UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
The Second of the Five Points of Calvinism: The “U” in T-U-L-I-P”
The Second of the Five Points of Calvinism: The “U” in T-U-L-I-P”
Romans 9: 10-21:
“10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;
11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,
12 it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER."
13 Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."
14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!
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 does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH."
18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"
20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?”
“10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;
11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,
12 it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER."
13 Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."
14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!
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 does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH."
18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"
20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?”
Paul recognizes that unconditional election may seem unjust to
us by the first part of verse 14 and also by verse 19:
"What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there?"
“You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"
If election were based on the condition or merit of our works, or even just our faith and God's foresight of our faith, such conditional election certainly would not be offensive and these questions of injustice would not be raised by Paul.
"What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there?"
“You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"
If election were based on the condition or merit of our works, or even just our faith and God's foresight of our faith, such conditional election certainly would not be offensive and these questions of injustice would not be raised by Paul.
Paul defends this apparently unjust unconditional election in different ways:
1. Paul uses the example of a potter who has such an absolute right over clay. See Romans 9: 20-21. “On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?”
2. Paul uses the example of Jacob and Esau and quotes God in verse 13: "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."
3. Paul also quotes God in 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 does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”
4. God's purpose according to His
choice determines who is saved.
To us humans, that may not sound fair. However, Romans 3:10 - 12 states our
human condition summed up as “Total Depravity” - The “T” in
“T-U-L-I-P”:
“as it is written,
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." (Emphasis added by bold, italic underline)
“as it is written,
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." (Emphasis added by bold, italic underline)
None of us deserve heaven as justice. We all deserve hell as justice.
God is not unjust, because he gives mercy to some and the rest get justice.
Is God required by justice to save everyone? Of course not. Just because God shows mercy to some does not imply that he is unjust, because he does not show mercy to everyone.
Let us look at our own human judicial system. Would we say our
judicial system was just if the Courts did not punish anyone?
Of course not. Why should we then expect God to not punish anyone?
Justice demands punishment for every sin. Justice is demonstrated even
with the showing of mercy to the Elect in that our Savior Jesus Christ took
the punishment for the Elect; the Elect were not just forgiven without
the application of punishment. Either we absorb the punishment or
Christ's absorbs the punishment for us.
When we more fully understand these first two points of Calvinism (“Total Depravity” and “Unconditional Election”), we more fully appreciate God's mercy for us.
Very truly yours,
Bill Hornbeck
Last update: Friday, July 14, 2006 23:52:32 -0400
Bill Hornbeck
Last update: Friday, July 14, 2006 23:52:32 -0400