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Since we just recently commented on Ro. 9:22-25 in the context of predestination, we viewed today's article as an opportunity to build understanding of Paul's thrust through this portion of Romans. Unfortunately, the author doesn't help.
He has an opportunity to explain the Calvinistic doctrine of Unconditional Election, but doesn't use the Bible to do so. In fact, he will not quote a single Scripture that demonstrates this doctrine.
This is the sad state of Bible teaching in our day.
This is the sad state of Bible teaching in our day.
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Throughout the twentieth century, it was not uncommon for individuals to so associate the doctrine of election with John Calvin that they mistakenly concluded that the concept of election had originated with him. Far from finding its origins in the Genevan Reformer, the doctrine of election has long held a place in the history of the church because it is everywhere taught in Scripture. (If it's everywhere, the author should be able to quote many Scriptures in defense of this doctrine. He doesn't.)
Throughout the twentieth century, it was not uncommon for individuals to so associate the doctrine of election with John Calvin that they mistakenly concluded that the concept of election had originated with him. Far from finding its origins in the Genevan Reformer, the doctrine of election has long held a place in the history of the church because it is everywhere taught in Scripture. (If it's everywhere, the author should be able to quote many Scriptures in defense of this doctrine. He doesn't.)
The early church theologian Augustine, in his tractate on John 15:15–16, appealed to the clear teaching of Romans 11:5–6 regarding the doctrine of election. He wrote:
Paul is not referring to every Christian, but only those like himself who have the firstfruits of the Spirit. That is, the group of people who were the very first Jews to be saved [Ro. 11:16, 1Co. 15:23, Re. 14:4].)
The doctrine of unconditional election is one of the most precious doctrines concerning God’s salvation. It is the foundation of our understanding of grace, the guarantee of the application of redemption, and the reason to praise God for the glory of His grace. The addition of any condition outside of God changes the very nature of these gifts and takes glory from God and gives it to the creature. (The author closes with a number of undocumented assertions. Each of these points is clearly disputable, but since the author casually mentions them without discussing them, we shall not bother either.)
What was it then that He chose in those who were not good? For they were not chosen because of their goodness, inasmuch as they could not be good without being chosen. Otherwise, grace is no more grace, if we maintain the priority of merit. Such, certainly, is the election of grace, whereof the apostle says: “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant saved according to the election of grace.” To which he adds: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise, grace is no more grace.”(Hmm. Let's quote a larger part of the passage:
Ro. 11:1-7 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.
Don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah — how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? [1 Kings 19:10,14]
4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” [1 Kings 19:18] 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened...
We are astonished and dismayed at these supposed Bible teachers. With the text before us we can see why the author deferred to a theologian. This passage is not about Unconditional Election, it is about the remnant of Israel. Paul was talking about his people, whom he foreknew. The elect [vs. 7] are those of Israel reserved by God as a remnant [Ro. 9:6].
In fact, Paul has been discoursing about Israel since chapter 9. How is it possible to so completely ignore the context of these verses in order to impose a doctrine not being taught? We are astounded.)
Augustine was underlining the importance of the unmerited nature of election. God did not choose those He would save through Christ on account of anything in them by which they could have merited that salvation. God did not foresee something in those He saves that moved Him to choose them. God did not even choose them on account of Christ. Rather, He chose them even though they had nothing with which to merit His grace and had, in fact, demerited His favor. The idea of unmerited election is encapsulated in the Calvinistic acronym TULIP under the designation unconditional election (the U in TULIP). But what do Reformed theologians mean when they speak of the unconditional nature of election? Dr. R.C. Sproul defined unconditional election in the following way: “The Reformed view of election, known as unconditional election, means that God does not foresee an action or condition on our part that induces Him to save us. Rather, election rests on God’s sovereign decision to save whomever He is pleased to save.” (Another quote from a theologian...)
The term unconditional can be somewhat misleading. It does not mean that there is no cause for the electing grace of God. Rather, it simply means that there is no cause or condition in us. The Scriptures make clear that the condition (if we may speak of it in that way) of God’s election of His people is His mere “good pleasure” (Eph. 1:5). As the Reformed theologian Francis Turretin explained, “Election was made from God’s mere good pleasure . . . good pleasure excludes every cause out of God upon which election may depend.” (That makes three quotes from theologians and no quotes from the Bible.)
The term unconditional can be somewhat misleading. It does not mean that there is no cause for the electing grace of God. Rather, it simply means that there is no cause or condition in us. The Scriptures make clear that the condition (if we may speak of it in that way) of God’s election of His people is His mere “good pleasure” (Eph. 1:5). As the Reformed theologian Francis Turretin explained, “Election was made from God’s mere good pleasure . . . good pleasure excludes every cause out of God upon which election may depend.” (That makes three quotes from theologians and no quotes from the Bible.)
In this sense, we may speak of a condition or cause of election in God alone. However, it also means that there is no cause or condition for His electing grace outside of Himself.
Embracing the unconditional nature of election is vital if we are to come to understand the greatness of God’s grace. (That's quite a claim. Apparently we need to agree with the author in order to understand grace. This seems arrogant and condescending.)
Embracing the unconditional nature of election is vital if we are to come to understand the greatness of God’s grace. (That's quite a claim. Apparently we need to agree with the author in order to understand grace. This seems arrogant and condescending.)
God does not confer His grace upon us because of any good in us—whether past or future good. In fact, the Scripture describes man’s depravity in the most straightforward way when it says:
Many attempts have been made to explain away the doctrine of unconditional election. Semi-Pelagian theologians (i.e., Arminians) insist that God chose a people to save before the foundation of the world after looking down the corridor of time and noting a decision they would make to trust in Christ. In this proposal, God doesn’t know all that He will do; He learns something that He didn’t foreknow. (The author says that "many attempts" have been made, and apparently this particular attempt is the best of those.
None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. (Rom. 3:10–12) (This is the only Scripture the author actually quotes, which does not address his thesis.)The first doctrine represented in the acronym TULIP sets the logical course for this subsequent doctrine of unconditional election. The doctrine of total depravity (perhaps better termed pervasive depravity) necessitates unconditional election. Since we justly deserve God’s wrath and are without hope apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1–3), our salvation must depend entirely on the electing grace of God.
Many attempts have been made to explain away the doctrine of unconditional election. Semi-Pelagian theologians (i.e., Arminians) insist that God chose a people to save before the foundation of the world after looking down the corridor of time and noting a decision they would make to trust in Christ. In this proposal, God doesn’t know all that He will do; He learns something that He didn’t foreknow. (The author says that "many attempts" have been made, and apparently this particular attempt is the best of those.
Or perhaps the author is simply trying to make other points of view seem ridiculous. We say this because this idea of God not knowing everything that will happen [known as Open Theism] is hardly representative of the debate. In fact, it's a particularly inadequate one in our view.)
The biblical doctrine of election is built on the foreknowledge of God, not on the fore-learning of God (see Rom. 8:29; 11:2). (The author is reluctant to quote Scripture for some unknown reason. We shall do the author's work for him:
Ro. 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
The obvious question we should ask is, who is Paul talking about? Who are these people? Paul tells us a few verses before:
Ro. 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
The doctrine of unconditional election is one of the most precious doctrines concerning God’s salvation. It is the foundation of our understanding of grace, the guarantee of the application of redemption, and the reason to praise God for the glory of His grace. The addition of any condition outside of God changes the very nature of these gifts and takes glory from God and gives it to the creature. (The author closes with a number of undocumented assertions. Each of these points is clearly disputable, but since the author casually mentions them without discussing them, we shall not bother either.)
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