If you have ever struggled to wrap your mind around the biblical doctrine of election (predestination), you are not alone. In fact, it is perhaps the most misunderstood and neglected doctrine in the entire Bible.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the saints in Ephesus, "In Christ we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will" (Ephesians 1:11).

And when addressing "all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints," (Romans 1:7) Paul wrote, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son ... those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified" (Romans 8:28-30).

The key to accepting and appreciating the doctrine of election, or predestination, is to rely completely upon Scripture, rather than allowing our human reason to dictate the terms of this biblical doctrine.

It is natural to assume that predestination applies to believers and unbelievers alike, when it doesn't. After all, human reason suggests that if some people are predestined to go to Heaven, then everyone else is predestined to go to Hell, right? Wrong. Scripture makes it abundantly clear that if someone goes to Heaven, God deserves all the credit. But if someone goes to Hell, the individual is to blame. 

Thankfully, God does not predestine people to eternal punishment in Hell. You see, "God wants everyone to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). The Apostle Peter wrote, "God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

Christians often struggle to understand why so many people harden their hearts toward the Messiah and refuse to come to Jesus to be forgiven of their sins. It reminds me of what happened one time "when the Jews saw the crowds and were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the Word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:45-46).

What about you, my friend? Do you consider yourself worthy of eternal life? Paul was not suggesting that any of us are actually worthy of everlasting life in Heaven, but He was trying to shake some sense into his fellow Jews who were rejecting the Messiah. Steeped in their religious traditions, they were seemingly unable to grasp the good news of the Gospel.

The Bible reveals that the doctrine of election applies only to believers. And it is a message of comfort and assurance. If a follower of Christ begins to have doubts about his salvation, the doctrine of election can assure him that he belongs to the Lord forever.

Meanwhile, Scripture offers no solace to unrepentant sinners, but only warnings of wrath and eternal punishment. The Law speaks not a word of consolation to anyone who refuses to bow his knee to his Creator in repentance and faith. Jesus preached, "But unless you repent, you too will all perish" (Luke 13:3), and "Repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15).

The doctrine of election teaches believers that we cannot take an ounce of credit for having been graciously welcomed into God's eternal family. Mark Webb wrote, "God intentionally designed salvation so that no man can boast of it. He didn't merely arrange it so that boasting would be discouraged or kept to a minimum. He planned it so that boasting would be absolutely excluded. Election does precisely that."

Jesus told His disciples: "You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last" (John 15:16). And Peter addressed "God's elect, strangers in the world ... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood" (1 Peter 1:1-2). Later in that same chapter, Peter declared that believers have been "redeemed ... with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (vv. 18-19). 

The only way to belong to God forever is to have your sins washed away by the blood that Jesus shed on the cross 2000 years ago. If you do not want to be forgiven and brought into the family of God through faith in Christ, then you have no one to blame but yourself. God loves you dearly, but He will not force you to receive Jesus as Savior (see John 1:12) if your heart is apathetic or hostile toward Christ and His Gospel. If, on the other hand, you recognize your sinfulness and long to be forgiven, then the Holy Spirit is working to bring you into the light. Those who want nothing to do with the Gospel are choosing to resist the Holy Spirit and remain on the highway to Hell.

The doctrine of election offers tremendous comfort and assurance to believers, but not a drop of consolation to unbelievers. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) served as a pastor in London for 38 years and was known as the "Prince of Preachers." Spurgeon wrote, "Whatever may be said about the doctrine of election, it is written in the Word of God as with an iron pen, and there is no getting rid of it. To me, it is one of the sweetest and most blessed truths in the whole of revelation, and those who are afraid of it are so because they do not understand it. If they could but know that the Lord had chosen them it would make their hearts dance with joy."

So, has God chosen you to be in His family forever, or are you choosing to say "no" to Jesus, and thereby rejecting God's only plan of salvation?

** Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska, USA

Christian Post