Essential Tenet #8: God chooses us for himself from before the foundation of the world.

Essential Tenet #8 captures one of the unique characteristics of the Presbyterian/Reformed heritage within the Christian family. The language of choosing, election, and predestination are distinct but interrelated expressions of God's prior work of divine grace extended to us in order to salvation. This doctrine has been the subject of countless hours of discussion and pages of writing. 

It’s important to understand when discussing this tenet that for the first 1500 years of the church’s history, predestination was considered orthodoxy. Augustine is likely the most widely referenced source for understanding the church’s position during this time period. Though much more could be said, a brief summary of Augustine’s teachings on predestination will suffice our needs here:  (1) The fall of Adam brought all his posterity into a state of corruption from which we are utterly unable to deliver ourselves. (2) From among the fallen, an unknown number were elected to eternal life. (3) By logical extension, he left the rest to the just penalty of Adam’s sin. (4) The basis of election is not foreknowledge, but the pleasure and mercy of his will. (5) Jesus fulfilled the necessary work to justify us before God. (6) Through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, we experience spiritual rebirth in order to exercise faith and persevere in holy living.

As I have noted in previous posts, the utter corruption that resulted from the sin of Adam left us spiritually dead. Since spiritually dead people do not have the freedom to save themselves, something or someone needs to save us. Fortunately, God acted. He chose us. As Paul writes in Eph. 1:4, our choosing was from before the foundation of the world. Long before we could do anything to earn it, we were chosen. Do not think that we were chosen because God foreknew how well we would turn out. The inner life of even the most mature Christians is enough to condemn them, and falls short of earning any merit in God’s eyes. God's prior election of us is profoundly encouraging and humbling. We may at times doubt our worthiness of this choosing, but we do not doubt God’s divine grace. And, to know that our faith is solely a gift from God should defeat within us any inclination towards spiritual pride.

Our understanding of this doctrine is incomplete unless we understand that Scripture talks about our choosing, election, or predestination as “for” a purpose or call. Peter says, we are chosen or elected, “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ … (1 Peter 1:2 ESV)" Paul says, we are chosen so “that we should be holy and blameless before him. (Ephesians 1:4 ESV)” In Ephesians 1:5, he adds that we were predestined for “adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. (Ephesians 1:5 ESV)” I particularly like the imagery of being chosen for adoption into God’s family.

While some fear that predestination or election removes any responsibility for the Christian life, our choosing means that we have a responsibility to uphold the family tradition. Every family has its predictable patterns, beliefs, and stories. In the Harper house, there rules about how you act at the dinner table. Everybody has chores they are expected to do. There are expectations about how you treat one another. There are expectations about what you do when you mistreat someone. There are distinctively Harper quirks that even make us laugh. There are family stories we regularly retell because its history that express who we are. For better or worse, we have a family tradition that defines us, and shapes how we act.

To be Christian is not that different. Scripture defines for us what it means to be called Christian. It gives us our stories. It defines how we should act. It delivers the promises that sustain us. The evidence of faith is our carrying on the family tradition. The family tradition of the Christian means in part the willingness to bear the family name. It means that we clearly understand that we belong to God because there is only one Savior, or one Mediator, whose name is Jesus the Christ. It means demonstrating the life of one who is growing in holiness daily. It means practicing the goodness and mercy of God for all the world to see. It means a willingness to share the good news of this family to others in hopes that God will adopt them as well. None of these things earn or repay God’s divine grace. They are simply an expression of gratitude for the privilege of membership in the family of God.