to future designated blessings of God in eternity for the elect. The word elect is sometimes interchanged with the word chosen. But the word chosen in the New Testament does not always refer to the elect. In Mark 13:20 the elect are said to be chosen, in this case the chosen are called people of God. We shall discuss what this means in the course of this paper. In the King James Bible there are sixteen occasions that the word elect is used in the New Testament. In the NAS Bible the same word is used only eight times. The word elect used in Mark 13:20 is the Greek word eklektos and means that what ever is being talked about is favored for choosing or selection. The word selected or chosen indicates that there is a reason for the selection or choosing. This thing or person is chosen out of variety of which some are disqualified for selection. Here is an illustration: It is like going to the fruit market and you select certain apples out of the group of apples. As you look at the displayed apples you choose some that meet your criteria. Bad apples will be quickly overlooked and disqualified. Especially rotten apples there is no contest, you just will not get any of those. The individual that makes the selection always has a reason for selecting some and rejecting others. We might imagine it this way: before a person gets to the market he is thinking about the apples that he will get and has in his mind those bright polished shinny crisp apples, these will be the ones selected. Well it goes a little farther with God in the selection of individuals for His salvation. God in eternity past (before the time/space world was created) knows the DNA, rank and serial number so to speak of individuals that he will select. These are the elect or the ones He chooses in eternity. God has the right to choose that which He pleases, He is the sovereign Lord. God knows His creation from the intricate to the infinite. He also dwells in eternity where there is no time or space. The future is all known to God for at least two reasons; because of His omniscience (He knows everything) and because He dwells in the absence a time space environment. There is no past or future in eternity, hard for us to perceive. In I Peter 1:1 and 2, the Spirit of God would direct our attention to those who are Christians from many different regions of the world. Peter by the Spirit calls these Christians the “elect” in verse 2 and also states that God the Father knew about these individuals who would be saved before time began. Their becoming God’s people came by a preplanned process. 1. The Spirit set them apart in God’s grace for salvation. 2. The Spirit worked on those who would become believers to bring them to obedience of the faith in Jesus Christ. 3. They were cleansed by the blood of Christ. 4. Finally God’s grace and peace came over these elect. They were chosen individuals in eternity and the requirements for salvation were fulfilled in the time space world and the Father finally put them in His wonderful Son’s Kingdom. Qualified for Salvation: The Father does an inspection on each Kingdom candidate to see if he qualifies for salvation. Those qualified are placed in the Son’s Kingdom at the point of salvation. The Father personally transfers redeemed sinners from the kingdom of darkness to the Son’s Kingdom. This thought is especially clear in the NAS Bible in Colossians 1:12-14. The statement as made in the New King James Bible is just as clear. Other translations do not clarify the work of the Father well it seems to me. This English word “qualified” in vs 12 is the Greek word hikinoo and it means what it says in our 2001 English vernacular. It is these qualified folks who are the elect of I Pet. 1:2. The Father: Please note at this juncture that verse 2 of I Peter 1 says that the elect people are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” It is interesting to note how much the Father in heaven has to do with the Salvation of sinners. We don’t think about the Father’s involvement that much but we should ever be thankful for it. Go to John 6 and see that it is the Father who draws sinners to Christ in vs. 44. It is the Father who teaches and informs sinners about their need as sinners and about how they can be saved, vs. 45. It is the Father who grants salvation to sinners, vs. 65. The Father, the Word and Spirit are involved in this process, James 1:18. In Jn. 6:29 we see that salvation is a work of God, thanks to His grace and mercy. The work of God must include all three persons of the trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father has great interest in sinners coming to Christ, Jn. 3:16. Part II Think Outside the Box: Sometimes false impressions influence our thinking which in turn hinders us from understanding Bible truth. Satan loves this because his greatest effort is to distort Bible truth as well as our thinking about God. Thinking about God's sovereignty simply means that God is absolute and uncompromised in authority and rule in the universe. He is Lord or King and can do as He desires or pleases. But as He acts or accomplishes anything He never violates his character or person. His choices, plans and actions always are consistent with His divine attributes which is another worth while study in Scripture. Our Father God chooses people for salvation with reservation