BC 5.1

5.1. The Doctrine of Election

We believe that- all Adam's descendants having thus fallen into perdition and ruin by the sin of Adam- God showed himself to be as he is: merciful and just. God is merciful in withdrawing and saving from this perdition those who, in the eternal and unchangeable divine counsel, have been elected and chosen in Jesus Christ our Lord by his pure goodness, without any consideration of their works. God is just in leaving the others in their ruin and fall into which they plunged themselves.

Proof texts

• Rom. 3:12 — [12] All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
• John 6:37, 44 — [37] All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. [44] No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
• John 10:29 — [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
• John 17:2, 9, 12 — [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [9] I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. [12] While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
• John 18:9 — [9] This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”
• 1 Sam. 12:22 — [22] For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.
• Ps. 65:4 — [4] Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
• Acts 13:48 — [48] And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
• Rom. 9:16 — [16] So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
• Rom. 11:5 — [5] So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
• Titus 1:1 — [1] Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,
• John 15:16, 19 — [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
• Rom. 8:29 — [29] For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
• Eph. 1:4-5 — [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
• Mal. 1:2-3 — [2] “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob [3] but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”
• Rom. 9:11-13 — [11] though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad — in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls — [12] she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” [13] As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
• 2 Tim. 1:9 — [9] who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
• Titus 3:4-5 — [4] But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
• Rom. 9:19-22 — [19] You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” [20] But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” [21] Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? [22] What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
• 1 Pet. 2:8 — [8] and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Rom. 3:12 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 20 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. CD 1.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

CD 1.1