Election by God Is According to His will, not man’s Will to believe

[Jon777]

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The Synod of Dort was in response to the five errors in the doctrine in the Arminians presented in 1610, among which are:

Error 1.f: Not every election to salvation is unchangeable. Some of the elect can and do indeed perish everlastingly, notwithstanding any decree of God.
Refutation: This gross error makes God changeable, destroys the comfort which the believers obtain from the firmness of their election, and contradicts Holy Scripture: The elect cannot be led astray (Mat thew 24:24); Christ does not lose those given to him by the Father (John 6:39); and those whom God predestined, called, and justified, he also glorifies (Romans 8:30).

Error 1.g: In this life there is no fruit, consciousness, or certainty of the unchangeable election to glory, except such as is based upon a changeable and uncertain condition.
Refutation: To speak about an uncertain certainty is not only absurd but also contrary to the experience of the believers. As a result of the awareness of their election, they glory with the apostle in this favour of God.1 With the disciples of Christ they rejoice that their names are written in heaven.2 They put the consciousness of their election over against the flaming darts of the devil, when they exclaim: “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen” (Romans 8:33)? 1 Ephesians 1. 2 Luke 10:20.

From the Canons of Dort, (1618-1619)
Article 1.12: The assurance of election
The elect in due time, though in various stages and in different measure, are made certain of this their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation. They attain this assurance, however, not by inquisitively prying into the hidden and deep things of God, but by observing in themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unfailing fruits of election pointed out in the Word of God: such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, and a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever, to observe all the words of this law. (Deut 29:29, NRSV)
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. (1Cor 2:10-11, NRSV)
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test! (2Cor 13:5, NRSV)
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. (2Cor 7:10, NRSV)
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matt 5:6, NRSV)

Article 1.13: The value of this assurance
The awareness and assurance of this election provide the children of God with greater reason for daily humbling themselves before God, for adoring the depth of his mercies, for cleansing themselves, and for fervently loving him in turn who first so greatly loved them. It is therefore not at all true that this doctrine of election and the reflection on it makes them lax in observing the commands of God or falsely secure. In the just judgment of God, this usually happens to those who rashly presume to have the grace of election, or idly and boldly chatter about it, but refuse to walk in the ways of the elect.

And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (1John 3:3, NRSV)
We love because he first loved us. (1John 4:19, NRSV)

The acronym TULIP did not come from Calvin, and the exact wording is not found in the Canons of Dort. The TULIP acronym was created by Dr Cleland B. McAfee around 1905. It was a memory aid attempting to summarize the response in the Synod of Dort to the errors of the Arminians. Sadly, it opened the door to heretics and the uneducated for their attacks on the biblical gospel.
Canons of Dort

 

[DavidLamb]

Tulipism is belief in TULIP:

T – total depravity, meaning souls are unable to exercise sufficient MFW to seek salvation.

U – unconditional election, meaning that souls need not satisfy a divine requirement such as faith or repentance, but God chooses to save some while damning the rest to hell.

L – limited atonement, meaning that Christ died to pay the penalty of sin only for elect souls.

I – irresistible grace, meaning that elect souls cannot resist or refuse God’s will for them to be saved.

P – perseverance of the saints, meaning that the elect cannot repudiate their salvation and commit apostasy, because God perseveres in keeping them saved.

As you can see, tulipism perverts the orthodox doctrine of grace that affirms belief in MFW:

M – God’s requirement for salvation (GRFS) is a Moral condition called faith, which is manifested as seeking God’s righteousness or salvation, which in turn presumes sufficient human volition even for sinners to make them morally accountable.

F – God graces all morally accountable souls with sufficient Freedom to satisfy GRFS—or not, which means sinners are accountable and justly condemned when they do not repent and accept Christ’s atonement for their sins.

W – Faith is almost synonymous with Will, but volition focuses on faith as cooperation with God (or not), and cooperating with God's enabling grace is NOT meritorious or working to earn heaven/salvation by obeying moral laws.

Thanks for the explanation. I tend to steer away from the "TULIP" acronym because it tends so easily to be misunderstood. For example, people imagine that "Limited atonement" must somehow mean that only a few are saved. Thanks anyway.

 

[GWH]

Thanks for the explanation. I tend to steer away from the "TULIP" acronym because it tends so easily to be misunderstood. For example, people imagine that "Limited atonement" must somehow mean that only a few are saved. Thanks anyway.

Well, the reason to steer away from belief in TULIP is because it perverts the Gospel of grace through faith.

 

[brightfame52]

Well, the reason to steer away from belief in TULIP is because it perverts the Gospel of grace through faith.

Thats what the opposers of tulip do !

 

[Jon777]

Article 17 of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, Anglicans, Church of England, (1571)

Article 17 - Predestination and Election
Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby, before the foundations of the world were laid, He has constantly decreed by His counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom He has chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour. Wherefore they which are endued with so excellent a benefit of God are called according to God's purpose by His Spirit working in due season; they through grace obey the calling; they are justified freely; they are made sons of God by adoption; they are made like the image of His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; they walk religiously in good works; and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity.

