Unconditional

Election

"The doctrine that the salvation or damnation of individuals has been foreordained by God; the determination beforehand of future events.” (Webster’s Dictionary, 1977 edition, p.289)
The Westminster Confession of Faith states, “God has predestined and foreordained some men and angels to everlasting life out His free grace and love without any foresight of faith or works in man or perseverance in either of them, and others are foreordained to everlasting death and the number of either is so certain and definite that it cannot be increased or diminished.” (Chap. III, art. 3, 4 & 5; Chap. X, art. 2)

Calvin’s Institutes states, “ all are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.”

Some Texts Used to Support the Doctrine

Acts 13:48. The argument here is that God, before the foundation of the world, appointed only certain individuals to life. However, this verse does not state that those who were ordained to eternal life were given it apart from their own will. Belief is made to be a condition to eternal life. Thus, as many that had been appointed, put on Christ or met the conditions. Reversing the sentence causes the true thought to be clearer: Those who believed became part of those who had been appointed to eternal life.

Romans 8:28-30. The argument from this passage is that God, before the foundation of the world, predestinated certain individuals to salvation. Under consideration in this passage are “those who love God” (v. 28), not just a few who God loves and “those who are called according to His purpose” (v. 28). One is not called by a still, small voice or by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit but by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14). Those who hear, believe, and respond in obedience are referred to as being “called” (Gal. 1:6; Heb. 9:15; 1 Pet. 2:9).

Scriptural Objections

God has given mankind freedom of choice. He gave Adam and Eve the freedom of choice (Gen. 2:16-17). Their choice was plain: obey and live or disobey and die. Their choice was made through and by their own will, which was influenced by Satan. People can choose today whether or not they will serve God (Rev. 22:17).

God is impartial. He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35; Rom. 2:11; 1 Pet. 1:17). If Unconditional Election is true, then God has indiscriminately condemned those who will be eternally damned while favoring those who are of His elect. Calvinists who insist that since God is sovereign and can arbitrarily choose who to save, do not realize that if God were to do that, He would violate His own nature for He is also just (Ps. 89:14). God has not exempted anyone from the opportunity to obtain eternal life (1 Tim. 2:4).

Salvation is not wholly dependent on God. The origin of salvation is utterly dependent on Him (Eph 2:4-10), but the reception of salvation is dependent on man (Rev. 22:17; Phil 2:12). The reception of salvation comes through meeting the conditions God has provided through His grace. God placed on man, the responsibility of obtaining the salvation which He foreordained or predestinated. God foreordained the gospel (1 Cor. 2:7,8; 2 Tim. 1: 9-10), but man must obey it in order to receive the benefits of it.

Unconditional Election nullifies the Great Commission (Mt. 28: 18-20; Mk. 16:15-16). Nothing could be more foolish than to preach the gospel to all, if only people whom God arbitrarily chooses are able to understand it. If nothing can change anyone’s status in relation to salvation or condemnation, why preach it? Why warn people to flee from the wrath to come (Mt. 3:7)? If they are elect, they will not incur the wrath of God, regardless of what they do or do not do. If they are not elect, they could not flee anyway. Unconditional Election nullifies the universal invitation of Christ (Mt. 11:28-30; Rev. 22:17). Why would Jesus plead with people to do the impossible?

Conclusion

The Bible does teach predestination, in that the way to salvation was predestined, but not the Unconditional Election that Calvinists teach. It does not teach that individuals have been foreordained to life or death no matter what they do. It states that we are free moral agents with the ability to accept or reject God's commandments thus determining whether we will ultimately be saved or lost.