Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. - Colossians 3: 12-13 (ESV)
Yes, verse 12 does refer to believers as God's chosen ones but what election believers fail to realize is God chooses everyone! How does a believer in election and pre-destination explain away this verse?
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. - 2Peter 3: 9 (ESV)
If the Lord pre-decided the fate of every human being then why would He need patience at all? Why would it clearly say here that He wishes none should perish but all come to repentance? Quite frankly, this verse eviscerates the notion of election and pre-destination. No beloved. In all likelihood, the God's chosen ones refers to those who God chose who have responded in faith. As the Pulpit Commentary says for the Colossian verses this language was probably used to remind the believers that it is only through the grace of God that they were chosen to begin with. That God would choose to want to save any of us. Piper concludes:
5) I close with one last pastoral thought. Don't think of election apart from Jesus Christ.As if sensing the logical confusion of holding these beliefs in contrast to the work of Calvary, Piper closes in seeming defiance of everything he just preached. He claims that election is only through Christ? Why? Election is election. If you are chosen then you are chosen. This is the gaping hole that often resides in these doctrines. To truly believe that God decided ahead of time who goes to heaven and hell you erase the cross. You erase the need for the cross. Piper closes by imploring people to "Come, take him as your Savior and your Lord and the Treasure of your life. He never casts out any who comes in faith." What?? Why? You just spent an hour telling me that I have nothing to say about whether I am elect or not and now you say I can "take Him as my Savior?" He never casts out any who come in faith after telling me my faith is irrelevant to the decision He has already made? That does not sound like election at all. Sorry Pastor Piper but that makes no sense logically or biblically.
Beloved, I know this is a difficult subject for many. Calvinism has contributed greatly in many areas to our faith and what we believe. But it is not perfect, only God is. The key verse today is a beautiful reminder that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, not just some small band of "elect" He pre-destined. Do not get me wrong, salvation entirely belongs to the Lord. It is nothing of me. But to pretend there is no free will in man is also unbiblical. When Jesus called Peter he did not have to follow Him. He chose to. When I was saved it was all the work of God but I had to respond to the drawing of the Holy Spirit. Repentance requires that we look at sin differently, not that we are forced to. The fact is God called me and He called you. He is calling everyone. Some will respond in faith of what He has accomplished on Calvary and many will not. God did not consign those who do not respond to hell before they were even born. Realize however, because He sees all time He FOREKNEW everyone who would accept His gift through faith but that is totally different from pre-deciding. That flies in the face of a just and merciful God. Those who will end up in eternal suffering chose to go willingly because they refused to accept the free gift that salvation is. Lastly, this was largely a sermon review and as such, I stayed true to the points Mr. Piper was making. This subject requires far more in depth study. It touches on so many aspects of our faith and other false doctrines as well, such as replacement theology. May God bless us richly as we consider studying His Word deeper than mere surface faith.
Reverend Anthony Wade - March 27, 2015
