7 Reasons God Takes Pleasure in Election - by: John Piper

Found here. Our comments in bold.
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What an odd title.

We've commented on Dr. Piper's explanations several times before, and we have yet to find a truly good teaching. Too often, they have even been sub-par, which surprises us given his reputation.

As is his habit, Dr. Piper is going to once again explain his Calvinism. That's what Calvinists always do. They will never explain the Bible unless they can explain Calvinism. Today's article is about the Calvinistic doctrine of Election. 

This is mostly a rehash of other Calvinist teachings we have  examined in our blog. We consider these doctrines to be largely useless to the Christian life. But, there are some novel claims, so we will comment on them.

Since Dr. Piper doesn't clearly explain election, We shall. Election is one of the five "petals" of TULIP, collectively known as the "doctrines of grace:"

Total Depravity

Unconditional election

Limited atonement

Irresistible grace 

Perseverance of the saints

The idea is, God has already chosen those people He will save, long ago [U]. He doesn't just have foreknowledge of who will get saved, He deliberately preselected them. Which of course means that He also chose those He would send to hell. Which means your destiny was set before you drew your first breath.

Because the Elect are chosen without their participation in any way [because they are powerless to do so, T], they cannot resist their salvation [I] and cannot lose their salvation [P]. A derivative of this is that the atonement of Christ is limited only to the Elect, because only their sins are forgiven [L].

We hope Dr. Piper will explain how his seven things are uniquely applicable to the the doctrine of Election. Alas, he will not.

In addition, we need to note that Dr. Piper writes 1800 words, and 260 of them are quotes from other teachers and theologians. This is more than the number of words of Scripture quoted. And of those Scriptures, only a couple of them even speak to the topic of election.

We must deem this Bad Bible Teaching.

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The Preciousness of God’s Election by Grace

What Romans 8:28–30 (Let's quote: 

Ro. 8:28-32 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 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. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

The careful reader would ask, who was Paul talking about? We should not assume. In context, we discover that Paul was not speaking about everyone, he was referring to himself and certain others. A few verses before we find the context of Paul’s remarks:

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. 

We did not receive the firstfruits of the Spirit. This is not us.)

teaches is that God really accomplishes the complete redemption of his people from start to finish. He foreknows (elects) a people for himself before the foundation of the world; he predestines this people to be conformed to the image of his Son; he calls them to himself in faith; he justifies them through that faith; and he finally glorifies them. And nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ forever and ever (Rom. 8:39). This great work of salvation is rooted and grounded in the electing love of God. If that foundation stone crumbles, biblical salvation crumbles. But it cannot and will not crumble because God has pleasure in election, the unshakable ground of the glory of his grace. (Dr. Piper will never define "grace.")

I am often asked by people, “Does it really matter what we believe about election? Is it really relevant to how we live and minister?” My answer is, obviously, yes. And I think it will be helpful if I close with seven reasons why this teaching is precious to me and why I believe God has pleasure in it. (That isn't the question, sir. The question is, does it matter to our daily lives what we believe about election, not if you or God likes the doctrine.)

In each of the following points, “this truth” refers to the truth of God’s free, sovereign, (Undefined term.)

unconditional, individual election by grace (This is the only time Dr. Piper will use this phrase, and he will not explain it.)

of who will be saved.

First, this truth is biblical. (We are going to track how God’s pleasure comes to bear for each of these seven points. He will never explain.)

It is biblical not only in being found once in Scripture but in being found throughout Scripture. George Müller said (??? What does the Bible say?

In fact, Dr. Piper will not quote a Bible verse about predestination in this section, or even any Bible verse, despite its title.)

To my great astonishment I found that the passages which speak decidedly for election and persevering grace, were about four times as many as those which speak apparently against these truths; and even those few, shortly after, when I had examined and understood them, served to confirm me in the above doctrines.1

George Whitefield, the great eighteenth-century evangelist, spoke for many saints when he wrote to John Wesley to explain why he believed in the truth of election: “Alas, I never read anything that Calvin wrote; my doctrines I had from Christ and His apostles; I was taught them of God.”2 God has pleasure in election because he exalts his word (Ps. 138:2) and his word teaches that these things are so. (Well, this is the matter to demonstrate, that Election is biblical. Dr. Piper's first reason is a restatement of the premise.)

