I am studying Ephesians chapter one in our worship services. I am so overwhelmed with the grace of God in choosing to adopt me, so that like Paul, I can’t help but get excited as I ascribe praise upon praise to my wonderful Savior. Of course those who study theology know that these verses are so hotly debated and have been for centuries. The choosing (election) of God coupled with the will of man has confounded thinkers and theologians and has led some to proclaim “I know the answer” while most of us scratch our head and wonder if we will ever know the answer. I believe that there are two fundamental mistakes we often make in trying to understand this rich doctrine.
First of all, I cannot find anywhere in Scripture where the doctrine of election is presented as an explanation of salvation. I see nowhere this precious doctrine dissected into its various parts in an effort to explain it. Instead, I see the gifted writers God uses (mostly Paul and Peter) using the election of God as a cause for praise and exaltation of God. Maybe we get so sidetracked trying to fully comprehend the choosing of God, that we lose sight of the purpose He has in revealing this truth to us-the purpose of his saints humbly falling before him in unworthiness extolling praise because of the greatness of our sovereign God.
Second, the most common (In my opinion) misunderstanding of this doctrine comes when an absurd logical leap is made proclaiming that “If God chose those who would be saved, then he chose some individuals to be condemned.” In reply to this illogical leap I must say that is found no where in Scripture. But I think the real misunderstanding does not lie in incorrect theology, but in wrong anthropology. That statement comes from the worldly philosophy that attempts to lump all mankind as basically good with the right to be chosen. That philosophy views people as residing in some kind of morally neutral pot, waiting for God to pick some people up and place them in the redeemed category, and God to reach into the morally neutral pot and place some people in the condemned category. The problem is that people are not in a morally neutral pot! People are already in the condemned category because people are naturally bad. Instead, it is as if God were reaching over to the condemned group and picking people out of destruction and misery of sin–sin which we so freely choose, constantly. It is not about condemning individuals, it is about God choosing to show mercy.
Do I fully understand the election of God? No and if you can figure it out, you’ve done one better than the Biblical writers, multitudes of church fathers, great theologians, and my contemporaries; however, I can bow my need to my awesome Savior who, because of His work, chose me from before the foundation of the world.
Thanks for your thoughts, Matt. I always enjoy reading them, and I also always enjoy the conversations we have about these topics. I especially appreciate that we can discuss and disagree with each other without being angry or frustrated. Love you tons! I wish I could be there for your series through Ephesians!
It does seem that a lot of doctrines put forth by Paul and Peter which they intended to demonstrate the praiseworthiness of God we turn into debates and tangents that they never meant. I also agree with you on the fact that we’re all condemned already and not morally neutral, but what about the idea of God choosing some “vessels to honor and some to dishonor” or God hardening Pharoah’s heart against Him. It seems to me in the working out of His great plan He not only allows but chooses some who will not receive Him but will in fact reject Him and work against Him so that all things work together for His glory in eternity. There’s nothing unjust about it since we are all condemned already. He can and does choose to whom He will be gracious and to whom He will not.
I agree Alia, obviously we have to take those passagess in Romans about the vessels of honor and dishonor at face value. To me, I can accept that God chooses some to dishonor, because I realize I was already dishonoring God until he chose me to salvation. I think where extremists make their mistake is in not being able to comprehend that we all dishonor God with our entire being until he places us into his kingdom. The difficulty I have (and I am just being open here, knowing that the problem is with my fallible mind, not God’s design) is trying to understand why God chose some vessels to dishonor. I wonder if God’s choosing a vessel to dishonor is really just God not choosing a vessel for justification? That is what is seems like Romans 9 is emphasizing-the giving or withholding of mercy. I understand it this way: if God chooses not to show an individual mercy, that person, due to the absence of mercy has no desire nor chance of obtaining mercy, therefore, they have been chosen to dishonor.
I have tried to focus my attention in Ephesians in praising God for his grace, not debating Him because of my lack of ability to fully grasp his unsearchable riches.