Does God Choose Who is Saved?
By AJ Pearson
This is a question I struggled with myself a couple of years ago. I would read verses in Scripture that would talk about predestination or election and become confused by how this could be. I would think to myself: “I’m a free person, and I make my own choices”. This idea went against what I thought or assumed the Bible taught about salvation. Not to mention I didn’t think it sounded fair. How can God choose to save some but not others? Shouldn’t He give us all a chance? But I still couldn’t ignore the verses that talked about predestination and the elect. For clarification going forward when I say elect, I am talking about those chosen by God for salvation.
We are going to look at some of the verses that talk about God’s predestination in choosing who is saved, as well as verses that seem to show people choosing to be saved. This blog post is not going to discuss all the different views and arguments people have made with regards to God choosing who is saved. Instead I am simply going to try and determine what the Bible says about whether God chooses who is and isn’t saved. We must start by coming to God in submission to His word, and what He says is true and good. So, we are going to try and faithfully handle the words written in the Bible today as we seek to answer the question “does God choose who is and isn’t saved?”
The first text we will look at comes from Romans 8. It says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (v. 28-30). From these verses we can be sure that God has certainly predestined to call some to be justified, glorified, and conformed to the image of Jesus. But what exactly does this predestination mean? Does it mean God chose who would believe or did He predestine those whom He knew would believe in Christ? Let’s look at some other passages of Scripture that may help us understand this better.
In Philippians 1:28-29 we read “This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved-and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him…” Paul teaches here that they were saved by God and that their faith was “granted” to them.
In John 6 we read of Jesus telling the crowd “But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” (v. 36-37). In verses 39-40, He continues “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” Jesus affirms that all who look to Him and believe in Him will have eternal life, but He also teaches that those who do are those that the Father gives to Him. This is seen throughout the Gospel of John. (cf. 6:44, 65; 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 24).
There are many other parts of Scripture we could look at with respect to our question, but perhaps the most plain teaching of God’s choosing those who believe in Him can be found in Ephesians 2. In Ephesians 2:1-3 we read that we were once dead in our sins, and that “we were by nature deserving of wrath.” And in verse 5 we read that it is God who “made us alive. Then in Verses 8-10 we read “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Here we have a clear teaching of our salvation, and Paul points out in verse 8 that our salvation by grace through faith is not of ourselves. The ESV translates this “not your own doing” but rather “the gift of God.” We see that Scripture teaches us that God has predestined some to eternal life and that He is the one who has made that choice.
But what about those other parts of Scripture that seem to indicate people can choose whether or not they are saved? Well let’s look at some verses that are commonly brought up when discussing predestination and election.
The first one we will look at is John 3:16; it says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” You might think to yourself “see, it says whoever believes.” When we study the Bible, we have to interpret the parts of Scripture that are not as specific by the parts that are quite clear (interpret the implicit by the explicit). While John 3:16 does not mention God’s choosing those that are saved, it also does not say that those who will believe haven’t been chosen by God. So, here we look at these words in light of other parts of Scripture that speak more clearly on God’s choosing those who are saved. Furthermore, if we look back at the verses and paragraphs that lead up to this verse, we see Jesus telling Nicodemus that those who want to see the kingdom of God must be born again. Many point out that we played no role in our physical birth and say we cannot make ourselves to be born again. In addition to this, we have looked at the other parts of John that seem to clearly teach God’s choosing those who are saved. (cf. John 6:37, 39; 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 24).
1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9 are two verses that seem to suggest that God does not choose those who are saved but instead desires for everyone to repent and believe. We will only look at one of these verses because they are quite similar. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” There are a few ways we can interpret this verse. We could say this verse teaches that God has not chosen certain individuals to be saved but instead has extended an invitation to everyone and wants everyone to accept this invitation. We could say that Peter is talking specifically of the elect when he says “everyone” because he previously had said that God is “patient with you” talking to the believers he was writing to. A third option would be that we differentiate between God’s perceived, or moral will and His efficacious will. I believe this is the best option for understanding this verse.
We know that God’s will cannot be thwarted. When He created the world, He willed it into being, He spoke, and it appeared. (cf. Genesis 1). If God wanted all to be saved, He could make that happen. So why then does Peter say He does want all to come to repentance? I believe this is where His perceived will comes in. God does care for all the people and has offered salvation to all who believe, so as we see it, He does want all to believe. However, He has not willed this to be the case. We saw in Romans 8 that God has called us according to His purpose. It is for His own purposes that God has created us, and it is for His own purpose that He saves some and punishes others. Based on Romans 9 I would think the reason He has chosen some to be saved and not others is that His grace and mercy can be shown in His elect while His justice can be shown in the reprobate (non-elect). So, in the case of 2 Peter 3:9 we perceive that God wants all to be saved, because God wants all to do what is right, which includes repenting and turning to Him, but His efficacious will (that which He actually makes happen) is that some will be saved but not others.
Now that we have looked at what the Bible has to say about God’s elect, you may have some objections. I know I did. You may be thinking this isn’t fair, and you would be right. Fair would be that none of us are saved, and furthermore that none of us are even allowed to live here on this earth. But God in His grace has given us life we do not deserve, first here on earth, then in eternity for those who have believed in Jesus. It may bother you to think that you didn’t have a choice in putting your faith in God, but this is really a good thing. It means we can’t become puffed up and think we are smarter than non-believers. Instead, we will feel for the non-believer, knowing they are dead in their sins, just as we would be if it were not for the amazing grace of God. And this should compel us to share the Gospel with them.
Now this may bring up another objection, why should we evangelize if God is the one who saves, and He has already decided who will be saved. Some may answer this question by saying because Jesus said so, and this is true Jesus did say to bring the Gospel to the world. (Matthew 28:19-20). But God has also chosen us as instruments to bring salvation to those whom He predestined. In Romans 10:14 Paul says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Here we see Paul, despite teaching election, saying that we need to preach the Gospel to people if they are to believe and call on the name of the Lord for salvation. God has blessed us to be a part of His plan of bringing salvation to His chosen ones.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” Romans 8: 31-33 (ESV)
There are many other parts of Scripture we could have looked at, and I am sure I did not cover all that you have questions about, and did not go into enough detail on some things, but I hope this helps you to understand what the Bible says about election and predestination as well as encourage you because of the implications of it all. If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please find me and I would be happy to discuss this further.
All Scripture quotations are from NIV unless otherwise noted.
REFLECTION
Are there more questions you still have? Write them down, find someone you trust to discuss them with, and keep looking in the Bible.
How does the idea of being chosen by God make you see God?
Does thinking about the idea of the elect change how you should live? Why or why not?
Does it change how you view evangelism? How come?