and as they meet certain conditions. (There is no effort or work on the human’s brain, muscle or heart here; the conditions are found in human response to truth. The response of the Father to human action is in observing whether the human either believes or rejects what God offers.) It is true that anyone may be saved, or everyone may be saved, 2 Peter 3:9. No person is worthy of the salvation that God offers; it is only by God’s grace that we can be saved. No person may be saved apart from the work of God in the sinner’s life, John 6:29. God’s grace means that we get what we do not deserve, i.e. new and eternal life in Christ. All mankind are born in sin and condemned from the beginning of life, Romans 5:12. Each is worthy of God’s judgment because of rebellion against the Lord. It is rebellion that leads human beings to disobey God. God is not partial or pregidous however and all may be saved; John 3:16 uses the word whosoever to include all mankind with potential for salvation. Romans 9 has a lot to do with God’s sovereignty. It seems that the sovereignty factor in Romans 9 however mainly has to do with God creating individuals regardless of their future destiny, heaven or hell. The complaint of the critic is, "Why if God knows the destiny of all mankind does he go ahead and create people who will be doomed to a lost eternity." Essentially they are saying God isn't fair. Each person has an equal opportunity to analyze self as a sinner in God’s sight and has opportunity to accept the call of the Lord to hearts to receive salvation. Let it be clear that no where in the Word of God can a person find that “election is according to the sovereignty of God.” It only says in the Bible that election is “according to the foreknowledge of God.” Now this raises a question. What does God know ahead of time to make it possible for Him to choose or elect some to be saved? Or does He have to know anything to make a choice about who will be in His Son’s Kingdom? A person must ask these questions and the answer is found in the Word of God. Again it never says anywhere in the Bible that God chooses or elects some to be doomed. Sinners are doomed by their own stubborn unrepentant hearts, refusing to come to Christ, loving their sin more and choosing their own way of life and it just happens that this way is the broad road that leads to destruction, Mt. 7:13 and 14. Sinners are rebels and idolaters. Idolatry was the sin that was most significant in the final days of Israel and Judah’s death by Babylon’s final military blow in 586 BC. Israel became so sophisticated in their sinful idolatry that they even had an idol that took the place of Yahweh the creator God. Sinners who reject God's call and remain in their sin insult the grace of the God of Heaven, Mt. 11:28. Sinners who refuse the ways of God and choose the path of blind self destructive sin will have it their way regardless of the consequences. What are the criteria which God would know in His foreknowledge about a person who would be one of His elect and or chosen? What is in such a uniquely chosen person who would be and will be transferred into God’s Son’s Kingdom by the Father and even have his name written in the Lamb's book of life? In eternity where there are no time restraints God knows the future no problem. What is the case on earth 500 years from our perspective now is seen in visual and distinct reality right now in eternity; the Lord does not have time as a limiting factor to His knowledge. An elect and chosen person makes real his election when he turns from his sin and receives Christ as his Savior and the Father transfers him out of darkness into the Son’s Kingdom? Review, Understand This: When a person is born physically into this world he comes into being as a sinner doomed to a lost eternity. Romans 5:12 speaks of this genetic damnation and this verse declares that all men naturally in the time space world have death and doom hanging over them. Unless there is divine intervention, no one by his own cognizance can escape from this doom. Over and over again the Word declares that sinners cannot get into heaven by their own merit. Personal righteousness is insufficient for any man to ascend to God’s demand of perfect holiness. It is only by the blood of Christ that one can enter the door and be saved; it is a supernatural matter for one to be born again to enter the Kingdom of God, John 3:1-9. So we must understand that there may be a period of time after physical birth while an elect individual is not in actuality a born again individual. At the point of salvation a person enters into the divine flood of benefit from God for himself and election being truth is finally activated and becomes a reality in the believers life. Election (in eternity) looks forward to and anticipates the action of personal redemption in the time space world. Salvation finalizes election known by God in eternity. In Romans 9 there are some interesting statements about God’s choice of people for Salvation. Israel was a nation under the Law and in this chapter God declares that all Israel is not Israel, verse 6. This means that within the nation of Israel not all were really spiritually part of God’s Kingdom. By the flesh they were nationally Israelites, by the spirit of God they would not enter into the promises given by God to the