Unconditional Election
The Christian doctrine of unconditional election is the Bible's teaching that before the world even began, God chose specific people to save. This choice was not based on anything they would do—good or bad—but was based entirely on His own sovereign (having absolute, independent authority) grace and for His own glory. He chose them to rescue them from sin and bring them into a forever relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
Think of it like an adoption. Loving parents who choose to adopt a child don't do so because the child has earned it or has some special merit. They choose the child out of their own love and will, desiring to make that child part of their family. In the same way, God's choice of His people is unconditional—it flows entirely from His own good pleasure and merciful will.
This doctrine is vital because it gives all the glory for salvation to God alone.
The Case for Unconditional Election
We can understand this doctrine by following a logical path built on core biblical truths.
1. Who is ultimately in charge of everything?
The starting point is God's absolute sovereignty. The Bible teaches that God is the king of the universe, in complete control of everything, and His plans never fail.
- Psalm 115:3: “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”
- Daniel 4:35: “...he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?'”
- Ephesians 1:11: “...him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
The bottom line: If God is sovereign over all things, then salvation—the most important event in history—cannot ultimately depend on the choice of a human being. God is the author of the story, and He determines its outcome.
2. What is our natural spiritual condition?
As we saw with total depravity, the Bible describes all people as spiritually “dead” in their sins. We are trapped by sin and are both unable and unwilling to choose God on our own.
- Analogy: A person who has drowned is helpless. They cannot choose to save themselves or swim to the rescue boat. Life must be given to them by an outside rescuer.
- Romans 3:11: “...no one understands; no one seeks for God.”
- Ephesians 2:1: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked...”
- John 6:44: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”
- John 8:34: “Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.'”
The bottom line: A dead person cannot choose to make themselves alive. A slave cannot choose to set themselves free. If we are spiritually dead and in bondage to sin, the first move in our salvation must come from God.
3. If we can't choose God, how is anyone saved?
It logically follows that if anyone is to be saved, God must be the one who makes the decisive choice. He has to sovereignly give spiritual life and faith to those who would otherwise remain dead in their sin.
- John 15:16: [Jesus said] ”You did not choose me, but I chose you...”
- Acts 13:48: “...and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” (Notice the order: God's appointment comes before their belief).
- John 1:13: Children of God are born, “...not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
The bottom line: The reason one person believes the gospel while another rejects it isn't found in the people themselves (since both are naturally unable). The difference is that God chose to grant the gift of faith to one and not the other. This is election.
4. What is the basis for God's choice?
Is God's choice conditional (based on Him looking into the future and seeing who would believe) or unconditional (based only on His own will)? Scripture teaches it is unconditional.
- Analogy: A conditional gift says, “I'll give you this if you do that.” An unconditional gift says, “I am giving you this simply because I love you.” God's election is an unconditional gift. Faith and good works are the result of His choice, not the reason for it.
- Romans 9:11, 16: Speaking of Jacob and Esau, Paul says God's choice was made “...though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue... So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”
- Ephesians 1:4-5: “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world... according to the purpose of his will.”
- 2 Timothy 1:9: God saved us “...not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”
The bottom line: If election were based on our foreseen faith, then we would have a reason to boast (“God chose me because He knew I would choose Him”). Unconditional election ensures that salvation is by grace from start to finish, and only God gets the glory.
Answering Common Objections
Objection 1: “This isn't fair! Why would God choose some and not others?”
This question confuses justice with mercy.
- Justice is getting what you deserve. Because of sin, what all people deserve is God's judgment
- Mercy is not getting what you deserve. It is a free gift.
- Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”.
In salvation, God gives His elect mercy. He passes over others, giving them justice. No one receives injustice.
- Analogy: Imagine a governor has a hundred inmates on death row, all guilty. If he decides to pardon ten of them as an act of pure mercy, is he being “unfair” to the other ninety who receive their just sentence? No. The question is not why he only pardoned ten, but why he pardoned any at all. The answer is grace.
- Romans 9:14-15: “Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy...'”
Objection 2: “This destroys free will and makes us robots.”
This assumes a definition of “free will” the Bible doesn't use. We do have a will and we make real choices based on our desires. The problem is that our natural desire is for sin (John 8:34). We freely choose what our hearts love most, and before salvation, that is never God.
God's grace doesn't destroy our will; it liberates it. Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us a new heart with new desires, so that we willingly and freely choose to follow Christ.
Ezekiel 36:26: ”And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
Philippians 2:13: “...for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
2 Corinthians 5:17: ”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Objection 3: “If God has already chosen who will be saved, why bother with evangelism?”
Election is the greatest motivation for evangelism! God doesn't just choose who will be saved (the end), He also chooses how they will be saved (the means)—and that is through the preaching of the gospel.
- Analogy: A farmer is promised by a trustworthy source that his field will produce a great harvest. Does this make him lazy? No! It motivates him to go out and plant the seed, knowing his work will not be for nothing. We share the gospel because we know God has promised a harvest, and our words will be used to bring His chosen people home.
- Acts 18:9-10: Jesus encouraged Paul to keep preaching in a hostile city, saying, “...for I have many in this city who are my people.”
Objection 4: “What about verses like John 3:16 that say 'whoever believes' can be saved?”
This is absolutely true! Anyone and everyone who believes in Jesus will be saved. Election doesn't contradict this; it explains it.
- The offer of the gospel is universal and genuine. But the question remains: why does a spiritually dead sinner, who hates God, decide to believe?
- Election is the answer. God's choice is the reason why ”whoever” believes. It's the divine cause behind our human response.
Why This Doctrine Matters
Unconditional election is not a cold, abstract theory. It is a doctrine full of warmth, comfort, and hope.
It Promotes Humility: It reminds us that we contributed nothing to our salvation. We can't boast about our faith or choices, because even those were a gift.
It Gives Assurance: Our salvation is not anchored to our weak and wavering ability to hold on, but to the unshakeable, eternal decision of an all-powerful God. He chose us, and He will not let us go (Romans 8:29-30).
It Inspires Worship: It reveals the breathtaking depth of God's grace. It leads us to praise Him for His amazing love in choosing to save us for reasons found only in His own heart.
~ john