Understanding God's Sovereign Choice in Salvation

 

Summary

In today's exploration of the doctrine of unconditional election, we delve into the profound and often challenging concept of God's sovereign choice in salvation. This doctrine, often misunderstood, is not about God saving people irrespective of their faith, but rather about the basis upon which God elects individuals for salvation. The term "unconditional" refers to the absence of any foreseen action or merit on our part that influences God's decision. Instead, it rests solely on His sovereign will.

We examined Romans 9, where Paul discusses the election of Jacob over Esau, illustrating that God's choice was made before their birth and not based on any deeds they would perform. This challenges our human notions of fairness, as it suggests that God's grace is not distributed based on human actions or decisions. The apostle Paul anticipates objections to this teaching, addressing the perceived unfairness by emphasizing that God's mercy is not obligated to anyone. Just as a governor can choose to pardon some criminals while others face justice, God can bestow grace on some while others receive justice, without any injustice being done.

The heart of this doctrine is the emphasis on grace. It strips away any notion of human merit in salvation, focusing entirely on God's mercy. This perspective is crucial in Reformed theology, as it underscores the total depravity of humanity and the necessity of divine grace for salvation. It reminds us that our salvation is not a result of our will or efforts but is entirely dependent on God's gracious choice.

Key Takeaways:

- Sovereign Election: Unconditional election emphasizes that God's choice to save is not based on any foreseen merit or action on our part. It is a decision rooted in His sovereign will, highlighting the depth of divine grace. [03:51]

- Fairness and Justice: The doctrine challenges our human sense of fairness, as it posits that God's grace is not owed to anyone. Like a governor's pardon, God's mercy is a sovereign act, and those who do not receive it are not treated unjustly. [15:08]

- Grace Over Merit: This teaching removes any reliance on human merit for salvation, focusing entirely on God's grace. It underscores the Reformed emphasis on grace, where salvation is a divine gift, not a human achievement. [20:27]

- Human Will and Divine Will: While human will is often seen as a factor in salvation, Paul emphasizes that it is ultimately God's will that determines election. This shifts the focus from human actions to divine sovereignty. [17:59]

- Purpose of Election: The purpose of election is to display God's mercy and power. It is not about human worthiness but about God's glory and the demonstration of His grace. This perspective encourages humility and gratitude for the gift of salvation. [13:40]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:47] - Introduction to Unconditional Election
- [01:32] - Conditions for Salvation
- [02:12] - Basis of God's Election
- [03:02] - Conditional vs. Unconditional Election
- [03:51] - Sovereign Decision of God
- [04:50] - Romans 9: Jacob and Esau
- [06:20] - God's Purpose in Election
- [07:16] - Question of Fairness
- [08:40] - Struggle with Fairness
- [09:20] - Biblical Authority
- [10:58] - Anticipating Objections
- [12:56] - God's Sovereign Will
- [14:35] - Illustration of Divine Grace
- [17:12] - Conclusion on Divine Mercy

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Unconditional Election

Bible Reading:
- Romans 9:10-16

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Observation Questions:

1. In Romans 9:10-13, what does Paul use the story of Jacob and Esau to illustrate about God's election? How does this relate to the concept of unconditional election? [04:50]

2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of God's statement to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy"? How does this relate to the doctrine of election? [13:40]

3. How does the sermon explain the analogy of a governor's pardon in relation to God's mercy and justice? [15:08]

4. What rhetorical question does Paul anticipate in Romans 9:14, and how does he respond to it? [07:16]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the doctrine of unconditional election challenge common human perceptions of fairness and justice? What might this suggest about our understanding of God's nature? [08:40]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the doctrine of election emphasizes God's grace over human merit? How does this align with the Reformed theological perspective? [20:27]

3. How does the sermon address the tension between human will and divine sovereignty in the context of salvation? What implications does this have for understanding the role of human actions in salvation? [17:59]

4. What is the purpose of election according to the sermon, and how does it relate to God's glory and the demonstration of His grace? [13:40]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you struggled with the concept of fairness in your spiritual journey. How does the doctrine of unconditional election challenge or affirm your understanding of fairness? [08:40]

2. How can recognizing that salvation is entirely dependent on God's grace influence your daily walk with Christ? What practical steps can you take to live out this understanding? [20:27]

3. In what ways can you cultivate a deeper sense of humility and gratitude for the gift of salvation in your life? Consider specific actions or attitudes you can adopt. [13:40]

4. How might the understanding of God's sovereign will in election impact your approach to sharing the Gospel with others? What changes might you make in your evangelistic efforts? [17:59]

5. Consider the analogy of the governor's pardon used in the sermon. How does this analogy help you understand the nature of God's mercy and justice? How can this understanding shape your interactions with others? [15:08]

6. How can you reconcile the tension between God's sovereignty and human responsibility in your own life? What steps can you take to trust more fully in God's sovereign plan? [17:59]

7. Reflect on the role of grace in your life. How can you ensure that your actions and attitudes reflect a reliance on God's grace rather than your own merit? [20:27]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Sovereign Choice in Salvation
God's sovereign election is a profound mystery that emphasizes His ultimate authority in choosing individuals for salvation. This choice is not based on any foreseen merit or action on our part but is rooted entirely in His sovereign will. The doctrine of unconditional election challenges our human understanding of fairness, as it suggests that God's grace is not distributed based on human actions or decisions. Instead, it highlights the depth of divine grace, reminding us that our salvation is not a result of our will or efforts but is entirely dependent on God's gracious choice. [03:51]

Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."

