Doctrine of Unconditional Election

Should we mention the doctrine of election to the unbeliever?

Some have told us that this great Biblical truth is an “in-house debate” and should not be brought up to the unbeliever. We should them at the place of their responsibility and never mention their inability we are told.

First, let me say with no uncertainty, the doctrine of election is not a “debate”. It is a biblical truth that is uncatagorically essential to the marvelous gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace. To deny election is to dethrone God. The gospel of “man’s free will” is another gospel. Read Galatians 1:6-10 to see what God says about that. The doctrine of election is not a “deep truth” that requires the exercised intellect of a trained theologian to comprehend. It is a simple truth that all of God’s children rejoice to believe.

Second, the scriptures give plenty of examples of this great truth not being “in-house”. Let me briefly mention just two. The first is none less than our Lord’s own evangelistic ministry. In Matthew 15, and Luke 7, we have recorded Jesus encounter with the Syrophenician woman. After pleading with the Lord for mercy on her demon possessed daughter, Jesus told her that He came for the lost sheep of Israel (the elect), and that He could not take the bread from the children and give it to the “dogs”. The Bible says, “she worshipped Him”. The Lord declared the doctrine of God’s sovereign election to bring this woman to understand her only hope was to bow in humble submission to the One who alone could save her. The second example is the conversion of the apostle Paul in Acts 9. God sends a disciple by the name of Ananias to confirm the gospel to this last and greatest (or least as he saw it ) apostle with the message of election; “he is a chosen vessel of mine” v.15.

The modem evangelistic appeal, devoid of God’s sovereign election, in essence, invites the unbeliever to “make a decision” without confronting them with the Sovereignty of God. It presents them with an “invitation”, an r.s.v.p… let them decide if and when they are ready. It feeds the pride of man. The true gospel message is one of sovereign grace that humbles the sinner to beg for a crumb of bread from the Master’s table. God gives grace to the humble. .’.He resists the proud. By Greg Elemquist 3
 
brightfame52 said:
Should we mention the doctrine of election to the unbeliever?

Some have told us that this great Biblical truth is an “in-house debate” and should not be brought up to the unbeliever. We should them at the place of their responsibility and never mention their inability we are told.

First, let me say with no uncertainty, the doctrine of election is not a “debate”. It is a biblical truth that is uncatagorically essential to the marvelous gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace. To deny election is to dethrone God. The gospel of “man’s free will” is another gospel. Read Galatians 1:6-10 to see what God says about that. The doctrine of election is not a “deep truth” that requires the exercised intellect of a trained theologian to comprehend. It is a simple truth that all of God’s children rejoice to believe.

Second, the scriptures give plenty of examples of this great truth not being “in-house”. Let me briefly mention just two. The first is none less than our Lord’s own evangelistic ministry. In Matthew 15, and Luke 7, we have recorded Jesus encounter with the Syrophenician woman. After pleading with the Lord for mercy on her demon possessed daughter, Jesus told her that He came for the lost sheep of Israel (the elect), and that He could not take the bread from the children and give it to the “dogs”. The Bible says, “she worshipped Him”. The Lord declared the doctrine of God’s sovereign election to bring this woman to understand her only hope was to bow in humble submission to the One who alone could save her. The second example is the conversion of the apostle Paul in Acts 9. God sends a disciple by the name of Ananias to confirm the gospel to this last and greatest (or least as he saw it ) apostle with the message of election; “he is a chosen vessel of mine” v.15.

The modem evangelistic appeal, devoid of God’s sovereign election, in essence, invites the unbeliever to “make a decision” without confronting them with the Sovereignty of God. It presents them with an “invitation”, an r.s.v.p… let them decide if and when they are ready. It feeds the pride of man. The true gospel message is one of sovereign grace that humbles the sinner to beg for a crumb of bread from the Master’s table. God gives grace to the humble. .’.He resists the proud. By Greg Elemquist 3
Click to expand...
I'm glad to see that you've been studying.
 
What is the meaning of election?

