The Doctrines of Grace: TULIP Revisited
by Carol Berubee
http://www.tonyabetz.org/MSM/Product/doctrinesofgrace3.htm
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Unconditional Election, Part I
A Word About Election Let us think of what would happen if we ignored or threw out the doctrine of the
Trinity! Of course, the human mind cannot fully comprehend our Triune God. Yet, the Bible teaches it
and we, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, do believe it. Again, the doctrine of Christ's dual
nature -- both fully God and fully man -- is too difficult for us to grasp completely. But at what
great cost would we push it aside in favor of "unity" among professing Christians, or convenience.
We believe what the Bible says about our Lord's nature even though it is difficult to understand.
So is the doctrine of unconditional election. We may not be able to fully understand why God chooses
some and not others; yet, the Bible speaks volumes about this subject and we would do well to study
it. We must believe what God says about our fallen nature, our condition in sin, our
inability -- indeed, our lack of desire -- to choose God, and then we must believe Him when He says
that He has chosen some for "vessels of dishonor," while others are predestined to be His
children.
A Brief Look at Soteriological Systems Pelagius was a 4th
century monk who taught that Adam's sin affected no one but Adam, so that all men born after Adam
are "neutral" concerning sin and can choose to live free from sin. Although
few professing Christians would admit to holding this belief today, it is
still a belief that is held within the church and may be on the rise. Semi-Pelagianism is a system in which it is taught that man cannot live
free from sin without God, but the Semi-Pelagian believes that man
initiates a step toward God, and then God, seeing this, helps man by
giving him grace and, eventually, salvation, if man continues to seek it. Arminius was a 16th century scholar who
eventually turned against Calvin's teachings. Arminianism says, contrary to Semi-Pelagianism, that
God does initiate salvation. Arminius taught that man is depraved due to original sin, and that
God's grace is necessary for salvation, but he also said that man must apply his own faith to the
equation in order to be saved. He taught that man has free will and can choose to either accept or
reject God's grace.
(The Roman Catholic system is Semi-Pelagian, although some Catholics today
may lean more toward Arminianism.) In particular, John Wesley's idea of prevenient grace says that all men are
given "saving grace" by God such that all men are awakened to the knowledge, if ever so slight,
that they are sinners in need of salvation, but that all men must then make a choice and are able to
make that choice of their own free will. Almost all professing Christians today are what would be
termed "Arminian" (which, for this article, includes Wesleyanism, or Methodism). Some would say they
are "Calminian" -- a hybrid of Calvinist and Arminian teachings concerning salvation -- but this is
illogical, as you will see as we continue on in this series. As we saw in the
first part of this series, Total Depravity, the Bible teaches
that the natural man is depraved, he is dead in his sins, and he cannot understand the things of God.
Arminius and Wesley would agree. Something has to awaken the natural man to the things of God, and
that can only be God Himself. Arminius and Wesley would agree. But then the question is this: If the
will of the natural man is bound in sin and is not "free" to choose God, how can Arminius and Wesley
say that man has the ability to either choose or reject God? Here's where things seem to get more
complicated. But it is only complicated because we have been taught the wrong things. Once you see
how simple the Biblical truth is, you'll wonder why the Arminians went and made things complicated.
The general Arminian teaching is that man has the option to exercise faith toward God. He will tell
you that man is depraved, but somehow the Arminian allows that man has some bit of goodness that
manifests itself in faith toward God, or he will say that although man is depraved, he still has a
free will that can choose to have faith. Granted, the Arminian will say that it is only by God's
grace that this faith can be exercised toward God. But the question still remains: From where did
this faith originate -- the good God or the depraved man? The Calvinist position is that man cannot
generate saving faith of himself. Yes, the Christian does make a decision and he does exercise faith,
but this faith -- although it is acted upon by an individual and is personal to the individual -- is
not of the individual. Faith is a gift from God that is given to an individual so that the
person can choose God. First, grace is given to awaken the sinner, then faith is given so that the
person can actively choose God. This transformation that takes place when grace awakens a sinner to
the things of God and the person is given a new nature is called "regeneration." It is the
regenerated (born-again) soul that can then exercise this new, God-given faith and choose God.
