Election or Freewill - Which is Right?
Romans 8:29-30
Tonight I want to delve into a topic that it has been years since I have addressed - the topic of election and freewill. Let me go ahead and answer the question that I posed in this evening's title - election or freewill - which one is right? The answer is that both of them are right. It's not an either/or issue when Scripture addresses and adheres to both. I want to tell you what a foundational fact that will help us this evening - our view of Scripture. I hold strongly to the view that the Scripture is the inerrant, infallible (which means not liable to mislead, deceive, or disappoint), living and powerful word of God. It is God breathed and not man made - a love letter from Him to us to reveal His love, His nature and His ways to us. If you have a view that Scripture is not fully inspired, not fully accurate - then you will most likely have a different take on tonight's topic.
Having shared these points, I want you to know that this is a very difficult topic. I have done much reading this week of the Scripture and of various scholars of whom I greatly respect. And I can honestly say that even those scholars are not in full agreement (at least the way I understood them) as to a full and conclusive understanding of this subject. But let me say to you this evening that since Scripture addresses both issues, both must be true, and I'm convinced that no one this side of eternity will be able to truly grasp or understand completely how these two work together. It's what I call a God concept, and we'll have to accept that God knows how they work together, and we'll trust Him with it. I like how Charles Spurgeon put it, "After all we have preached, we are well aware that the mountain of truth is higher than our eyes can discern; clouds and darkness are round about its summit, and we cannot discern its topmost pinnacle; yet we will try to preach it as well as we can."1 "A thorough understanding of how God can maintain His sovereignty and still allow human freedom seems to be reserved for His infinite mind alone. Great minds have struggled with this problem for centuries."2
With these thoughts in mind, here's what Paul says to the Romans,
Romans 8:28-30
8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.
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The question - Are both election and freewill biblical principles?
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What are the meanings of the words "foreknow" and "predestined"? Paul uses both of these words here and we would be very wise to understand them in their context.
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Foreknow. It means more than just knowing about ahead of time. John Wolvoord put it like this, "This does not mean simply that God foreknows what believers will do, but that God foreknows them. Nor does divine foreknowledge merely mean an awareness of or acquaintance with an individual. Instead it means a meaningful relationship with a person based on God's choice in eternity before Creation."3
In fact, it is Ephesians 1:4 where the same gospel writer, Paul, said, "He chose us in Him before the Creation of the world."
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Predestined. This word means to mark out, appoint, determine beforehand. But I want you to understand a very important point that is often overlooked when it comes to this word. NEVER is this word used in reference to salvation. J. Vernon McGee is right, "It never has any reference to the lost. You will never find it used in connection with them. If you ever hear someone talk about being predestined to be lost, you know he is not being scriptural. Predestination means that, when God saves you, He is going to see you through. Whom He foreknew, He predestinated, and whom He predestinated, He called, and whom He called, He justified, and whom He justified, He glorified. In other words, this amazing section is on sanctification."4
Then Paul, in verse 30 says, "whom He predestined, He also called…." Now you may think that once it again it sure seems that God is weeding out only those that will be saved and only those are the called ones. I want to remind you of what Jesus said one day in His ministry, "Many are called, but a few are chosen." What does that mean? The Believer's Bible Commentary states, "All are called; that is the general (yet also valid) call of God. But only a few respond; that is the effectual (conversion-producing) call of God."5
But it doesn't end there. Please understand that we are not like puppets that move only when the string is pulled. We really do have a free will. And, when we in our free will respond to the amazing and undeserving grace of God in our lives, God is going to do something else because it has been foreordained of every believer. What is that? Notice the rest of verse 30, "When we are quickened by the Spirit of God (Eph 2:2), and respond to His call in faith, we are then justified in His sight by faith."6 And it doesn't end there. Paul states as a past event something that is still yet to happen; but he is so certain of our Lord's Word and promise that he states it as a finished act; "them he also glorified." There is coming the day when this physical body that we are in will be done away with, and we will receive a glorified body. It's still yet to happen, but believer be encouraged; it's a done deal!
