Vindicating God Ministries: Does God Elect Only a Few for Salvation? (Part 2)

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Does God Elect Only a Few for Salvation? (Part 2)

Calvinist Proof-Texts Answered

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Eph. 1:4)

Does God Elect Only a Few for Salvation? (Part 2)

Commentary: The “in Him” in Eph. 1:4 is a reference to corporate election, just as Israel as a corporate entity was chosen by God. Sadly, Calvinists have redefined the word “chosen” to include an irresistible connotation. In his comments on Eph. 1:4, Herschel H. Hobbs describes this choosing or election as simply God "taking the initiative." Hobbs writes, "But initiative does not mean fatalism." (Studies in Ephesians: New Men in Christ, p. 15).

In Scripture God declares Israel as His chosen people (Deut. 7:6-8; 14:2; 1 Chron. 16:13; Ps. 33:12; 105:6, 43; 132:13; 135:4; Isa. 41:8, 9; 43:10, 20; 44:1, 2). But this does not mean that those whom God has chosen do not have the capacity to choose God for themselves (Josh. 24:15, 22; 1 Kings 18:21) or that they could not reject the Lord (Isa. 66:3-4; 1 Sam. 8:7; 10:19).

This is important because Peter uses the same language from the Old Testament concerning Israel to describe God’s choosing of those “in Christ” (1 Peter 2:4, 9). Since God’s election works in the same manner as with Israel, anyone can become a part of the chosen if they will simply believe and accept the redemptive work of Christ. Similarly, any of the chosen can reject Christ.