while today

Is it the case that God chose some individuals, before time began, to be saved, but chose that others to be eternally lost?  Are some people “elect” and others not? This is a doctrine that is taught by many well-meaning people in Christendom.  But does it line up with the scriptures?  Is it in line with the nature of God as revealed in the scriptures?  This is a dangerous doctrine that leads to some very serious errors.  Let’s take a closer look.

Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NAS95)Did Jesus die only for the elect, or for the entire world?  Is His offer of salvation only for some, or for whoever will believe?  Jesus said in John chapter 5, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life…” (John 5:24a NAS95) Again, is Jesus offering eternal life to anyone who will hear and believe?  Or is He only offering life to the elect?

Someone may say, “Ah, but what about John chapter 6?”  Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me…” (John 6:37a NASB95).  And also, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him…” (John 6:44a NASB95) Don’t these statements prove that some are elect, and some are not?  That some can come to God and some cannot? 

Yes, Jesus says that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws him—but how does the Father draw people? The very next verse explains: God draws people through His word.  Jesus said, “… Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.” (John 6:45b NASB95).  God invites all people, through the word, to come to Jesus, but only those who have heard and learned from the Father will come to the Son.  Those who do not know the Father will reject Jesus.  A second way in which the Father draws all people to Himself is through the cross.  Jesus says in chapter 12, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.  But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.” (John 12:32-33).  All are invited, but many will reject Jesus and His sacrificial death.  

This rejection of the word and the cross is not what God desires.  Remember these words of Paul, that God “…desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4 NAS95) Or consider what Peter wrote that the Lord is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NAS95) What is God’s desire?  It is for all people to be saved!  He does not wish for any to perish, but for all to repent!  Is this really God’s desire?  If so, are we to believe that He would condemn most of mankind to the fires of hell before they were even born?  Are we to believe that God truly desires all to repent, but created most people with the complete inability to repent?  Do these ideas line up with the plain statements of the word of God?

I am so thankful that God does indeed desire all people to be saved.  He gives all people the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel.  This is the plain testimony of the scripture.  Praise God for sending His Son to rescue us from eternal condemnation!   

—Scott Colvin