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“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24.31; emphasis mine, jb). Our focus today will be on the word elect and how it is used in the quoted text, in other passages, and also to consider some implications for us today.

The Elect of Jesus

I really don’t know its origin, but a wise Bible student explained the meaning of election like this: “The elect of God become the elect by a simple process; God votes yes for everyone, the devil votes no for everyone, and each person casts the tie-breaking vote by how he or she responds to the gospel call.” I admit this is a bit of an oversimplification, but I really do think it captures the essence of the biblical meaning of election. From the text quoted in the opening paragraph, it is obvious that the concept of election is of utmost importance; the consequence of not being one of Jesus’ elect is to be separated from Him and all the blessings that fellowship with Him implies.

An opposing view to the idea just expressed regarding election is that God selected certain individuals as heirs of salvation and that prior to their earthly existence. Further, this view holds that there is nothing that an elect person can do to become one of the non-elect and conversely, there is nothing that a non-elect person can do to become one of the elect. This idea is reflected in many of the creeds which undergird the founding principles of numerous denominations. It should be obvious to anyone who examines this doctrine that it makes God responsible for every soul that is lost in as much as He determined beforehand whether that person was one of the elect, or one of the non-elect.

Peter’s written words should forever settle the questions as to whether or not it is possible to change one's status from elect to non-elect, or vise versa. In his second general epistle he wrote, “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1.5-11; emphasis mine, jb).

First, if the election of God is fixed without regards to the actions of the elect, how would it be possible to make one’s election sure; hasn’t God already done this before time began? Secondly, it seems to me that if God so fixed our election before the foundations of the world were created, nothing that we could do can alter that blessed state. Thirdly, the second half of the highlighted text contains a conditional promise – “If you do these thing you will never fall.” Once again, if the doctrine of unconditional election is true, then there could be no condition to remaining elect; the concepts are absolutely and completely contradictory.

God’s elect are chosen when they cast their “vote” to become subject to His will. They cease to be His elect when they walk in a disorderly manner and refuse to repent. This isn’t hard to understand!

Questions:

1. How important is it to be one of Jesus’ elect?

2. Does God want all men to be saved (see 1 Timothy 2.1-4)? Did Jesus die for all (see 1 Timothy 2.6)?

3. Is it possible to increase the odds of a “sure thing”? Is it possible to make our calling (a sure thing according to some) more sure?

4. What is a conditional promise? Does the promise still apply if its conditions are not met? Can the believer fall if he/she fails to meet the conditions of not falling?

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

3 steps to peace...