In the last post, we had a look at what Christ said about the doctrine of total depravity.
Today, we'll look at what Christ said about unconditional election.
U - Unconditional Election
This doctrine states, that because we are totally depraved before God, there is nothing within us that recommends us to God.
So salvation is by grace alone.
That is to say, that salvation isnt dependent on man, but on God to choose (or elect) those whom He wills.
So the condition necessary for salvation, lies with God, not man.
Here is what Christ has to say about this.
1. John 5:19-23 (ESV) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
- Here we see Jesus equating His giving life to people to the Father raising the dead.
Just as the Father give life to those who are physically dead, meaning that it is not dependent on them...
In the same fashion, Christ gives spiritual life to those who are spiritually dead.
Meaning, its not dependent on them either.
Notice, those whom the Father decides to raise from the dead... are raised.
His desire to raise the dead cant be prevented.
Jesus says that, in like fashion, those whom He wills to give life, will have life.
He too, cant be prevented. His will, will, come to pass, just like the Father's will, will, come to pass.
2. Matthew 22:11-14 (ESV) But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.
And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
For many are called, but few are chosen.”
- This is the end portion of the parable of the wedding feast.
In the parable, the king sends messengers to His previously invited guests to the wedding feast.
The invited guests, reject the call, and even kill some of the messengers.
The king punishes those, and commands his messengers to gather people from the roads to come.
People come, yet, there is one person who doesnt have a wedding garment.
The king notices this person, and instead of giving the person a wedding garment, casts him out.
Christ then tells us what it is He wants us to grasp from the parable.
Being called is not enough. One must also be chosen.
This is why the man was cast out instead of simply given a wedding garment, even though the king has the ability to give him a wedding garment.
The decision is down to the king.
3. John 15:12-17 (ESV) This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servantdoes not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
- Here, we see some well known verses.
Christ makes it clear that He is the one the chooses. We do not choose Him.
From the outside, it may seem that we choose Him, but in reality, its the other way around.
The decision has always been with God.
4. Matthew 11:27 (ESV) All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
- Here we see that its by the decision of God that anyone comes to know the Father and the Son.
Its not because someone is simply taught, or comes to some realisation through reason.
No. Knowing the Son and the Father is a decision made by God before hand.
Before the person has even considered anything, God has made a decision to reveal Himself.
5. John 6:65 (ESV) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
- Here, we see Christ dialoguing with people regarding who He is and what He has come to do.
We know that before God, all are sinners.
We know that Christ has only come to call those who are sinners, not those who are righteous.
We also know that even though the call is to all, people have to be chosen as well.
And that choice is based on the decision of God before-hand.
Here, Christ tells us that no one can even come to Him, unless the Father draws them.
So, anytime we read of someone coming to God, or see someone coming to God, we must always remember that Christ said that its not possible unless God drew, called, and chose them first.
6. John 3:16-21 (ESV) For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
- Although many people quote John 3:16, its often ripped out of its context. So many people are not aware of the things that Jesus clearly teaches.
What is the reason that God saves people?
Is it because people love God? Because they humble themselves? Because they repent?
No. Those things are a result of God's work after He has already made the decision to draw them.
What is the necessary condition that we are told that causes God to grant people salvation?
The condition is that God loves.
The reason that God saves people us because He loves them.
Just like the scripture says...
Romans 5:6-8 (ESV) For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus tells us that this isnt an unrequited love.
Those whom God loves, will love Him back because He will cause them to love Him.
Why would God have to cause people to love Him?
Well, pay attention to what Christ says after He declares God's reason behind salvation.
Those who dont believe are already condemned.
Those who are already condemned do not love God. They dont love the light.
They actually hate the light. They love darkness.
Jesus says that those who do wickedness, hate the light.
But remember, Jesus also said that we all do wickedness.
Mark 7:20-23 (ESV) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him.
For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Its these things that makes us sinners... defiled before the Holy God.
So everybody hates the light. Everybody loves darkness according to Jesus.
So what must take place within us in order to begin to love the light?
7. John 3:3-8 (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
- The answer to the question of how can someone who loves darkness and hates the light, start to love the light and hate darkness... is that they must be born again (born from above).
Notice what Jesus says. One cant even see the kingdom of God unless they've been born of the Spirit.
And how does one become born again?
It happens by the will of the Holy Spirit.
Just like the wind comes and goes as it pleases and we only see the affects, so it is with the Holy Spirit.
He, the Holy Spirit, is the one who changes a person from hating the light, to loving the light.
We actually see an example of this during the crucifixion.
Matthew 27:44 (ESV) And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
Here, we see that the two thieves that were crucified with Christ were both mocking Him.
But then, we are told, for some reason, one of them changes his tune.
Luke 23:39-43 (ESV) One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
What happened to this man to all of a sudden believe the Jesus was the Christ and was innocent, and to humble himself before Jesus?
Jesus already told us.
To come to Christ, one must be chosen by God, drawn by God, and born again.
All of these happen without any decision on our part.
These are decisions that God makes behind the scenes.
If Jesus didnt say these things, we would not be aware of them.
When Jesus is going around performing miracles, rebuking the pharisees, and preaching the gospel - He is fully aware that only those whom the Father draws and the Spirit causes to be born again will recognise and come to Him.
And we know, that salvation is dependent on anything we do or dont do, but solely rests in the decision of the God who loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to be a propitiation of our sins.
So our being chosen by God to salvation, is not because we merited it in some way by providing some good work that God could be please in - repentance, humbling oneself.
No. In us, was found nothing but the love of darkness and the hatred of light.
Its only because of the love of God, that He extends His grace and mercy to those wretched individuals whom He choses to save for His glory.
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