The other day I started to write about the 5 points of Calvinism, often referred to under the mnemonic “TULIP”, Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Perseverance of the Saints. It’s worth remembering that whilst this has become a shorthand summary of reformed theology, it was intended as a specific response to specific challenges at a particular time. It is not the sum total of that theological tradition and certainly not the sum, infallible total of what Christians believe but it is helpful.
I kicked off with the L in the mnemonic, whilst that means we are taking things in a different order to TULIP, even the order was different at the synod of Dort, the order of the 5 points has been arranged to fit the memorable word, rather than because that’s the order of importance. In fact, I would suggest that it is unhelpful as well as unfair to Calvin and Calvinism to begin with Total Depravity which puts the whole focus on humanity and our needs. Reformed theology, properly and rightly begins in a different place, not with man and his fallenness but with God, his greatness and goodness. We start with the belief that God is sovereign, eternal, invincible, infinite, all knowing, everywhere and we start with the belief that he is love, he is holy, he is wise, he is kind, he is just, he is true.
Which means that in terms of logical order, we really should have started with Unconditional Election. This is the belief that God, in eternity, from before the foundation of the earth, chose a people for himself. Election is rooted in the belief that God is sovereign so that nothing happens without his say so. It’s linked closely to predestination.
Unconditional Election means that he chooses this people, not based on anything good in us. It is not conditional on our good works, our cleverness, our importance or any suggestion that he needs and is dependent on us. We cannot do anything to earn God’s favour -hence Total Depravity which we will come to soon – and so that choice is not dependent on us, it is wholly God’s free choice.
Ephesians 1:4-5 says:
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will”
Notice that crucial phrase “in love”. Election and predestination are things that arise out of God’s love, not just that God loves but that God is love. This means that the whole purpose of the idea of election is pastoral not philosophical or polemic. Too often throughout church history, the focus has been on, at times vicious, debate over the meaning and truth of the term. However, that was not the purpose Paul had in mind when he used it.
In fact, the term would have been completely uncontroversial to Paul’s first readers, at least in relation to modern controversies. Noone would have been surprised to hear that God elected, God chose. That was the whole point of God’s covenant with Abraham, he chose a people for himself. This was foundational to much of the Torah and the prophets. Rather the surprise was that election included Gentiles and was based on grace/faith not on ethnicity and works.
The point we are meant to get from Unconditional Election is this. God chooses to love us, not because of anything you’ve said, done or thought and in fact despite the very things you’ve thought, said and done. He chooses, unconditionally to welcome us into his family as his forgiven children. As with Definite Atonement this protects us from pride whilst enabling us to rest secure in Him.
Faithroots 