LBCF 3:2-5 - God's Election
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· 7 viewsGod's Election cannot be contingent so it must be the cause of salvation.
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Statement from the Confession
Statement from the Confession
3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.
4. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.
5. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.
Differences in the Confessions
Differences in the Confessions
Paragraph 4 is exactly the same
Paragraph 5 has some areas where the WCF is more exact
Paragraph 6 is exactly the same
Those Who Disagree Are Mainly Two
Those Who Disagree Are Mainly Two
A.A. Hodge breaks those who disagree in two groups - most can be found to trace their beliefs to one of these two groups:
The Socinians
The Socinians
Hodge states:
The Socinians deny the certain prescience of future contingencies, such as the determinations of free agents; and, therefore, the only decree respecting the salvation of men which they will admit to have been made from eternity, and to be unchangeable, is a general conditional decree, that such as believe and obey the gospel shall be saved; and, according to them, a special decree concerning particular persons, is only made in time, when persons perform the condition contained in the general decree.
The Arminians
The Arminians
Hodge states
The Arminians are distinguished from the Socinians, by admitting that contingent events, such as the determinations and actions of men, are foreseen by God; but they also deny absolute and unconditional election, and maintain, that whatever God has decreed respecting men, is founded on the foresight of their conduct.
What Does This Teach Us?
What Does This Teach Us?
1. God made choice of, and predestinated, a certain and definite number of individuals to everlasting life. (2 Tim 2:19)
According to the Socinians, God predestinated to eternal life, not any particular individuals of mankind, but a certain sort or description of men; not persons, but characters.
The Scripture clearly teaches that God made choice of a certain determinate number of persons from among the rest of the human race, and ordained them to eternal life.
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
He perfectly knows how many, and who in particular, his elect are.
Their names are written in a book, called the Book of Life; for it is the book in which are registered the names of all the individuals of mankind who were chosen to everlasting life.
A person's name is that whereby he is known and distinguished from others; when, therefore, their names are said to be written in a book, it intimates that God has an exact knowledge of all the individuals whom he has chosen.
2. God predestinated these individuals to life from eternity. (Eph 1:4; 2 Thess 2:13)
According to Socinians, and some Arminians, as has been already noticed, special election only takes place in time, when persons actually believe and obey the gospel.
The problem is an election in time is at direct contradiction to the Scriptures as recorded in Eph. 1:4 and 2 Thess 2:13.
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
That the phrases “before the foundation of the world” or "from the beginning" denotes eternity, is evident from Prov. 8:23 speaking of Christ.
I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
3. In making this choice, God acted from his own sovereign will, and was not influenced by any foresight of their faith or other qualifications. (Romans 11:5; 2 Thess 2:13; Eph. 1:4; Romans 9:10-13,16, 18-19
According to Arminians, God's decree respecting the salvation of men is founded upon their foreseen faith and good works. As a result, "the decree of God, although prior in time, follows in contingency to the actions of men, and is dependent upon the determination of their will.
The Scriptures teach us that election is due to grace, to the exclusion of works; and these two causes are represented as incompatible and mutually destructive.
Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
How is it possible to reconcile with these words the opinion that the foresight of men's good works was the cause of the election!
Additionally, we are clearly taught that faith and holiness, which the advocates of conditional decrees make the causes of election, are expressly said in Scripture to be the effects of it.
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
Paul produces the case of Jacob and Esau as an illustration of the subject, and traces the predestination of individuals to happiness or misery to the sovereignty of God, without any consideration of their works.
Election is founded on the good pleasure of God, and not on anything in its objects, is clearly stated in Romans 9:16, 18-19.
So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
4. The purpose of God respecting his elect is immutable. (Psalm 33:11; 2 Tim 2:19
As Arminians hold that saints may fall from a state of grace, so they maintain that a person who is one of the elect today, may become one of the reprobate tomorrow.
Arminians affirm that "men may make their election void,"—that "as they change themselves from believers to unbelievers, so the divine determination concerning them changes."
The Scripture expressly declares in Psalm 33:11 God’s plans are immutable.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
Furthermore, 2 Tim 2:19 tells us that the purpose of God, according to election, shall stand; so that the number of the elect can neither be increased nor diminished.
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
One last thought that must be made is that believers are "chosen in Him," according to Eph. 1:4-5 not as the cause of their election, but as the means by which the purpose of election was to be executed.
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
The Father thought the plan
The Son bought the plan
The Spirit wrought the plan