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What is God's goal in our lives and in all of history? I've already hit all over it, but I want you to see another phrase. We are predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son. I mentioned it a moment ago as I referenced Ephesians 1:4. But if you read Ephesians 1:11 you will see that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son. In other words it was determined beforehand or marked out that it would be through Christ that we would be saved before the foundation of the earth was ever laid. Christ was not an afterthought by God and He was not just an alternative when Israel failed to reveal God to the world. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The key to predestination is IN HIM and those of us who are IN HIM are the elect! That word conform means not a superficial conformity, but rather an inward and lasting and eternal change. God's goal is His glory and our good. And can I say this again? It will come about for those that have been saved! Take it to the bank! "When the Lord-who is the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, the Good Shepherd of the Sheep, and Chief Shepherd of the Sheep-starts out with one hundred sheep, He's going to come home with one hundred sheep; He will not lose one of them."7
I've only answered one part of the question, and that is in regards to election. Is it biblical? Absolutely. But let's note a second point,
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The quandary - How can both be right?
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It seems that election and freewill contradict each other. How can they both be complementary of each other? Let me give you some examples that seem to make this difficult.
Peter said (2 Peter 1:10), "brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble…."
Now, in regards to free will, I want you to think about some familiar verses:
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that WHOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Please note that it did not say "that if the elect will call upon the Lord…"
I quoted Peter a moment ago. Listen to this (2 Peter 3:9), "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance."
It was Paul who stated to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:1), "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
And Paul also wrote to the Roman church (Romans 10:13), "WHOEVER will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Let me give a comment on 2 Peter 1:10, and then we'll try to get down to the brass tacks. Warren Wiersbe states on the issue of making your calling and election sure - that it is a reference to assurance and certainty of salvation, not of being saved. "It is not our profession of faith that guarantees that we are saved; it is our progression in the faith that gives us that assurance. The person who claims to be a child of God but whose character and conduct give no evidence of spiritual growth is deceiving himself and heading for judgment."8
There are more verses that we could use for both sides of this issue, but I want to make something clear again. If we believe that God's Word is without error, then we must also believe that somehow these verses work together in harmony and not in contradiction.
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How do election and free will complement each other? In my conversing with some folks this week regarding this subject, I was led to a message preached by Charles Spurgeon on the topic of election. And I want to try to read to you what he shared as I believe he puts it into the right perspective.
"According to your own confession, many of you do not want religion, do not want a new heart and a right spirit, do not want the forgiveness of sins, do not want sanctification; you do not want to be elected to these things: then why should you grumble? You count these things but as husks, and why should you complain of God who has given them to those whom he has chosen? If you believe them to be good and desire them, they are there for [you]. God gives liberally to all those who desire; and first of all, he makes them desire, otherwise they never would. If you love these things, he has elected you to them, and you may have them; but if you do not, who are you that you should find fault with God, when it is your own desperate will that keeps you from loving these things-your own simple self that makes you hate them?"
He continues, "Ah! but," say some, "I thought it meant that God elected some to heaven and some to hell." That is a very different matter from the gospel doctrine. He has elected men to holiness and to righteousness and through that to heaven. You must not say that he has elected them simply to heaven, and others only to hell. He has elected you to holiness, if you love holiness. If any of you love to be saved by Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ elected you to be saved. If any of you desire to have salvation, you are elected to have it, if you desire it sincerely and earnestly. But, if you don't desire it, why on earth should you be so preposterously foolish as to grumble because God gives that which you do not like to other people?" Continuing on, "Whoever believes God's truth, and believes on Jesus Christ, is elect. I frequently meet with poor souls, who are fretting and worrying themselves about this thought-"How, if I should not be elect!" "Oh, sir," they say, "I know I put my trust in Jesus; I know I believe in his name and trust in his blood; but how if I should not be elect?" Poor dear creature! You do not know much about the gospel, or you would never talk so, for he that believes is elect. Those who are elect, are elect unto sanctification and unto faith; and if you have faith you are one of God's elect; you may know it and ought to know it, for it is an absolute certainty. If you, as a sinner, look to Jesus Christ this [evening], and say- "Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling," you are elect."9
Put another way regarding the lost that are never saved, "If they are condemned, it is because of their refusal to trust Christ (John 3:18-21). Those whom He chose, He called; when they responded to His call, He justified them, and He also glorified them."
It means this dear friend. First, you will come to Christ only when He draws you - and I believe that He invites every person - John 6:44. But you can and will come only when He is drawing - not when of your own accord. Second, you will come to Christ when you realize what a sinner you are and what a Savior He is. And third, if you reject Jesus now, that will be the reason that you spend eternity in hell, not because you were "elected" or "predestined" to go there. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." This teaches me that man really does have a choice, a free will. I want you to understand that God will never force His love or grace on you. Forced love is no love at all. John Calvin taught that grace is irresistible. I disagree. I believe it is. The rich young ruler resisted His grace. The people in Jesus' home town resisted His grace - for many miracles were not accomplished there. Many scribes and Pharisees resisted God's grace.
