Serving God and Family: A Great Question from a Reader

I frequently receive questions and comments here on my blog. Some are questions like the one I am about to post (and answer) and then others are what I call “hate mail”. The “hate mail” I receive I post as a teaching method for others to learn how to defend their faith and to expose error and defend the faith. This particular question is not what I consider “hate mail” but rather a sincere question about a Biblical teaching; the Doctrine of Election.

“Hi Crystal. I was wondering a couple of things. I have heard people talk about being “chosen” [sic] by God. What does that mean? That doesnt [sic] really give people much hope, does it?

So what does that mean if I am not choosen [sic]? I never asked to be born and I want to serve the Lord but I cant [sic] because I wasn’t [sic] choosen [sic].

What if you [sic] children are not choosen [sic]? Doesn’t [sic] that scare you?

I hope I don’t [sic] offend you with my questions. I am just trying to understand.

Thanks,

Miranda”

Thanks for the inquiry, Miranda!

It’s always encouraging to see someone thinking about Biblical matters. This is a very weighty topic which has demanded much attention by believers throughout the ages. Even though this is an incendiary topic, it actually isn’t too difficult to find out the truth of the matter since the Bible has so much to say about it. However, if we intend to use the scriptures we must approach them in the correct attitude. We must first acknowledge that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, and if it says something we don’t like or that rubs us the wrong way, we must acknowledge it as being true and us as being wrong. We must also remember that God is sovereign, and He can do with His creation as He sees fit, and any action He chooses does not threaten His Holy nature in any way.

One of your questions state:
“So what does that mean if I am not chosen? I never asked to be born and I want to serve the Lord but I can’t because I wasn’t chosen.”

Biblically speaking, if you are not chosen then you will not possess the desire to serve the Lord. Our desire to do good and serve God is a gift from God and is contrary to our natural desire to sin. We are by our own nature “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3) who are incapable of doing any good or seeking God in and of ourselves (Romans 3:10-12). In order for us to even muster the will to please God, God must first divinely intervene and cause our desires to change. This is what is called regeneration, it is nothing less than God taking us, who are lifeless and dead, and breathing into us new life. Paul’s letter to the Philippians reiterates this concept of God causing us not only to do good works, but to actually will to do them: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Phil 2:13). So, Biblically speaking it is impossible for someone to genuinely desire to please God, if they are not chosen by Him and enabled by His regenerating of our hearts. The person who is not chosen will therefore never desire to seek after or love God, so they will not be concerned with being elect or not.

Charles Spurgeon, a well known and respected Calvinist, gave a sermon on “Election” (http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0041.htm) and towards the end of the sermon he addresses the question you have about being chosen or not.

Another question you had was “What if your children are not chosen? Doesn’t that scare you?” Well actually I do not own my children. They are God’s. However I do love them, and I also love God. This means I will take my responsibility of training them up in the faith seriously, for the glory of God and for the sake of my children. That is all I can do, be faithful to my call as a God fearing parent. Now we are not given the power to know anyone’s salvation in certain, even our own salvation is by faith not knowledge, however God happened to chose two God fearing and dedicated parents to raise the children He has entrusted to us. This is a good indication that they will have a healthy and constant presence of God in their lives and will embrace Christ all their days. However, like I said I do not know who is and is not chosen, all I know is God does the choosing and He knows best. We are simply commanded to be faithful in our responsibilities and pray for our children. So, no it doesn’t scare me if they are not one of the elect, however we have always prayed the Lord not grant us any children that will not ultimately spend eternity with Him, and I trust the Lord is faithful to answer that prayer.

The heart of this matter doesn’t revolve around whether or not we like the doctrine of election, but whether or not the Bible teaches it. For if it does teach it then no amount of objection can change the reality of God’s sovereignty in the salvation process. Here are a few examples where the Bible shows that before creation God had chosen who He would save and has secured salvation for some and not others.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6

“Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” –John 10:25-28

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.”-John 10:14-15

“For I [Jesus] have given unto them the words which thou [the Father] gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” -John 17:8-9

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." -Matthew 1:21

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." -Acts 13:48

“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts:…” Psalm 65:4

“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?” –Romans 9:17-22

These are just a few of the many verses that show God’s Sovereignty in the salvation process. So, in short yes, there is much more than just hope, there is assurance that God is powerful and mighty to save His Children, whom He has loved in Christ from the foundation of the world.

I hope that answers your questions. If you ever have anymore feel free to shoot them my way; either by comment here or in an email to servinggodandfamily @ gmail . com

In closing, I find the Doctrine of Election very comforting, because the question isn’t “why would God not elect some people?” but rather “why would God elect anyone?” Our fallen nature was inherited when Adam chose to disobey God, so now, none of us born after Adam have the ability or desire to seek after God (as I showed above in scripture); hence the need for a Savior. God intervened on our behalf, and He is Just in choosing whom He will to save, because He is not obligated to save any of us. In fact, we are all deserving of His just wrath. So there is much to hope in when we learn of the Doctrine of Election. God did indeed choose to save some, and that is a merciful and gracious thing for Him to do. It humbles us and keeps us humble before Him, knowing that there was nothing we did to merit His mercy and grace, this way none can boast in ourselves, but in Christ alone. Everything God does is for His glory and His glory alone. Even when a person goes to hell, God is glorified in that His righteous Justice has been satisfied. Nothing He does is unjust. My husband wrote an article that I post here on my blog entitled “The Importance and Legitimacy of Calvinism and Reformed Theology” (http://servinggodandfamily.blogspot.com/2010/01/importance-and-legitimacy-of-calvinism.html), I hope that you will take a few moments to read it and I hope it helps to understand the Doctrines of Grace. Most of all, study the word of God, in context, and you will see that the Doctrine of Election is biblical and taught clearly within God’s word.