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Election and the Nature of God in Theology

The theological concepts of election and the nature of God are subjects of significant discussion and differing interpretations across Christian traditions. While there is broad agreement that God is the Divine Being, strong and eternal [2], and that election involves God's choice [1, 3], the precise nature of this election and its relationship to God's attributes, particularly foreknowledge and justice, is understood in various ways.

One prominent understanding, often associated with Reformed theology, emphasizes God's sovereign and unconditional election of individuals to eternal life. This view posits that God, according to his own good pleasure and purpose, chooses certain individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world, irrespective of any foreseen merit or action on their part [1, 3]. Passages such as Ephesians 1:4, which states that believers were "chosen... in him before the foundation of the world," and Romans 9:11, which speaks of God's purpose according to election, are central to this perspective [3, 10]. Charles Hodge, one theologian, highlights that election is to holiness and that all good in a person is the fruit, not the ground, of election [10]. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, clarifies that this election is not merely to office or outward means of grace, but an eternal choice to everlasting life [6]. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist/Puritan commentator, finds comfort in the idea that there is a "remnant according to the election of grace which does and shall persevere" [9]. This perspective often links election directly to God's unchangeable nature and sovereign will [4].

In contrast, other traditions emphasize God's foreknowledge as the basis for election, suggesting that God chooses those whom he foresees will believe and respond to his grace. This position, often found in Methodist/Wesleyan theology, interprets passages like 1 Peter 1:2, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father," to mean that God's election is based on his prior knowledge of individuals' future faith [5, 7]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, argues that if election were to eternal life without foreknowledge of faith, no one could be sure of their election until they reached heaven [7]. This view maintains that God's justice, which is an unchangeable principle of his nature, would not arbitrarily choose some for salvation and others for condemnation without consideration of their response [4]. The Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion also address predestination and election, reflecting a nuanced position that seeks to balance God's sovereignty with human responsibility [13].

The Catholic tradition, as articulated by Thomas Aquinas, understands predestination as presupposing election in the order of reason, and election as presupposing love [11]. Aquinas states that predestination is a part of providence, which is the plan existing in the intellect directing things toward an end [11]. This perspective emphasizes God's comprehensive plan and his loving will in directing all things, including the salvation of individuals, towards their ultimate end. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also affirms that human reason, though capable of knowing God, faces obstacles, implying a need for divine grace in the process of salvation [14].

Despite these differences, all traditions agree on the fundamental nature of God as the Supreme Being [2], and that election, in some form, originates with God [1, 3]. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible [2]. God's attributes, such as his strength, righteousness, and eternal nature, are universally acknowledged [2, 4, 12]. The disagreement primarily centers on the precise mechanism and timing of God's choice, and how it interacts with human free will and responsibility. The varying interpretations often stem from different hermeneutical approaches to biblical texts and differing emphases on divine sovereignty versus human agency. For instance, the general election of a people, like Israel, is distinguished from the special election of individuals to salvation [1, 8].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Election of Grace — The Scripture speaks (1) of the election of individuals to office or to honour and privilege, e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were all chosen by God for the positions they held; so also were the apostles. (2) There is also an election of nations to special privileges, e.g., the Hebrews (Deut. 7:6; Rom. 9:4). (3) But in addition there is an election of individuals to eternal life (2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2; John 13:18). The ground of this election to salvation is the good pleasure of God (Eph. 1:5, 11; Matt. 11:25, 26; John 15”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Election — Of Christ, as Messiah -- Isa 42:1; 1Pe 2:6. Of good angels -- 1Ti 5:21. Of Israel -- De 7:6; Isa 45:5. Of ministers -- Lu 6:13; Ac 9:15. Of churches -- 1Pe 5:13. Of saints, is Of God. -- 1Th 1:4; Tit 1:1. By Christ. -- Joh 13:18; 15:16. In Christ. -- Eph 1:4. Personal. -- Mt 20:16; Joh 6:44; Ac 22:14; 2Jo 1:13. According to the purpose of God. -- Ro 9:11; Eph 1:11. According to the foreknowledge of God. -- Ro 8:29; 1Pe 1:2. Eternal. -- Eph 1:4. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:15,16; 1Co 1:27; Eph 1:11. Irrespective of merit. -- Ro 9:11. Of grace. -- Ro 11:5. Recorded i”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
  5. I Peter “I Peter 1:2 (Webster) — Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied.”
  6. 1 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 1:4: Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Which intends not an election to an office, for this epistle is written not to the officers of the church only, but to the whole church; nor to the Gospel, the outward means of grace, since this was common to them with others, and might be known without the evidence after given; nor does it design the effectual calling, sometimes so called for this is expressed in the following verse as a fruit, effect, and evidence of the election here spoken of, which is no other than the eternal choice of, them to everlasting”
  7. 1 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 1:2: Elect according to the foreknowledge of God - If the apostle had directed his letter to persons elected to eternal life, no one, as Drs. Lardner and Macknight properly argue, could have received such a letter, because no one could have been sure of his election in this way till he had arrived in heaven. But the persons to whom the apostle wrote were all, with propriety, said to be elect according to the foreknowledge of God; because, agreeably to the original purpose of God, discovered in the prophetical writings, Jews and Gentiles, indiscriminately, were called to ”
  8. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 2.19: general election of the people had reference to this end, that God might have a Church separated from the rest of the world. What absurdity, then, is there in supposing that Paul applies to special election the words of Moses, by which it is predicted that the Church shall spring from the seed of Jacob? And an instance in point was exhibited in the condition of the heads themselves of these two nations. For Jacob was not only called by the external voice of the Lord, but, while his brother was passed by, he was chosen an heir of ”
  9. 2 Thessalonians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Thessalonians 2:13: Here observe, I. The consolation the Thessalonians might take against the terrors of this apostasy, Th2 2:13, Th2 2:14. For they were chosen to salvation, and called to the obtaining of glory. Note, When we hear of the apostasy of many, it is matter of great comfort and joy that there is a remnant according to the election of grace which does and shall persevere; and especially we should rejoice if we have reason to hope that we are of that number. The apostle reckoned himself bound in duty to be thankful to God on this account: We are bound to give thank”
  10. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 66: and just [u poses come from God, it is of Him, and not of us, that we seek and find his favour. Election is to Holiness. 4. Another plainly revealed fact is, that we are chosen to holiness; that we are created unto good works; in other words, that all good in us is the fruit, and, therefore, cannot by possibility be the ground of election. In Eph. i. 3-6 , the Apostle says: “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 ”
  11. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of Predestination, Art. 4: Article: Whether the predestined are chosen by God? [*"Eligantur."] I answer that, Predestination presupposes election in the order of reason; and election presupposes love. The reason of this is that predestination, as stated above (Article [1]), is a part of providence. Now providence, as also prudence, is the plan existing in the intellect directing the ordering of some things towards an end; as was proved above (Question [22], Article [2]). But nothing is directed towards an end unless the will for that end alre”
  12. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — S. MAXIMUS, VOL. II. 114.: Being is in God. God is divine being, eternal and without beginning, incorporeal and illimitable, and the cause of what exists. Being is that which wholly subsists. Nature is the truth of things, or the inner reality of them. According to others, it is the production of what has come to existence; and according to others, again, it is the providence of God, causing the being, and the manner of being, in the things which are produced.”
  13. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), 17.Of Predestination and Election.: 17.Of Predestination and Election.”
  14. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, CHAPTER ONE (part 4): the image of God".12 37 In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, man experiences many difficulties in coming to know God by the light of reason alone: Though human reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the one personal God, who watches over and controls the world by his providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by the Creator; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use o”
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