Election, Predestination and Salvation, Part #1

Earl Gillespie

A Study of Election, Free Will, Predestination and Salvation
Part #1
Introduction

My mother was a great encouragement to me to study and restudy the word of God.  I remember one morning at the breakfast table, she asked me, " Why did Jesus often speak in parables?"  I quickly responded with a cliche that I had heard from my youth. "Jesus spoke in parables to make his message so plain that even a farmer could understand it." "That's what I thought and taught for many years", she said.  She suggested I read Matthew 13:10-13  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  

I then read Mark 4:11-12,   And he said to them, To you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables, that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven.  What began to come clear was some was selected to hear and understand the parable and some was not.

Such has been the dispensation of divine truth in all ages of the world, that the higher spiritualities of religion, though accessible to all who really seek them, are covered by a veil from the open gaze of the profane. It is so down to the present hour. Many listen to the preaching of the gospel all their life, to whose minds any actual conception of the nature of redemption from sin, by the Son of God, never penetrates. Divine Providence seems designedly so to arrange the dispensation of truth, that, seeing, sinners may, if they choose, not see, and hearing, not hear.  Thus, it seems as if some were selected to hear and some are not.

In Luke 8:10  And he said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables, in order that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

That seeing they might not see, that is, that while enough is exhibited to them to invite their attention, they may still be left at liberty to shut their eyes to the truth, if they choose. There is nothing more striking in the government of God, than the reserve in the communication of religious truth, which seems to have marked the divine administration in all ages of the world. The higher spiritualities of religion are not forced upon the attention of unwilling minds; there is a veil which conceals the sacred interior from all, excepting those who find in their hearts an honest desire to know and do the will of God, which leads them in.

One of the things that stood out clearly was that Jesus was not using parables to open up their understanding, he was teaching in such a manner that, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given..."   And interesting context should be applied here, was Jesus promoting the message or was he cloaking the message?   Validating the subject of this blog, it seems as if some was selected or "elected" to hear, see and understand and some were not. Considering both possibilities allowed for my mother and I to hold many spirited discussions. 

In her final days her mind would sometimes play tricks with her, in the middle of her conversation she would begin quoting segments of Matthew 7:13-14  Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.  She would conclude by saying, "I just want to make it in."

Let us take a closer look at her favorite verses; Verse 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate. Christ here compares the way to life to an entrance through a gate. The words straight, and strait, have very different meanings. The former means not crooked; the latter pent up, narrow, difficult to be entered. This is the word used here, and it means that the way to heaven is pent up, narrow, close, and not obviously entered. The way to death is open, broad, and thronged. The Saviour here referred probably to ancient cities. They were surrounded with walls, and entered through gates. Some of those, connected with the great avenues to the city, were broad, and admitted a throng. Others, for more private purposes, were narrow, and few would be seen entering them. So says Christ, is the path to heaven. It is narrow. It is not the great highway that men tread. Few go there. Here and there one may be seen  travelling in solitude and singularity. The way to death, on the other hand, is broad. Multitudes are in it. It is the great highway in which men go. They fall into it easily, and without effort, and go without thought. If they wish to leave that, and go by a narrow gate to the city, it would require effort and thought. So, says Christ, diligence is needed to enter into life. See Lu 13:24. None go of course. All must strive to obtain it; and so narrow, unfrequented, and solitary is it, that few find it. 

The religious community should spend more time teaching us how to die rather than teaching us to get stuff.   The educational institutions are doing a great job teaching those who apply themselves how to survive.  I would much rather employ my faith in God expecting and preparing for the hereafter rather than trying to get stuff from God here on earth when all I have to do is use my God given skills to make my own way. 

This truth is contrary to what many teach.

This brings us to the first word of our subject, "Election".  As we have illustrated in the above verses Jesus spent many precious moments explaining to those who had, "ears to hear", the concept of the Kingdom of God.  There were those who was elected to hear and understand and there were those who just didn't get it  The lack of understanding when it comes to the Holy scripture is that many does not understand  the concept or the reality of 'Kingdom of God'.  There is a somewhat childish concept of Heaven that has permeated down through the ages.  Heaven is a beautiful place, when I get to Heaven I won't have nothing to do but walk around Heaven all day.  There is the one that says we will sprout wings and fly around the throne of God shouting Holy, Holy all day long.  The social media has created a Heaven where we are assigned a cloud to sit on and watch over our love ones.  It most definitely would seem as if Heaven was a disorderly and boring place without a purpose, just a place where we live forever.  

To help set the stage for part #2 of this discussion, I refer to the question asked by the Sunday School student concerning election and predestination.,  I later realized I stumbled badly trying to answer her question and the pastor did nothing to help me out.  She wanted to know, "If God knew in advance who was going to be saved through a process of election and predestination, then there is nothing could be done about it, what is the point of trying to live a save life?" The question in Bible context, "does the election mean that God has chosen some to be saved and others to be lost?"  

Matthew 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

There is no question but that the "Doctrine of Election" is taught in the Scriptures, and that it applies not only to "service," but to "salvation." It is equally true that the "Doctrine of the Freedom of the Will" under certain conditions is also taught. We may not be able to reconcile the "Sovereign Will of God," with the "Freewill of Man," but that is no proof that they are not reconcilable. They are the corresponding halves of the Doctrine of Salvation, "Election" is the Godward side, and "freewill" the manward side. The perversion of the "Doctrine of Election" leads to the "Doctrine of Inability" or Fatalism, which denies the freedom of man's choice, and therefore his accountability or responsibility for his salvation.

Ephesians 1:4-5  According as he hath chosen us (elect)  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 be Continued in

Part #2

Election and Freewill

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