The Greek word for election is ekloge (ek-log-ay') it means to pick out, choose, chosen, elect. It is to choose some people out of many people. Who does the choosing? God does the choosing. Do not be surprised majority of the churches that are Arminian believe this too. On what basis does God choose some out of many? This is where the rubber meets the road. The most crucial question is, on what bases does God elects some and leave others?

The meaning of unconditional election.

Arminians reply, God looks into the future and sees who will accept him, receive him, and God elects them on the basis of man’s will. The Scriptures make it very clear that Election to salvation is in no way conditioned by or dependent upon man. Unconditional means that there are no conditions that humans must meet, including faith. Faith is a gift of God (Rom. 12:3; Eph. 2:8). If human-generated faith plays a part in salvation, salvation is not entirely by grace. Now think about it, if election is of man’s will, then God is bound to man’s will. Then where is the sovereignty of God? Where is the mercy of God? Where is the grace of God? All these have no place as God is limited and he has no choice but he has to make the choice as per man’s decision. This kind of teaching is very heretical and slap on God’s sovereignty.


On the other hand, the Bible says just the opposite. God predestines and choose some according to his will and as per his own pleasure.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

"It is absurd to think that anything in us could have the least influence upon our election. Some say that God did foresee that such persons would believe, and therefore did choose them; so, they would make the business of salvation to depend upon something in us. Whereas God does not choose us FOR faith, but TO faith. "He hath chosen us, that we should be holy," (Ephesians 1:4), not because we would be holy, but that we might be holy." Thomas Watson

"Moreover, as God respects no persons, so He respects no conditions upon which He gives salvation to us." Thomas Goodwin

"The orthodox maintain that the good pleasure alone (of God) has place and think that no other cause can either be given or rightly sought [for election]." Francis Turretin

"The good pleasure of God is an act of the divine will freely and effectively determining all things." William Ames

If election is of foreseen faith, then God would not have elected man, but rather man would have elected God. Jesus said, there is no one good, but one, that is God.

"Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling,"

Election is a glorious doctrine, as the sinner realize although he deserves hell, it was God who chose him. Election is a work performed by the God of glory. It lifts sinners from the darkness, destruction, doom, and death of sin to become God’s children. It brings glory to God, and nothing to man. It will praise of his glorious grace, which we do not deserve. Election is glorious. We were the chief of sinners, the king of sinners, hypocrites and totally deceived ourselves.

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

But God chose me!

'Twas not that I did choose Thee
For Lord That could not be;
This heart would still refuse Thee,
Hadst Thou not chosen me."

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.

1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 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;

28 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:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Election brings true humility.

Spurgeon said, “I know nothing, nothing again, that is more humbling for us than this doctrine of election. I have sometimes fallen prostrate before it, when endeavoring to understand it. I have stretched my wings, and, eagle-like, I have soared towards the sun. Steady has been my eye, and true my wing, for a season; but, when I came near it, and the one thought possessed me,—"God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation," I was lost in its lustre, I was staggered with the mighty thought; and from the dizzy elevation down came my soul, prostrate and broken, saying, "Lord, I am nothing, I am less than nothing. Why me? Why me?"

Friends, if you want to be humbled, study election, for it will make you humble under the influence of God's Spirit. He who is proud of his election is not elect; and he who is humbled under a sense of it may believe that he is. He has every reason to believe that he is, for it is one of the most blessed effects of election that it helps us to humble ourselves before God.”

http://www.sounddoctrine.net/
 
brightfame52 said:
What is the meaning of election?

The Greek word for election is ekloge (ek-log-ay') it means to pick out, choose, chosen, elect. It is to choose some people out of many people. Who does the choosing? God does the choosing. Do not be surprised majority of the churches that are Arminian believe this too. On what basis does God choose some out of many? This is where the rubber meets the road. The most crucial question is, on what bases does God elects some and leave others?

The meaning of unconditional election.

