THE PURPOSE OF THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL ELECTION

By Gary Ray Branscome

The purpose of the doctrine of eternal election is not to make us smug, but to assure us that our salvation is solely a gift of God’s grace. As it is written, “Salvation is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy” (Romans 9:16). And, again, “God… has saved us, and called us to a holy calling, not because of anything we have done, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2Timothy 1:9). “And if [salvation is] by grace, then is it no longer by works: if it were grace would no longer be grace. For if it is by works, then it is no longer by grace: otherwise work is no longer work” (Romans 11:6).

In fact, God’s choice of the nation of Israel gives us a type of our election, because just as our salvation is solely by His grace, His Word to Israel was, “It is not because of your righteousness, or because of the uprightness of your heart, that you are going in to possess their land: but the LORD your God is driving them out before you because of the wickedness of those nations, that He may keep the promise which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people” (Deuteronomy 9:5-6).

Even though the doctrine of election was given to assure us of God’s grace, Satan does all he can to rob us of that assurance. By denying that Christ “died for all,” he robs many of the assurance that Christ died for their sins (2Corinthians 5:15). Then by portraying salvation as dependent on man’s ability to endure to the end, he robs others of the assurance that God will keep them “from falling” (Jude 24). Furthermore, whenever people lack assurance of salvation, (either because they fear that Christ may not have died for their sins, or that they will not be able to endure to the end) they look to works to regain that assurance. And, looking to works for assurance is the opposite of faith.

The words, “If one died for all, then all died. And Christ died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them, and rose again,” tell us that Christ “died for all,” not just some (2Corinthians 5:14-15). The words, “Christ… is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,” tell us that Christ’s death is the propitiation [atonement] for the “sins of the whole world” (1John 2:1-2). And, that is what the Bible says because that is what God wants us to believe and teach.

The words, “The only wise God, our Savior, // is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before His glorious presence,” tell us that it is God who keeps us from falling, not our free will (Jude 24-25). The words, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His great mercy has caused us to be born anew… To an inheritance… reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,” tell us that just as God has saved us by His grace, He will keep us from falling by His grace (1Peter 1:3-5). And, that is what the Bible says because that is what God wants us to believe and teach.