Election/Predestination and the Need for a Theological Balance

SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE

Election is a wonderful doctrine. However, it is not a call to
favoritism, but a call to be a channel, a tool, or means of others’ redemption!
In the Old Testament the term was used primarily for service; in the New
Testament it is used primarily for salvation which issues in service. The Bible
never reconciles the seeming contradiction between God’s sovereignty and
mankind’s free will, but affirms them both! A good example of the biblical
tension would be Romans 9 on God’s sovereign choice and Romans 10 on mankind’s
necessary response (cf. Rom. 10:11,13).

The key to this theological tension may be found in Ephesians 1:4. Jesus
is God’s elect man and all are potentially elect in Him (Karl Barth). Jesus is
God’s “yes” to fallen mankind’s need (Karl Barth). Ephesians 1:4 also helps
clarify the issue by asserting that the goal of predestination is not heaven,
but holiness (Christlikeness). We are often attracted to the benefits of the
gospel and ignore the responsibilities! God’s call (election) is for time as
well as eternity!

Doctrines come in relation to other truths, not as single, unrelated
truths. A good analogy would be a constellation versus a single star. God
presents truth in eastern, not western, genres. We must not remove the tension
caused by dialectical (paradoxical) pairs of doctrinal truths:

1. Predestination vs. human free will

2. Security of the believers vs. the need for perseverance

3. Original sin vs. volitional sin

4. Sinlessness (perfectionism) vs. sinning less

5. Initial instantaneous justification and sanctification vs.
progressive sanctification

6. Christian freedom vs. Christian responsibility

7. God’s transcendence vs. God’s immanence

8. God as ultimately unknowable vs. God as knowable in Scripture

9. The Kingdom of God as present vs. future consummation

10. Repentance as a gift of God vs. repentance as a necessary human
covenantal response

11. Jesus as divine vs. Jesus as human

12. Jesus as equal to the Father vs. Jesus as subservient to the
Father

The theological concept of “covenant” unites the sovereignty of God (who
always takes the initiative and sets the agenda) with a mandatory initial and
continuing repentant faith response from mankind (cf. Mark 1:15; Acts 3:16,19;
20:21). Be careful of proof-texting one side of the paradox and depreciating the
other! Be careful of asserting only your favorite doctrine or system of
theology!