The central teaching of Scripture is the comforting doctrine of God's grace in Christ Jesus toward fallen and lost mankind, Rom. 3, 23. 24; Eph. 2, 8. 9. To this divine grace the Christian owes his conversion, justification, sanctification, and preservation in faith1, 2 Tim. 1, 9; Titus 3, 7; 1 Cor. 15, 10. That is the doctrine of the sola gratia, which Scripture teaches so plainly and consolingly.
To this doctrine Holy Scripture adds the comforting truth that whatever spiritual blessings God confers upon believers in time He in His infinite grace has decreed to bestow upon them from eternity. Accordingly we find in Scripture also the doctrine of eternal election.
The doctrine of election may be summarized in the words: Election is the eternal act of God with respect to all who are saved, by which, out of pure grace and for Christ’s sake (Praedestinatio gratuita et libera est), He purposed to endow them in time with the spiritual blessings of conversion, justification, sanctification, and preservation unto life eternal. This definition embraces all divine truths which Scripture presents in connection with the doctrine of eternal election.
The doctrine of election centers in the consolatory message that whatever spiritual blessings God’s saints receive in time He has graciously decreed for them from eternity, 2 Tim. 1, 9; Acts 13, 48; 2 Thess. 2, 13.14; Eph. 1, 3—6; Rom. 8, 28—30.
Thus to God’s eternal election of grace, or to His gracious purpose (κατ᾽ ἰδίαν πρόϑεσιν καὶ γάριν), without any consideration whatever of their works (“not according to our works”), Scripture ascribes the vocation, or calling, of the believers, 2 Tim. 1, 9. To God’s gracious election, Scripture ascribes their faith (Acts 13, 48: “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed,”ὅσοι ἣἢσαν τεταγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον). To God’s gracious election Scripture ascribes their “obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2, 13.14: “Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation,” ὅτι εἴλατο ὑμᾶς ὁ ϑεὸς ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς εἰς σωτηρίαν). To God’s gracious election (“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world,” καϑὼς ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου) Scripture ascribes “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” with which God endows the believers in time, Eph. 1, 3—6. To God’s gracious election (τοῖς κατὰ πρόϑεσιν κλητοῖς) Scripture ascribes the comforting fact that all things must work together for good to them that love God; for they are called, justified, and glorified because He predestinated them, οὗς δὲ προώρισεν τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσεν, Rom. 8, 28—30.
Holy Scripture thus traces all the spiritual blessings of conversion, justification, sanctification, and preservation back to God’s eternal election of grace in Christ Jesus. In this life and in the life to come believers receive nothing but what God before the foundation of the world decreed to give them in His beloved Son. The believing remnant (τὸ λέμμα) in Israel is a “remnant according to the election of grace” κατ’ ἐκλογὴν λεῖμμα*, Rom. 11, 5.
In order that no one may doubt that this election is entirely of grace and in no way of works, the apostle adds: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace,” Rom. 11, 6. Indeed, he shows that Israel, which sought salvation by works, did not obtain it; for he writes: “Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it (ἡ δὲ ἐκλογὴ ἐπέτυχεν) and the rest were blinded,” Rom. 11, 7.
The works of the believers are not a meritorious cause of their election of grace; for the apostle expressly declares: “For the children, being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth (ἵνα ἡ κατ' ἐκλογὴν πρόϑεσις τοῦ ϑεοῦ μένῃ, οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος), it was said unto her. The elder shall serve the younger,” Rom. 9, 11.12.
So definitely and unmistakably Scripture ascribes all the spiritual and heavenly blessings of the believers to God’s eternal election in Christ that no doubt whatever can remain with respect to this truth.
The Formula of Concord acknowledges this fact in its full Scriptural content when it writes Epit., XI, 5: “The predestination, or eternal election of God, extends only over the godly, beloved children of God, being a cause of their salvation (haec est causa ipsorum salutis), which He also provides as well as disposes what belongs thereto. Upon this predestination of God our salvation is founded so firmly that the gates of hell cannot overcome it, John 10, 28; Matt. 16, 18.”
