The Doctrine of Unconditional Election:

The Bible teaches that God, before the foundation of the world, chose certain individuals from the sinful human race to be the objects of His undeserved favour.  These and these alone He purposed to save.

Some Initial Thoughts:

Read Romans 9

Remembering the Ground We Have Covered:

·          Man is a sinner. through and through  -  Romans 3:9-18

·          Sinners deserve death  -  Genesis 2:17;  Romans 6:23

Therefore, if God were to be just and only give us what we deserve, we would all die - end of story.  God was under zero obligation to save or make salvation available to anyone!  I don't think you will EVER grasp God's unconditional election until you grasp this.

What Does "Election" Mean?

We use the word "election" to speak of God choosing certain individuals out of the mass of humanity.  We do not use the word to speak of voting for someone, like a presidential election.

This is a Bible word, as we will see, and a Bible doctrine.

An Election Primer:

·       God could have chosen to save all men (He had both the power and authority to do so)

·       God could have chosen to save no men (He was not under obligation to any)

·       God has chosen to save some (which shows both His mercy and His justice)

God Has Chosen Certain Individuals to Salvation

·       1 Thessalonians 1:4 "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."

·       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"

God Chose These Individuals Before He Made the World

·       Ephesians 1:3-6 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 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, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

God's Choice of Certain Individuals to Salvation Was Based Entirely On His Own Will

·       Deuteronomy 7:6-8 "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt."

·       John 1:10-13 "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

God's Choice of These Individuals Was Not Based on Any Foreseen Faith or Good Works in Them

·       Romans 9:10-13  "And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad-in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call- she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

·       1 Corinthians 1:26-31 "For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,  not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being  might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

Faith and Good Works Are the Result of Election to Salvation

·       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."

·       Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

·       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."

Faith and Good Works Are What Confirm our Election

·       2 Peter 1:5-11 "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,  and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Election is UNTO Salvation - it is NOT Salvation Itself

·       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 16:7 "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me."