For most of my Christian life, there has been one particular doctrine which I have semi-intentionally avoided dealing with. Every time the key words associated with it came up, it seemed an inevitable disagreement would come up among the parties involved, one may come off sounding a little smarter than the other, and nothing would get resolved. Clearly it had been a point of contention for centuries, and was not something that could be "solved" by a simple conversation hundreds of years. The doctrine I am speaking of is that scary Calvinistic word "election", or predestination.
This semester I have Systematic Theology, and the very first thing we have been studying is the whole doctrine of salvation, the first aspect of which we focused on is that of election. Having now had the opportunity to really study it, and since reflect for a while on it, I have come to the profound conclusion: it's not that scary. In fact, it is beautiful. We tend to focus so much on the angry side of it, speaking of it as though it is a sort of mechanical function of God, that the cosmic coin flip came up heads for some and so He is just carrying it out. Have we forgotten what God has gone through to effect this choosing? It is not so simple or impersonal as a "thus saith the Lord". He gave up His own Son, to effect our election. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world knowing how utterly unworthy we would be of this choice. The choice was made not on the basis of knowing who would believe or not believe; it was made on the basis of who we are. He chose us first, and so it is we believe. Even though God very easily could have remained uninvolved in carrying out the purposes of election, He has passionately pursued humanity, His chosen ones for thousands of years past, and will continue to do so until His return.
Why share the gospel if it is all so predetermined? Because how can I as an object of such passionate pursuit NOT tell others of the nature of this love? It is no affront to God's sovereignty for me to shout from the mountaintops what this sovereignty has accomplished in me. I understand that is not exactly a philosophical argument, that logically it may not follow on the strict basis of the facts. On this point I do not care, and I do not think we should make much of it. Are we the unworthy, unconditionally chosen people of God, ransomed from death and hell by the sacrifice of God Himself? Then He should not even have to ask us to tell others, but He has, and so our obligation is so much the greater.
So much time is wasted on the debate as to who God has or has not chosen. I will never in the first place understand why He chose me, so how can it be productive to wonder as to His choice of others? So it is I do not find election scary anymore; I find it humbling, awe-inspiring. I find it overwhelming.
Thank you my Lord, for though you are a God we are to fear, you are not scary.
My sentiments exactly.
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