It is by God's grace that we are saved - through faith.
Let me attempt another point,
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The quest - How does this affect who we are and what we do?
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If all we do is discuss but never put into action, it is to no avail. Going back to my good friend, Spurgeon, "Whatever God has revealed, he has revealed for a purpose. There is nothing in Scripture which may not, under the influence of God's Spirit, be turned into a practical discourse: for "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable" for some purpose of spiritual usefulness. It is true, it may not be turned into a free-will discourse-that we know right well-but it can be turned into a practical free-grace discourse: and free-grace practice is the best practice, when the true doctrines of God's immutable love are brought to bear upon the hearts of saints and sinners."10 We're talking about God's amazing grace here.
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How should we be affected? Let me give some suggestions:
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Humility. God chose me. Believer, God chose you. And it wasn't because of anything you could do. It wasn't because of who you know. He is I AM and needs no one else. He chose me - in my sinfulness, rebellion, pride, arrogance, selfishness - He still chose me. What gives me the right to think that I deserve anything from Him? What gives me the right to think that I can just strut into His holy presence and expect Him to fulfill my every wish when I want and how I want?
He chose me. There are two parts of God's nature that are really being addressed in this whole discussion. First, God is Sovereign. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that is out of His control. Second, God is love. As I shared a moment ago, forced love is no love at all. God in His sovereignty and omnipotence is able to allow us to choose and in His omniscience knows how it is that we are going to choose. But again, it humbles me that the God of the universe would want to choose me.
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Gratefulness. I wonder how many of us would be bold enough to confess that we are gripers? We get up in the morning and we gripe if something aches in these bodies. We come to church and we gripe if it is too hot or too cold. We gripe about the music - too much of it, too little of it; too traditional or too contemporary. We gripe if the service is too short (not here) or too long. Can I meddle a moment? Could all of that be simply that we have lost a grateful heart for what the Lord really has done in our lives? He saved me! He forgave me! He forgave others here! That's why I'm deeply convinced that the church ought to be the most exciting place in town! We ought to have the best party around because we have the best Father around! Are you grateful or grumble-full?
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Holiness. I want you to understand believer that God's plan for you is not fire insurance, but complete holiness. He has predestined you through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ to a life of holiness. Are you bucking and kicking your feet because you're having to "give up" something for Jesus? Don't forget what God gave up for you - His Son! You'll never be content until your desire, drive and decisions are holy. But there's one more response,
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Urgency. I'm telling you that a study on these two key doctrines need not and must not end in mere discussion. This same God has declared that He is coming back soon to take His Church. And it was Jesus who instructed us to work and work diligently and urgently while it is still daylight. The sun is just about to set, but are we urgently working as long as we can see? It was Paul whose life was marked by urgency - going all over the known part of the world with the gospel, and even in one city night and day with tears sharing the Good News. Doesn't sound like a "hyper-Calvinist, God already has chosen who will be His, so why do anything" person.
Are you urgent in sharing your faith with your friends and loved ones? Are you urgent in inviting those folks to come with you to church or to an event where the gospel will be shared? Where's the urgency?
But I want to say tonight to those that have never been saved; with urgency I beg you, give your heart to Christ right now! I choose to make Spurgeon's plea my own, "I tell you-the chief of sinners-this [evening], I tell you in his name, if you will come to God without any works of your own, cast yourself on the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ; if you will come now and trust in him, you are elect-you were loved of God from before the foundation of the world, for you could not do that unless God had given you the power, and had chosen you to do it."11
But if you are here and you think you'll wait just a while longer. You want to read the Bible a little more and get more familiar, hear this word, "But if thou art condemned O man! if thou art lost O woman! thou wilt not find in this Bible one drop to cool thy tongue, or one doctrine to [alleviate] thy guilt; your damnation will be entirely your own fault, and your sin will richly merit it, because ye believe not ye are condemned. "Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep." "Ye wilt not come to me that ye might have life." Do not fancy that election excuses sin-do not dream of it-do not rock yourself in sweet complacency in the thought of your irresponsibility."12 Now is the day of salvation. Come!