Election and Evangelism
Acts 13:48-49
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (49) And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. Election
Election is the divine side
or God’s sovereignty in salvation [Matt. 16:18; John 6:37-40, 44, 65; Acts
13:48-49; Romans 8:28-30; 9:9-13; 10:13-15; Phil. 1:29; Ephesians 1:4, 11; 2:1,
8-9; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 2 Tim. 1:9; 2:10; Titus 1:2; 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 2:9;
2 Peter 1:10].
“Appointed” means to enroll,
inscribe, to assign. Believer’s names are written in the Lamb’s book of life
before the foundation of the world [Luke 10:20 ;
Phil. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; 17:8].
The emphasis is not on
condemning the condemned [Acts 13:46 ],
but saving those who deserve hell.
Evangelism
Evangelism is the human side
of salvation or human choice [Matt. 4:17; John 3:18 -19, 36; 5:40 ;
Romans 9:22 -23; 10:13 ;
2 Thess. 2:10-12; James 4:8; Rev. 22:17].
We are to call people to
repentance and faith because election does not negate evangelism.
We balance God’s sovereignty
and human responsibility, and we can’t deny or explain away either doctrine.
Both co-exist in the scriptures.
We can’t understand and
reconcile the two doctrines, just teach both and share Jesus.
