Theo1689
Well-known member
Election
Election, and its cognate verb, "[to] elect" and noun, "[the] elect", come from the Greek word, "εκλεκτος" ("eklektos"). It is also translated as "choose" or "chosen", since "choose" and "elect" are synonyms. Throughout the New Testament, we have countless references to "God chose", or "chosen by God", or "God's elect", or references to believers as "chosen [ones]" or "elect[ed ones]"
So on what basis does God decide to "choose" or "elect" a sinner? There are two common ideas, namely the Jewish idea of works (ie. of the Law), or by faith. Well, we can reject the first idea rather easily and quickly:
Eph. 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; ...
Eph. 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
2Tim. 1:9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works ...
Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, ...
Rom. 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
Rom. 4:5 And to the one who does not work ... his faith is counted as righteousness,
Rom. 4:6 ... the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
Rom. 9:11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad ...
Rom. 9:11 ... in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works ...
Rom. 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Rom. 11:5 ... there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works;
When Does Election Occur?
One of the reasons we know that election is not dependent on us, or anything we do, is because God has elected His people before they were born, and in fact from before the foundation of the world:
Jer. 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Matt. 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
This verse doesn't specifically speak on "election", but a kingdom has been prepared from the foundation of the world. And the occupants of that kingdom must be known.
Rom. 9:11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
Gal. 1:15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,
Eph. 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
Rev. 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
This verse is a little backwards, but we can use "modus tollens" to invert it to a sound conclusion. What the verse is saying is there is a book of life which has had names written in it from the foundation of the world (that's election). And all the people whose names were not written in the book have been given over to worship the beast. That means that all those whose names WERE written in the book of life from before the foundation of the world, will be saved.
(to be continued...)
Election, and its cognate verb, "[to] elect" and noun, "[the] elect", come from the Greek word, "εκλεκτος" ("eklektos"). It is also translated as "choose" or "chosen", since "choose" and "elect" are synonyms. Throughout the New Testament, we have countless references to "God chose", or "chosen by God", or "God's elect", or references to believers as "chosen [ones]" or "elect[ed ones]"
So on what basis does God decide to "choose" or "elect" a sinner? There are two common ideas, namely the Jewish idea of works (ie. of the Law), or by faith. Well, we can reject the first idea rather easily and quickly:
Eph. 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; ...
Eph. 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
2Tim. 1:9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works ...
Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, ...
Rom. 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
Rom. 4:5 And to the one who does not work ... his faith is counted as righteousness,
Rom. 4:6 ... the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
Rom. 9:11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad ...
Rom. 9:11 ... in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works ...
Rom. 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Rom. 11:5 ... there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works;
When Does Election Occur?
One of the reasons we know that election is not dependent on us, or anything we do, is because God has elected His people before they were born, and in fact from before the foundation of the world:
Jer. 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Matt. 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
This verse doesn't specifically speak on "election", but a kingdom has been prepared from the foundation of the world. And the occupants of that kingdom must be known.
Rom. 9:11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
Gal. 1:15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,
Eph. 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
Rev. 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
This verse is a little backwards, but we can use "modus tollens" to invert it to a sound conclusion. What the verse is saying is there is a book of life which has had names written in it from the foundation of the world (that's election). And all the people whose names were not written in the book have been given over to worship the beast. That means that all those whose names WERE written in the book of life from before the foundation of the world, will be saved.
(to be continued...)