Like many others, I have struggled with this over the years. I have a number of excellent books on this subject, none of which I have read for several reasons. 1) I like to come to a conclusion based on God speaking through scripture alone before studying commentaries. 2) This particular subject is not on my "top priority" list. 3) I don't anticipate having any extra time in the near future, since there are more urgent matters that I believe the Lord would have me doing.
With that said, I tend to lean more and more against OSAS if for one reason alone. I have noticed a deeply disturbing doctrinal bent in the latter day church, and it fits right in with everything the apostate church is doing. This trend fits right into Satan's agenda by assuring people that they need have no concern about anything they do, because after all we're all only human, make many mistakes, and once we're saved, we never need to worry about it again.
I don't buy it. Why? Because I find nothing at all like this taught by Jesus Christ or in the New (or Old) Testament. In fact, I find just the opposite. With that in mind, and also to take a break from the more bizarre realities we are entering into, I post this article because it is provocative and thought-provoking. Good mental and spiritual exercise. Enjoy! (By one of my favorites, Douglas Hamp.)
The biblical usage of “election” has absolutely nothing to do with salvation
contrary to the teaching of Calvinism. Calvin summarizes this foundational
doctrine in his book
Institutes of the Christian Religion (Book 3
chapter 21): “Of the eternal election, by which God has predestinated some to
salvation, and others to destruction.”
He qualifies his summary
by stating:
The predestination by which God adopts some to the
hope of life, and adjudges others to eternal death, no man who would be thought
pious ventures simply to deny…By predestination we mean the eternal decree of
God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with
regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are
preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and,
accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say
that he has been predestinated to life or to death. (Calvin Institutes 3:21:5:
06 all emphasis in this article is mine)
Calvinist James White reiterates Calvin’s words demonstrating that Calvin
meant what he said. White states: “God elects a specific people unto Himself
without reference to anything they do. This means the basis of God’s choice of
the elect is solely within Himself. His grace, His mercy, His will. It is not
man’s actions, works, or even foreseen faith, that “draws” God’s choice. God’s
election is unconditional and final.
“ (James R. White,
The
Potter’s Freedom, Amityville, NY: Calvary Press, 2000, p. 39) This is also
echoed by Loraine Boettner, in
The Reformed Doctrine of
Predestination
“The Doctrine of absolute Predestination of course
logically holds that some are foreordained to death as truly as
others are foreordained to life. The very terms ‘elect’ and ‘election’
imply the terms ‘non-elect’ and ‘reprobation’. When some are chosen out
others are left not chosen. The high privileges and glorious destiny of the
former are not shared with the latter…Those who hold the doctrine of Election
but deny that of Reprobation can lay but little claim to consistency. To affirm
the former while denying the latter makes the decree of predestination an
illogical and lop-sided decree. The creed which states the former but denies the
latter will resemble a wounded eagle attempting to fly with but one wing.”
(Loraine Boettner The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination 1932
from 2000 bible study centre™ DIGITAL LIBRARY p. 104-5)
The good news, however, is that “election, elect, chosen” (and the
derivatives) are terms that have nothing to do with one’s eternal destiny.
Scripture does speak at length of “the elect” and “the chosen” but these terms
are devoid of the Calvinistic sense of someone who has been chosen to receive
eternal life. The term elect and its derivatives therefore are
not
salvific in meaning but simply refer to persons or things that are
chosen for a particular purpose and
the purpose has nothing to do with
eternal life. Once the definition of the word is established
biblically, the foundation of Calvinism will be undermined and will collapse and
arguing the tenants of TULIP will become inapplicable. The word elect (Greek
verb:
eklegomai ἐκλέγομαι; Hebrew verb:
bakharבָּחַר) means to
choose, select. The elect or chosen (as nouns or adjectives) are those people or
things that have been elected, selected, or chosen for a particular purpose by
someone. Scripture bears witness that elect and its derivatives have nothing to
do with someone being chosen specifically to eternal life.
THE REST OF THE ARTICLE IS HERE
ROYAL HEIR
Feel free to email me at: creyner@yahoo.com
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