As the doctrine of the church or the election is often poorly understood, or emphatically contradicted. In this respect it or there is a deliberate ignorance or misunderstanding.
What is the Scriptural truth of the election? We can define the election as the eternal, sovereign, gracious decree of God by which He chooses a church as the body of Christ, with all its individual members, each in his own position, for the glory and eternal salvation.
examine the various parts of this definition more closely.
First, the election is the decree of God by which He chooses a defined number of individuals for salvation and eternal glory. God is not uncertain about who will be saved and who will spend eternity with Him in heaven. He knows His people individually by name, because he has chosen each one of them, and these names he wrote them in the Book of Life. The Scripture speaks of the election in this way in Acts 13:48: " those as were ordained to eternal life believed. "Again, we read about Jeremiah," Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born from the womb, I sanctified and I ordered the prophet to the nations "(1:5). Now I know that this is true of Jeremiah in particular, but it is very evident in this passage that God sanctified and prepared him before he was born. God chose Jeremiah. Again, we read Romans 9:13: "As it is written:" I have loved Jacob and Esau I hated. "" This is not a number indefinite , but God emphasizes individuals defined. Before they were even born, God said, "I have loved Jacob and Esau I hated."
Second, the doctrine of election teaches that church members are chosen as body of Jesus Christ, with each member of his unique place. There are illustrations in Scripture they have the church as a body. The apostle Paul speaks of this church in I Corinthians 12:12: "For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. "Now, a body is a living organism. You can not add members to this body or take away some. As soon as one tries to do it, you have an incomplete body or a monstrosity. A normal body has ten fingers, two hands, two arms, two eyes, a nose that's it. Take away some of these limbs or do you add someone, and you no longer have a complete body. Even so God chooses for Himself a church as the Body of Christ, or as individual members each in his own peculiar place in the body. God has a place for each member, each chosen by God in this body. The post of someone does not seem very important to human eyes, but it is his unique place. Just as the little finger is an insignificant member, it is nevertheless necessary in order to make the full body, this finger has a place and a function. Even so, the truth of the election highlights the fact that God chooses every single member for a specific role in the body of Christ and this place he must cover and in fact it will play .
Thirdly, the election is centered in Jesus Christ. You never talk about the election from him whatever we read in Ephesians 1:4: "If in him [Christ] chose us before the foundation of the world ..." This is the truth that is found throughout Scripture. God chooses His people as members of Christ.
Fourth, the election teaches that God chooses a people to eternal salvation and glory. God does not choose simply, but he has a purpose and one purpose in mind. The eternal purpose was that he would lead his people to heaven. I cite, for example, Romans 8:29-10: "For whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. And those he predestined, them He also called, those He called, these He also justified and whom He justified, these He also glorified. " So the ultimate goal of this eternal election whereby God chooses His people is through Christ that He might glorify the honor of His own name.
Finally, the election shall be in eternity. It is not an 'action taken only over time. It 'an act of God that took place in His plan advice or even before time began. Consider again this step of Ephesians 1:4: "If in him [Christ] chose us before the foundation of the world ..." What does this mean? This phrase suggests that God chooses first that there is no creation, before there is time or space. Before the foundation of the earth, there is one God He chose, therefore, a people in Christ from all eternity in His counsel. This is the witness of Scripture.
In connection to the truth of the election, it is often asked: "The election is conditional or unconditional?" That is, God chose His people on the basis of some action that they must first be made, or choose them freely and independently? The election was affected by something that man has done before, God chose some people simply because it was his pleasure to do so? Scripture itself teaches that the election is based solely on the decree of a sovereign God, and has nothing to do with any action that man must first be made.
However, sad to say this is not the thinking of many today. The view that seems to have engulfed the church world of today is that the election is dependent on the will of man and not God The election depends on the active man to accept Christ. God chooses those who first choose Him This view has its roots in Holland, and was promoted for the first time in 1610. Its most influential proponent of the time was a man named James Arminius. Since then this error regarding the election has become synonymous with his name. It is called Arminianism.
Arminius himself wrote about this view of the election: "But it (the election) means the decree by which God decides to give salvation to someone, then provided the Faith is before the election. Why because only believers are saved, then only believers are predestined to salvation. But Scripture does not know Election, by which God has given a precise and absolute save anyone without having first considered such a believer. Why such an election would be contrary to the decree by which he determined to save anyone but the believers "( Writings of Arminius , vol. 1, page 380).
