For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel ... in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls ... "
-- Romans 9:6-13
We are less than three months away from the quadrennial election of the next president of the United States. It seems our current candidates have turned this year's election upside-down. In a different way, the Bible takes the topic of election and turns it upside-down as well.
In our democratic republic, all free and willing voters cast their ballots to elect one person to serve as our head of state. In the Bible, our one, true, and living God chooses through His own election certain persons who will be citizens of His kingdom and children in His family, none of whom were free or willing to come to Christ, until God chose to give them grace.
Election is a God-glorifying doctrine. It is biblical, historical, and eternal. God chooses those who would otherwise never choose Him (ref. Romans 3:10ff). God saves those who cannot save themselves (ref. Ephesians 2:8-9). God chooses for Himself whom He wants to love and be betrothed to forever (ref. Romans 9:13; John 15:16). And the bride whom God has chosen to make His eternal beloved is named, Israel.
But election turns the meaning of Israel upside-down. Israel may not be exactly who you think she is. She may not even be Jewish, at least not entirely. She is, in all actuality, a mix of races and cultures from the combination of two covenants.
Paul is referring in this paragraph to spiritual Israel, all saved people of all time. The eternal body and bride of Christ can be called "Israel," which includes those saved by grace through faith in God under the Old Covenant and New Covenant (ref. Galatians 6:16). Or, you can call the eternal people of God "The Church," which includes the same set of saved people from Old Covenant and New Covenant times (ref. Hebrews 12:23).
Dust and metal can be separated by a magnet. Superficial believers and true believers can be separated by the word of God, which never fails (ref. Isaiah 55:10-11). Spiritual Israelites in the Old Covenant and truly saved church members in the New Covenant hear, heed, and order their lives around the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what saved people do, and lost people do not.
Speaking of saved and lost, election turns salvation upside-down. Most people in the world believe in salvation by morality. Good people are saved, bad people are not. A great many people believe in salvation by biology. If you are born into a Jewish or Christian household, you're going to be all right with God. Still others believe in salvation by decisional regeneration. In other words, anyone willing to make a decision for Jesus Christ, is saved by Jesus Christ. Decision-making is a work, however, often a hard work, and no one can be saved by expending their own energy (ref. Ephesians 2:8-9).
The Scriptures declare that people are saved because of "God's purpose of election." God does the choosing, God does the effectual calling, God grants grace, repentance, and faith, so that a lost person may accept Christ and be saved, a newborn child of God. This God did for Abraham, and not his pagan peers. God chose Isaac, not Ishmael. God chose Jacob, not Esau. God chooses whom He wants to choose, save, love, and live with forever.
I have often encountered people who claim to be Christian, and I don't doubt they are, yet they react almost violently to the doctrine of election. "I don't believe in election," I have heard many times. You may have a different take on election than mine; that's fine, but to say you do not believe in it is tantamount to saying you don't believe the Bible is true.
We all sing "Amazing Grace," but our favorite song is "I have decided to follow Jesus." But if you are truly saved, it is because God decided you will follow Jesus. He chose you, pursued you, bestowed His grace upon you. Therefore, God, not you nor me nor anyone else, gets all the glory in salvation.
Chuck DeVane is the pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church. Call him at 501-525-8339 or email [email protected].