Arminians reply, God looks into the future and sees who will accept him, receive him, and God elects them on the basis of man’s will. The Scriptures make it very clear that Election to salvation is in no way conditioned by or dependent upon man. Unconditional means that there are no conditions that humans must meet, including faith. Faith is a gift of God (Rom. 12:3; Eph. 2:8). If human-generated faith plays a part in salvation, salvation is not entirely by grace. Now think about it, if election is of man’s will, then God is bound to man’s will. Then where is the sovereignty of God? Where is the mercy of God? Where is the grace of God? All these have no place as God is limited and he has no choice but he has to make the choice as per man’s decision. This kind of teaching is very heretical and slap on God’s sovereignty.


On the other hand, the Bible says just the opposite. God predestines and choose some according to his will and as per his own pleasure.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

"It is absurd to think that anything in us could have the least influence upon our election. Some say that God did foresee that such persons would believe, and therefore did choose them; so, they would make the business of salvation to depend upon something in us. Whereas God does not choose us FOR faith, but TO faith. "He hath chosen us, that we should be holy," (Ephesians 1:4), not because we would be holy, but that we might be holy." Thomas Watson

"Moreover, as God respects no persons, so He respects no conditions upon which He gives salvation to us." Thomas Goodwin

"The orthodox maintain that the good pleasure alone (of God) has place and think that no other cause can either be given or rightly sought [for election]." Francis Turretin

"The good pleasure of God is an act of the divine will freely and effectively determining all things." William Ames

If election is of foreseen faith, then God would not have elected man, but rather man would have elected God. Jesus said, there is no one good, but one, that is God.

"Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling,"

Election is a glorious doctrine, as the sinner realize although he deserves hell, it was God who chose him. Election is a work performed by the God of glory. It lifts sinners from the darkness, destruction, doom, and death of sin to become God’s children. It brings glory to God, and nothing to man. It will praise of his glorious grace, which we do not deserve. Election is glorious. We were the chief of sinners, the king of sinners, hypocrites and totally deceived ourselves.

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

But God chose me!

'Twas not that I did choose Thee
For Lord That could not be;
This heart would still refuse Thee,
Hadst Thou not chosen me."

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.

1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 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;

28 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:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Election brings true humility.

Spurgeon said, “I know nothing, nothing again, that is more humbling for us than this doctrine of election. I have sometimes fallen prostrate before it, when endeavoring to understand it. I have stretched my wings, and, eagle-like, I have soared towards the sun. Steady has been my eye, and true my wing, for a season; but, when I came near it, and the one thought possessed me,—"God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation," I was lost in its lustre, I was staggered with the mighty thought; and from the dizzy elevation down came my soul, prostrate and broken, saying, "Lord, I am nothing, I am less than nothing. Why me? Why me?"

Friends, if you want to be humbled, study election, for it will make you humble under the influence of God's Spirit. He who is proud of his election is not elect; and he who is humbled under a sense of it may believe that he is. He has every reason to believe that he is, for it is one of the most blessed effects of election that it helps us to humble ourselves before God.”

http://www.sounddoctrine.net/
Click to expand...
But I believe that though God doesn’t want us to be lost, some are lost because they choose wrongly and God will not violate their freedom of choice.
 
In Matthew 18:14, Jesus says that “God is not willing that any should perish”. Jesus doesn't want to have Robots for his followers so he gives us the free will to choose or reject him. God is willing that all be saved, none can be unless the individual makes that free-will decision for Christ to be their personal Savior. The sacrifice Jesus made was great enough to take away the sins of the world. That would include every sin ever committed by man past present and future.

So if God's not willing that any should perish I think we should take that as a wake-up call to get out there and share the gospel.
 
Scriptures that indicate that election to Salvation took place before the elect individual existed:

Jeremiah 1:5 - “Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee.”



Matthew 25:34 - “Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”


Ephesians 1:4 - “Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”


2 Thessalonians 2:13 - “But we are bound to give thanks to God alway for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Sprit and belief of the truth.”

Compare also the phraseology used as to the names written in the Lamb’s book of life, Revelation 13:8 -

“And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him (that is the beast), every one


Revelation 17:8 - “And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast how that he was, and is not, and shall come.”
 
