Increasingly we meet people who do not want to be concerned with election by God. They are of the opinion that nowadays one can no longer believe such things. If there is a God, then you cannot accept that he elects this person and not the other.

That is why it is a question for many of whether you can still speak of election, and it is definitely doubtful whether you will benefit from this. Is it not something that is outdated, and something that goes against every sense of justice?

Who Chooses?⤒🔗

Still, there have been centuries of people who have assumed that there is an election. People choose other people, so God can do it too, they reason. But in this you have to use your common sense. In daily life you choose people and things that you find attractive and nice. That’s the way it is. You don’t choose ugly ornaments; the nice ones you select, according to your taste. Because each has his own preference.

In this way it is possible to believe that God elects people to live for him. That is why they are of the opinion that God pays attention to those who have a good nature. Terribly bad people cannot please him and he will not count them as his chosen ones. They reason that God sees beforehand which people will believe and which people will lead a good life. These people God will elect and they will share in the salvation that God has ordained for them.

Without realizing it, they support the idea that, in essence, God first looks at the person and only after that takes action. In other words: God depends on man, although they will not admit that they reason as such.

Can you and may you think that way about the election by God? Do you have the Word of God on your side?

Which People?←⤒🔗

Let us look first at the people of Israel. What was the reason the Lord elected this nation? The prophet Amos does not stand alone when he declares that God did not do this because of something present in this people. It is actually as bad as all other peoples. Still the Lord chose Abram, as well as Isaac and Jacob. Israel is the people of God, because he wanted it that way. He is pleased to do so, and God does not have to give account to anyone.

That is ultimately what bothers the whole world and why we see so much hatred against Israel, because they cannot accept that God has chosen this people to be his people.

That is how we have to deal with God’s election to salvation. Which people does God choose? Decent people, sympathetic people? No, on the contrary, people who wander away from him, people who turn away from him, people who are utterly corrupt. People who have come that far that they hate God and their neighbour. In a word: wicked people.

How can it be that God is pleased with sinners! To love people who love you is not difficult. But loving enemies? That is how God is, who reconciles enemies with himself, who chooses such bad people to be his children.

That is the astonishment of all the children of God. He loved us first!

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ … as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.”

For God elects in Christ.

In Order to Believe←⤒🔗

Now it is clear that God does not choose based on our faith, but he elects to work faith. He works in people in such a way that they will begin to believe in him, in his Son. His Holy Spirit works faith in all who are chosen. He does this entirely on his own. And yet it is true that he does not do this without us. For it is peculiar to the work of the Holy Spirit that he performs his holy work through his Word. The Holy Spirit involves his own Word and the preaching thereof to work faith.

That is evident from what happens, for instance, in a place like Ephesus. When the apostle arrives in this city, he does not say to these citizens: there is election and rejection. Terrible if God has rejected you and fortunately if you may be a chosen one. On the contrary.

When this apostle of Jesus Christ arrives in this idolatrous city and the people shout for hours, “Great is our goddess,” he declares straightforwardly, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” That is how Paul comes everywhere with the gospel. When after that the people come to true faith, he does not thank them in a letter that they have done so well and that they are so much better than others. Just see how he begins his letter to them: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ … who chose us in him before the foundation of the world.”

Through grace you have been saved. It is only from God. At the same time he adds, “By faith.”

That is how God works out his election. So that only through faith can you be certain of this election by God. And so also by faith you will praise God, who loved you already from eternity and therefore drew you from the darkness in which you lived, into his wonderful light.

How good God is! He is to be praised for ever. Who has deserved to be chosen by God? It is through God alone, because of his eternal good pleasure. This will make you sing his glories more and more.

This article was translated by Bert Stulp.