Do We Choose God or Does God Choose Us? Pt 3
- Pastor Sam
- Sep 7
- 4 min read
So here we are in the final part of exploring the election. What does it mean that we have been elected by God? Last week, we started to come to the conclusion that God chose us. We did not, nor could we, choose God without him first choosing us. This week, we will look at some apparent contradictions to this position. We will also explore the major questions that must be answered to determine our position. Finally, we will make some closing remarks and observations.
The first verse that seems to contradict unconditional election is 1 Timothy 2:4. “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tm 2:4). The second passage is from 2 Peter. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). It seems on first glance that these verses are saying that God wants everyone to be saved. If this is true, and God chooses who gets saved, then why didn’t he choose everyone? These verses at first seem to indicate that we choose God. However, after a little bit of digging, one will find that there are three different ways to understand the word “wants” in the original language.
The first way to understand it is that it is an absolute decree. What God decrees (wants) absolutely happens. This is seen clearly in events like creation. God wanted there to be trees, so there were trees. If this is the intended use, then why isn’t everyone saved? The second way to understand “wants” is that it’s a conditional decree. This understanding comes down to one’s view of depravity. In other words, God wills that man come to him. However, based on our view of depravity, this begs the question of why everyone isn’t lost? No one can come to God outside of God first reaching out to them. The third way to understand this word is that it is synonymous with desire. God desires that everyone be saved. However, what actually happens often conflicts with what God says he desires. God’s desires are his revealed will. Election is God’s secret, sovereign will. This third way of understanding “wants” brings compatibility with our view of election.
When looking at election/predestination, it is more than just one side or the other. Rather, it is a continuum where we each find ourselves somewhere between the two. I have included a graph to help us visualize the two extremes.
The Arminian side claims that man either chooses God or rejects God. It is up to him to decide. Calvinism claims that God chooses who is saved, and he also chooses who he rejects. I would say that both sides have issues completely aligning with scripture. A safer place to be would be somewhere in the middle. So, there are four questions that we need to answer to figure out where we stand. The first question is whether foreknowledge is causative? In other words, does God’s knowing something in advance cause him to act in the past? Second, are faith and repentance gifts? In other words, is having faith in God and being repentant of our sins something that is a gift from God, or is it something that we can just do? Third, did God intend to save all men? Fourth, did God choose everyone conditionally, or did he only choose some?
At the end of the day, does any of this matter? Not necessarily. I know many Arminians and Calvinists who will be in heaven. What matters is that we believe the true gospel. However, it is important to start thinking about how it works. So then, where do I land in all of this? I do not believe that foreknowledge is causative. It doesn’t seem to align with Scripture. We cannot cause God to do something. He acts in his own will. I believe that faith and repentance are gifts. It is not something that we can just decide to do. In fact, I would contend that we wouldn’t do it if we had to choose to do it ourselves. We are too deprived to want to do that. God did intend to save all men. However, in his sovereignty, he chose to save only some. This works perfectly in his plan somehow. However, we will never know how it works because it is a part of his secret will. God only chose some. He only chose those that would be saved. He didn’t predestinate people to hell. We were all already heading there on our own accord. Rather, in mercy and grace, he chose some to be with him.
Where do you stand? Do you know? It is okay if you can’t say for sure. I thought I had figured it out, but after more study, I began to change different aspects of where I stand. The Christian life is a journey. As we continue together exploring theology, we sharpen each other. We push either other to consider different thought processes. This area of theology is a complex one. (We spent three weeks in it, and there could still be more to discuss!) However, at the end of the day, we can come together as fellow children of God and praise him for sending his one and only Son to take on the punishment that we rightly deserved!
