God's plan of salvation had its origin with God "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4) when He choose to save all men. God carried out this choice by foreknowing, foreordaining and calling those who are to be saved. This eternal election of God has been interpreted determinstically by Augustine, Calvin, and Calvinists. We will first look a the key passages of the Scripture that deal with election, foreknowledge, foreordaination, and calling. Then we will look at the doctrine of predestination.
The Apostle Paul at the beginning of his letter to the Ephesians in his praise of God refers to the election of God.
"3. 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,4. even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love,5. having foreordained us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ
unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,6. to the praise of the glory of His grace
which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved."
Eph. 1:4.
"even as He chose us in Him before the foundation
of the world," -- Eph. 1:4a.
In this and the next two verses Paul
states the first of the four main spiritual blessings for which
he praises and blesses God: the sovereign choice of God. Paul
here declares the Biblical doctrine of election. This doctrine
runs through the whole Bible. Israel was chosen by God (Deut.
7:6-8; Psa. 105:43; Isa. 42:1; 43:20-21; 65:9); Christ is chosen
(Lk. 23:35 [Compare Isa. 42:1]; I Pet. 2:4,6); the holy angels
were chosen (I Tim. 5:21); and believers have been chosen (John
15:16; Acts 9:15; Rom. 8:33; 11:5; I Thess. 1:5; II Thess. 2:13;
I Pet. 1:1; 2:9; II Pet. 1:10). This doctrine is presented not
for controversy or speculation but for the comfort and blessing
of God's people. Neither this verse nor any other verse in the
Bible teaches that God chooses some men to be saved and all others
to be lost. On the contrary, the scriptures teach that God is
"not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance."
(II Pet. 3:9). Paul also says, "This is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (I Tim. 2:3-4).
The Biblical doctrine of election is never set in opposition
to and as a denial of human freedom. Scripture asserts both God's
sovereign choice and man's free will and never sees them as contradicting
each other. Paul declares that God's election of believers is
in Christ and "before the foundation of the world;"
that is, it is an eternal election. God's choice of us believers
in Christ may mean that we are chosen to be in Him or that we
are chosen in Him when He was chosen.
"that we should be holy and without blemish before
Him in love," -- Eph. 1:4b.
The purpose and/or result of God's election
is that those chosen should be holy and without blemish before God.
Election is not just to salvation but to holiness. Holiness
does not mean sinlessness or moral perfection but being set apart
or dedicated to God. The Greek word, amomous, translated
"without blemish," means literally "to be without
physical defect or blemish." It is used of sacrificial victims
(Lev. 1:3,10; Deut. 15:21) and high priest (Lev. 21:17-23). It
is used of Christ as a sacrifice (Heb. 9:14; I Pet. 1:19). It
is also used of the church (
Eph. 5:27)
and of believers in this world (Phil. 2:15; Rev. 14:5).
The Christian life is "without
blemish" not just by human moral standards, but "before
Him" in whose sight all that men do and say is open and known
(Rom. 1:9; II Cor. 4:2; Gal. 1:20; I Thess. 2:5). This is the
goal of God's election (Col. 1:22; Jude 24). The phrase "in
love" at the end of this verse may be taken either with this
verse or the next verse. Commentators ancient and modern differ,
and it is not possible to be dogmatic about Paul's meaning. But
from the position of the phrase, and its use elsewhere in this
letter for man's love rather than God's love (Eph.
3:17;
4:2,
16;
5:2),
it should probably be taken with this verse (see KJV, RV
and NEB). Paul's meaning here is that love defines what it is
to be holy and without blemish. The goal of God's election is
not moral or legal perfection but love (see I Thess. 3:12-13).
Eph. 1:5.
"having foreordained us to adoption as sons through
Jesus Christ unto Himself," -- Eph. 1:5a.
Paul in this verse defines
the nature of the divine election proclaimed in the
previous verse.
The Greek verb, proorizo, which is translated "foreordained,"
means literally "to mark out beforehand." This Greek
word occurs six times in the Greek New Testament (Acts 4:28; Rom.