Two basic truths, then, must be borne in mind whenever the article of eternal election of grace is being considered: —
a. God’s eternal election of grace did not take place in view of man’s foreseen final faith (electio intuitu fidei finalis), but rather embraced this faith together with the whole way of salvation (ordo salutis, media salutis), such as conversion, justification, sanctification, and final preservation. Hence the believer is noil elected because of his foreseen faith (ex praevisa fide finali); on the contrary, he has become a believer in time because of his eternal election to salvation. In other words, a person is brought to saving faith in time just because God from eternity has graciously elected him to salvation, Acts 13, 48; Eph. 1, 3—6; Rom. 8, 28—30.
So also the Formula of Concord testifies Thor. Decl., XI, 8: "The eternal election of God, however, not only foresees and foreknows the salvation of the elect, but is also, from the gracious will and pleasure of God in Christ Jesus, a cause which procures, works, helps, and promotes our salvation and what pertains thereto."
What the Formula of Concord means by the words “a cause which procures, works, helps, and promotes our salvation and what pertains thereto” it further explains when it says ibid., 14: “The entire doctrine concerning the purpose, counsel, will, and ordination of God pertaining to our redemption, call, justification, and salvation should be taken together. “God in His purpose and counsel ordained: 1) that the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through Christ... ; 2) that such merit and benefits of Christ shall be presented, offered, and distributed to us through His Word and Sacraments; 3) that by His Holy Ghost, through the Word, . . . He will be efficacious and active in us, convert hearts to true repentance, and preserve them in the true faith; 4) that He will justify all those who in true repentance receive Christ by a true faith ... ; 5) that He will also sanctify in love those who are thus justified ... ; 6) that He also will protect them in their great weakness . . . and preserve them for life eternal; 7) that He will also strengthen, increase, and support to the end the good work which He has begun in them if they adhere to God’s Word, pray diligently, abide in God’s goodness grace, and faithfully use the gifts received; 8) that finally He will eternally save and glorify in life eternal those whom He has elected, called, and justified” ibid., 14—22.
God’s eternal election of grace thus embraces the whole order of salvation (ordo salutis) by which the sinner comes to faith and is preserved in faith to the end, Rom. 8, 28—30.
b. With respect to the doctrine of election all those are sure to err who reject the sola gratia and so teach that a sinner is saved (elected and converted) not by grace alone, but also by some good quality or worthiness in him (aliquid in homine; aliqua causa discriminis) which God foresaw and on account of which He elected him (synergism). Similarly also those err with respect to this doctrine who teach that God’s eternal election of grace consisted merely in the appointment of the means of grace (ordinatio mediorum — election in a under sense, used in this sense by the errorists).
While the Formula of Concord clearly states that God’s eternal election of grace embraces the way of salvation (ordo salutis; media salutis), it emphatically declares that the eternal election of grace was not merely a predestination of the means of salvation, but “of each and every person of the elect who are to be saved through Christ.”
Our Confession says ibid., 23: “In this counsel, purpose, and ordination God has prepared salvation not only in general, but has in grace considered and chosen to salvation each and every person of the elect who are to be saved through Christ, also ordained that in the way just mentioned He will by His grace, gifts, and efficacy bring them thereto.”
We therefore rightly say that God’s eternal election of grace is properly a predestination of persons to be saved through faith by the means of grace (Eph. 1, 4: ἐξελέξατο ἡ μᾶς; 1 Pet. 1, 1: ἐκλεκτοῖς παρεπιδήμοις).
Summarizing all points of importance that may be considered under the head “Definition of the Term,” we may say: The election of grace is an election of persons (Personenwahl), not an election of the means of salvation (ordinatio mediorum); nor is it the ordination of the ordo salutis nor the divine decree that all who persevere in faith till the end shall be saved, Eph. 1, 4; 2 Thess. 2, 13; Matt. 24, 24. Election is not general (error of Huber), but particular, Eph. 1, 4; Matt. 20, 16. It is an election of individuals (Einzelwahl), which must be held against all who teach that election does not refer to individual persons, but to the Church in general, Eph. 1, 4. It does not embrace temporary believers, but only those who actually obtain eternal salvation, Matt. 24, 24; Rom. 8, 28—30.