Is the Doctrine of Election Biblical?
by John MacArthur


Among the most hotly contested and persistent debates in the history of the confessing church, the doctrine of election is perhaps the greatest of all. The question goes like this: Does God choose sinners to be saved and then provide for their salvation? Or, Does God provide the way of salvation that sinners must choose for themselves?

Where’s the evidence?
This question of choice is called “election” because of the Greek word for those who are chosen—the Bible calls them eklektos. There are many such uses in the Bible (cf. Col. 3:12; 1 Tim. 5:21; Tit. 1:1; 2 John 1), but one of my favorites is in Romans 8:33: “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?” The answer is, “no one,” but why? Is it because I chose God, or is it because God chose me?

One passage that is critical to the discussion is in the opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Immediately after his customary greeting, Paul launches in Ephesians 1:3-14 with a great song of praise. It’s only one sentence—but, with 200 words in the Greek, it may be the longest single sentence in religious literature.

Paul touches on all the great biblical themes in that hyper-complex sentence—sanctification, adoption, redemption, and glorification—and all of them rest on one foundational doctrine, the doctrine of election. The most superlative spiritual blessings stand on Ephesians 1:4—“He chose us [elected us] in Him before the foundation of the world.”

So the doctrine of election is biblical, but what does that passage really teach? I want to help you get a better grasp of that by pointing out what Paul teaches about election. If you are a believer, you can equip yourself for your next conversation on this topic. But more important, as one of His elect you can rejoice in the astonishing kindness God showed you before the world began.


What does it mean?
Paul’s song is essentially his reflection on the amazing truth that God “blessed us with every spiritual blessing … in Christ” (v. 3). And how did He bless us? “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).

God didn’t draw straws; He didn’t look down the corridor of time to see who would choose Him before He decided. Rather, by His sovereign will He chose who would be in the Body of Christ. The construction of the Greek verb for “chose” indicates God chose us for Himself. That means God acted totally independent of any outside influence. He made His choice totally apart from human will and purely on the basis of His sovereignty.

Jesus said to His disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). And in the same Gospel, John wrote, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (1:12-13, italics mine). And Paul said, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13).

Those statements defining God’s sovereign choice of believers are not in the Bible to cause controversy, as if God’s election means sinners don’t make decisions. Election does not exclude human responsibility or the necessity of each person to respond to the gospel by faith. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37).

Admittedly the two concepts don’t seem to go together. However, both are true separately, and we must accept them both by faith. You may not understand it, but rest assured—it’s fully reconciled in the mind of God.

You must understand that your faith and salvation rest entirely on God’s election (cf. Acts 13:48). And yet the day you came to Jesus Christ, you did so because of an internal desire—you did nothing against your will. But even that desire is God-given—He supplies the necessary faith so we can believe (Eph. 2:8).

Think about it—if your salvation depends on you, then praise to God is ridiculous. But, in truth, your praise to God is completely appropriate, because in forming the Body before the world began, He chose you by His sovereign decree apart from any of your works. The doctrine of election demonstrates God being God, exercising divine prerogatives. For that we must praise Him.


“But that’s not fair!”
Some are shocked to find that God didn’t choose everyone to salvation. Jesus said, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:39, italics mine). God the Father chose certain individuals to form a Body as a gift to Jesus Christ. Every believer is part of that love gift to Christ—a gift of the Father’s love to His Son.

To those who say that is unjust, Paul answers: “What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion’” (Rom. 9:14-15).

So why does God still find fault in unrepentant sinners when He didn’t choose them? Doesn’t this deny human responsibility? Is it fair for God to still hold them accountable?

Paul answers all such questions with a rebuke—“who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it?” (v. 20). Does the clay jump up and ask the potter why it looks the way it does? Not at all.

Some believe that is terribly cold and calculating. But that is only one side of God’s sovereign election. Paul continues in the next chapter by saying, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved … for ‘whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (10:9, 13).

How these two sides of God’s truth—His sovereignty in choosing us (Rom. 9) and our responsibility to confess and believe (Rom. 10)—reconcile is impossible for us to understand fully. But Scripture declares both perspectives of salvation to be true (John 1:12-13). It’s our duty to acknowledge both and joyfully accept them by faith.

Is America Blessing God?

