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Purpose of God in Election in Reformed Theology

The purpose of God in election is a complex theological topic, with various Christian traditions offering distinct interpretations rooted in different scriptural understandings and doctrinal commitments. The core of the debate often centers on the nature of God's sovereignty, human free will, and the means by which individuals come to salvation.

One prominent view, often associated with Reformed theology, asserts that God's election is an eternal, sovereign, and unconditional decree to deliver certain individuals from sin and bring them to everlasting salvation [13]. This perspective emphasizes that election is "according to the purpose of God" and "of grace" [2, 6]. John Calvin, for instance, understood the general election of a people (like Israel) to have the purpose of God having a Church separated from the rest of the world, and he applied this concept to special election as well, where individuals are chosen as heirs of grace while others are "passed by" [7]. This view often cites passages such as Ephesians 1:4, which states that God "chose us in him before the foundation of the world," and Romans 9:11, which highlights God's purpose according to election, "not of works, but of him who calls" [1, 5]. Charles Hodge, one theologian, stressed the importance of understanding the proper relation of election to redemption, arguing that misinterpreting this relationship can lead to confusion [10]. Augustine, a significant influence on Reformed thought, also maintained that none of the elect or predestinated can perish, linking election to God's foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification [12].

Another perspective, often found in Wesleyan-Arminian traditions, emphasizes God's foreknowledge as the basis for election, rather than an unconditional decree. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, argued that if election were to eternal life in an unconditional sense, no one could be sure of it until they reached heaven [8]. Instead, he suggested that individuals are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God" because, in agreement with God's original purpose, both Jews and Gentiles are indiscriminately called to salvation [8]. This view often interprets passages like 1 Peter 1:2 ("Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father") as God foreseeing who would respond to His grace, rather than unilaterally choosing individuals without regard to their future faith [8]. While acknowledging God's foreknowledge, this position typically maintains that human free will plays a role in accepting or rejecting God's call to salvation [6].

A third position, represented in Catholic theology, understands predestination as presupposing election, and election as presupposing love, all within the order of reason [11]. Thomas Aquinas explained that predestination is part of providence, which is the plan in God's intellect directing things towards an end [11]. The Catechism of the Catholic Church focuses on the final end of humanity—beatitude—and the means of reaching it through right conduct, freely chosen, with the help of God's law and grace [14]. This perspective emphasizes God's desire for all to be saved and the role of human cooperation with divine grace.

Despite these differences, there are areas of shared understanding. All traditions generally agree that salvation is "of God" and "of the purpose of God" [3]. They acknowledge that God's call is addressed to all, even if many reject it [6]. The concept of election, in its broader sense, is recognized as God choosing individuals for office or honor (e.g., Abraham, David, the apostles), nations for special privileges (e.g., Israel), and individuals for eternal life [1]. The new birth, essential for entering heaven, is also understood to be effected by God through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God [4].

The divergence in understanding the purpose of God in election often stems from differing hermeneutical approaches to key biblical texts and varying emphases on divine sovereignty versus human responsibility. For instance, the interpretation of "foreknowledge" in passages like 1 Peter 1:2 and Romans 8:29 is a central point of contention. Some interpret "foreknowledge" as God's prior knowledge of who will believe [8], while others understand it as God's foreordaining love or pre-determination [9]. The underlying philosophical and theological commitments regarding the nature of God's will and human agency significantly shape these interpretations.

