+ Greg Welty – Unconditional Election and Effectual Calling
- Unconditional Election – an assertion and a denial
o God elects or chooses us for salvations – assertion
o Unconditional in that we do nothing to deserve it not based on works or faith – a denial
- Eph 1: 3-11
o Election is eternal – God is a God who chose us in Him before the foundation of the world vs. 4
o Election is personal – God chose individuals not categories or conditions vs. 4, 5, 11
o Election is grounded in God’s will – in His will to love us & fulfill his purpose for us vs. 4-7
§ In this passage, our will and what we do with it is never addressed in relation to our election
§ Election is unto holiness not because of holiness
- Romans 9
o Paul address matters of spiritual salvation
§ Uses historical examples to make spiritual points
§ Building a case for a consistent way of God for working throughout
o God’s own purpose and will are the reason for all His decisions
o Paul denies that God’s saving purposes are conditioned on how we use our will vs 16
Objections to Unconditional Election
The Bible teaches that election is on the basis of our foreseen faith–Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 1:2. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father. This interpretation is neither necessary nor plausible.
Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, says he never had a saving relationship with those he cast into damnation.
Foreknowledge is fore-love. He loves us before he even forms us–Deuteronomy 10
If God has unconditional election then that means that we do not choose God. No. Men and women must choose Christ. Calvinist must not subscribe to a false dichotomy of divine choice and human choice. The Gospel is complete with the Disciples choosing to follow Jesus.
Other Objections
Calvinism turns God into an Oger. Calvinistic Archery. The Critic fires arrows into false target.
If election is unconditional, it must be arbitrary. Not necessarily. We are inferring from our own ignorance saying that we know what God desires are for everyone.
God is the blame for people being in hell
Offer of salvation is incensere
Effectual calling amounts to cohersion.
Conclusion
Non-Calvinist reflect upon the Scripture.
Fellow Calvinists. Distinction between a doctrine being part of the Gospel and a doctrine being the essence of the Gospel. Spurgeons quote–Calvinism is the Gospel–can convey something unhealthy. Do not say Arminianism denies the essence of the Gospel, but say that Calvinism brings out the grace of the Gospel.
