Doctrine of election

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THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION
BY
REV. CLEMENT C CARY,
OF
THE NORTH GEORGIA CONFERENCE. PRICE:--Ten Cents Per Copy. 90 Cents Per Dozen
TO BE HAD Or-,THE AUTHOR
ATLANTA, GA.

THE DOCTRlNpilllf ELECTION
Rev. Clement C. Cary
OF
THE NORTH GEORGIA CONFERENCE
The 'Scriptures unquestionably teach the doctrine of election, but not unconditional and -particular election. Because we Join, direct issue with -Calvmists upon- this question is no reason we entirely reject this doctrine. -No intelligent person can fail to accept election who believes In the Word of God. Wlhat we reject is the perversion of this Scrip ture doctrine, which misrepresents the Divine character, which robs men of free agency, and. which relieves them of all personal accounta bility for their sins, and which gives einmters a -pretext for remaining in. ein.
OUST purpose will be tto show what Is Scriptural election, -for all elec tion taught 'by men is not after the Bible sort.
1. To elect means to choose, to select, to designate. It has the some meaning in, the Scriptures as it does in. every day life. Jsai & governmettt, to elect a ma-n to office is simjply to select him 'for the place, to choose him tor the office named. He is designated by iballot for the office. So God elects certain nations for certain purposes, ch'ooses cer tain persons for a particular work, and chooses men conditionally to salvation. As there is always a reason for the election of candidates for office, so there is certainly a. reason moving the Divine mind in the election- of nations and of persons to certain privileges.'
The difference between the election of men to office in- the political world and of God's election of sinners to salvation, lies just here: Inpolitical elections, only one man out of several candidates can be chos en because -there is only one office to fill. All the other candidaUb be come the non-elect. -Whereas, in the Divine election, of men to eternal life, all are chosen conditionally in Christ, since aalvation is provided for every fallen child' of Adam, and- no man becomes a non-elect save by bis own: choice. Every man is elected to eternal salvation, and all that is needed ia for him to make that election; sure.. There are enough offices in God's kingdom for all the race. The -privileges and Meanings to which men are -Divinely chosen in Christ are conditioned entirely upon their voluntary acceptance of salvation, and their personal quali fication for heaven, just as the assuming of the office to wMcb men are elected and the receiving of the perquisites depend upon a volun tary qualifying of the candidate even after hi electtonn
There is a sense in which God' electe some -to peculiar but the things to which they -are chosen are temporal in character,
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others are passed 'by. Thfe VnKtaal election, or the election of nations for certain purpos^'^* Mf$ choosing unto life eternal.. .
Again, there is .an official iiMttM f persons which is the choosing cf particular individuals t wMfe ces or for some definite -work, when others are passed 'by^bat thte does not involve salvation.
But in electing men to aftlvKBmi, none are overlooked or passed by. All are taken in, and every sinner is predestined unto eternal life, de pendent upon his acceptance c>f the terms upon which salvation1, is of fered. When it comes to eternal life, all men are conditionally chosen to the privileges of ibeing heirs of God, and elected to the spiritual perquisites of children; of God. In this election of sinners, none are left out. All men are elected. But it is essentially conditional. M'?n may either accept the Divine act by which they are chosen in Christ, or they can defeat the end for which they were elected.
If it be objected that a choice implies .a selection out from others, and a passing by of those not chosen, "we answer, first, that 'God passed iby the angels that sinned, and made no provision for their salvation, and chose all of Adam's race to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
And secondly, that God chose all those whom (He foresaw would foelieve in Christ, and chose them because they believed, and passed by all who disbelieved, and because alone of their unbelief.
To predestinate means practically the .same as to elect, the former being the stronger 'word of -the two. To predestinate is to pre-determine from pre, before, and destinate, to determine--to determine be forehand. So God has predestinated all men to salvation through the atonement, cr has determined beforehand, to save very sinner who ac cepts Jesus Christ as his Saviour. And to make the act of predesti nation so effective that EO man can perish in despair, He .'has made ample previsions lor the salvation of the whcle race, conditioned upon repentance and faith, and 'has made universal offers ot mercy to all who will comply with the terms of salvation.
The religious world is divided into two great schools of thought upon lction: Calvinists arid Arminians.
First, Calvinists teach that election is particular cr persc.nal--That i, God before the foundation of the world, elected certain persons, known by name, to eteraal -life, for whom Jesus Christ alonte died, wboae eternal salvation is thereby "absolutely assured, so that each elected person will ibe called, justified, and finally saved. None of them can ixawibly be lost, while no others can possibly be saved, for none tout the elect are red-earned. All others are passed by in this Divine election, nd have no part in. it. And these elected persons are so definite in moimber that they cannot ibe added to or taken from.
Anninlans deny this in toto, and teach that all men are elected in ChrUt, .Th*t none are -passed by, and every man's salvation depends en tirely opon his repentance, faith, and obedience. .