Second, this truth humbles sinners and exalts the glory of God—especially the glory of his grace. (Election does this? Really?)

This is the point of 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 that we saw above: “God chose . . . so that no human being might boast in the presence of God . . . [but] let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (Oh, my. Dr. Piper lies to us. Let's quote the unedited passage: 

1Co. 1:26-29 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no-one may boast before him.

With the verses before us we can see that Paul was not talking about the Elect being predestined. So once again, sir. How does Election humble sinners? How does Election exalt God?)

The great design of God’s way of salvation is to magnify his glory and bring down human pride. (This sounds biblical, but we require biblical documentation.)

George Whitefield wrote to John Wesley urging:

that he seek the truth that shall most debase man and exalt the Lord Jesus. Nothing but the doctrines of the Reformation can do this. All others leave free will in man and make him, in part, at least, a savior to himself. My soul, come not thou near the secret of those who teach such things. . . . I know Christ is all in all. Man is nothing: he hath a free will to go to hell, but none to go to heaven, till God worketh in him to will and to do his good pleasure.

Oh, the excellency of the doctrine of election and of the saints’ final perseverance! I am persuaded, till a man comes to believe and feel these important truths, he cannot come out of himself, but when convinced of these and assured of their application to his own heart, he then walks by faith indeed.3 (One man's opinion. We shall not accept quotes that simply reassert undocumented opinions.)

Third, this truth tends to preserve the church from slipping toward false philosophies of life. History seems to show that this is so. (This is not a biblical argument, and once again we question how this comes to bear on God's pleasure.)

For example, toward the end of the eighteenth century, “Calvinistic convictions waned in North America. In the progress of a decline which [Jonathan] Edwards had rightly anticipated, those Congregational churches of New England which had embraced Arminianism after the Great Awakening gradually moved into Unitarianism and universalism, led by Charles Chauncy.”4 It seems that there is something about the truth of God’s free and sovereign election that stands guard over the mind and heart of the church and keeps her alert to tendencies and shifts that swing wide from the plumb line of God’s word. (This is simply bad reasoning. With thousands of factors at work involving tens of thousands of people, Dr. Piper isolates two factors at random and proclaims causation.)

Fourth, this truth is the good news of a salvation that is not just offered but effected. Election is the guarantee that God not only invites people to be delivered but also actually delivers them. ("Actually delivers them." This is a common idea among Calvinists, that their theological opponents think salvation is only a potential until someone believes. That is, God sits in heaven hoping someone, anyone, will believe. 

This of course is nonsense. Salvation is real because people got saved and are getting saved and will get saved. There is no such thing as potential salvation.)

“You shall call his name Jesus because he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). God undertakes with omnipotence to save his people. (He "shall save." Not that he "has already saved." God's purpose is to make it so Jesus "shall save.")

He plans it in election, (This is the matter to be proved, not just reasserted.)

and he achieves it through the work of his Son, and he applies it infallibly by his Holy Spirit through faith. The foreknown, that is, the elect, are predestined. (This is the matter to be proved, not just reasserted.)

The predestined are called, the called are justified, the justified are glorified (Rom. 8:30). (We dealt with this passage above.)

The destiny of God’s people, rooted in election, is unshakably sure. (This is the matter to be proved, not just reasserted.)

And that is good news.5

Fifth, this truth enables us to own up to the demands for holiness in the Scripture and yet have assurance of salvation. (Um, again, this brings God pleasure?)

The Bible teaches that there is a holiness without which we will not see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). Dozens of passages in the Bible speak of our final salvation (unlike our election) as conditional upon a changed heart and life. The question arises then, How can I have the assurance that I will persevere in faith and in the holiness necessary for inheriting eternal life? (There is no assurance in Election.)

The answer is that assurance is rooted in our election (2 Pet. 1:10). (Sigh. Let's quote: 2Pe. 1:10

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.

Apparently the salvation of the Elect is not sure. But more to the point, Peter was writing to the Jewish Christians scattered about [1 Peter 1:1]. Our position is that predestination was a first century phenomena, specfically applied to the Jewish remnant. This is not us.)

