Unconditional Election

The doctrine of unconditional election teaches that before God created the world, he chose to save some people from eternal punishment. God chose those that He would grant mercy according to His own will and purpose and was not based on anything that person did.

This would be similar to a king capturing a hundred rebels, the rebels are tried and condemned to die, but the king pardoned some for his own purposes (maybe to keep as slaves per Rom 6:22), and allowed the others to be executed. The king did not do any injustice to those that were executed, they got what they deserved, but he did show mercy to those that he pardoned, they were spared the punishment they deserved (see Total Depravity).

Many people have a hard time accepting this doctrine even though it is all over the Bible. The objections they raise are that it is not fair or would make God unjust. Paul dealt with each of these in Romans 9.

Romans 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

Romans 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—

From Romans 8:28 through Romans 9 Paul is trying to help believers understand this hard teaching. They had the very same difficulty with this teaching that people do today.

Jesus on the other hand simply stated the doctrine plainly and clearly without trying to defend it.

John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

John 6:64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

John 6:64-65 clearly says that those that do not believe have not been granted the ability to do so by the Father.

John 6:37-39 clearly says that all that the Father determines to save will be saved, Christ will not lose one.

Ephesians 1:4 says "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, " . The Father chose those whom are saved before the world was created, before we did anything good or bad and so according to His own purpose.

Another argument put forth against this doctrine is that it will kill evangelism, nothing could be further from the truth. William Carey, "the father of modern missions", held strongly to these doctrines. And John Calvin himself trained and commissioned hundreds of missionaries. Having a proper understanding of the doctrine of election will not weaken evangelism it will strengthen it. Most of todays evangelism is man centered but biblical evangelism will be God centered.

Man centered evangelism is concerned with getting someone to make a confession of faith and can lead to manipulation or using sales tactics or other gimmicks. It can also lead to weakening the gospel message by leaving out the parts that may be offensive. Telling someone they are a depraved sinner and deserve to go to hell is not exactly seeker friendly.

Biblical evangelism on the other hand is concerned with glorifying God by our witness and telling the whole truth to the world and allowing the Holy Spirit convict whom it will. Knowing that God's purpose will be accomplished even when we do a poor job of explaining the Gospel. God's will is that we stand and give witness, regardless of whether it is received by others. This knowledge gives us the courage to stand strong because we know everything is in God's hands, we are simply to be faithful servants.

We could talk all day about the advantages and disadvantages of the doctrine of unconditional election, but the real question is, does God really choose whom will be saved? Here are a few verses that support this doctrine, this is not by any means comprehensive:

* John 15:16: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."
* Acts 13:48: "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed."
* Romans 9:15-16: "For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy."
* Romans 9:22-24: "What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessles of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make the riches of his glory for vessles of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory - even us whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?"
* Ephesians 1:4-5: "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,"
* Ephesians 1:11: "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,"
* Philippians 1:29: "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake"
* 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5: "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake."
* 2 Thessalonians 2:13: "But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth."
* 2 Timothy 1:9: "who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,"