Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 12:59:18 PM
‘…at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.’ [Romans 11:5-6]
Here is the doctrine of the election of grace. It is called the election of grace because there is nothing in us to merit God’s favor; the basis of election is nothing other than grace. The apostle gives us two examples to illustrate his meaning...
“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” [Romans 9:6-13]
Let’s use this passage to refute the idea of ‘age of accountability’ as an unbiblical accommodation when the doctrine of sovereign election is denied.
Note the parenthetical phase: (the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls). There are those who take the first part of this phrase as support for accountability…’ the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil’. Is this the apostle’s intent? He does not leave us to conjecture, but plainly gives us his intent…
‘…that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls’.
The apostle would have us know without ambiguity that election is of grace and not of works. Now, when the apostle gives us his doctrine in such a way to answer our objections, we are not free to invent our own doctrine that contradicts his. If we do so we deceive ourselves when we say we hold to the apostolic doctrine and the authority of Scripture alone.
So, in the light of the doctrine of the election of grace what shall we say of the phrase ‘the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil’? This phrase has nothing to do with age of accountability; that is, making salvation solely dependent on a personal decision. It has everything to do with the sovereignty of God in salvation.
What is the first cause of personal faith and repentance? According to Romans 8 those who are justified are the ones called according to God’s purpose. But the ones who are called are the same ones who are foreknown. This brings us back to the election of grace.
‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.’ [Romans 8:28-30]
Can anything thwart the election of grace from its fulfillment to bring all the given ones to glory? Is the fulfillment dependent on man or the purposes of God? Free will as commonly used today is nowhere to be found in the apostle’s doctrine.
‘...the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls’.
The elect will be brought to glory usually by the normal means of grace in repentance and faith having been given ears to hear the gospel. We will not limit the sovereignty of God to gather His elect by whatever other means He chooses as in the case of Jeremiah the prophet.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you…” [Jeremiah 1:5]
Nor will we deny the total depravity of all men from the womb; meaning our deadness in sin and our inability to come to Christ apart from the regenerating power of God called the new birth.
We rest in the sovereignty and goodness of God, knowing that if anyone is saved it is because of these things. So, if no one is saved apart from these things, then it is also true that all will be saved because of them. None of the 'given ones' of John 17 will be lost because Christ has promised to raise them up on the last day.