As the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it greatly establishes and confirms their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it fervently kindles their love towards God: so for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's Predestination is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil thrusts them either into desperation or into wretchedness of most unclean living no less perilous than desperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's promises just as they are generally set forth in Holy Scripture; and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have had expressly declared unto us in the word of God.

229. Predestination according to Article XI of Formula of Concord. - Lutheran
In keeping with her fundamental teaching of sola gratia and gratia universalis, according to which God’s grace is the only cause of man’s salvation, and man’s evil will the sole cause of his damnation, the Lutheran Church holds that eternal election is an election of grace, i.e., a predestination to salvation only. God’s eternal election, says the Formula of Concord. “does not extend at once over the godly and the wicked, but only over the children of God, who were elected and ordained to eternal life before the foundation of the world was laid, as Paul says, Eph. 1, 4. 5: ‘He hath chosen us in Him, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ.’ ” (1065, 5.) This election, the Formula continues, “not only foresees and foreknows the salvation of the elect, but is also, from the gracious will and pleasure of God in Christ Jesus, a cause which procures, works, helps, and promotes our salvation, and what pertains thereto; and upon this [divine predestination] our salvation is so founded that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it,Matt. 16, 18, as is written John 10, 28: ‘Neither shall any man pluck My sheep out of My hand,’ And again, Acts 13, 48: ‘And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.’ ” (1065, 8.) While thus election is a cause of faith and salvation, there is no cause of election in man. The teaching “that not only the mercy of God and the most holy merit of Christ but also in us there is a cause of God’s election on account of which God has elected us to everlasting life,” is rejected by the Formula of Concord as one of the “blasphemous and dreadful erroneous doctrines whereby all the comfort which they have in the holy Gospel and the use of the holy Sacraments is taken from Christians.” (837, 20f.)

1646 First London Confession of Faith, Baptist
III.
God had decreed in Himself, before the world was, concerning all things, whether necessary, accidental or voluntary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, dispose, and bring about all things according to the counsel of His own will, to His glory: (Yet without being the [chargeable] author of sin, or having fellowship with any therein) in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, unchangeableness, power, and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree: And God hath before the foundation of the world, foreordained some men to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace; leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His justice.
Isa. 46:10; Eph. 1:11, Rom. 11:33, Ps. 115:3; 135:6, 33:15; 1 Sam. 10:9, 26, Prov. 21:6; Exod. 21:13; Prov. 16:33, Ps. 144, Isa. 45:7, Jer. 14:22, Matt. 6:28, 30; Col. 1:16, 17; Num. 23:19, 20; Rom. 3:4; Jer. 10:10; Eph. 1:4,5; Jude 4, 6; Prov. 16:4.

The orthodox Christian faith clearly states unmerited election and is so taught by Augustine, Luther, Calvin, the Confessions of Anglicans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans, etc. That is the biblical gospel agreed upon by the body of Christ.

 

[lrs68]

I dont need to know hebrew to know Salvation principles in scripture. You guys kill me trying to bootstrap people into thinking they need to learn greek or hebrew to understand the scriptures. Thats hogwash. Im quite aware of the line of the Messiah going back to Adam Lk 3. Now God wiped out millions of people, suffocated them in a flood, and chose to save 8 people. Noah should have put out a sign from the ark saying, smile God Loves you

But you blindedly applied your understanding to both lineages at the time of the flood and now backing out with excuses.

Everyone understands that the flood was about God's Wrath on the whole and His Mercy upon those who were living for God like Noah was doing just like his dad, his grandfather Methuselah, and his great grandfather Enoch.

Noah was the only remnants left from the lineage of Seth. Everyone else was the lineage of Cain. One lineage was spared and the other was destroyed.

You on the other hand didn't know specifics and that's why I don't accept the majority of what you post because it's someone else's doctrine that you have no true understanding about.

 

[DavidLamb]

Well, the reason to steer away from belief in TULIP is because it perverts the Gospel of grace through faith.

I cannot agree with you there, but thanks for replying.

 

[lrs68]

The Gospel of Grace is that God wrapped Himself in flesh and paid a price that He did not owe.

 

[Jon777]

The Gospel of Grace is that God wrapped Himself in flesh and paid a price that He did not owe.

"So no place is left for any human pride in the presence of God. By God’s act you are in Christ Jesus; God has made him our wisdom, and in him we have our righteousness, our holiness, our liberation. Therefore, in the words of scripture, ‘If anyone must boast, let him boast of the Lord.’" (1Cor 1:29-31, REB)

 

[lrs68]

"So no place is left for any human pride in the presence of God. By God’s act you are in Christ Jesus; God has made him our wisdom, and in him we have our righteousness, our holiness, our liberation. Therefore, in the words of scripture, ‘If anyone must boast, let him boast of the Lord.’" (1Cor 1:29-31, REB)

I don't think it's anywhere possible to have an ounce of pride when you are broken enough to repent and seek forgiveness.

 

[brightfame52]

I don't think it's anywhere possible to have an ounce of pride when you are broken enough to repent and seek forgiveness.