8:29, 30; I Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5,
11).
Because of the deterministic
connotation, the English word "predestination" should
be avoided. Neither this verse nor any other verse in the Bible
teaches that everything that takes place, including the choices
of man, was immutably determined and fixed by God in eternity,
and that all that happens is nothing but what he predestined to
be before anything was created. The scriptures know nothing of
such a determinism. The meaning of God's foreordination in this
verse is something different. God has ordained or marked out
beforehand those he has chosen to the adoption as sons. The Greek
word, huiothesia, which is translated "adoption as
sons," means "the placing of a son" and refers
to the act of placing a minor child in the place or status of
an adult son. The translation "adoption" gives the
wrong impression; the word does not refer to taking a child, not
born as one's own, into one's own family legally to raise as one's
own. It refers instead to placing one in the status of son, in
contrast to the status of a child (Gal. 4:1-4; Rom. 8:15-17).
Adoption does not mean son-making but son-placing. Regeneration
makes us sons, and adoption places us in the status as sons.
They both occur at conversion (Gal. 3:25-26; 4:1-7). Believers
here and now have the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15). Paul also
refers to a future adoption for which they are waiting (Rom. 8:23;
see also I John 3:2). This future adoption is the completion
of our salvation; it is the redemption our bodies. Even though
our spirits are alive to God, our bodies are dead and dying (Rom.
8:10); they too must be made alive. God will do this when Christ
returns (I Cor. 15:51-56; I Thess. 4:14-17). This future adoption
as well as the adoption at conversion is the goal of God's foreordination.
Paul expresses this in other words in Rom. 8:29: "For those
whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the
image of His Son, in order that he might be the first-born among
many brethren." Paul says that this "adoption"
is "through Jesus Christ." He had explained this more
fully in Gal. 4:4-5. He also says that this adoption is "unto
Himself;" that is, unto the Father whose sons He had foreordained
us to be.
"according to the good pleasure of His will," -- Eph. 1:5b.
Paul now gives the grounds of God's foreordaination. The Greek
word, eudokia, which is translated "good pleasure,"
means literally "good thought or opinion" and in the
New Testament has two meanings:
(a) with reference to a person, the approval of them (Lk. 2:14), and
(b) with no reference to a person, the good intent or purpose.
It is in this latter sense that Paul seems to be using it here.
It is the good intention or purpose of God's will that is the reason
for His election and foreordination; it is what He pleased to do.
Eph. 1:6.
"to the praise of the glory of His grace," -- Eph. 1:6a.
In this verse Paul more clearly defines "the good pleasure
of His will." It was "to the praise of the glory of
His grace." This phrase is similar to a phrase which occurs in verses
12 and
14:
"to the praise of His glory."
There the praise is of His glory; here the praise is of the glory
of His grace. The Greek word, epainos, which is translated
"praise," literally means "approval," hence
"recognition, commendation, fame" (Rom. 2:29; 13:3;
I Cor. 4:5; II Cor. 8:18; Phil. 4:8; I Pet. 2:14). The Greek
word, doxa, which is translated "glory," means
literally "opinion, estimation in which one is held, repute."
In the NT it is always used in a good sense, "good opinion,"
hence "reputation, praise, honor, glory" (Luke 14:10;
John 12:43; Heb. 3:3; Compare I Pet. 1:7). In the OT it is used
of the visible brightness, splendor that radiates from God's presence,
hence the manifested presence of God (Ex. 16:10; 40:34-35; II
Chron. 7:2-3; II Cor. 3:7). God's glory is the self-manifestation
of His presence and His grace is His supreme self-manifestation
(John 1:14,16-18).
"which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." --
Eph. 1:6b.
In the last phrase of this verse Paul specifies that God's grace
is freely bestowed on the believer in Christ. The Greek verb,
charitoo, which is translated "freely bestowed,"
means literally "to endow with grace," hence, "to
be gracious to" or "to endue with grace." This
bestowal of grace is done "in the Beloved," that is,
in Christ. This titles is probably messianic. "This is
my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased"
(Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22).
