| Now if man is lost and incapable of saving himself, or | | | | those whom he sees will elect him. So, man directs |
| of even willing that he be saved, then by an | | | | the affairs and decisions of God, instead of God |
| inescapable logic, if man is to be saved at all, he must | | | | directing the affairs and decisions of man. In order to |
| be the object of God's work in securing his salvation, | | | | give man an unlimited will to decide the destiny of his |
| and not his own work. Such a work requires that it | | | | own soul, we must limit the will of God. |
| be God that chooses man and not man that chooses | | | | But does this do justice to the Scriptures? |
| God. This is necessarily so because, as we noted | | | | The Order Of Salvation - The Scriptures give us the |
| earlier, man simply will not choose God. He has no | | | | order of events in our salvation. |
| interest in God, he has no love for God, and in fact, | | | | For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to |
| there is a positive animosity by man toward God. | | | | become conformed to the image of His Son, that He |
| Conditional / Unconditional? - Now that we know who | | | | might be the first-born among many brethren; and |
| chooses, God not man, the next question we must | | | | whom He predestined, these He also called; and |
| ask ourselves is this, "Are there any conditions upon | | | | whom He called, these He also justified; and whom |
| which His choice is based?" For instance, is God's | | | | He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 |
| choice based on our first choosing Him in repentance | | | | From this passage, we can see that foreknowledge |
| and faith? In answer to that question, the apostle | | | | precedes predestination, which precedes calling, which |
| Paul says this "...He chose us in Him before the | | | | is followed by justification and glorification. We have |
| foundation of the world, that we should be holy and | | | | already established that God's predestination is not |
| blameless before Him" (Ephesians 1:4). The choice by | | | | based on any actions by man but solely on God's |
| God was made before "the foundation of the world" | | | | own divine purposes, which are hidden to us. Having |
| and therefore before we were born. That being the | | | | determined in eternity past to save some, he |
| case, it could not be based on anything we ourselves | | | | proceeds in time to call his elect. Although all receive |
| did for we were not here to do anything. Paul again | | | | an outward call by God to salvation, only the elect |
| addresses this point when he says | | | | receive an inward call that assures salvation. |
| ...for though the twins were not yet born, and had | | | | As we have seen, there is a view that says man is |
| not done anything good or bad, in order that God's | | | | elected because God sees beforehand that he will |
| purpose according to His choice might stand, not | | | | have faith. Reformed theology teaches that man is |
| because of works, but because of Him who calls, it | | | | elected to have faith. The fundamental question |
| was said to her, "The older will serve the younger." | | | | between conditional and unconditional election is: "Is |
| Just as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." | | | | there a condition?" The view that sees God looking |
| Romans 9:11-13 | | | | forward in time, called the prescient view, makes |
| So again, you see it was before the birth of either | | | | faith a condition of election. Reformed theology sees |
| Jacob or Esau that God chose Jacob. And notice that | | | | faith as the result of election. This is the fundamental |
| this was before either "...had done anything good or | | | | difference between conditional and unconditional |
| bad...." So God's choice was not based on man first | | | | election. This is the question under discussion. Where |
| choosing God. Paul drives home that point when he | | | | does faith play its role? Is it something man |
| said, "...that God's purpose according to His choice | | | | generates from within his own soul? Or is "faith... the |
| might stand...." So, God's choice of His elect was not | | | | gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one |
| based on man's purpose, but only on His own | | | | should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9)? The answer, of |
| purpose. Therefore, we must conclude that God's | | | | course, is that it is the gift of God. |
| choice is unconditionally based solely on his own | | | | So the chain of salvation, based on Romans 8:28-29 |
| sovereign purposes, which are not explained to us. | | | | is first, foreknowledge, second, predestination, third, |
| But someone may very well object, taking note that | | | | calling, fourth, justification and last, glorification. |
| the Scripture says, | | | | It is most important to note that foreknowledge is |
| For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to | | | | not prior knowledge; it is prior love. This is the way |
| become conformed to the image of His Son, that He | | | | the word knowledge is often used in the Bible. |
| might be the first-born among many brethren; and | | | | Consider these two verses: "Now Adam knew Eve |
| whom He predestined, these He also called; and | | | | his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain..." (Genesis |
| whom He called, these He also justified; and whom | | | | 4:1). "You only have I known of all the families of the |
| He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 | | | | earth..." (Amos 3:2). In both cases, the word "know" |
| Using this verse, the point is often made that God's | | | | clearly means, "loved." That is the way it is used in |
| predestination and election is based on His own | | | | Romans 8:28 as well. "For whom He fore-loved He |
| foreknowledge of who would repent and believe. | | | | also predestined." God loved us before time began. |
| Being able to see down through the corridors of | | | | Because he loved us, he predestined us to the |
| time, God knew before time who would respond to | | | | adoption of children. Having predestined us in time, he |
| the gospel message and believe. These he elected | | | | effectually called us to himself. Having so called, he |
| for salvation. This reminds one of a politician who is | | | | justified us. At his Second Coming, he will glorify us |
| willing to lead if only the people will tell him where | | | | with Himself. |
| they want to be led. God is willing to elect if only we | | | | So, God's choice for salvation is not based on any |
| will be so kind as to tell Him whom to elect. So, who | | | | good thing found in the sinner. It is instead based on |
| is doing the electing here, God or man? In order to | | | | the "good pleasure of His will..." (Ephesians 1:5). All |
| protect the sovereignty of man, we sacrifice the | | | | forms of semi-Pelagianism base the election of God |
| sovereignty of God! | | | | on some good thing in man. Reformed theology |
| Here we have an election that is conditional, as | | | | bases it solely in God's "good pleasure." As R. C. |
| opposed to the Reformed view of an unconditional | | | | Sproul has so well said, "Arminians and semi-Pelagians |
| election based solely on God's own sovereign | | | | ultimately rest their view of election on the one who |
| purposes. The condition to this salvation is man's | | | | wills and not on the sovereign grace of God. The |
| evangelical obedience and this, it is said, is based on | | | | prescient view is not so much an explanation of the |
| God's knowledge of human actions and responses. In | | | | biblical doctrine of election as a flat denial of this |
| this view, you have man being the prime actor and | | | | biblical doctrine. |
| God being the reactor. In other words, God elects | | | | |