Yes. and we must choose the invitation. “Who will be at God’s banquet in the kingdom?” is, those who respond personally to the invitation.

Salvation is a gift from God. Romans 6:23, that the gift of God is eternal life, free to all who will receive it.

Jesus clearly warns that some do refuse God’s broad, free, and ample invitation.

“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” Heb. 2:3

So God's grace can clearly be resisted. Which makes the “I” in the acronym tuilp Incorrect.
 
@Redeemed

So God's grace can clearly be resisted. Which makes the “I” in the acronym tuilp Incorrect.
Click to expand...

I believe you havent provided proof of that. Gods Grace in Salvation reigns [as a kingly power] through Jesus Christ. It reigns over death, especially spiritual death Rom 5:21

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Grace reigns over death unto eternal life. To say otherwise is to give what adam effected preeminence over what Christ effected. Grace is Sovereign !
 
The canons of dort presentation of election:

Article 7: Election​

Election is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following:

Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, God chose in Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race, which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin. Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery. God did this in Christ, whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator, the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation.

And so God decreed to give to Christ those chosen for salvation, and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit. In other words, God decreed to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them, to sanctify them, and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify them.

God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of God’s glorious grace.

As Scripture says, “God chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, so that we should be holy and blameless before him with love; he predestined us whom he adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, by which he freely made us pleasing to himself in his beloved” (Eph. 1:4-6). And elsewhere, “Those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30). 4
 
The Canons of Dort, in rejecting the five points of Arminianism, outlined five points of their own and both of them are teachings of men. It is not divinely inspired like the Bible.

What the Bible teaches is that God chose Israel, they are the elect.The Bible is clear that God elects—God chose Israel from all the nations of the earth (Deut. 7:6–8), for example. The New Testament often talks about God choosing people. How does God elect people? How does this election relate to human free will? I'm glad you asked.

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt Deut. 7:6–8

God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth (2 Thess. 2:13).

Listening to find work of all spirit takes place when one hears the gospel. At that point you must make a choice to accept or reject Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Choice—God’s choice to save people is not based or conditioned on who they are (the elect) or anything they have done or will do. God, as King, chooses freely to save people that belive in Christ.
 
Parker said:
The Canons of Dort, in rejecting the five points of Arminianism, outlined five points of their own and both of them are teachings of men. It is not divinely inspired like the Bible.

What the Bible teaches is that God chose Israel, they are the elect.The Bible is clear that God elects—God chose Israel from all the nations of the earth (Deut. 7:6–8), for example. The New Testament often talks about God choosing people. How does God elect people? How does this election relate to human free will? I'm glad you asked.

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt Deut. 7:6–8

God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth (2 Thess. 2:13).

Listening to find work of all spirit takes place when one hears the gospel. At that point you must make a choice to accept or reject Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Choice—God’s choice to save people is not based or conditioned on who they are (the elect) or anything they have done or will do. God, as King, chooses freely to save people that belive in Christ.
Click to expand...
Are you saying that there is no scripture references in the canon of dort ? The scripture its sets forth is inspired!

Choice—God’s choice to save people is not based or conditioned on who they are (the elect) or anything they have done or will do. God, as King, chooses freely to save people that belive in Christ.
Click to expand...

You just contradicted yourself since believing is an act man does.
 
brightfame52 said:
Are you saying that there is no scripture references in the canon of dort ? The scripture its sets forth is inspired!



You just contradicted yourself since believing is an act man does.
Click to expand...
Just twisted scripture, inspired buy who? By men trying to led you astray Don't fall for the bait of Satan. Jesus tells Peter that he’s going to be sifted. And He tells him He’s already prayed for him. And He reveals that His intercession is focused on Peter’s faith—that it won’t fail him when he needs it most. From this, we can learn a few things right away:

Faith is the “vehicle” that will propel us through our sifting, like an armored tank picking its way across a battlefield. It is possible for our faith to either succeed or fail. Jesus is highly invested in the strength of our faith and Jesus never fails.

I would rather worship and serve Jesus any day versus the thoughts of man portrayed in the Reformation.
 

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