Biblical election is an important concept to understand.  Many think of the Calvinist concept of unconditional election when they think of God’s election.  Yet that is wrong.  The connection of God’s election with Calvinism should be discarded.

The account of the 300 men who were chosen to go with Gideon to battle in Judges chapter 7 provides an important illustration for understanding Biblical, conditional election.  Carefully read Judges chapter 7:1-8.  Note that 300 was not a fixed number.  Everyone who met the condition which God had set for going to battle with Gideon was chosen to go.  Though God was deliberately seeking to reduce the size of the army here from 10,000, the final number chosen could have been more or less than 300.  

Though this story applies to those chosen to go to battle with Gideon against the Midianites, and not rather to obtaining God’s grace nor to obtaining ultimate salvation, the principle seen here about choosing (or, election- they’re interchangeable terms) does indeed apply to obtaining God’s grace and to obtaining ultimate salvation when it comes to the terms God has set down in the Bible regarding these things.  

And though God does not deliberately seek to diminish the number of those saved like He was seeking to reduce Israel’s army under Gideon as they went out in battle to face the Midianites, it is only His will to save people who cooperate with, and run according to, the terms of His covenant in Jesus Christ.

While no man comes to the Father but through Jesus (John 14:6), it is simultaneously true that no one can come to Jesus on their own terms and be accepted.  Man must come to Jesus and continue in Him according to the terms of His covenant which He has set forth in the Bible.  Sin must be forsaken and the Bible’s instruction must be submitted to and heeded in order to obtain God’s grace, and to continue in God’s grace, through Jesus Christ’s mediation.

The Apostle Paul wrote the following concerning God’s will to save all who cooperate with His covenant conditions in 1 Timothy 2:4-7: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.  Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity (that is, truth).”

There would be no point in Paul being ordained as a teacher in faith and truth if we could just believe in Jesus Christ in our self-appointed way and still be accepted by Him.  

Along the same lines, Jesus said Luke 8:21: “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.”

This describes the elect ones.  They were not randomly chosen.  They didn’t earn God’s grace either.  His grace is rather freely offered to all- on a conditional basis.

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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