The Scriptural doctrine of eternal election is the final test of a believer’s faith: “At the doctrine of the election of grace one writes his final examination in theology” ("An der Lehre von der Gnadenwahl wird das theologische Schlussexamen gemacht”), Christl. Dogmatik, III, 668. The doctrine of eternal election as taught in Scripture allows not even a trace of Pelagianism or rationalism to stand. It rather demands unqualified acceptance of Scripture as the only source and norm of faith (sola Scriptura), unqualified trust in Christ’s vicarious atonement as the sinner’s only hope of salvation (sola fide), and unqualified recognition of the universality of the divine promises offered in the Gospel (gratia universalis).
In his excellent “Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books” Concordia Triglotta, p. 205 Dr. F. Bente writes: “According to the Formula of Concord, all Christians, theologians included, are bound to derive their entire doctrine from the Bible alone; matters of faith must be decided exclusively by clear passages of Holy Scripture; human reason ought not in any point to criticize, and lord it over, the infallible Word of God; reason must be subjected to the obedience of Christ and dare not hinder faith in believing the divine testimonies even when they seemingly contradict each other.
“We are not commanded to harmonize, says the Formula, but to believe, confess, defend, and faithfully to adhere to, the teachings of the Bible (1078, 52 ff.).
“In the doctrine of conversion and salvation (election) therefore Lutherans confess both the sola gratia and the universalis gratia, because they are convinced that both are clearly taught in the Bible and that to reject or modify either of them amounts to a criticism of the Word of God and hence of God Himself.
“Synergists differ from Lutherans, not in maintaining universal grace (which in reality they deny as to intention as well as extension, for they corrupt the Scriptural content of gTace by making it dependent on man’s conduct and thereby limit its extension to such only as comply with its conditions), but in denying the sola gratia and teaching that the will of man enters conversion as a factor alongside of grace.
“And Calvinists differ from Lutherans not in maintaining the sola gratia, but in denying universal grace"
But if the Christian believer, on the basis of Scripture, maintains both the gratia universalis and the sola gratia, then indeed the mystery remains: Why are some elected and others not ? (Cur alii, alii non f Cur alii prae aliis ?) This mystery the true Christian believer does not try to solve since it belongs to God’s unsearchable judgments and His ways which are past finding out, Rom. 11, 33—36. But he keeps all his thoughts on the doctrines of eternal election, conversion, and salvation within the revealed teaching of Scripture: He who is saved is saved alone by grace; he who is lost perishes through His own unbelief, Hos. 13, 9. From any attempt to solve the mystery which is involved in the doctrine of eternal election he will abstain all the more, since God’s Word tells him that he now knows in part, but that in heaven he shall know even as also he is known, 1 Cor. 13, 12.
In summary, it is clear why so many reject the Scriptural doctrine of eternal election, namely, for the simple reason that they wish to “harmonize the divine testimonies when they seemingly contradict each other” (universalis gratia; sola gratia). Synergism harmonizes the divine testimonies by denying the sola gratia; Calvinism, by denying the universalis gratia. In both cases, as Dr. F. Bente says, “human reason criticizes, and lords it over, the infallible Word of God.”
The real mystery in the doctrine of election exists because Holy Scripture does not explain why “some are struck by the Law and others are not struck, so that the former receive the proffered grace and the latter reject it” (Luther, St. L., XVIII, 1794 ff. 1965 f.). The Formula of Concord rightly says that “God has reserved this mystery for His wisdom and has revealed nothing to us concerning it in His Word” Thor. Decl., XI, 54 f.. In place of this real mystery some Lutheran theologians have put the so- called “psychological mystery” (das psychologische Geheimnis). That is to say, “it is impossible for us to understand how a person can resist divine grace after God through His Word has put him into a position in which he can truly and really convert himself.” Those who thus operate with a psychological mystery solve the Teal mystery in the doctrine of election in the old synergistic way; for not only do they assume a status medius, in which a still unconverted person can convert himself by means of divinely bestowed powers, but they also explain the question why one is converted and another is not by the synergistic formula: Conversion is due to the better conduct of the converted toward divine grace. For this reason we reject the “psychological mystery” as a synergistic notion and figment. The Scriptural doctrine of election is accepted in its truth and purity by those only who reject in toto every form of Pelagianism and rationalism.
In view of the endless confusion which rationalism has caused in the Christian Church by perverting the Scriptural doctrine of eternal election we conclude this article with the sincere prayer with which the Formula of Concord closes its treatise on predestination Epit., XI, 23: “May Almighty God and the Father of our Lord Jesus grant the grace of His Holy Ghost that we all may be one in Him and constantly abide in this Christian unity, which is well-pleasing to Him! Amen.”