Thats because one has been regenerated when they are broken like that and repent and seek forgiveness of God. Tje natural man cant do that, he hates the true God and is dead to Him

 

[Hakawaka]

If it is fake grace, then it is not given by God. The God of the Bible does not deceive anybody.

I agree. But the god of calvinism DOES. Every command he gives is a deceptive work of condemnation, asking brick without straw. He only commands it to further condemn people who are bound by their "sin nature" and cannot believe and repent

 

[brightfame52]

I agree. But the god of calvinism DOES. Every command he gives is a deceptive work of condemnation, asking brick without straw. He only commands it to further condemn people who are bound by their "sin nature" and cannot believe and repent

Calvinism, Tulip is the Gospel of God

 

[HeIsHere]

I agree. But the god of calvinism DOES. Every command he gives is a deceptive work of condemnation, asking brick without straw. He only commands it to further condemn people who are bound by their "sin nature" and cannot believe and repent

They cannot see it.

 

[DavidLamb]

I agree. But the god of calvinism DOES. Every command he gives is a deceptive work of condemnation, asking brick without straw. He only commands it to further condemn people who are bound by their "sin nature" and cannot believe and repent

Not so. Everybody is by nature bound by their sin, and cannot, without God, believe and repent. That is why Paul reminded the Ephesian Christians that before they were saved, they had been "dead in trespasses and sins." He points out all that God has done to make them Christians:

(Eph 2:1) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
(Eph 2:2) in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
(Eph 2:3) among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
(Eph 2:4) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
(Eph 2:5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
(Eph 2:6) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
(Eph 2:7) that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
(Eph 2:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
(Eph 2:9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(Eph 2:10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Paul doesn't say that God waited for them to believe and repent, and then He saved them. No, God took the initiative.

 

[Gideon300]

I agree. But the god of calvinism DOES. Every command he gives is a deceptive work of condemnation, asking brick without straw. He only commands it to further condemn people who are bound by their "sin nature" and cannot believe and repent

The reality is that it does not matter. We must work on the basis that all mankind can be saved. Why? Because we do not know who is predestined and who is not.

1 Corinthians 7:15 & 16
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

According to Romans 8:29, predestination is according to foreknowledge? What does that mean? To me, God knows those who will accept Christ should they hear the gospel. Do I know who those people are? Sometimes I've had a knowing in my spirit. But I will not choose who to witness to on that basis. I could easily be wrong.
​

 

[Gideon300]

Not so. Everybody is by nature bound by their sin, and cannot, without God, believe and repent. That is why Paul reminded the Ephesian Christians that before they were saved, they had been "dead in trespasses and sins." He points out all that God has done to make them Christians:

(Eph 2:1) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
(Eph 2:2) in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
(Eph 2:3) among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
(Eph 2:4) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
(Eph 2:5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
(Eph 2:6) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
(Eph 2:7) that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
(Eph 2:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
(Eph 2:9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(Eph 2:10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Paul doesn't say that God waited for them to believe and repent, and then He saved them. No, God took the initiative.

The reality is that it does not matter. We must work on the basis that all mankind can be saved. Why? Because we do not know who is predestined and who is not.

1 Corinthians 7:15 & 16
"But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?"

According to Romans 8:29, predestination is according to foreknowledge? What does that mean? To me, God knows those who will accept Christ should they hear the gospel. Do I know who those people are? Sometimes I've had a knowing in my spirit. But I will not choose who to witness to on that basis. I could easily be wrong.​

 

[GWH]

I cannot agree with you there, but thanks for replying.

You can, but you choose not to.
Instead, you apparently will to affirm dogma that demeans God's love and justness,
thereby perverting the Gospel of grace.
You're welcome.

 

[Hakawaka]

Not so. Everybody is by nature bound by their sin, and cannot, without God, believe and repent. That is why Paul reminded the Ephesian Christians that before they were saved, they had been "dead in trespasses and sins." He points out all that God has done to make them Christians:

(Eph 2:1) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
(Eph 2:2) in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
(Eph 2:3) among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
(Eph 2:4) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
(Eph 2:5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
(Eph 2:6) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
(Eph 2:7) that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
(Eph 2:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
(Eph 2:9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(Eph 2:10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Paul doesn't say that God waited for them to believe and repent, and then He saved them. No, God took the initiative.

The prodigal son was "dead" yet became "alive" and "came to his senses" so dead in the bible does not mean incapable of repentance. Thats just a total depravity interpretation not in the text.

I agree we have been saved by grace and its the gift of God, however the Bible teaches the grace of God has appeared to ALL MEN. That grace can be discarded to ones own peril if one does not have FAITH, thru which we are saved, by grace

Titus 2:11-14
​

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

 

[brightfame52]

The prodigal son was "dead" yet became "alive" and "came to his senses" so dead in the bible does not mean incapable of repentance

Yeah but that presupposes he was supernaturally made alive, thats the source of coming to his senses. God made him alive. Just like the other examples, the Sheep was found by the shepherd and the lost coin was found, the lost son was found. Is found Vs 24,32 are in the passive voice. You should know a person cannot liven themselves from the dead

The whole point of the parable is to show Jesus mission to save sinners, not to give credit to the ones being saved.