Questions and Answers

 How would you best explain Election?

Election:  there are two competing views of election which come from the two main camps of Christian theology.  the first is the non-reformed view which essential can be called conditional election-- this speaks of the fact that God choice in who will be saved rests ultimately on man free choices. The second is the reformed view which speaks of God independent action to chose someone for salvation in order to bring himself glory. (now I  was a Calvinist; but no longer feel it is the best biblical position on this matter). 

Let me pose a simple question:  is election central to salvation or not?  My answer now is no. Because i believe that the bible uses election in several different fashion and we must not deny them. (1) eternal election (this has to do with his judgements) (2) positional election (this deals with the result of our union with Christ)  (3) occupational election (this deals with church order and function) (4) patriarchal election (this deals with the role of the Jews because of who they are related too) (5)  personal election (this deals with both groups and individual believer who love and obey the truth). 

In other words both the reformed and non-reformed views are based on faulty reasoning: Election is neither conditioned or unconditional with regards to men. But there is still some condition for it to be true. And this deals with the 2nd kind.  Let us look at Ephesians 1:4 to see this:

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. 

Now what is the central truth being put forth about the Christian in this verse?  It is not being one of the elect. In fact, it is being united with Christ or as the passage says:  "in Christ" that is the core point.  When you become a Christ are united with Christ (by his death and resurrection, that is the action that God undertakes) you then become one of the elect and become a member of the world that will be created; and therefore by means of the work of Christ are given incentive to do the will of God by the holy Spirit. 

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