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God's Sovereign Decree in Election and Salvation

The concept of God's sovereign decree in election and salvation is a deeply contested theological topic, with various Christian traditions offering distinct interpretations of how God's will interacts with human free will in the process of salvation. The debate often centers on the nature of election, predestination, and the extent of God's involvement in determining who receives eternal life [2].

One prominent position, often associated with Reformed theology, emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty in election and predestination. This view holds that God, according to His eternal, unchangeable purpose, has sovereignly chosen certain individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world, not based on any foreseen merit or faith in them, but solely on His good pleasure [1, 3, 4]. This election is seen as unconditional and immutable [2, 7]. Passages like Ephesians 1:4, which states that God "chose us 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 understanding [1, 3, 9]. John Calvin, a key figure in Reformed theology, taught that God's secret counsel of election is the source from which faith flows, and that those who disregard God's calling in favor of their own faith are acting perversely [13]. Charles Hodge further clarifies that election is to holiness, meaning that all good in believers is a fruit of election, not its ground [9]. This perspective often views predestination as encompassing all events, governed by God's determinate purpose [2].

In contrast, other traditions, such as Wesleyan-Arminianism and some interpretations within Anglicanism, emphasize God's foreknowledge and human free will. This perspective suggests that God's election is "according to the foreknowledge of God" (1 Peter 1:2), meaning that God, in His omniscience, foresees who will freely choose to believe in Him and then elects them based on that foreknowledge [5, 10]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, argues that if election were to eternal life in an absolute sense, no one could be sure of it until they reached heaven. Instead, he interprets the election mentioned in 1 Peter 1:2 as God's original purpose to call both Jews and Gentiles indiscriminately to salvation [12]. While acknowledging God's purpose in salvation (2 Timothy 1:9), this view typically maintains that God desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and that human response to God's grace is a necessary component of salvation [6]. The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, an Anglican confessional document, speaks of baptism as a sign of regeneration and new birth, where promises of forgiveness and adoption are sealed, and faith is confirmed, implying a cooperative aspect to salvation [16].

A third perspective, found in Catholic scholastic theology, particularly in the work of Thomas Aquinas, understands predestination as presupposing election, and election as presupposing love in the order of reason [14]. Aquinas views predestination as a part of providence, where God directs certain things towards an end. This implies a divine ordering of salvation, but the precise interaction with human will is a nuanced point within Catholic theology, often emphasizing the role of grace in enabling human cooperation. Augustine, an influential early Church Father, also affirmed that none of the elect and predestined can perish, citing Romans 8:28-30 to support the idea that those whom God foreknew, He also predestined, called, justified, and glorified [11]. He also spoke of individuals being admitted into a new state through the remission of sins and becoming children of God through spiritual renewal [8].

Despite these differences, there is common ground among these traditions. All acknowledge that salvation originates with God [6]. The concept of God's "decrees" or "counsels" is understood to be eternal, immutable, and sovereign, encompassing all things [4, 7]. There is also agreement that God's purpose includes the salvation of individuals, nations, and the calling of individuals to office or privilege [1, 3]. The suffering and death of Christ are universally recognized as being according to God's counsel and purpose [7]. Furthermore, the Gospel is seen as the means by which people are called to salvation [15].

The divergence in these theological positions often stems from differing hermeneutical commitments regarding the interpretation of key biblical texts and the emphasis placed on either divine sovereignty or human responsibility. Some traditions prioritize passages that highlight God's absolute control and predetermined plan, while others emphasize verses that speak to human choice and God's universal desire for salvation. The precise relationship between God's foreknowledge and His foreordination is a central point of contention, with some seeing foreknowledge as equivalent to foreordination [10], and others viewing it as God's prior awareness of free human choices [12].

