The subject of election comes up quite frequently in any Bible discussion. Normally, there are two sides, Calvinism and Arminianism. However, those are just the two extremes, and both have positive and negative attitudes toward it. Just like anything else, the river of truth runs between the banks of extremes. The two contradict each other, yet they both use the same Bible to “prove” their position. Calvinism teaches that only the elect will be saved and Arminianism teaches that those who persevere will be saved.
[1 Corinthians 14:33: For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches [ekklesias] of the saints.]
[2 Corinthians 5:14: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead]
[John 1:9: That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.]
Simply, Jesus died for all and he lights every man who comes into the world. Everyone who comes into the world can be saved.
When we talk about salvation, we must define what we are talking about. The Bible uses “salvation” (saved, etc.) in many different ways in the Bible. That is the source of much of the confusion. When most people ask, “Are you saved?” they are talking about the born-from-above salvation of John 3:3 that puts you into the family. That is described in Acts 16:31.
[Acts 16:31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.]
In this verse, “believe” is an aorist verb and not present. It is an event, not a process. (That salvation of the soul, which is based on works, uses “believe” in the present tense, which is synonymous with “faith”, which requires works. Hence, the “contradiction” that many people see and the argument over once-saved-always-saved or not.)
But, the aorist tense is graphed as a dot in a timeline and the present tense is graphed as a line. In this passage, you believe and you will be saved. Not may be saved or will be saved if you continue in good works or anything else. (If you look at John 3:3 and 3:5, in verse 3 if a person wants to see the Kingdom he must be born from above but if he wants to enter the Kingdom, he must do something; the oldest texts have “born again of water and spirit”. John 3:5 goes with 1 Peter which is talking about works and being born again.) [If you are interested, I will give you a link to my lesson on John 3:3 and 3:5.]
When we are born from above we are placed into the family of God and that cannot be reversed. Your heavenly DNA cannot be altered. You are in the family, period.
So, what is the calling?
[2 Timothy 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,]
Notice that salvation comes before the calling.
[Matthew 22:14: For many are called, but few are chosen.]
Not all are called. The many who are called are not called unto simply being born from above salvation because that invitation is extended to everyone, not the many. The calling is a holy calling and is given after one is saved or in the family.
Out of the many who are called, only few are chosen or elect. It is the word “called out” which is from among the called. One must be a citizen to be elected.
[Hebrews 3:1: Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;]
The holy calling is a heavenly calling and is unto his Kingdom and glory, not common salvation.
[1 Thessalonians 2:12: That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.]
[John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.]
All those who are born from above will see the Kingdom, but not all the saved will enter the Kingdom.
[Matthew 7:21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.]
Not all of his children are doing the will of the Father.
[John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments.]
[Ephesians 1:4-5: According as he hath chosen [elected; called out from among the called] us in him [in him is in Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption [huiosthesia; son-placement, not adoption in the modern American sense; means the same thing as bar mitzvah] of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will…]
Adoption takes place in the body of Christ, among those whom he knew would be saved. The elect are to become sons, which is a position of authority based upon approval. (Applies to daughters as well; the masculine is used as the generic.)
[Romans 8:29-30: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them [those in the family] he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.]
God gives man free will. Since God exists outside of time, he knows who will accept the gift. From among those are the called, and from among those, the called-out or the chosen.
[Romans 9:11: (For the children [Esau and Jacob] being not yet born [but in the womb], neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)]
Jacob was elect.
[Romans 11:5-6: Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.]
It is all by grace, not by works of the law.
[Galatians 5:4: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.]
[Romans 9:12: It was said unto her, The elder [greater] shall serve the younger [lesser].]
It is within the family.
[Romans 9:13: As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.]
Love and hate are somewhat relative. “Hate” is more of an apathetic idea without malice the way we use it today.
[Romans 9:14-15: What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.]
This shows God’s sovereignty.
[Romans 9:16: So then it is not of him that willeth [Esau or Jacob], nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.]
It has to do with God’s will. The last shall be first.
[Romans 9:20-21: Nay but, O man [Esau], who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour [Jacob], and another unto dishonor [Esau]?]
As seen above: God is sovereign.
[1 Corinthians 6:19-20: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.]
[1 Corinthians 12:18: But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.]
[2 Timothy 2:20-21: But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to HONOUR, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto HONOUR, SANCTIFIED, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.]
