SEMESTER 2
231 – The Relationship of Election to Evangelism
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSE: SOTERIOLOGY II LESSON # 31
THE RELATIONSHIP OF ELECTION TO EVANGELISM
Read Act 18:7-11
INTRODUCTION:
1. It is the theory of many that belief in sovereign, soteriological election violates the “whosoever will” doctrine and thus destroys biblical evangelism.
2. I believe rather, along with Spurgeon, Carey, Taylor, and many others that quite the opposite is true, i.e., that election supports biblical evangelism. (2Ti 2:10)
I. THE REASONING OF THE ANTI-ELECTIONISTS
1. That if God has eternally and unconditionally chosen, the chosen shall unconditionally be saved.
2. Thus they conclude the necessity of hearing the gospel would lose its practical necessity.
3. Thus we would subsequently lose our zeal to go into all the world with the gospel.
II. THE ERROR OF THIS REASONING
1. They confuse divine actions and purposes with human responsibility, i.e., they confuse unquestionability and unconditionality.
i. Election and salvation of the elect are both absolute and certain from a divine perspective.
ii. Salvation (the object of evangelism) is never unconditional from a human perspective.
a) Only if they hear can they believe. (Rom 10:14)
b) Only if they believe can they be saved. (Joh 3:18)
2. They assume that the certainty of result somehow negates the necessity of means.
3. Quite to the contrary, the certainty of results assures the facilitation of the necessary means, i.e.:
iii. “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through…” (2Th 2:13)
iv. Thus the work of the Spirit and the ministry of the word, the only means (2Th 2:13-14, 1Co 1:21) are certain to be utilized.
III. A BIBLICAL VIEW OF THIS RELATIONSHIP
1. God does have His people. (Mat 1:21, Joh 6:37, Joh 17:2, Joh 17:9-10, Joh 10:26-27, Eph 1:4, etc.)
2. God sent His Son for His people. (Hab 3:13, Joh 3:17, Joh 3:16, Joh 6:38-39)
3. That people is to be united to the Son always and only through faith. (Joh 3:18, Joh 3:16, Joh 6:40, Joh 3:36, Joh 5:24, Rom 3:30, Eph 2:8)
4. That indispensable faith is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, always and only through the preaching of the word. (1Co 1:21: Rom 10:14, Joh 5:24, 2Th 2:14)
5. The preaching of the word, thus by the Spirit, brings about precisely and exclusively what God has purposed, i.e., the salvation of the elect. (Act 13:48, Joh 10:26, 1Co 1:23-24)
6. This preaching is committed exclusively to men. (1Co 1:21, 2Th 2:14, Rom 1:1, Rom 10:14)
CONCLUSION: Thus we must conclude:
1. Sovereign election does not prevent the need of preaching, it establishes it.
2. The preaching of the gospel does not nullify the reality of election, it serves it.
3. Sovereign election does not imply that evangelism changes nothing, it assures us that it will.