patriarchs. The question is why? The name Israel means “one who struggles with God,” see Genesis 32:28. There is a spiritual struggle that goes on before a person comes to know Christ as Savior in the time space world. This struggle begins an upward path to God in the sinner and we will consider these details now. Part III The Father Inspects all to see if they are fit for His Son’s Kingdom: Men who will be saved are elect or chosen (in eternity) because God knows they will come to God in repentance and faith in the time space world. These seem to be the only biblical human requirements or qualifications for the sinner's salvation. When the Father qualifies a sinner for His Son’s Kingdom he is looking for repentance in the sinner. Repentance is and means a turning from sin and its life style to receive Christ and His life style. Luke 24:47 is a significant verse about the necessity for repentance, there are others. No one can qualify for God's Kingdom who is holding in reserve the secret pleasure of low life or accepted in society type sin. The Father knows unspoken desire to follow the ways of society, this evil world. God knows the hearts of all men; God knows the true desire and willingness to obey the command in I Jn. 2:2-5. Confession of sin that is true is known by God that it is genuinely true. The Father goes beyond mere words; He sees the desire of the heart to be rid of sin and that the Lord is needed to make possible this accomplishment or desire. True repentance is what God looks for and loves. Faith is bound to repentance. Faith is a holy and pure trust in a holy and pure God and His Word. Faith says that God’s way is a superior standard of life in holiness to the desires of my sinful flesh and the sinful ways of our worldly society. Faith sees the empty void of Satan's lies and deceit. Faith sees that the best way is the only way that is in Christ who is the Way, Truth and Life. His way is better than anything the human imagination can envision, but it is the substance of a better life hoped for, Heb. 11:1. So now we see the sinner under conviction of the fact that he is a sinner and is convinced of the truth of God's forgiving grace. The Father nudges the sinner over center to belief and trust; the door opens to His Son's Kingdom and the redeemed sinner receives his place there. The Father grants a place in the Son’s Kingdom and the Spirit seals when we arrive, Eph. 1:13 and 14. Now the sinner in the time space world is the elect of eternity. Do you see this exciting and wonderful truth? Divine Promises: When a person is divinely saved He enters the Kingdom that is filled with divine promises. The great eternal promise of God for the born again believer is life on God's terms… eternal life. No it won't end and will never fail. God did it, I really had nothing to get there accept turn from my sin and believe that the Son could deliver me from it. Wow, what a promise from God for the redeemed child of God, no more a sinner facing doom but a saint with inheritance and eternal life. I am sure that God is not elated about Christ rejecting sinners that He must doom to a lost eternity. God is just! We read that God is not willing that any should perish, 2 Pet. 3:9. But at least God is fair and allows people what they really desire as seen in their perceived need. Even believers can choose a worldly infested way and they become in lifestyle like the unbelieving Israelites of old, Psalm 106:15. Such people are spiritually skinny, spiritual weaklings and prone to give in to the darker paths and will end up in a fruitless eternity with nothing to offer their Lord. They lived for self, a mandate violation of the disciple of Jesus Christ, Lu. 9:23. Part IV What about Jacob, Esau and Pharaoh? These three colorful individuals are brought up in Romans 9. Why did God choose Jacob and reject Esau? And Pharaoh, he seemed to be a pawn on the playing field of the devil without a personal clue about what was happening or hope to achieve any good. Brains he had apparently but stubborn and taking a chance as a rebel against all Authority he became fish bait and not mummified. Jacob: Now this guy was a rascal. He deceived and tricked, he manipulated and provoked others along the road of life. He certainly would not be chosen by us as one of our best friends. We would have been used and abused by him, maybe. God let him go his way, but God kept an eye on Him because He knew Jacob's unseen other less dominant side. There was something in Jacob that God wants in us and this God is looking for. (Who would ever want to be my friend on earth? If you could see all the crap in my fleshly life, I would be on your rejected list. Not a one of us is better than Jacob. We all deserve the flame of hell fire; we are rank sinners of low degree. Not pretty.) Jacob followed his mother's leading and deceived his father Isaac. He got the birthright. But God would have given him that place without conniving. Esau the oldest should have had it, but it didn't mean much to him and he rather scorned the value of it as we know because he traded his birthright for a two bit bowl of soup. Think about that for a moment. Do we trade God's premium plan for our lives for something as small as two bit temporary riches, pleasure, fame or legacy? Jacob did his thing with His eye on the promises God had given