For someone to be saved, it takes all three members of the Trinity to make it happen. God the Father
elects a people for salvation, God the Son redeems them by His atoning work on the cross, and God the
Holy Spirit regenerates those whom the Father elected and those for whom the Son died. This is the
sovereign work of God, even though man is responsible. Since we know that not all people will be
saved, the question that will be asked is whether God arbitrarily doles out grace and faith, or
whether He gives it only to specific people. And if the latter, then how is it determined who these
specific people are?
A Scriptural Basis
Ephesians 1:5 Ephesians 1:11 According to these three passages, and many more that we will not take
the time to list, God predestines some to be saved. This is called "election." If you look up
election in your concordance, you will find many verses showing that God does elect some to
salvation. Many Christians have no problem agreeing that God is not going to save everyone, and
that those who are saved have been chosen by God. The disagreement comes when we talk not about
election, but about unconditional election. More about that later, but for now, let's continue
on to show that God saves sinners when sinners are dead in their sins.
Ephesians 2:5 When was the Christian saved? When he was dead in
sins. How was he saved? By God's grace, of course, for how could a dead man choose God? How can a man
whose will is bound by sin, a man who is a slave to sin, a man who is dead in sin, choose God?
Colossians 2:13
Again, when was the Christian saved? When he was dead in his sins and in his depraved state. A dead
man cannot exercise saving faith. Where does that faith come from?
Ephesians 2:8-9 The dead man is saved by the
grace of God, through faith. This grace and faith is not of man, it is a gift from God. A dead man
cannot exercise faith. Moreover, a depraved man, whose will is bound by sin and whose heart is
wicked, cannot choose to be saved, for this would violate his own nature. Regeneration -- that is,
being born again -- must take place prior to justification by faith. By God's grace, a man is born
again. This born again man is then given faith by which he repents and chooses God. John Hendryx
has well said, "Faith is our first gasp of breath at our new birth, so to speak. It is a witness of
God’s work of grace already having taken place within us (Ephesians 2:5, 8; 2 Timothy 2:25)." The
Arminian would argue that although man is totally depraved, he still has a free will, and it is
through this freedom that he can exercise faith and choose God. Notice that the Arminian is then
implicitly denying total depravity. He is saying that there is at least one part of
man -- the will -- that has not been enslaved by sin. Remember, Jesus said that anyone who sins is
a slave of sin (John 8:34). The will of the unregenerate is sinful and is bound by sin.
John 8:36 Yeshua
here reminds us that even when we think we are free, we are not. Unless you are born again and set
free by Christ, you are not really free. You are a slave to sin. Your will is bound to sin. There is
no such thing as free will. The will cannot act against its nature, which is sinful. The will is not
free to choose Christ, unless Christ sets it free. Only after He sets someone free can they choose
Him. Someone once said, "A high view of free will [equals] a humanistic view of [man's] goodness.
Arminians sometimes argue that unless I am free to choose anything, even God, even when I don’t want
Him, then I have no free will at all. [But] the notion that we are not free unless we are totally
free is the hallmark of 20th century existentialism. It also confuses [...free will] with autonomy.
Calvinism (actually theism) rejects man’s autonomy; we cannot act independently and outside of
God’s province, for He is sovereign."
Of the great doctrines of grace, so called, the doctrine of unconditional election may be the most
difficult to understand. Many would like to simply toss it aside as too academic, or not important
in our daily Christian walk. But such lack of comprehension concerning this doctrine does not
necessitate throwing out the doctrine as untrue, nor does it necessitate ignoring the doctrine as
superfluous.
Let's look at a brief overview of the manmade systems concerning salvation.
Romans 8:29-30
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His
Son... Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified."
"...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will..."
"In Him also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the
counsel of His will..."
"...even when we were dead in trespasses, [He] made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved)..."
"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your
flesh [depravity], He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses..."
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
"'Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.'"