Arminianism Obviously, when it comes to election, speaks of it as conditioning. Arminianism not say that God elects and for this we believe, he says that God elects those who provides believe. Arminianism says that the election is fundamentally dependent on a positive response from the man. When man accepts Christ, and persevere in this, then God says: "I will choose." Perhaps this idea of \u200b\u200bArminianism can be illustrated. Suppose someone had put before you a weight of 100 pounds and had commanded you to lift this weight on your head. You rightly say, "I can not do." But if a erigesse a system of pulleys with a rope, attach the rope firmly to this weight, and then said: "Lift this weight," now you will not be able to say "I can not." Rather, now you have to say "I will" or "I do not want." Of course, now it's in your power to lift that weight. E 'in this way that the Arminian sees the sinner. When the man fell, he could not do anything. He could not accept Christ. Could not believe it. But then God has given all men a certain grace (comparable to the system of pulleys of the illustration) so that all men have within themselves the capacity to believe if they want. But if they refuse, they are forever lost.
What should I say this teaching of Arminianism? It should be clear that essentially Arminianism denies the sovereignty of God is the Sovereign God simply means that God is God: He rules over heaven and earth. He will never release your power by any creature. He will direct all things according to His sovereign purpose. God reigns. The concept of Arminianism denies it. An Arminian insists that he believes that the sinner is saved only by grace. But do not neglect to note that, according to Arminianism, each sinner has the grace of God So what is it that makes a man different from another? Not the grace of God, but will man who takes or refuses the grace of God is to be exercised in this regard its willingness to or against Christ. What ultimately determines who is elected is the act of man. Such teaching denies the sovereignty of God, because then the sovereign, infinite, eternal God in His heaven to sit and wait for the decision of man to find out who wants and who does not want to inherit His Kingdom. This is a terrible mistake.
Calvinism stresses the Scriptural truth that God unconditionally elects a people for Himself from all eternity. Not only did John Calvin, but also the first Fathers of the Church insisted on the same thing. Augustine (354-430) claimed that: "Faith, then, from its beginning to its perfection is the gift of God that this gift is bestowed to some and not others, who can deny it if he does not want to fight against the very clear testimony of Scripture? But why faith is not given to all should not be of interest to the believer, who knows that all men for the sin of a most just go to the condemnation. But for God's condemnation and a free not another belongs to His inscrutable judgments. And "His ways are unfathomable." And if you investigate and ask in what way is considered worthy to receive such a gift of faith from God, there are those who say, "it is because of their human will." But we say it is by grace, or Divine predestination. "
The views of Augustine was firmly based on Scripture. Everywhere, Scripture teaches that the election will not be affected by any work or man. Acts 13:48 states: "all those who were ordained to eternal life believed." Now, what comes first: belief or order? Clearly the second. Or we read in John 15:16: "Do not you have chosen me, but I chose you, and I have appointed you to go and bear fruit ... "And in I John 4:10:" Herein is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. "The election is certainly unconditional second the whole teaching of Scripture.
find comfort in such a truth? Some have insisted that this doctrine not provides comfort. Why, some say, if one believes in the election, then the result will be that it becomes very Inadvertent and profane on this earth. If God has eternally determined that a person will go to heaven, then what difference does what it does? If he wants to sin, will still be saved. Although it does not do good works, will be saved anyway. E 'in this way that many people have falsely presented this truth of the election!
But this is a distortion of this doctrine. It 's true: God has freely, forever, sovereignly determined that his people will come in glory. Among these persons include the thief on the cross, a horrible sinner. Among them including Peter who denied Christ three times. Among them, we are including ourselves, also terrible sinners. But the doctrine of election allows one to sin if they like it? The Scripture teaches that God chose us so we should be holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4). See also Ephesians 2:10. The election will bear fruit: where there is the fruit of justice, no evidence of election. Woe to the person who dares to say: "I pity because it makes no difference, I have already elected or reprobate." To paraphrase the words of Christ will be more tolerable on the day of Judgement for one who has known the truth that the election for one who knew her and used it as an excuse to sin!
The sad situation today is that many want to hide this Reformed doctrine. They insist it is too difficult for ordinary people and of course then you have to talk on the mission field. But Scripture never does not hide the truth of the election-it is clearly taught. In fact, Paul writes in detail in this regard especially to the churches of Rome and Ephesus. These churches were composed mostly of Gentiles who did not previously have never had contact with the Word of God They were istruisti election. If it was not too difficult, then, should not be too difficult today for the educated people in our society?
And you? You are one of God's elect? This question has troubled many people. Are you worried of your choice, really worried? The wicked evil never bother whether or not they are elected. They do nothing but deny all the Word of God But if you're worried regarding your election, then you give evidence already in your life and in your heart of fruit election.
Only a few more questions. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you love His church and His truth? You hate everything about your own sin? So there is no doubt, no? You see right through you, the fruit and evidence of the election. You're still a sinner, as is the whole people of God is sometimes asked: "How could God choose someone like me?" However, the fruits of the election are clear. If you believe, you have proof that God has eternally chosen in Christ. He did not chose you because you believed, but your belief is evidence and proof that He has chosen you. Do you? Then you are blessed because the kingdom of heaven is yours.
Predestination - Sermon by Rev. Angus Stewart for the Communion of Reformed Italian