Divine election is the guarantee that God will undertake to complete by sanctifying grace what his electing grace has begun. "Sanctifying grace." "Electing grace." What do all these mean?)

This is the meaning of the new covenant: God does not merely command obedience; he gives it. “The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deut. 30:6). (This doesn't tell us anything about election in salvation.)

 “I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes” (Ezek. 36:27; 11:20; (This doesn't tell us anything about election in salvation.)

see also Heb. 13:20–21; (Let's quote:

He. 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Nothing about election in salvation.)

Phil. 2:13). (Let's quote: 

Ph. 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Finally, a verse that seems to come to bear. But upon closer examination we see that this is not about election in salvation.)

Election is the final ground of assurance. (??? He first mentioned assurance in the subtitle and hasn't mentioned it again until now.)

Since it is God’s commitment to save, it is also God’s commitment to enable all that is necessary for salvation.6

St. Augustine puts it like this:

I have no hope at all but in thy great mercy. Grant what thou commandest and command what thou wilt. Thou dost enjoin on us continence. . . . O love that ever burnest and art never quenched! O Charity, my God, enkindle me! Thou commandest continence. Grant what thou commandest and command what thou wilt.7 (??? A quote that doesn't seem to come to bear on election.)

The assurance that God will answer this prayer in accordance with the oath of the new covenant is that election secures that “those who are justified will be glorified” (Rom. 8:30) so that all the conditions laid down for glorification will be met by the power of God’s grace. (Um, what? This sentence is nonsense.)

“God chose you from the beginning to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit” (2 Thess. 2:13).8 (Sigh... Let's quote: 

2Th. 2:13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you [as his firstfruits] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

The firstfruits are the first of the crop. In the case of Christians, the firstfruits are the first to be saved [Romans 8:23, Romans 11:16, Revelation 14:5.] The firstfruits are the earliest Christians. they were chosen [Ephesians 1:4] while we were included when we believed [Ephesians 1:13].

We are not the firstfruits, so we were not predestined.) 

Election guards us from falling off the horse on either side. (No, Election guards the elect, and one cannot know if one is the Elect. One might be a false convert.)

It guards against the error of thinking that we can earn our way into God’s favor through “works of the law” since God’s favor toward us is rooted in the free act of love before the foundation of the world. (Election is not unique in that. Every true Christian believes he cannot earn his salvation.)

We cannot earn what God has chosen to bestow freely “before we had done anything good or evil” (Rom. 9:11). (Election is not unique in that. Every true Christian believes he cannot earn his salvation.)

It also guards us from the error of thinking that in order for us to be loved freely and to be eternally secure, obedience must be optional, not necessary. (No true Christian believes that obedience is optional.)

Thus, the incentive for holiness retains its urgency since holiness is necessary (Heb. 12:14); (How so? If the elect are chosen for salvation and cannot lose their salvation, why does holiness matter? We recognize the command of God to be holy, but apart from that, why does it matter? It does come to bear on election.)

but it does not become a legalistic burden because we serve in the strength which God supplies (1 Pet. 4:11; see also 1 Cor. 15:10; Rom. 15:18). (Election is not unique in that. Every true Christian believes he relies on God's strength.)

Both things are true: that “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life” (Matt. 7:14) and that “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). The truth of election preserves both the urgency and freedom of biblical obedience. (How? Dr. Piper just makes assertions.)

Sixth, this truth opens us to the overwhelming experience of being loved personally with the unbreakable electing love of God. Many people have no personal experience of knowing that they were loved by God eternally and will be cared for by him with omnipotent, all-supplying love forever and ever. (All Christians assent to God's love. Relevance?)

Many people think of God’s love only in terms of a love that offers and waits but does not take us for himself and work with infinite enthusiasm and power to keep us and glorify us forever. Yet this is the experience available for any who will come and drink the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17). (What difference does Election make in this scenario, sir?)

Seventh, this truth gives hope for effective evangelism and guarantees the triumph of Christ’s mission in the end. Nothing I have said should be taken to imply that the urgency of evangelism is lessened. (Well, well, well. Why would someone think that? Is it because evangelism is completely irrelevant since God has already chose who would be saved? Again, we know the command to go into all the world, but apart from the command, evangelism is nonsensical and futile.)

