Election, or predestination, is the belief or doctrine that God has chosen some persons for the gift of salvation. It is not to be confused with providence, that is, God’s governance of all things, nor with Fate or philosophical determinism. An important teaching in Western Christianity, it has been especially emphasized in Reformed theology.

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The doctrine of sanctification has been a bone of contention in the church through the ages. Among areas of controversy are the interdependence of sanctification and justification; the relation of faith and love; the interplay of grace and works; the role of the Christian life in our salvation; the tension between personal holiness and the righteousness of Christ; and the question of rewards.

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The Reformed tradition has always contained a virulent idea of sin. Having entered the human condition by “original sin,” sin renders human existence both tragic and miserable and takes on a life of its own.

Most often the tradition regards sin as the human transgression of God’s covenant which represents God’s active will for every human society and individual.

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The Good Creation fell into sin. This is the story of original sin. We confess it but cannot explain it. For we must start where the Bible starts. It reveals the historical beginning of sin and evil but not its behind–the–scenes origin. Yet Christian thinkers struggle with this problem.

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Justification

The doctrine of justification by grace through faith alone is central to the teaching of the Reformation. It stood as a key to Martin Luther’s own exegetical insight at the beginning and wellspring of the Reformation.

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Historical discussion has made “free will” a systematically ambiguous phrase. It is used to mean:

1. Free agency, that is, ability to make and execute one’s own decisions, thus incurring accountability for what one does. All Western philosophies and theologies assert free will in this sense, except behaviorism that sees mental and volitional acts as by–products of physical processes. The assertion means we are not robots, nor are we programmed by some other mind, as computers or persons under hypnotism are, nor are our actions mere conditioned reflexes like those of Pavlov’s dogs. But we are moral agents expressing our authentic selves in our conduct.

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Calvinism

While Calvinism bears the name of John Calvin as the system of theology he set forth during the Reformation, he was by no means the inventor of it, for its roots go back to the Bible and to the interpretations of such early church theologians as Chrysostom and Augustine and to medieval thinkers such as Bernard of Clairvaux. This is clear in Calvin’s theological works and commentaries.

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Calvin, John (1509–1564)

One of the principal leaders of the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin is chiefly remembered as a biblical scholar and a systematic theologian.

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A Reformed Interpretation of Romans 9:6-13

This paper will attempt to synthesis a Reformed  Biblical understanding of Romans 9: 6-13. In order to do so, the paper will interact with the prevailing interpretations and theories which touch upon this difficult, yet rewarding paragraph.

This passage of Scripture in Romans 9: 6-13 has been widely debated and fought over. Reformed Theologians see these verses as the proof of God s sovereign election and predestination of individuals based upon nothing within them (including any foreknown faith). Arminian theologians such as Robert Shank (Elect in the Son, 1989) usually perceive these verses as teaching a corporate election. That is, God has a body of true believers (the Church), and the individual is elect only as they are part of this group. If they were to choose to leave this elect group, then as an individual they would no longer be elect. They might emphasize that while God is sovereign in deciding who will be saved (that is the means/or way), the who are those who through faith receive the promise of God.

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Preservation (Perseverance) of the Saints

Psalm 37:23-24
23 The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will not fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand. (NLT)

Psalm 73:1-2,23
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped…
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand. (NASB)
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Effectual Grace (Irresistible Grace)

See first: Total Depravity, Unconditional election, limited atonement. Many of the verses already listed could be used here. (Ex. John 6:37,39,44-45,65; John 10:3-4, 26-27.29).

Romans 8:30
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Limited Atonement

What did Christ’s death accomplish:

Romans 3:24
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

Romans 3:24
24 [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,

Galatians 1:3-4
3 Grace and spiritual blessing be to you and [soul] peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah),
4 Who gave (yielded) Himself up to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father-
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Unconditional Election

Ephesians 1:11
11 Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. (NLT)

Ephesians 1:11
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, (NASB)

Genesis 45:5-8
5 But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 These two years of famine will grow to seven, during which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God has sent me here to keep you and your families alive so that you will become a great nation. 8 Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you! And he has made me a counselor to Pharaoh-manager of his entire household and ruler over all Egypt. (NLT)

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