Q.

Question: “God chooses a person to be saved whether they like it or not?”

A.

Valid question with all the ideas that swirl around. There are some who believe that God chooses some to salvation, but those who are not chosen simply receive the just punishment they deserve. Others believe that not only does God choose some to salvation, He also chooses others to perdition. Personally, I don’t see either of these positions substantiated in the Bible, so I will briefly address this subject.

The word elect meanschosen.” There is only one chosen one, or we might say, one elect one—Jesus. First Peter 2:6 says, “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” This elect one is Jesus. This truth highlights the key to proper understanding regarding election. 

Jesus is the elect one and we as believers are elect in Him, not to Him. The Scriptures do not ever say we are elect to salvation, or to Christ, or to Him. This is incredibly significant. The Scriptures do say that we are elect in Christ to some blessing that accompanies salvation. 

For example, Paul wrote under inspiration, “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 1:4-6). Notice, God has “chosen us in him…that we should be holy.” We are chosen/elect in him to sanctification, a blessing provided for through salvation. Also notice, God predestinates us unto the adoption. Not the truth of the new birth, but the truth that when we are born again, we are also adopted in as mature sons with all the access rights of inheritance in the Spirit. All of this is because we are accepted in the beloved.

So how do we get “chosen in him”? Paul clarifies, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). You become a child of God by faith in Christ. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). When you become a child of God by faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit baptizes you into Christ. Once you are in Christ, you are chosen in Him to the blessings that accompany salvation. 

God desires all men to be saved. Paul wrote, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Although this passage clearly states that it is God’s will for all men to be saved, obviously not every one gets saved. 

God desires all to come to repentance. Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). But although God desires that all should come to repentance, not everyone does.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness , and judgment. But each individual must respond to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit by believing on Jesus, or they miss out. God does not force. He convicts, but faith must respond to the convincing work of the Spirit. When an individual believes in Jesus, they are placed into Jesus. Believers are then elect/chosen in Christ to all the provision that Jesus provides us in that great salvation. 

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