Election is a word that carries a very unpleasant connotation for some. Just hearing it sends shivers down one’s spine. First of all, it must be established that election is a biblical concept and therefore we cannot simply ignore it. But what does it mean? When we examine the concept in Scripture, we arrive at very different conclusions than the meaning usually attributed to it.
Election and predestination
Election is often mentioned in the same breath as “predestination,” or “fore-destination” or “preordainment.” Although these concepts do not completely coincide, they are closely related. We encounter both in Scripture, and we will discuss both.
Regarding the concept of election, there are roughly two views within Christianity (with all kinds of variations thereon):
The Calvinist view:
- God has chosen a few for eternal life. There is no separate decree of rejection for the rest of people. This is called “single predestination”.
- With “double predestination”, God has determined in advance who He chooses to be saved and whom He has destined to be lost forever. According to this view, those He does not save are predestined for “hell”. Some are therefore chosen for salvation and the rest for rejection.
The evangelical view:
- In this view, the concept of election is often pushed into the background. The emphasis lies on the “free will” of man, who supposedly chooses God himself and thereby determines his own destiny.
chosen for what?
In the Bible, the concept of “chosen” (Hebrew: bachar, Greek: eklegomai/eklektos) is applied to various groups and individuals. This does not concern election to salvation, but rather being chosen for a task, position, or destiny within God’s plan. There are also other words that overlap with the concept of “election,” such as badal — to separate, to set apart (H914), qadash — to sanctify, to set apart (H6942), hairetizo (G140) — to prefer, to give preference to, etc. However, we will leave these words out of consideration in this discussion of election.
In Scripture, “to elect” does not mean that others are definitively rejected, or that it is exclusively about personal salvation.
It often involves:
- a role
- a ministry
- a calling
- a position
- or place in God’s plan of salvation
For example:
- Israel was chosen among the nations
- David among his brothers
- the twelve among the disciples
- Paul among many
- Christ above all
exclusive and inclusive
Election is functional and purposeful. God does not select a small group of people whom He saves, while the rest would not interest Him. He selects people or groups to serve His purpose, in order to ultimately realize His purpose for all through that path.
Election is exclusive — a few are chosen — but the goal is inclusive: for the blessing of the whole.