to His grandfather Abraham and father Isaac. Jacob had to escape from his brother Esau, fleeing to Laban an uncle a few hundred miles to the north. There he lived for some 20 years and finally used up his good will there and had to escape from Laban. The Lord told him to return to the land promised to him through his fathers. Fearing an encounter with Esau he again made personal plans for protection but called on God as an unworthy individual for protection. He trusted in God enough to call on Him, God loves that. We nail our foot to the floor when we try to do life by ourselves. God intervened and the relationship with Esau seemed healed or at least the old wound was closed, God had a hand in that you and I can be sure. This significant story is in the book of Genesis. Now go to Genesis 32 and begin at verse 22 and read to the end of the chapter. What can you observe about Jacob from this unusual account? In the space below record what you find with pencil the number the different ideas that come to you about Jacob as you read. Jacob is wrestling with "a man." This no doubt is the Second Person of the Godhead, the Son of God. It was not a short encounter and the match was prolonged through the night. Jacob would not let "a man" go and Jacob prevailed. Notice in verse 24 that it was "a man" that was instigator of the wrestling match. The word wrestling in the Hebrew is a primitive word and means to float away. The Son was doing something mysterious with Jacob. Jacob would not let "a man" go that is He clung to "a man." Jacob received a bone/sinew alteration and there was a lifelong obvious limp that came to Jacob’s walk a sign of His encounter with God that began. (To the Jews the sinew is the strength of the flesh and not eaten.) Our flesh has to be disabled spiritually and supernaturally to allow a place of spiritual freedom and power in God’s Kingdom.) Jacob called the place Penuel meaning "I have seen the face of God." Jacob wanted what his father had been promised or we could say what God had to offer. Jacob held on till he received God's blessing found only in the God of creation and heaven. Jacob's name was changed to Israel, meaning "one who wrestled or struggled with God or He Jacob… floated away with God." Jacob fell now heir to the promises of God which are the unsearchable riches of His grace or just plain as can be… the blessings of God. No one ever finds the blessings of God without hard pursuit of The LORD. It is a spiritual encounter that leaves one with spiritual blessing and a new human mark of distinction in the encounter, the flesh is positioned as secondary or out of control. Now God prevailed and gave the man who was a supplanter a position with the patriarchs, a great place of honor. God wants us to struggle with Him to find the eternal blessing He desires to give. Jacob He chose. Jacob He loved. Esau: There are 86 verses in the Bible that contain the name Esau. We cannot go to all of them here but they are certainly interesting and revealing. In Genesis 25:27 there seems to be the idea that Esau was not a man of peace. In vs. 32 Esau thought little of his birthright. In this case the birthright of a believer will be the enjoyment of the presence of God in eternity forever; this helps us visualize the value of the birthright that Esau gave up. It says in vs. 34 that he despised the birthright he had coming to him. In 25:43 he marries a forbidden Hittite. Gen. 28:8 Esau claims more Canaanite women. In Gen. 36:2 you see in him as the source of some of the greatest enemies of Israel. Deut 2:29 we see that the origin of the Moabites were in Esau. Jer. 49:10 records that Esau is stripped by God. Obd. 1:9 everyone will be cut off from the house of Esau. Mal. 1:3, Esau is a stench to God. (The word translated hated in Mal. 1:3 comes from a Hebrew word meaning odious.) The final blow comes in Heb. 12:16 where God declares Esau to be a godless or profane person. The meaning of the word translated profane or godless in this verse means to cross over into the tents of wickedness. That is exactly what Esau did. This is why Esau was not accepted as one of the elect nor was he a person to receive the blessings of God. Esau was a reject. Esau rejected what God offered! Woe! The question is do we scorn the good of what God offers? God knows our hearts! What God knows about you and I can seal our doom. He would like to accept us but doesn’t want rebellious junk in His Son’s Kingdom. Do you have a passion or longing for what God offers? Have you wrestled with the Lord Almighty? Are you one of the elect according to the foreknowledge of God? Have you wrestled with the Lord over rejection of your sin life and the claiming of His divine life? Is Christ doing a work of sanctification in your life? Are you living as an obedient child of God in Jesus Christ? Has the sprinkling of His blood cleansed your soul? Then grace and peace is yours in abundance. You have discovered the blessings of God’s Kingdom. (These thoughts in this paragraph and more come from I Pet. 1:2-5! Have a happy eternity or not.) Write down here for future reference how you will spend eternity. Are you a rebel or the chosen of God? Doug Crabb is the author, a most intriguing study, I must say. What a great foundation of security and hope there is in Jesus Christ! August 2011. Over 4000 Words. | 
