ELECTION AND PREDESTINATION Part 2.
Continuing from yesterday, election to salvation and holiness of the church body is always certain. But the certainty of election for individuals remains conditional on their personal living faith in Jesus and perseverance in union with Him and the church. Paul demonstrates this as follows: God’s eternal purpose for the church is“that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” Ephesians 1:4. This refers to both to forgiveness of sins and to the church’s purity as the bride of Christ.
God’s elect people are being led by the Holy Spirit toward sanctification and holiness. The apostle repeatedly emphasizes the paramount purpose of God, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.” (Ephesians 2:10; 4:1,13; 5:1)
Fulfillment of this purpose for individuals in the church is conditional. Christ will present us “holy and without blame before Him” only if we continue to walk in the faith and according to the Holy Spirit. Paul states this clearly: “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” Colossians 1:21-23
Here Paul expressly states that we are to stay in THE faith (as opposed to “in faith”). In the Greek, the article “the” changes the meaning of the word; therefore Paul is not suggesting a “personal faith”, which is true; but as well as a personal faith we must stay in the Biblical, Scriptural faith. Consequently, the Bible predicts an end time falling away from Biblical faith- the doctrines and tenets of eternally binding Scripture. This is what is referred to as “apostasy”.
The Greek term literally means “standing away, departing, turn away” from God and refers to abandoning what one had previously believed and experienced in Christ. It involves a disowning of Christ and a departure from the true body of Christ and the Christian Biblical, historical faith. We are seeing this in the social justice gospel, CRT, LGBTQ agenda, universalism, progressive Christianity, false love gospel, lascivious grace, etc.; all are a deconstruction of biblical faith, preaching “another Christ and another gospel”. Once saved men and women, who tasted of the goodness of God; will depart from the Bible and Scriptural account of our Lord and Savior Jesus through the enemy’s deception, appearing good, beautiful and true. This is currently occurring en masse.
There is no way you can read the totality of Scriptures and believe “once saved always saved”. It is an errant theology based on a lie and is a false assurance. The once elect in Christ will depart from the ark to be destroyed in the rising waters. Remember, only eight souls were saved from the flood. “Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”Romans 11:20-22 NKJV
Election to salvation is offered to all, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”” Acts 17:30-31 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9
However, salvation only become actual for persons contingent on their repentance and faith as they accept God’s wonderful gift in Christ. At the point of saving faith, the believer is incorporated into Christ’s elect body (the church) by the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming one of the elect. Thus, there is both God’s initiative and our response in election. #runyourrace
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
