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The author is writing about the Calvinistic idea that there is a select group of people (the elect), whom God long ago chose to be saved. This is one of the five points of Calvinism, a rough summary known as TULIP:
The author is writing about the Calvinistic idea that there is a select group of people (the elect), whom God long ago chose to be saved. This is one of the five points of Calvinism, a rough summary known as TULIP:
T - Total Depravity
U - Unconditional Election
L - Limited Atonement
I - Irresistible Grace
P - Perseverance of the Saints
The "U," Unconditional Election, is also known as predestination.
We find that the promulgation of Calvinism is largely accomplished via misconceptions and misrepresentations. We don't think this is done maliciously, but rather due to entrenched tradition. People are sucked in to Calvinism unawares. Many of these bad teachings have been examined in the pages of this blog.
But more importantly, the distinctive doctrines of Calvinism are irrelevant. None of them change the obligations or privileges of a Christian. We still must be saved, grow in faith, be holy, be generous, be worshipers, etc. Not a single doctrine of Calvin comes to bear on living an adequate, proper, or perhaps even remarkable Christian life.
“In Him.” In my estimation, these are the two most important words for understanding the Christian life. These words teach us that union with Christ—being spiritually one with him—is what makes all the difference for the Christian. All that is Christ’s becomes mine. Every blessing I have I must understand through the lens of my union to Christ. And this is fundamentally and foundationally true of election.
We can’t make sense of election without union with Christ.
Paul writes in the opening of Ephesians,
We can’t make sense of election without union with Christ, because there is nothing inherent within us that would make us desirous to God. There is nothing in us worth choosing. But when we are united to Christ, it all starts to make a little more sense.
When Paul tells us that this choosing took place “before the foundation of the world,” he sends us into the marvelous and mysterious eternal counsel of the Godhead. More specifically, Paul refers to what theologians call the Covenant of Redemption. A covenant is a binding agreement between two or more parties. The Covenant of Redemption teaches us that the Trinity made a binding agreement before time began that the Father would send the Son who, equipped by the Spirit, would redeem the elect. (Unfortunately, the author is misreading the text. This verse in Ephesians is not about us being the elect. Let's look more closely:
Happily the author actually quotes Scripture. Unfortunately he misuses it. Badly.
“In Him.” In my estimation, these are the two most important words for understanding the Christian life. These words teach us that union with Christ—being spiritually one with him—is what makes all the difference for the Christian. All that is Christ’s becomes mine. Every blessing I have I must understand through the lens of my union to Christ. And this is fundamentally and foundationally true of election.
We can’t make sense of election without union with Christ.
Paul writes in the opening of Ephesians,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:3-4; emphasis added)
We can’t make sense of election without union with Christ, because there is nothing inherent within us that would make us desirous to God. There is nothing in us worth choosing. But when we are united to Christ, it all starts to make a little more sense.
When Paul tells us that this choosing took place “before the foundation of the world,” he sends us into the marvelous and mysterious eternal counsel of the Godhead. More specifically, Paul refers to what theologians call the Covenant of Redemption. A covenant is a binding agreement between two or more parties. The Covenant of Redemption teaches us that the Trinity made a binding agreement before time began that the Father would send the Son who, equipped by the Spirit, would redeem the elect. (Unfortunately, the author is misreading the text. This verse in Ephesians is not about us being the elect. Let's look more closely:
4 For he chose "us"5 he predestined "us"
9 he made known to "us" the mystery of his will
11 "we" were also chosen, having been predestined
Who is "we" and "us?" Was Paul really referring all of us? No, Paul tells us directly:
12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Oh. He was talking about the earliest Christians, not the elect.
Just to be clear, the ones who were chosen before the creation of the world and predestined to be adopted, they were the ones who were the first to hope in Christ. We Christians are not the first, there were other Christians 2000 years ago who were the first.
Therefore, we are not the "we/us" in these verses.
Well then, what about those Christians who were not the first to hope in Christ? Again Paul tells us directly:
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth
There you have it. Certain people who were the first to hope in Christ are the ones chosen and predestined. The rest of us were included when we heard the truth and believed.)
Christ came to the world with a purpose.
While it might sound overly heady and perhaps even speculative, the Covenant of Redemption can be understood quite simply by stating it this way: Christ came to the world with a purpose. He had an agenda. He had a particular people in mind to save. The redemption of sinners was not wishful thinking on his part, nor were the saved selected by lottery. Jesus speaks of this intention in John 17, in what is known as the High Priestly Prayer:
While it might sound overly heady and perhaps even speculative, the Covenant of Redemption can be understood quite simply by stating it this way: Christ came to the world with a purpose. He had an agenda. He had a particular people in mind to save. The redemption of sinners was not wishful thinking on his part, nor were the saved selected by lottery. Jesus speaks of this intention in John 17, in what is known as the High Priestly Prayer:
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:1–5)
Jesus came to give eternal life to all whom the Father had given Him. This is the mission Jesus was on, or as he says, “the work that you gave me to do” (see also John 6:37-39). Paul’s words in the opening of Ephesians fill in the picture of what Jesus is referring to here—namely, that to be chosen in Christ means to be part of the eternal will of the Trinity for the redemption of mankind. (Instead of misreading the text, now we find the author misrepresenting the text. Let's jump down just a few verses after the author's quoted verses:
Jn. 17:9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
Jesus was praying for specific people, not the world. Who are these people?
Jn. 17:12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
Oh again. Jesus was praying for His disciples, not the elect.
Jesus continued to pray until we find this a few verses later:
Jn. 17:20 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message...
There were two subjects of Jesus' prayer: First for his disciples whom He had chosen, then for those who would believe their message.
Jesus was not praying for the elect in John 17:1–5, He was praying for the Twelve minus the one "doomed to destruction.")
(...)
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