So, who are the elect? Jacob was last in the family and had a bad reputation.
[1 Corinthians 1:26-29: For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.]
Brethren are those who are doing the will of the Father. In this passage, which is addressed to brethren, we see that the elect are those who cannot glory in their own ability or position in life. Jacob could not glory in anything he had done. Later, God did change his name to Israel, a Prince of God.
[James 2:5: Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom [heavenly] which he hath promised to them that love him?]
Adoption, in the modern American context speaks of a child being born to one set of parents and then being adopted by another set of parents. Many churches speak of being adopted into the family of God. When one is born from above he is born into the family of God, therefore adoption into the family is not necessary. In the culture at the time, adoption is placing a child that has been born into the family into the position of a son. The word (huiothesia) is the equivalent of when a Jewish boy become a “son of the commandment” and a full member of the congregation at his bar mitzvah. “Bar” means “son” and “mitzvah” means command. (The root word “tsavah” means to “enjoin” and is translated as “appoint”, “charge”, “put”, or “command”.) The elect were chose to become sons before the foundation of the world, but have not been made manifest.
[Romans 8:19: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.]
The manifestation of the sons of God will be made at the resurrection of the body.
[Romans 8:23: We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit [that is to say], the redemption of our body.]
[Job 1:6: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.]
[Psalms 82:6,7: I have said, Ye are gods [judges]; and all of you are children [sons] of the most High.]
[Daniel 10:13: But the prince [Jacob’s name was changed to A PRINCE OF GOD] of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.]
These passages show that the angels of God – whether fallen or not – are known as the sons of God and they are the principalities, rulers, and powers in the heavens. We are told that if we are victorious over our enemies and keeps his works to the end that we will have positions of authority over the nations and we will rule them with a rod of iron.
[Revelation 2:26-27: And he that overcometh [ones being victorious], and keepeth [guarding] my works unto the end, to him will I give power [authority] over the nations: And he shall rule [feed or tend] them with a rod of iron…]
[Revelation 17:14: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen [ELECT], and faithful.]
The words “called”, “chosen”, and “faithful” are adjectives that describe the kings and lords that are with him. What were the apostles told in Matthew 19?
[Matthew 19:27-28: Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.]
Brethren must give diligence.
[2 Peter 1:4-7: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue… knowledge… temperance… patience… godliness…to brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity…]
[2 Peter 1:10: Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence [strive] to make your calling and election sure [steadfast, stable, firm]: for if ye do these things [verses 4-9], ye shall never fall [stumble, stagger]]
We must strive for stability in our calling and election and we must not waste time accomplishing this objective. We may stumble, just as the nation of Israel stumbled, but we do not have to fall asleep as Israel did and were cut off.
[Romans 11:11: I say then, Have they stumbled that they [Israel] should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles…]
[Romans 11:16-17: For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the [holy, living] branches be broken off, [being alive, they can be graft in again, v. 23] and thou, being a wild olive tree [GENTILES], wert grafted in among them [You do not graft dead branches into a living tree and expect fruit], and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree [the blessing of the nation of Israel]]
To be “cut off” is not to lose the common salvation, but to lose an inheritance. (There were two inheritances.) All who left Egypt were cut off except for Joshua, Caleb [a Gentile whose name means “dog” in Hebrew], and the children 20 years and younger.
[Hebrews 3:19: So we see that they could not enter in [to the promise land, because they were cut off] because of unbelief [apistia = no faith].]
[Romans 11:20-21: Well; because of unbelief [apistia = no faith] they were broken off, and thou standest by faith [pistov, the opposite of apistia]. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.]
The nation of Israel fell because they did not have faith. Israel was just, they kept the law, but they would not live by faith.
[Hebrews 10:38: Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.]
Those who have faith need to add to their faith so they can stand and not fall. Those who fell and were cut off did not become unsaved, otherwise Moses and Aaron became unsaved. If we are cut off, we do not become unsaved, but we will not have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
[2 Peter 1:11: For so an entrance [not just seeing] shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting [aionian] kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.]
[Romans 11:20b: Be not high minded [brethren], but fear.]
We need to give diligence to confirm our calling and election by adding to our faith those things outlined in verse 4-9, then we will be spared and not cut off as were some of the nation of Israel even though they were elect.
[Revelation 20:6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first [best] resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.]