"Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure" -- Article Ten, First Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort

Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure

But the cause of this undeserved election is exclusively the good pleasure of God. This does not involve his choosing certain human qualities or actions from among all those possible as a condition of salvation, but rather involves his adopting certain particular persons from among the common mass of sinners as his own possession. As Scripture says, “When the children were not yet born, and had done nothing either good or bad …, she [Rebecca] was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated’ ” (Rom. 9:11–13). Also, “All who were appointed for eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48).

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As we saw in the previous articles, the Canons point out that the only biblical basis for God’s choice of a multitude of sinners so vast they cannot be counted to become vessels of honor and not remain vessels fit for destruction (Romans 9:22-23) is to be found solely in God’s own inscrutable will (Isaiah 46:8-10; Psalm 115:3; 135:6). Likewise, the reason why God passes over others allowing them to perish is known only to himself (Romans 9:14-16). Whenever this topic is discussed, we must keep firmly in mind that since all of Adam’s children are sinners by nature and by choice (Romans 5:12-19) and therefore guilty before him, no one deserves to be chosen unto eternal life. Instead, we are by nature children of wrath (cf. Ephesians 2:1-3).

To put it yet another way, the only reason why any are chosen to be redeemed from their sin is to be found in God’s eternal purposes and not because there is something within the creature which causes or motivates God to choose us. The canons affirm the clear teaching of Scripture–God’s election of sinners to be saved is based upon God’s sovereign pleasure and purpose, and not upon anything good within our hearts or wills, since we are seen as fallen in Adam when we are chosen.

The Scriptures confront us with the fact that we are sinners who are guilty before God, filled with impure motives, and also finite creatures with limited knowledge and life-spans. Then, when we encounter the Holy God who created all things, knows all things, and who has no such creaturely limitations as our own, we realize that this is the God with whom we have to do. In light of the fall of our race in Adam, what good or value could God possibly foresee in us that would cause him to choose us? He is holy, we are anything but. No, there is nothing good in us according to Romans 3:10-12. God doesn’t choose us because we are smarter, better-looking, less offensive, produce more good works, will respond to the gospel when we hear it (and how do people dead in sin do that?), or are more spiritual than others.

Rather, we are chosen from the same common lump of fallen human clay to become vessels of glory for reasons known only to God (Romans 9:21). Those who are not chosen remain as they are, guilty for Adam’s sin and their own, and therefore destined to remain vessels of wrath—justly so. The elect receive grace. Those not chosen receive justice. No one is treated unjustly or unfairly as our contemporaries so often complain when encountering this doctrine.

Election is a great mystery to us and it is this very point about which most people object–democratic Americans especially. John Calvin once spoke of this as the “horrible [awesome] decree.” It is only natural that we would want God to choose everyone. It is certainly understandable why we would want God to choose our unsaved loved ones. Of course, we want God to do things our way, or else we will protest. But who are we as sinful rebels, mere creatures who do not have full understanding of what it means for the Holy God to be offended by our sin, to then complain about how the creator of all things saves a multitude of people who do not deserve to be saved? We don't like this doctrine not because it has no biblical basis, but because it forces us to bow the knee before our Creator and Redeemer and say, “not my will be done, but thine.”

The fact is, Scripture teaches that God elects a multitude of Adam's fallen children based upon reasons known only to himself–reasons which he chooses not to reveal to us. If any of Adam’s fallen children are delivered from the consequences of their sin, it is only because God elects them in Christ and then redeems them through Jesus Christ’s saving merits. If any perish eternally, it is because God has passed over them and leaves them to the just consequences of their own sin and their sin in Adam.

When we talk of election, God must get all praise, glory and honor. And we must accept all the blame. This is why people don't like the topic of election, especially when we realize it is grounded in God’s good pleasure and not upon human desire and goodness.