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: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
  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: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
  5. I Peter “I Peter 1:2 (Geneva1599) — Elect according to the foreknowledge of God ye Father vnto sanctification of ye Spirit, through obedience and sprinkeling of the blood of Iesus Christ: Grace and peace bee multiplied vnto you.”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Salvation — Is of God -- Ps 3:8; 37:39; Jer 3:23. Is of the purpose of God -- 2Ti 1:9. Is of the appointment of God -- 1Th 5:9. God is willing to give -- 1Ti 2:4. Is by Christ -- Isa 63:9; Eph 5:23. Is by Christ alone -- Isa 45:21,22; 59:16; Ac 4:12. Announced after the fall -- Ge 3:15. Of Israel, predicted -- Isa 35:4; 45:17; Zec 9:16; Ro 11:26. Of the Gentiles, predicted -- Isa 45:22; 49:6; 52:10. Revealed in the gospel -- Eph 1:13; 2Ti 1:10. Came to the Gentiles through the fall of the Jews -- Ro 11:11. Christ The Captain of. -- Heb 2:10. The Author of. -- Heb 5:9”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Counsels and Purposes of God, The — Are great -- Jer 32:19. Are wonderful -- Isa 28:29. Are immutable -- Ps 33:11; Pr 19:21; Jer 4:28; Ro 9:11; Heb 6:17. Are sovereign -- Isa 40:13,14; Da 4:35. Are eternal -- Eph 3:11. Are faithfulness and truth -- Isa 25:1. None can disannul -- Isa 14:27. Shall be performed -- Isa 14:24; 46:11. The sufferings and death of Christ were according to -- Ac 2:23; 4:28. Saints called and save according to -- Ro 8:28; 2Ti 1:9. The union of all saints in Christ, is according to -- Eph 1:9,10. The works of God according to -- Eph 1:11. Shoul”
  8. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 9.--THE BEGINNING OF RENEWAL; RESURRECTION CALLED REGENERATION; THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD WHO LEAD LIVES SUITABLE TO NEWNESS OF LIFE. (part 2): still children of the world; but inasmuch as they are also admitted into a new state, that is to say, by the full and perfect remission of their sins, and in so far as they are spiritually-minded, and behave correspondingly, they are the children of God. Internally we put off the old man and put on the new; for we then and there lay aside lying, and speak truth, and do those other things wherein the apostle”
  9. 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 ”
  10. 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:2: foreknowledge--foreordaining love (Pe1 1:20), inseparable from God's foreknowledge, the origin from which, and pattern according to which, election takes place. Act 2:23, and Rom 11:2, prove "foreknowledge" to be foreordination. God's foreknowledge is not the perception of any ground of action out of Himself; still in it liberty is comprehended, and all absolute constraint debarred [ANSELM in STEIGER]. For so the Son of God was "foreknown" (so the Greek for "foreordained," Pe1 1:20) to be the sacrificial Lamb, not against, or without His will, but His ”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 14.--NONE OF THE ELECT AND PREDES- (part 1): TINATED CAN PERISH. Of such says the apostle, "We know that to those that love God He worketh together all things for good, to them who are called according to His purpose; because those whom He before foreknew, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified."[3] Of these no one perishes,”
  12. 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 ”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 48.6: lost sheep and joins them to his flock, and holds out his hand to those that were wandering and estranged from him. Hence a knowledge of our election must be sought from this source. As, however, the secret counsel of God is a labyrinth to those who disregard his calling, so those act perversely who, under pretext of faith and calling , darken this first grace, from which faith itself flows. “By faith,” say they, “we obtain salvation: there is, therefore, no eternal predestination of God that distinguishes between ”
  14. 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”
  15. 2 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Thessalonians 2:14: Whereunto he called you by our Gospel,.... Salvation being appointed as the end in the decree of election, and sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, as means; the elect in the effectual calling are called to the participation of each of these; first to the one, and then to the other; to grace here, and glory hereafter: and the means by which they are called is the Gospel, which the apostle calls "our Gospel", not because they were the authors, or the subject of it; for with regard to these it is styled the Gospel of God, and the Gospel of Chr”
  16. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 269: Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be reta”
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