220 – The Ground of Divine Election

SEMESTER 2

220 – The Ground of Divine Election

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE:  SOTERIOLOGY II LESSON # 20
THE GROUND OF DIVINE ELECTION

INTRODUCTION:

1. Up to this point, if there is any respect for Scripture and if I have at all communicated it to you, you should be aware of at least two things:

i. There is such a thing as soteriological election.
ii. It is God who makes that choice or selection.

2. The subject before us now asks: “Upon what ground does God make that selection?”

I. TWO BASIC PHILOSOPHIES OF THE GROUND

Even though there are variations of opinions as to the degree and implica­tions surrounding these philosophies, there are two basic schools of thought as to the ground of soteriological election.

1. Foreseen conduct of the “elect.”

i. The common statement is that God foresaw the person “coming to Christ,” or believing.
ii. If faith could be foreseen then repentance would be seen accompanying and works following, thus, foreseen conduct is a proper description.

2. The sovereign pleasure of God, without any other revealed ground.
3. In a later lesson I will approach the “foreseen faith” theory negative­ly and expound the Scriptures used to support it.
4. In this lesson I will affirm and attempt to establish biblically that the ground of divine election is according to God’s sovereign pleasure and thus “unconditional.”

II. SOVEREIGN ELECTION IS THE LOGICAL APPROACH

1. In all Scripture God is revealed to be the elector. (Col 3:12, Eph 1:4, 2Th 2:13)
2. Now in any selection the selector determines who or what is selected.
3. In the foreseen faith theory a selection by God is absolutely denied, because the selection is determined by the believer and God only observes and ratifies.
4. Thus to say God elects, but that man determines who He elects is evasive and totally illogical.

III: The classic explanation, “I cast the deciding vote.”

III. SOVEREIGN ELECTION IS THE REVELATION OF SCRIPTURE

1. It is revealed that God chose Jacob before he was born. (Rom 9:10-13)

i. God revealed this before birth to show that it is strictly accord­ing to His sovereign choice.
ii. Verses 8 and 24 of Romans 9 assure us that Paul was using this event to illustrate salvation.

2. It is revealed that God chose us before the foundation of the world. (Eph 1:4)

i. In Eph 1:4 the choice is of people unto holiness, not the mere choice of holiness.
ii. In Eph 1:4 the choice was before the foundation of the world.

3. It is revealed that God chose us unto salvation. (2Th 2:13) In this passage we are forced to see that God chose people, not merely the method of their salvation, as some say, by the following facts:

i. They, as people, are contrasted to the reprobated of verse 11.
ii. Paul in verse 13 is thanking God for the people, not the means of their salvation.
iii. Paul says plainly God has chosen them to salvation, not mere­ly the method.
iv. That which God chose them to in verse 13 is that which God called them to in verse 14 by the gospel, and is salvation, not means.

4. The difficulty men have in this area is not understanding Scripture, but accepting sovereignty in election.