There is, and has always been since the death of the disciples, a lot of debate about what ‘elect’ really means. One famous Christian writer, decided in his mind (and may I add; tried to find a way to apply a description from man’s finite view point to describe an something about a God who by definition must be outside of space and time which is unwise and according to The Bible is not even possible), that this must mean everything was fixed from the beginning. Right or wrong, his view has generated an entire denomination which sprang up based on his (a man’s) assumptions.
My problem is with this conclusion – that all is fixed from the beginning, is that not only are we are told in The Bible not to interpret it’s contents ourselves, but that actually this statement; elect according to the fore-knowledge of God, like so many other texts that appear in The Bible (the King James version especially) explains itself – and in crystal clear terms and does not need any ‘interpretation’ by me or any other men at all.
The verse like so many others beautifully explains itself
We do not have to decide for ourselves what the word elect means here – as the word that comes after it, just like so many of the ‘difficult’ passages in the Bible are perfectly explained by reading the context – the verses before and after – just as we are to compare the two witnesses of The Old and New Testaments to get the full and accurate picture of God.
So let’s read that statement slowly; elect – according – to the fore knowledge of God. It does not say we are elect because it was fixed from the beginning (which would actually be pre-determined and not pre-destined – the word the Bible uses with perfect accuracy). In other words ‘the elect’, are elect – only according to what God already knows (fore-knowledge) is going to happen, but not elect at the beginning of God’s existence as if God like us is on a timeline – He isn’t – He has no beginning or timeline. He is simply relating to our timeline by using the word ‘elect’ but clarifying what He means here related also to His being outside of time by adding the word fore-knowledge.
Fixed in the book of life yes – but (The Bible says) ONLY according to God knowing the outcome already!
Does that seem impossible?.. to know the outcome of something and yet for free will to still exist? Scientists are well aware that in this world such paradoxes appear to exist. Study quantum physics and we see hints in God’s creation (which reflects Him) that He is in fact and by necessity outside our ‘time’ – beyond mysterious, knowing things before they happen, where two apparently conflicting things (according to our finite – time based understanding) can in fact co-exist.
So yes, I believe we have free will is no illusion (you might not agree with me right but change your mind next week) but God outside time knows your decisions before you make them. The statement that ‘we are elect’ says explicitly and unequivocally also states in the same sentence that we are only ‘elect’ – i.e our names may be in or out of the book – only according to the prior knowledge God has about the decisions we are going to make and the lives that we lead. And actually – if God is God – this is what we would expect and it couldn’t be any other way. We ARE elected – in other words some are chosen to go to heaven and some are not – but God does this because of his prior knowledge of the outcome (His words not mine).
The Bible says pre-destined (a desired destiny) not pre-determined (fixed)
Also – understand that pre-destination that appears in the Bible is not the same as pre-determined (which does not) and they have two totally different meanings – and yet we have confused the meaning of one with the other. When Christians today say ‘pre-destined’ (the desired outcome or destination of something but not necessarily fixed eg. I was predestined to be a teacher but I never achieved my goal would be correct) – what they actually mean is pre-determined (fixed) and this does not appear in the Bible.
Many many people that set out to achieve a thing or set out to go to a place and never reach their destination – they never reach their pre-determined (desired) destiny even though it was pre-destined. We are all pre-destined by God (who wishes that none should perish) to go to heaven but not all of us will make it and he knows who will and won’t ahead of ‘time’. We are not however pre-determined to go to heaven (the meaning we wrongly attribute to ‘pre-destined’), we have choice – and yet we are elect (chosen by God outside of time) and our names may already be in or out of the books according to God’s fore knowledge of the outcome.
And in any case, what kind of God would one that did not know the future? He simply wouldn’t be a God at all, and God must by definition know the future – or to be more precise not be bound by the constraints of ‘time’ as we are and be outside of ‘time’ altogether as we experience it.
I love God, Christ, The Bible. art, painting, playing music, improvising music, guitar (first instrument), drumming (not very good at it:), and anything musical or art related. Quick note – my articles are usually spun off in minutes so forgive any errors – hopefully you get the essence of the article and I’ll pick up mistakes later. If you want to write of 101ChristianMagazine and inspire and edify Christians with articles on faith, general news, hobbies or anything that interests you email me at: epgb101@gmail.com:)