Compare this with the parallel expression
"the Son of His love" in Col. 1:13.
In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul discusses the foreknowledge, foreordaination, and calling of God.
"28. And we know that all things work together for good
for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose.
29. Because those whom he foreknew,
he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30. And those whom he foreordained, them he also called;
and those whom he called, them he also justified;
and those whom he justified, them he also glorified."
Rom. 8:28.In this verse and the next two, Paul sets forth the purposes of God for the saints. It is according to these purposes of God that the Spirit intercedes for the saints. In this verse Paul states the great truth about the purpose of God that every believer knows. "And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose." Some manuscripts insert the word "God" as the subject of the sentence. "And we know that God works all things together for good for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose." It is God who in His love works all things together for good and not some impersonal force. The insertion of the word "God" as the subject of the sentence makes this clear. It is not true that all things works together for good for everyone; rather, it is only for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose that God works all things for good. Only those who love God are fulfilling the purpose of God for them. That we should love and trust God is the grand design of God's purpose for us and God works all things together for that good. We do not always see this good and understand how all things are working together for that good. But the believer is sure that God does because he knows that God loves him and always acts for his good.
"And we know that all things work together for good for those
who love God and who are called according to his purpose."
Rom. 8:29.In this verse and the following verse Paul outlines the logical steps by which God works all things together for our good. Some theologians have misunderstood these as temporal steps in the order of salvation from eternity past to eternity future. They have failed to note that Paul uses the aorist tense for each verb which expresses a logical order, and not a temporal sequence of events. This will become clear as we examine each step. In this verse Paul sets forth the first of the logical steps and in the next verse the other three logical steps in accomplishing God's purposes.
"Because those whom he foreknew, he also foreordained
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
In this verse 29 Paul states the purpose of this foreordination: "to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren." This purpose of His foreordination or prior decision of those
who are "foreknown" is two fold:
(a) that they are "to be conformed to the image of His Son", and
(b) "that He might be the firstborn among many brethern."
The second follows from the first. Consider the following.
Christ is the Image of God (Col. 1:15; II Cor. 4:4).
And man was originally created in the Image of God. According to Gen. 1:26,
God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." But when man
sinned, he fell from that image, that likeness of God. Man began to bear
the image of the man of dust, Adam. For when Adam became the father of a
son, Seth, he begat him in his own image (Gen. 5:3). So God's purpose is to
restore man to the Image of God and, since Christ is the Image of God, that
restoration is conformation to the Image of His Son, to the Image of God.
"Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust,
we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven" (I Cor. 15:47-49),
who is Christ.
This will happen at His coming. For "when he shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (I John 3:2).
At the second coming of Christ (Acts 1:9), our bodies will be resurrected,
if we die before he comes (I Thess. 4:14-17), or our bodies will be
transformed, if we are alive at His coming (I Cor. 15:51-52; Phil. 3:20-21;
I John 3:2). Thus we will be conformed to the Image of His Son. The result
of this conforming to the Image of His Son is that Christ might be the
firstborn among many brethern. As Paul will explain in his letter to the
Colossians (1:15-18):
"15 He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God,Christ, who was the firstborn of all creation, is the first-born from the dead. This does not mean that he was created, "for all things were created through and for him," but that he is the head of creation and of the body, the church, the called-out people of God. They who were created are to be made like their creator, in whose image they were created. But since the old creation was made subject to death, God planned to reconcile to Himself all things, that is, to save it from death to life through the death and resurrection of His Son, who is the first-born from the dead. Since Christ shared in our spiritual and physical death on the cross, we who believe in Him share in the resurrection life of the risen Christ; He is the first-born from the dead, that is, He was the first among many to be raised from the dead. Christ is the first-born of the new creation, "the firstborn among many brethern." Therefore, we who are alive in Christ are new creations in Him (II Cor. 5:17). We have become part of that new creation in Christ which is yet to be revealed (Rev. 21:1). Then the purpose of God intended in His original creation will be finally accomplished in the new creation through Christ.
the first-born of all creation;
16 for in him all things were created,
in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities --
all things were created through him and for him,
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 He is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead,
that in everything he might be preeminent."
