Join us as we discuss: The U in TULIP, unconditional election. Topics considered include: ● God's Eternal Decree (WCF III) ○ I. God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. ○ II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions; yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions. ○ III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death.g ○ IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. ○ V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto;k and all to the praise of his glorious grace. ○ VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified,o and kept by his power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.q ○ VII. The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice. ● Election ○ Conditional–Jacob Arminius ■ Foreknowledge interpreted as God looking from eternity into time to see who will believe and persevere in faith and then, based on that knowledge, choosing them. ■ God's choice is based on man's choice. Future faith and perseverance are the conditions for election. ○ Corporate ■ God chose Israel as a nation ■ God chose the Church as a body, but not the individual members of the body. ■ God chose believers but He did not choose who would believe. God predestined believers to be adopted and conformed to Christ but He did not choose who would believe. ○ Unconditional–John Calvin, Three Forms of Unity, Westminster Standards ■ God chooses individuals unto salvation (the elect) ■ God's choice is not based on man's choice or merit but on God's good pleasure ■ Supralapsarian–double predestination; decree of election and reprobation; followed by decree of the fall of man ■ Infralapsarian–decree of election of some while passing over the rest; before the decree of the fall of man ● Romans 9:10-23 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, ● Ephesians 1:3-14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. ● But what about foreknowledge? ○ Romans 8:29 For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ○ 1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. ○ Not "what He foreknew" but "whom He did foreknow" ■ This is not factual knowledge like you would find on a data sheet. God has that kind of knowledge of everyone. ■ This is personal knowledge of ownership or acknowledgment, like when a father shows up at practice and says, "He's mine." He is acknowledging that boy as his son. ■ 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. ■ Amos 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth. ○ The comfort of God's foreknowledge is that God acknowledged us as His children before time began. He has owned us as His children and heirs before we did anything good or bad. ○ It is not about God foreseeing what we would or would not do. Rather, it is about God acknowledging us as His dear children before we acknowledged Him as our God and Father. ● If T then U ● The comfort of God's people ● The humility of God's people ● The stimulus for evangelism and missions ● The glory of God's grace and righteousness Recommended Resources: R.C. Sproul–Chosen by God lecture series R.C. Sproul, Chosen by God book Your hosts: TE Josh Owen TE Aaron Garriott RE Gabe Williams Produced by: RE Gabe Williams Music by: RE James Powers Logo design: RE Gabe Williams and TE Aaron Garriott The Three Presbyteers is a ministry of Spruce Creek PCA in Port Orange FL. If you're in the area, please join us for worship every Lord's Day morning at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM and in the evening at 6:00 PM. Education Hour is at 10:00 AM. www.Sprucecreekpca.org
