THE WAY OF SALVATION | ELECTION

1. The way of Salvation

a) Christ's death on the cross is the ground of God's wonderful plan of salvation. It was completely necessary and at the same time perfectly sufficient.

b) There are four words in the Bible which further tell about God's work in saving men. These are: Election, Predestination, Calling, and Adoption. We will also think of two words which tell about man's part in God's plan of salvation: Repentance, and Faith.

2. What is Election?

a) Earlier we found that God knows everything. He can know what will happen in the future better than we can know what has happened in the past. Does God control what will happen in the future? To say that God knows the future is not the same as to say that He controls it.

b) Of course in a way, God fully controls the universe and all things that have happened and will happen. There is no doubt that what He has planned will come to pass. However, He has also given to each person the right and duty to choose what he wants to do.

c) To elect means to choose. The word is used of angels, 1 Timothy 5:21. Israel is called the chosen of Jehovah in Isaiah 45:4, and part of Israel is chosen by grace, Romans 11:5. Christ is called God's chosen, Isaiah 42:1, 1 Peter 2:6. New Testament saints are called the elect, Romans 8:33, Colossians 3:12.

d) Election does not mean that God chooses certain people for salvation and all others to be lost. Every man must choose salvation for himself. It is God's plan that Christ should be glorified with all possible glory. God made Christ the Head of the church which is also called His body and His bride. In order to glorify His Son, God makes His bride beautiful and gives her many blessings. This is the purpose of predestination. 

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