Reflection: Consider how the understanding of God's sovereign choice in salvation affects your view of grace. How does it change the way you approach your relationship with God today?


Day 2: Divine Mercy and Human Fairness
The doctrine of unconditional election challenges our human sense of fairness, as it posits that God's grace is not owed to anyone. Like a governor's pardon, God's mercy is a sovereign act, and those who do not receive it are not treated unjustly. This perspective emphasizes that God's mercy is not obligated to anyone, and His grace is a gift rather than a right. It encourages believers to trust in God's wisdom and justice, even when it surpasses human understanding. [15:08]

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Reflection: Reflect on a situation where you struggled with the concept of fairness. How can you trust in God's justice and mercy in that situation today?


Day 3: Grace as the Foundation of Salvation
Unconditional election removes any reliance on human merit for salvation, focusing entirely on God's grace. This teaching underscores the Reformed emphasis on grace, where salvation is a divine gift, not a human achievement. It reminds us that our efforts or actions do not earn us salvation, but it is solely through God's gracious choice that we are saved. This perspective encourages humility and gratitude, as it highlights the total depravity of humanity and the necessity of divine grace for salvation. [20:27]

Titus 3:5-6 (ESV): "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior."

Reflection: In what ways can you express gratitude for God's grace in your life today? How does recognizing grace as the foundation of your salvation change your daily actions?


Day 4: The Supremacy of Divine Will
While human will is often seen as a factor in salvation, the doctrine of unconditional election emphasizes that it is ultimately God's will that determines election. This shifts the focus from human actions to divine sovereignty, reminding believers that God's purposes and plans are supreme. It encourages a posture of surrender and trust in God's will, recognizing that His plans are perfect and beyond human comprehension. [17:59]

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV): "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you struggle to surrender to God's will. What steps can you take today to trust in His divine sovereignty?


Day 5: The Purpose of Election
The purpose of election is to display God's mercy and power. It is not about human worthiness but about God's glory and the demonstration of His grace. This perspective encourages humility and gratitude for the gift of salvation, as it reminds believers that their salvation is not based on their own merit but on God's gracious choice. It calls for a response of worship and adoration, recognizing the greatness of God's mercy and the depth of His love. [13:40]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: How can you proclaim God's excellencies in your life today? What specific actions can you take to demonstrate gratitude for His mercy and grace?

Quotes


The Reformed view is called unconditional election meaning by this that there is no foreseen action or condition met by us that induces God to decide to save us, but that election rests upon God's sovereign decision to save whomsoever He is pleased to save. [00:03:42]

The point that the apostle labors here is that this decision is not with a view to anything that they had done or would do. The point is is the decision is not only made prior to their birth, that would be manifestly obvious, but what Paul labors here is that it is not with a view to their doing any good or evil. [00:06:11]

I thought how can this be fair that God would choose to save some and not others. Now I understood that nobody deserved salvation in the first place. And I know that if God would let the whole human race perish, He would be perfectly just so to do. [00:08:26]

If God allows these sinners to perish, is He treating them unjustly? Of course not. One group receives grace; the other receives justice. No one receives injustice. And God, like a governor in a state, can allow certain criminals who are guilty to have the full measure of their penalty imposed against them, but the governor also has the right to pardon. [00:15:22]

Paul was saying there is no injustice in this because Esau didn't deserve the blessing in the first place, and he doesn't get the blessing. God hasn't been unfair to Esau. Well Jacob didn't deserve the blessing either, and he does get the blessing. Jacob receives blessing; Esau receives the justice. [00:16:34]

So, so then, it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs but of God who shows mercy. Now the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up that I may display my power in you and that My name may be declared in all the earth.' [00:17:06]

The only basis I can find according to the Scripture is that, yes, salvation is based upon will. And yes, it is based upon free will. Now I'm confusing everybody. But it is based upon the will and the free will of a sovereign God who elects, Paul teaches elsewhere, according to the good pleasure of His will. [00:18:35]

If the Bible teaches anything over and over and over again, it is that salvation is of the Lord. And this, yes, is at the heart of Reformed theology, not because we're interested in abstract question of sovereign predestination and that we just enjoy the intellectual titillation that speculation on this doctrine engenders. [00:20:17]

The focal point in this theology, as it was in the T of total depravity going back to Augustine, is on grace that the accent here removes all merit from me, all dependence on my righteousness for my salvation and puts the focus back where it belongs on the unspeakable mercy and grace of God. [00:20:55]

The Reformed doctrine of election emphasizes that it is not of him who wills, except of the divine will, not of him who runs but of God. That's where the accent is in the Reformed doctrine of election. [00:21:22]

The apostle does anticipate that response. And what is the teaching that engenders that response. It is the teaching that election is unconditional. It's when you're teaching that election rests ultimately, exclusively on the sovereign will of God and not of the performance or actions of human beings that the protest arises. [00:12:56]

Paul anticipates the protest, "Is there unrighteousness in God?" And he answers it with the most emphatic response he can muster in the language, I prefer the translation, "God forbid." Then he goes on to amplify this, "For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.'" [00:13:24]

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Transcript
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