SPECIAL REPORT/nay C. Stedman
predestination O ne of the questions constantly arising in Christian circles is that concerning predes
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to him self, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Here both words are used. W e are chosen in Him or elected in Him. And linked together with this is the idea of predestination unto the adoption of children in Christ. W e are specifically told that all this took place before the foundation of the world. Now this is an amazing statement. Election says that out of the billions of people who have lived up until today and all that will ever live in years to come, God chose certain ones, elected them and they became what Paul calls, “ children by Jesus Christ to himself” and “ chosen . . . in him before the foundation of the world.” You and I were in the mind of God even before the uni verse took shape! He knew who we were and chose us for His purposes. You will recognize immediately that this is a truth that largely applies to Christians— the non- Christians or the non-church-going people have a difficult time with this subject of election. They stumble over it because it seems to them almost incredible that this should be. And, of course, it is an easy thing for us with our finite mental capacities to say, " I f God chose people long before the world was even made to be saved, then why bother to preach to them? I f they are going to be saved they will be saved and we don’t have to worry about them.” That was exactly the philosophy that William Carey (the father of modern missions) first ran up against when he began to speak and teach in England that somebody ought to get out and do something about the perishing millions in India. CONTINUED
tination, or as it is often called, the doctrine of election. It is of intense interest to those who have come to realize that God is working in the affairs of men. Today we use this term election in a far differ ent sense than it was used in the Bible. When we speak of an election, we are talking about a certain person running for an office and a deci sion being made when people vote for him or against him. If the majority votes for him then he is elected; if they vote against him then he is not elected. Now God’s election is a choice but it is God’s choice only and in this respect the word election in the Bible has no resemblance to the ordinary use of this word except that it is a choice. We sometimes hear someone quoting D . L. Moody who used to put it this way, "Election is a matter of God voting for you and the devil voting against you and whichever way you cast your vote that decides the matter.” From man’s view point that would seem to be the case but it isn’t as simple as that for Scripture presents a somewhat different idea. Is it true that men are elected to salvation? Are some also elected to damnation? Does God predestinate some to be saved and some not to be? These are the questions that arise in this matter of predestination. I think probably the clearest statement about election in the Scriptures is the one found in Ephesians 1:4, 5. Paul says, "According as he hath About the author. Ray C. Stedman is a graduate of Dallas Theo logical Seminary and pastor of the Peninsula Bible Church, Palo Alto, C alif. He Is the author of "Th e Chrlstlon & Worldliness" that stormed through two reprint editions after appearing In The King's Business (Nov., 1956).
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The Kino's Business/Jonuory 1958
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