What is the doctrine of election?

This sovereign, gratuitous work in man, done in accordance with that eternal counsel which all things work out, defines clearly for us what is election. It means the gracious interference of divine love in behalf of those who, no different from others, dead in the same sins, instead of being given up to perish, are given to Christ to be the fruit of His blessed work, "that He might be the first-born among many brethren." It is love, and only love, righteously and in perfect goodness manifested in salvation only, and of those worthy of damnation. To charge upon it the damnation of the lost is blasphemy, however unconscious, of that in which the whole heart of God is pouring itself out. If others remain obdurate in pride and careless unbelief, and going on to destruction, while we, justified by faith, and having peace with God, rejoice in hope of the glory of God, is it because we are better than they? What Christian heart can believe this? No; it is because "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ." No man has found his true level who has not come down there, and only there do we find the full and impregnable assurance of perfect and enduring peace. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" A love that found us with nothing, to indue us with all, is a love that has in it no element of change. "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,"- what possible cause of harm is there that is neither a thing present nor to come? - "nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

But this leads us to another doctrine, closely connected with this of predestination, and suffering the same reproach, even from those who owe their all to it. I mean, of course, the doctrine of election. Election is so plainly taught in the word that it is surely only the opposition of the heart to it that can account for its not being universally received among Christians. Nor is this an election nationally or individually to privileges or "means of grace" such as plainly Israel, and for long the nations of Europe, have enjoyed, but to salvation; and to salvation, not on account of foreseen holiness or faith, but through, or by means of, these. "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto He called you by our gospel." (2 Thess. 2 13.) Nothing can well be plainer than this; nothing more positive than the assertion by the same apostle which was just now quoted of that "chain of salvation," link riveted to link, whereby predestination issues in calling, and calling in justification, and justification in glory. A hundred texts would fail to convince where two such as these would.

Scripture says plainly and positively that believers are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" (1 Pet, 1‑2) and that God has chosen them in Christ "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4). This is a truth of greatest comfort and rejoicing to the believer. lt is God who has taken the initiative in this. Salvation is therefore by His pure grace, not by works, nor by any question of human merit. That salvation is eternal: it cannot be changed because God has chosen us in Christ before history began, and He does not change His mind. All who are truly born of God are entitled to absolute certainty in this matter, on the authority of the truth of Scripture.

Most assuredly. In 1 Peter 1:2 we read, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father." Election, then, is distinct from foreknowledge, though based upon it. God's election or choice is not a blind, fatalistic casting of the lot. That is a purely heathen conception. There is some such legend in connection with Buddha. When men were created it is said that he cast a lot saying, "These to heaven, and I care not; these to hell and I care not." But our God and Father does not act like this. He chooses in the full light of His foreknowledge. Hence no sinner, who ever really wants to be saved, finds the door shut against him because he is not one of the elect. His very desire is the fruit of the Spirit's work. And God's choice, as in the case of Esau and Jacob, is always justified by results. (Compare Rom. 9:12-13 with Mal. 1:2-3).

"Nots" are dangerous things in scriptural subjects, because the Holy Ghost teaches by positive truth, and we must know every case to use an exclusive not. The object of Ephesians 1 and Romans 8 is I think clearly to shew what we are predestinated to, but when it says predestinated us, it is hard to say it does not refer to persons: "Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate." Now this shews that in the main the object was to teach what they were predestinated to, but then it is affirmed of the persons whom He foreknew, that is a distinct class of persons so foreknown - not, predestinated those whom He foreknew would be conformed (which was the Arminian scheme); but those whom He foreknew He predestinated to be conformed. Election suppose a large number out of whom God chooses; and if we take it as eternal, or no time with God, still a number are in view out of whom a choice is made. Predestination is the proper purpose of God as to these individuals: even supposing there were no others, God had them in His mind - surely for something, which is thus as we see connected with it; but it is a blessed idea that God had His mind thus set on us without thinking of others. "The good pleasure of his will" is connected with it, and if we ascribe it to grace that we are elect, that thought, though we stop in it, does suppose others. We are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father."

The word "predestination" is sometimes thought of as the same as election, but there is a difference. Election refers to the person being chosen, while predestination speaks of his being marked out beforehand for certain blessings, as for instance, "to sonshlp" (Eph. 1:5) and "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Ro. 8:29). Predestination to such blessing is another truth to give great joy to every believer.

God's choice of them — and of us, for both Jew and Gentile come into the same Christian blessings on the same ground, as Paul's epistles show — was characterized by His foreknowledge as Father. What a comfort this is! How far removed it is from the blind fate which is supposed by some to preside over human destiny. God's election is never capricious and the idea of a sinner earnestly desiring salvation, and yet prevented by an adverse decree, is a nightmare of human reason and not Scripture. God chooses, knowing the end from the beginning, and therefore His choice is always right and justifies itself in its results.

On the other hand, election is God's prerogative: this is His perfect right. Election is according to His foreknowledge. With perfect knowledge of all the future He chose certain people in Christ before the world existed. Nothing was left unconsidered in this choice: it was right, it was wise, it was wonderfully gracious, as every believer must heartily agree.

Ans.—Election is God's sovereign grace still in activity when all that that grace had provided for the salvation of a lost and guilty world has been scorned and refused by that same world. God foresaw this, and, that His Son might “see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied,” He chose out of the world such as He would, and by the power of His Spirit calls and brings them to the feet of Jesus.

It is here that election does come in; not to limit the provision, nor to restrict in any wise the grace that bids and welcomes all, but to secure the blessing of those who otherwise would refuse and forfeit it as the rest do. The grace to all is not narrowed by the "grace upon grace" to many. The universal offer means and is based on a universal provision, and a provision of exactly the same character for all alike, in which God testifies that He has "no pleasure in the death of him that dies," but "will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." It may be asked, as it has been asked, Of what avail is a provision for all which saves not one additional to the elect number? The answer which Scripture would give is, "What if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith [or faithfulness] of God without effect? God forbid." The salvation of men is from God; the damnation of men is from themselves. This all the pleadings, warnings, offers of God affirm. And grace refused is still grace, and to be proclaimed to His praise.