"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven,
making peace by the blood of his cross." (Col. 1:19-20).
In the next verse Paul sets forth the remaining three logical steps to accomplish this great purpose of His love.
Rom. 8:30.In this verse Paul sets forth the remaining logical steps to accomplish the believer's conformation to the image of His Son. There are here in this verse three logical steps.
"And those whom he foreordained, them he also called;
and those whom he called, them he also justified;
and those whom he justified, them he also glorified."
The following are the "Five Points" of Calvinism:
John Calvin had used the statement of Matt. 22:14
("Many are called but few are chosen")
in his Institutes of the Christian Religion
(Book III, Chapter XXIV, Section 8)
to support his doctrine of Unconditional Election, as it was later called.
But this statement is not about the eternal choice of who
will be saved (the Elect) and who will not be saved, but it is at the end of
Jesus' parable of the marriage feast (Matt. 22:1-14) and is about who will
be invited to the marriage feast and has received a wedding garment
(Matt. 22:11-13). Only those who have a wedding garment will be allowed
to partake of the wedding feast. This parable will be fulfilled
at the second coming of Christ (Rev. 19:6-9).
Arminius rejected the Unconditional Election of the Five Points as unscriptural. He argued that God chooses those to be saved whom he foreknew would believe in Christ. According to Arminius election is conditional; God's choice is conditioned by His foreknowledge of whom will believe. Calvinists reject this Conditioned Election arguing that God foreknows only what He has sovereignly willed to take place. They argue that everything that takes place including the choices of man was immutably determined and fixed by God in eternity, and that all that happens is nothing but what He had ordained to be before anything was created. God's foreknowledge then depends upon the purpose and plan of God and that God foreknows only what he has willed to take place. Arminians reject this determinism arguing that it leaves no place for man's free will which God gave to man when He created him, and also it makes God the cause of sin and evil in the world. The Calvinist attempt to counter this argument by replying that sin is caused directly by man and the evil in the world is caused by Satan and his fallen angels; God is therefore not responsible for sin and evil. God wills only the good, because His nature is good, not evil or sinful. "But," the Arminians asks, "where did the evil and sin come from? If God wills everything, then God must have willed the evil and sin." The Arminians argue that man and the angels must have free will and that sin and evil are caused by the wrong choices which they make by the exercise of their free wills. Thus sin and evil is not caused by God but by those beings that God has created with free will.
Arminius did not reject the Total Depravity or Total Inability of the Five Points. He believed profoundly in original sin, understanding that the will of natural fallen man is not only maimed and wounded, but that it is entirely unable, apart from prevenient grace, to do any good thing. He believed that by the fall man has lost his free will and his nature has become corrupt or sinful. Man is thus totally unable to do anything to merit salvation. His followers have not always agreed with him on this point, and have modified the doctrine of original sin to teach that man since the fall is partially unable to do any good thing. In order to allow for man's free will, they teach that man's sinful nature does not determine his choices, but is only a tendency to sin. The sinful nature only hinders man from doing the good.
Arminius also rejected the Limited Atonement of the Five Points as unscriptural. Christ's atonement is unlimited. He understood such scriptures that say "he died for all" (II Cor. 5:15; compare II Cor. 5:14; Titus 2:11; I John 2:2) to mean what they say. Some Calvinists, such as the Puritan John Owens, argue that the "all" means only all of those who have been elected to be saved. Arminius also rejected the Irresistible Grace of the Five Points, arguing that saving grace can be resisted and rejected. Since some men have resisted God's saving grace and rejected it, these men are lost and not saved. They are not saved, not because God did not choose them, but because they did not choose God; they resisted and rejected the saving grace of God. Arminius also rejected the Perseverance of the Saints of the Five Points arguing that since the believer still has free will after conversion, he could reverse his decision of faith in Christ and reject Christ, and thus loose his salvation and be eternally lost.
The following are the "Five Points" of Arminianism:
Click HERE to read an evaluation of Calvinism and Arminianism.