Evangelism and missions are not imperiled by the biblical truth of election but empowered by it, and their triumph is secured by it. (Dr. Piper just makes a statement without any proof whatsoever.)

Jesus said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice” (John 10:16). This means that there are elect sheep scattered throughout the world (11:52). They will be there among “every people, language, tribe, and nation” when the missionary arrives to issue God’s absolutely essential call through the gospel (Rev. 5:9). Therefore, Jesus says he must bring them in. And he says they will heed his voice. In other words, the triumph of the ingathering of world missions is a certainty because of the truth of election: he does have other sheep. (But, but... The Elect will be saved. No matter what, right? Regardless of the noble work of missionaries. Does God elect people to salvation and then tell them to go out and evangelize for no effect? Is this some sort of cosmic joke?)

What Paul Dreamed in Corinth

Paul was tremendously heartened by this truth. The Lord came to him one night in a dream while he was evangelizing in Corinth. To encourage him the Lord said, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man shall attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9–10). The ground of Paul’s encouragement was the assurance from the Lord that there were “other sheep” in Corinth—many of them. (No, not "other sheep," it reads, "many people." There are many people in Corinth who will protect Paul from danger. There is no Election here.)

God had chosen them, and he would call them—but it must be through the preaching of the gospel (see Acts 13:48; 16:14). The truth of election embraces the necessity of evangelism and missions and guarantees their success in God’s time and God’s way. This has been the strength and courage of thousands of faithful missionaries. (Oh. He's done. Did he forget his premise, that God takes pleasure in Election?

We are still reeling a bit from reading this article. Bare assertions, leaps of logic, pulling ideas out of thin air. And this man is supposed to be an excellent Bible teacher. 

What a mess.)

Notes:

1 C. E. B. Cranfield, The Epistle to the Romans, 2 vols., in International Critical Commentary (T&T Clark, 1975), 1:431.

2 Arnold Dallimore, George Whitefield, 2 vols. (Banner of Truth, 1970), 1:574.

3 Dallimore, George Whitefield, 1:407.

4 Iain H. Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography (Banner of Truth, 1987), 454. Remarkably, C. H. Spurgeon chronicles the same doctrinal moves a hundred years later in England. He notes the abandonment of the confessions and the catechisms of the seventeenth century during the eighteenth century and says, “There followed an age of drivelling, in which our Nonconformity existed, but gradually dwindled down, first into Arminianism, and then into Unitarianism, until it almost ceased to be. Men know that it was so and yet they would act it all over again. They read history, and yet demand that the old doctrine should again be given up. . . . Oh, fools and slow of heart! Will not history teach them? No, it will not if the Bible does not. . . . Surely evil days are near, unless the church shall again clasp the truth to her heart.” Quoted in Iain Murray, ,The Forgotten Spurgeon (Banner of Truth, 1973), 189. I see the same kind of theological shifting (if not to the same extent) in Clark Pinnock’s pilgrimage as he revises more and more of historic theism.

5 Spurgeon said, “I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what is nowadays called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel . . . unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the Cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called.” Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:168.

6 See Letter to a Friend (Desiring God Ministries, 2000) for a list of Bible passages that show God’s promise of preservation in holiness for his people.

7 St. Augustine, Confessions, X, 40, quoted in Henry Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press, 1967), 54.

8 Gustav Oehler (see note 4) poses the problem this way: How can God’s end in election be assured when the covenant with his people is conditional on obedience? “If Israel by breaking the covenant is exposed to God’s judgment and rejected, this seems to nullify God’s decree of election and the realization of the aim of His kingdom, which, though secured by God’s covenant oath, is again dependent on man’s action.” Oehler, Theology of the Old Testament, 197. The answer of the Old Testament, he says (and it is the same answer given in the New Testament), is that God will so convert his people that the ethical prerequisites for eternal blessing will be secured by God himself: “The end of this conversion is attained when, by the operation of divine grace, that renovation of heart is accomplished in virtue of which the law is no longer to the people an external command, but, through the power of God, the cheerful expression of their own will and purpose” (198).