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Secondly, CalvSnisits teach that this election is unconditional. That

Is to say, God in electing certain persons to eternal life, had no respect

to -their repentance and faith as foreseen, as a cause moving Him to

elect them. The elect believe and re>pent .because they are elected, and

not, as we are taught, they are elected because they repent and be-

Meve. In this view, God elected particular persons, in the exercise of

His soveregn wall, and not that He saw any moral difference between

those elected and those passed by; nor that He saw anything in the

one class which induced Him to elect them, or foresaw anything lack

ing in the other class which moved Ham to pass them lby.

. Arminiana teach that God, in electing men to eternal life, has regard

to repentance and faith, and that salvation is always conditioned upon

man's submission/ to and co-operation with God in His plans.

Thirdly, Calvinisms teach that this particular election of individuals

to eternal life -.was from all eternity, and is to all eternity. So that it

can never be nullified or defeated.

Arrainians teach that God conditionally elected tih-e whole of Adam's

race to eternal life when Adam fell, and a Saviour was -provided and

promised; that it is absurd to talk of an act being eternally performed.

The act of election supposes a moment when it took -place, and this sup

poses a time before it was performed. So that it could mot possibly

have been from all eternity. And while men are elected to eternal life,

yet it is invariably dependent upon man's performance of certain con

ditions from start to finish.

The -whole tenor of the Scriptures shows that the Ann-inian view

Is correct, while 'Peter clearly teaches this when he says, "Wherefore,

the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and electicn

sure." Only as we give diligence can our elect-ion ever 'be made sure,

for by slothfulttess and negligence we may defeat our election. 'If we

were elected from all eternity to eternal life absolutely, and this act ol

Gcd cannot be defeated in any way, w-hat sense is there in urging be

lievers to "give diligence to make their election sure 5" The very words

imply that .election as to its final end can be noil-lined. So that election

from all eternity cannot ibe made to consist with Peter's words.

Jf any one thing is taught in the "Word of God, it is that the Divine

election of sinners to salvation lit Jesus Christ may be nullified by im

penitence, unbelief, andl disobedience; and, therefore, eternal salvation

depends not upon: an afbsolute decree of Jehovah, 'but upon .present faith

and continued fidelity.

--..-

We see this view harmonizing with this passage:

1 Peter 1:5--Elect according to the foreknowledge of God, through

sanctification of the S-piiSf, unto obedience, and s-prtefcling of the blood .

of Jesus Christ.

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Mirk'you--This'election is made effectual "through sancMftcatio'n

of the Spirit;""whiiioli sancttfication always conies <by voluntary faith

and prayer, while the final result depends upoit''"obedience" aid- the

"sprinkling of the 'blood- of Jesus Christ," which -blob"* is "never applied

to any impenitent or unbelieving heart.

So w' find conditioharelection again taught:

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II Thessalontens 2:13--God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through, sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
Here is a. Divine choosing which <w<as made "through sanctifioaticn
of the Spirit and belief of the truth," the conditions -being plainly stat ed. No intelligent Anninian can ever object to this kind of election,
since It is entirely dependent upon '^belief of the truth," "sanctfifioation of the Spirit," and obedience.

There are three kinds of election found In the Bible.
1. The election of nations to peculiar privileges and for .particular purposes.
This Is national, in character, acfl not personal. It is not an election unto eternal life, nor is it unconditional, but is largely temporal and conditional. Because a nation, therefore, is chosen and raised up for a special purpose, it does not follow that all the individuals composing that nation are elected unto eternal life, nor that all of its people will be certainly saved. Nor is -It impossible to nullify this kind of elec tion. This sort of Divine election -has solely to do with time, and not eternity, since nations are rewarded and punished only in this world.
1. The choosng of the Jewish nation to be God's peculiar 'people, is a case in, point. They were a chosen people, designated for a specific purpose, who -were designated to be His visible Church in the earth, the keepers of the oracles of God, who were to keep alive in the world the knowledge of the true "God, and through which nation was to come the promised Messiah.
Romans 9:4--Who are Israei-tes, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, anfl the service of God, and the ipromises; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came.
Romans 3:1--What advantage then hath the Jew? Much every way; chiefly hcause that -uttto them were committed the oracles of God.
Here then we have the purpose of God In, electing this, nation to be a peculiar people.
Deuteronomy 7:6--For thou art a holy people unto the 'Lord thy God; the Lord thy God >hath chosen thee to 'be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
A moment's thought will stow conclusively that the election of the Israelites to 'be a special people unto the Lord was not an absolute election unto eternal life, for thousands of them rebelled against God, and died in their sins. In -Sact, God Himself became angry with, num bers of them, and purposely destroyed them. -Here was the destruction of air elected people, or large numbers of them. Nor was it an un conditional election of the Jews, because often God was displeased with them because of their sins, and shut out of Canaan every one of them over twenty years of age who left Egypt, except Caleb and Joshua, -Jjecauae of their unbelief.
Moreover, the Jews of today are a rejected people, the example of a nation once chosen to high privileges, an eleected nation, and yet

