CALVINISM: TRUE OR FALSE? PT2 (UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION)

In part one of this series we thought together about the "T" in "TULIP" theology, or Calvinism as it's sometimes called. It should be pointed out that the thoughts represented by the letter in "tulip" are not all of reformed theology - also a name given to these beliefs. The letters only represent parts of Calvin's theology under attack during his lifetime by another branch of theology called Arminianism. TULIP represents the points of Calvin's theology folks calling themselves Arminians disagreed with, and the acronym "TULIP" was thought up for a tract circulated across Europe to educate Calvinists and ready them to defend their theology. Calvinism goes much deeper and wider than five letters could ever represent.

That said, we've skimmed the surface and asked questions about only one letter so far: T for Total Depravity. Now we skim and poke and prod U: Unconditional Election.

Unconditional meaning we do nothing to earn it, nothing to attract it or refuse it. Nothing. It happens to us. And what is "it"? It is election. Election might be best summed up in one word "chosen." So if I'm understanding correctly, and please kindly correct me if I'm not, unconditional election could be defined as being chosen by God without out regard for our worthiness or unworthiness, our wealth, nation, place in history or any other factors.

God stands on the playground. We're in a line. He's choosing teams. One team is the Sheep - going to Heaven. The other are the Goats - going to hell. He doesn't care how muscley we think we are, how straight we think we stand, how many years we've played the game.

Or, to put it much more dryly and theologically and probably correctly, John Calvin wrote "All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and accordingly, as each has been created for one or the other of these ends, we say that we have been predestinated to life or to death" (Institutes of the Christian Religion 3:21:5). He goes on to say, "God...determined once for all those whom it was His good pleasure one day to admit to salvation, and those whom, on the other hand, it was His good pleasure to doom to destruction" (ICR 3:21:7).

Now, wait a minute, you might say. I thought "T" said we were all depraved. How can humanity, all depraved, be said to not be "created on equal terms"? Well, not equal, according to Calvin, because some were created to be eternally with God and some were created to be damned to hell.

And more theological jargon: According to the Canons of Dordt (1st Head of Doctrine - Article 7), "Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, He has out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of His own will, chosen from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault from their primitive state of rectitude into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom He from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect and the foundation of salvation. This elect number, though by nature neither better nor more deserving than others, but with them involved in one common misery, God has decreed to give to Christ to be saved by Him, and effectually to call and draw them to His communion by His Word and Spirit; to bestow upon them true faith, justification, and sanctification; and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of His Son, finally to glorify them for the demonstration of His mercy, and for the praise of the riches of His glorious grace."

I have many questions about all this: What does the word "predestined" mean in the original Greek - before Calvinism may have projected a meaning onto it? Wen Paul says God predestined those he foreknew was he not saying God predestined everyone since God foreknew everyone (Psalm 139)? And many more. What questions do you have? And what answers for the rest of us? Teach us.