217 – Three Kinds of Election and Their Interrelationship

SEMESTER 2

217 – Three Kinds of Election and Their Interrelationship

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE:  SOTERIOLOGY II LESSON # 17
THREE KINDS OF ELECTION AND THEIR INTER­RELATIONSHIP

INTRODUCTION:

1. Sovereign election (independent choice by God) is one of the most controversial issues alive today.
2. Thus we are compelled not to avoid or minimize it, but to take the more care to assure proper investigation and expression of it.
3. Let us never assume the right to neglect a doctrine because of human hatred of it.

i. If it is unscriptural, then biblically disclaim it.
ii. If it is scriptural, defend and teach it.
iii. If it is misunderstood, then go to greater lengths to expound it.

4. For this cause I will dedicate more than a dozen lectures to this debated and hated Bible doctrine.

I. THREE BASIC AREAS OF BIBLICAL ELECTION

1. All Bible believers admit to some kind of election.
2. Sadly, some try to use one kind to deny another.

III: “You will not find the word mentioned except concer­ning Israel,” and Romans 11:7.

3. There are three basic categories, overlapping, but different, yet with dependent implications.

II. NATIONAL ELECTION (DEU 7:6,7; DEU 14:2; ISA 14:1)

1. We need not multiply Scripture here, biblical evidence is abundant and well accepted.
2. The principle of this is not foreseen goodness in Israel, (Rom 9:10,11) but sovereign choice. (Deu 7:7)
3. This choice includes many blessings which illustrate the error in demanding equal action or purpose on God’s part.

III. VOCATIONAL ELECTION (NUM 16:1-5; JOH 6:70; 13:18; 15:16; 15:19; ACT 9:15; 22:14; 2TI 2:4)

1. By this word vocational, I mean simply, that the election is a sovereign choice of men to serve in certain offices and do certain jobs.

III: Peter’s statement to Simon the sorcerer.

2. Again this kind of choice displays a divine sovereignty, giving certain individuals special grace, power, opportunities and rewards.

IV. SOTERIOLOGICAL ELECTION

(Luk 18:7; Rom 8:33; Col. 3:12; Tit 1:1; 1Pe 1:2; 5:13; 1Th 1:4; 2Pe 1:10; 1Co1:27; Eph 1:4; 2Th 2:13; Rev 17:14)

1. By this, I refer to those chosen unto salvation, which choice results in everlasting life.
2. In the New Testament, this is by far the most common usage of the terms elect, chose, chosen, etc.
3. Again, the implications of a sovereign divine action, which results in the salvation of certain men, are inescapable.

V. THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF THE THREE

1. Some people try to escape one doctrine by making the other exclusive.

i. i.e., “God chose Israel as a nation, but He would never decide the destiny of men’s souls.”

2. Such thinking betrays carelessness or mental inconsistency.

i. Because of national election, the gospel in the Old Tes­tament came essentially to the physical seed of Abram. Compare Romans 3:1 and 2 to Romans 10:17.
ii. Because eternally purposed vocational election necessarily supposes soteriological election.

3. All of the evasive answers that promote looking the other way are only tranquilizers for ignorance.

III: Even foresight supposes certainty when coupled with eternity and omnipotence. Thus foresight of an omniscient creator is essentially equal to foreordination.