By Charles F. Stanley

Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Our Creator has certainly blessed America in tremendous ways:

* Abundant natural beauty can be found all across our land, including tropical beaches, green valleys, rich farmlands, towering mountains, and the Great Plains.
* We have a godly heritage. Fifty-two of the original fifty-five founding fathers who wrote our Constitution were Christians, and they established our country on Judeo-Christian values.
* Our land is blessed with plentiful natural resources, including water, oil, ore, and fertile farm land.
* America’s free enterprise system allows almost anyone the opportunity to rise from poverty to wealth. Imaginative entrepreneurs have created all kinds of inventions to improve our lives. Compared to most nations in the world, the United States has a high standard of living.
* We enjoy the liberty to speak our minds, worship as we choose, and live undisturbed, private lives.
* Our spiritual heritage is strong. We have been blessed with intellectual spiritual giants such as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield, John Wesley, and Charles Finney. Through the years, pastors, evangelists, and Bible teachers have sustained that godly heritage.

Why would God bless America as He has? I believe the reason is that He intends for us to influence the nations of the world. Not only are we an example of liberty and democracy, but we also have the resources and manpower to take the gospel around the world—and in many respects, the church has done just that. But what about the country as a whole?

America’s Response

Sadly, we have taken God’s hand of blessing for granted, declining to bless Him in return. We have:

* Removed prayer and the Word of God from our schools.
* Legalized the murder of our unborn children.
* Tolerated all types of sexual immorality in our citizenry and elected officials.
* Allowed sex and violence to dominate our entertainment industry.
* Exported pornography to the world.
* Financed the lazy and irresponsible.
* Used our citizens’ hard-earned tax dollars to bribe dictators, who have then turned around and attacked our nation.
* Tolerated liberalism from spiritual leaders who doubt the inerrancy of the Bible.
* Lived reckless and undisciplined lives, satisfying our desires in unrighteous ways.

In essence, America has told God, “Your principles no longer matter to us. We don’t need You.” Yet we continue to experience His abundant goodness. Why has the Lord withheld His judgment for so long? I believe it is because there are enough godly believers who cry out to Him on behalf of our country. He has mercifully showered us with His kindness. But this nation cannot stay on its present course and expect to continue experiencing God’s blessing.

The Consequencess

Scripture says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). While this verse specifically refers to individuals, the principle also applies to nations. This law affirms that we reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow.

In other words, we may not currently be harvesting all the consequences of our rebellion, but that doesn’t mean our nation will never be called to account. The Lord has chosen to bless us in the past, but that is no guarantee that He will continue to do so. He said:

I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it (Jer. 18:9-10).

Our country cannot continue in its current path without reaping God’s judgment. Unless something changes, our grandchildren will not experience the freedom, prosperity, and opportunities that you and I enjoy today. As followers of Christ, we have the responsibility to live holy lives. You and I must speak out against indecency, immorality, and unrighteous laws. We should participate in electing and supporting godly leaders. Most of all, we are to share the gospel. Our fellow citizens need to know about the freedom and forgiveness Christ offers to all who surrender their lives to Him.

There is still time for our nation to repent and turn back to the Lord. He can sweep away the corruption in America, turn the country around, and use her powerfully to make a global impact for His name. Will you be a part of that transformation?

Command 1: Repent | Day 3

Be Cleansed by the Word
How would you evaluate your success in meditating day and night? Whatever your answer is, don’t be discouraged!

You cannot imagine the delight and admiration of family that you are producing because of your commitment to daily success!

They have reason to be grateful and joyful, because as you cleanse your heart and mind with the Word of God, a supernatural work also takes place in them.

Paul speaks of this when he tells husbands to cleanse their wives with the washing of the Word (see Ephesians 5:25–33). This does not mean to get your wife to read the Bible or even to read it to her. It means to cleanse your own heart and soul by engrafting the pure Word of God into it. Jesus affirmed this meaning when He prayed in John 17:19: “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” If Jesus sanctified Himself through the truth for our sakes, how much more should we do it for those who are under our spiritual care?

The fact is that children reap the benefits of their father’s successes, but they also experience the consequences of their defeats.

Family Question:

Abraham lied to Pharaoh by saying that his beautiful wife was his sister and Pharaoh heaped riches on Abraham. There is no record of Abraham’s repentance. Instead he justified his deception by saying Sarah was indeed his half-sister. Did any consequences result from Abraham’s lie?

The surprising answer will come tomorrow. As you meditate on the command to repent, are there things that God is wanting to cleanse out of your life?

Command 1: Repent | Day 2

Start Your Day in the Evening!

First let’s answer the question of why Esau failed to find repentance for simply selling his birthright even though he sought it desperately with tears. Esau’s repentance was faulty because he did not understand true repentance. He was a profane fornicator (see Hebrews 12:16–17), and he simply wanted to regain the blessings that he had lost (see Genesis 25:33–34).

However, when David was confronted with his sin, he repented for the right reason. He wanted to restore fellowship with God. If we repent for any other reason than this we are not experiencing true repentance. (See Psalm 51.)

