Election

When we examine the relationship between God’s foreknowledge and His predestining, one might wonder if one precedes the other, and how that impacts metaphysical realities. As part of this line of reasoning, it is important to examine the Scriptures to discover what God foreknew. There are at least six explicit Biblical references to God having prior knowledge: Psalm 139:4, Jeremiah 1:5, Acts 2:23, Romans 8:29, Romans 11:2, and 1 Peter 1:2. Interestingly, there is another passage that speaks of believers also having prior knowledge—2 Peter 3:17.

Few doctrines divide God’s people like the doctrine of election. Since both the word, “election” in its various forms, plus the concept using different words is found repeatedly in the Bible, some explanation must be offered. It cannot simply be ignored.

Although there are various shades of interpretation, in the end, it boils down to two possibilities. Either election means God chose His people without reference to anything He saw in man (unconditional election), or God chose people based upon something He saw or foresaw within them (conditional election).