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Election of Grace — The Scripture speaks (1) of the election of individuals to office or to honour and privilege, e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were all chosen by God for the positions they held; so also were the apostles. (2) There is also an election of nations to special privileges, e.g., the Hebrews (Deut. 7:6; Rom. 9:4). (3) But in addition there is an election of individuals to eternal life (2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2; John 13:18). The ground of this election to salvation is the good pleasure of God (Eph. 1:5, 11; Matt. 11:25, 26; John 15”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Election — Of Christ, as Messiah -- Isa 42:1; 1Pe 2:6. Of good angels -- 1Ti 5:21. Of Israel -- De 7:6; Isa 45:5. Of ministers -- Lu 6:13; Ac 9:15. Of churches -- 1Pe 5:13. Of saints, is Of God. -- 1Th 1:4; Tit 1:1. By Christ. -- Joh 13:18; 15:16. In Christ. -- Eph 1:4. Personal. -- Mt 20:16; Joh 6:44; Ac 22:14; 2Jo 1:13. According to the purpose of God. -- Ro 9:11; Eph 1:11. According to the foreknowledge of God. -- Ro 8:29; 1Pe 1:2. Eternal. -- Eph 1:4. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:15,16; 1Co 1:27; Eph 1:11. Irrespective of merit. -- Ro 9:11. Of grace. -- Ro 11:5. Recorded i”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Salvation — Is of God -- Ps 3:8; 37:39; Jer 3:23. Is of the purpose of God -- 2Ti 1:9. Is of the appointment of God -- 1Th 5:9. God is willing to give -- 1Ti 2:4. Is by Christ -- Isa 63:9; Eph 5:23. Is by Christ alone -- Isa 45:21,22; 59:16; Ac 4:12. Announced after the fall -- Ge 3:15. Of Israel, predicted -- Isa 35:4; 45:17; Zec 9:16; Ro 11:26. Of the Gentiles, predicted -- Isa 45:22; 49:6; 52:10. Revealed in the gospel -- Eph 1:13; 2Ti 1:10. Came to the Gentiles through the fall of the Jews -- Ro 11:11. Christ The Captain of. -- Heb 2:10. The Author of. -- Heb 5:9”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: New Birth, The — The corruption of human nature requires -- Joh 3:6; Ro 8:7,8. None can enter heaven without -- Joh 3:3. Effected by God. -- Joh 1:13; 1Pe 1:3. Christ. -- 1Jo 2:29. The Holy Spirit. -- Joh 3:6; Tit 3:5. Through the instrumentality of The word of God. -- Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:23. The resurrection of Christ. -- 1Pe 1:3. The ministry of the gospel. -- 1Co 4:15. Is of the will of God -- Jas 1:18. Is of the mercy of God -- Tit 3:5. Is for the glory of God -- Isa 43:7. Described as A new creation. -- 2Co 5:17; Ga 6:15; Eph 2:10. Newness of life. -- Ro 6:4. A spir”
  5. Romans “For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, -- Romans 9:11”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Call of God, The — By Christ -- Isa 55:5; Ro 1:6. By his Spirit -- Re 22:17. By his works -- Ps 19:2,3; Ro 1:20. By his ministers -- Jer 35:15; 2Co 5:20. By his gospel -- 2Th 2:14. Is from darkness -- 1Pe 2:9. Addressed to all -- Isa 45:22; Mt 20:16. Most reject -- Pr 1:24; Mt 20:16. Effectual to saints -- Ps 110:3; Ac 2:47; 13:48; 1Co 1:24. To man is Of grace. -- Ga 1:15; 2Ti 1:9. According to the purpose of God. -- Ro 8:28; 9:11,23,24. High. -- Php 3:14. Holy. -- 1Ti 1:9. Heavenly. -- Heb 3:1. To fellowship with Christ. -- 1Co 1:9. To holiness. -- 1Th 4:7. To liber”
  7. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 2.19: general election of the people had reference to this end, that God might have a Church separated from the rest of the world. What absurdity, then, is there in supposing that Paul applies to special election the words of Moses, by which it is predicted that the Church shall spring from the seed of Jacob? And an instance in point was exhibited in the condition of the heads themselves of these two nations. For Jacob was not only called by the external voice of the Lord, but, while his brother was passed by, he was chosen an heir of ”
  8. 1 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 1:2: Elect according to the foreknowledge of God - If the apostle had directed his letter to persons elected to eternal life, no one, as Drs. Lardner and Macknight properly argue, could have received such a letter, because no one could have been sure of his election in this way till he had arrived in heaven. But the persons to whom the apostle wrote were all, with propriety, said to be elect according to the foreknowledge of God; because, agreeably to the original purpose of God, discovered in the prophetical writings, Jews and Gentiles, indiscriminately, were called to ”
  9. 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:2: foreknowledge--foreordaining love (Pe1 1:20), inseparable from God's foreknowledge, the origin from which, and pattern according to which, election takes place. Act 2:23, and Rom 11:2, prove "foreknowledge" to be foreordination. God's foreknowledge is not the perception of any ground of action out of Himself; still in it liberty is comprehended, and all absolute constraint debarred [ANSELM in STEIGER]. For so the Son of God was "foreknown" (so the Greek for "foreordained," Pe1 1:20) to be the sacrificial Lamb, not against, or without His will, but His ”
  10. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 62: it is a question of great importance. The relation of the truths of the Bible is determined by their nature. If you change their relation you must change their nature. If you regard the sun as a planet instead of as the centre of our system you must believe it to be something very different in its constitution from what it actually is. So in a scheme of thought, if you make the final cause a means, or a means the final cause, nothing but confusion can be the result. As the relation of election to redemption depends on the nature of redemp”
  11. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of Predestination, Art. 4: Article: Whether the predestined are chosen by God? [*"Eligantur."] I answer that, Predestination presupposes election in the order of reason; and election presupposes love. The reason of this is that predestination, as stated above (Article [1]), is a part of providence. Now providence, as also prudence, is the plan existing in the intellect directing the ordering of some things towards an end; as was proved above (Question [22], Article [2]). But nothing is directed towards an end unless the will for that end alre”
  12. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 14.--NONE OF THE ELECT AND PREDES- (part 1): TINATED CAN PERISH. Of such says the apostle, "We know that to those that love God He worketh together all things for good, to them who are called according to His purpose; because those whom He before foreknew, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified."[3] Of these no one perishes,”
  13. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 241: Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified f”
  14. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part Three:: Part Three: the Life of Faith 16 The third part of the Catechism deals with the final end of man created in the image of God: beatitude, and the ways of reaching it - through right conduct freely chosen, with the help of God's law and grace (Section One), and through conduct that fulfils the twofold commandment of charity, specified in God's Ten Commandments (Section Two).”
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