Now let’s discuss the question of why God designed the day to begin in the evening rather than in the morning. “The evening and the morning were the first day” (Genesis 1:5).

* The evening is the most important part of our day because it affects the quality of our sleep and sets our mental attitude for the rest of the day. Therefore, people do not “get up on the wrong side of the bed”; they go to bed on the “wrong side.”
* The evening is the best time to evaluate the achievements of the previous day and to set new goals for the next day.
* As we go to sleep meditating on Scripture and setting our goals before the Lord, our minds will be cleansed (this may produce unusual dreams). Then we will experience an exciting phenomenon: our “reins will instruct us in the night seasons” (see Psalm 16:7). This means that God will give us practical insights from His Word and clear direction, which will have a profound impact on the success of our lives.

This has been one of the most exciting experiences of my life. It is how the questions for this study came into being, including the question on true repentance. If we meditate on the wisdom of God’s Word, we can claim this promise: “I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions” (Proverbs 8:12).

Remember! Our responsibility is to meditate day and night. God’s responsibility is to give us creative insights and direction. “The entrance of thy words giveth light” (Psalm 119:130).

The Trials of Paul

Charles F. Stanley

If we listen close enough, we can almost hear the scrape of the calamus reed across the parchment, taste the sorrow of Paul's tears, and feel the ache of his heart in being left alone. "Make every effort," he writes, "to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me."

For a moment, we sense the reality of his imprisonment and find ourselves wondering if the distress is greater than he can bear. But in recalling the words he wrote earlier to the Corinthians, we find Paul had learned a great and powerful secret. He said that God's grace was sufficient for all he faced because "[His] power is perfected in [our] weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9). There was a much greater reward waiting for him than he could ever hope to gain here on this earth.

It is as if he recalls this same thought and, picking up the writing reed, he finishes his letter to young Timothy. "Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments" (2 Timothy 4:11-13).

In Second Timothy, we are given a rare glimpse into the life of one of God's most precious servants. Paul had been faithful. He had lived his life in obedience to the Word of God. Casting aside his own desires in order to do the Lord's will, time after time he had walked away from things of this world—desires and temptations that had the potential to draw him away from God's plan and purpose for his life. Now his life was drawing to a close.

You may think this is not a fitting way to end one's life—alone and suffering—especially after serving God so faithfully. It is difficult to understand until we step aside from what we think is right and ask God to open our eyes to His eternal plan. It is not what we do for God that is important. It is our love and devotion to Christ that bring the greatest reward.

God sees the inner lining of our hearts. He sees our hurts and fears, but He also is aware of the great potential our lives contain. He is committed to preparing us to live and serve Him for all eternity.

Trials and testings teach us how to trust Him more completely. We study the circumstances of life by the light of His truth. Trials last for a season, but the knowledge we gain from the experience remains with us throughout time. He stretches our faith to prove that it is strong and binding. When He is sure it will hold, He sends His greatest blessings our way.

From the point of his conversion on the Damascus Road until his death, Paul lived for one reason, and that was to tell others about Jesus Christ. He literally explained the Christian life to us through his devotion, determination, and many writings to the churches throughout Asia Minor. Even before his conversion, Paul was a scholar, having sat under the teaching of one of the greatest instructors of his day. Yet all he learned in Gamaliel's schoolhouse paled in comparison to the truth he gained in God's classroom.

Though he faced unbelievable circumstances, God gave Paul the strength to overcome each one. His words of hope and truth refresh us and keep us focused on the object of our faith—the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of being overcome, Paul became the overcomer.

Timothy's conversion to Christ and call to the ministry were a direct result of Paul's instruction and influence. Now at the end of his life, the one thing the aging apostle wanted most was the company of a valued friend.

All the blessings and teachings of Paul come together here in this fourth chapter of Timothy. His love of God was not deferred. His desire to remain faithful to the Lord he served held fast. He had truly fought the good fight, finished the course set before him, and could look forward to the reward God had waiting for him. Every trial, every test that comes your way is tailored by God to fit His will for your life.

Life was not too difficult for Paul. It was just right. Though it was extremely trying at times, it trained him how to live the Christian life by faith and not by sight. At any point, had Paul given up, we would have missed a great and mighty blessing as a major portion of the New Testament would have gone unwritten.

Paul had no way of knowing his trials and exhortations were being used to complete a large portion of God's holy Word. While God's Word is now complete, we remain His personal testimony. We may never know what blessing our obedience will bring to the life of another. Therefore, let godly obedience and determination be the fiber of your life. And the God of all peace and comfort will bless you perfectly.