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they; arc scattered, peeled, with no country. They failed to fulfill the conditions, defeated God- In 'His purposes, and have nullified their elec tion of God. See how !God made choice qf this people, for a special purpose, and keep this purpose in mind, and you their see an election which is not particular, which does not involve eternal life, and which is essentially conditional.
Abraham was chosen to be the head of this nation, and God called ham to leave his own country and go out into a strange land. He was am elected1 man, but not chosen unto eternal life by this act of election, but selected to.ibe the beginning of a great nation, with whom God pro posed to do great 'things. Was Abraham thus elected to eternal life? Not by any means, for this selection of Abraham did not carry with it Abraham's salvation, nor guarantee the salvation of all his descend ants.
First, not 'till several years after God's call to leave his native land was he justified by faith.
Secondly, Abraham could have disobeyed God, and refused, to do as He had commanded. In which case, he would have been; rejected, and some one else chosen.
Thirdly, the 'Whole of his descendants could have turned aside from God, las was the case when Aaron made the golden calf, and- God came so near destroying them completely 'because of their sin. And had it not been for an intercessor in the person of Moses, their destruction would have been- accomplished.
Abraham had two sons born unto him, osoly one of whom was to be the son of 'promise. One must be in the line of descent. Which must it be? An election must take pace. One must be chosen, and the other passed toy. But this was neither the election of Isaac unto eternal life, nor the reprobation of Ishmael unto eternal death. Keep in mind what God was seeking. He was hunting for a line of descent, and He found it In Isaac.
Now in turn, Isaac bad two sons, Esau and Jacob, one of whom was to be elected to toe the line of descent. Both could not be, that "the purpose of God according to election might stand." Don't forget that God was electing a cation for a special purpose, and so He chose JaCOD, and passed by Esau. Here is where some people, not fully under standing the Scripture, have reveled in seeking to find' ground for a personal, unconditional, etertual and' absolute election of individuals to eternal life, and the-passing by of others. But a careful study of the cases of these two boy will clearly show that these who thus mis-in terpret the Scriptures have no ground upon wliich to stand.
Keep in mind this transaction about Esau and Jacob was national and not personal, and a flood of light will be thrown upon it, and many seemingly difficult Scriptures will be made plain. Th- Ninth chapter of Romans will -be seen not to be so difficult to understand, and much of the mist and fog will be dispelled from the mind.
Which one of these twins Is to be chosen as the line of descent*

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DOCTRINE OF ELECTION.

Contrary to the wishes of Isaac, 'the old father, the choice fell upon Jacob, and Efeau iwas passed by. Now that this- choice of Jacob and the passing toy of Esau had nothing whatever to do with their eternal salvation, but was a national election, will appear if we consider the following:
'First, the very language used at the birth of Esau and Jacob siows that it was spoken of these two boys nationally, and not per sonally:
Genesis 25:23--And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; aid the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger.
Mark these words--"Two nations," and "two manner of people are in thy womb." The names of Esau and Jacob are not mentioned and it is only with 'reference to their descendants the language is used. This is seen when we read what was said- further: ''The one people shall be stronger than the other people," which was true, for the Is raelites, descendants of Jacob, were the stronger of the two--stronger than the Edomites, descendants of Esau.
"And the elder shall serve the younger," but Esau never did serve Jacob personally, while his descendants did, in the days of David, when they became servants to the Israelites. See 11 Samuel 8:14.
This proves conclusively that "the purpose of God according to election," in the cases of Esau andi Jacob, could not have been a per sonal election, tout national, 'having to dio with two -nations, and not these twins personally, of which nations these two iboys would be re
spectively the heads, so that there is no foundation here for the un conditional election of Jacob and the utter reprobation of Esau.
Secondly, the words, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated," whea examined carefully in their connection, will furnish no ground upon which to 'ground unconditional election and reprobation. These words were not used at the birth of these twins, but several hundred years afterward, by Malachi. And it is only necessary to read what is there recorded to show that It was of the descendants respectively of Esau and Jacob that -the words mentioned apply, and not of them as individuals.
Malachi 1:2, 3--Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the -Lord. Yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains .waste and his "heritage waste from the dragons of the wilderness.
This was cot true of Esau's personal possessions, but it was true of his descendants, the Edomites. See Ezekiel 35.
Moreover, the language used-, must not be understood in its harshest sense. God never literally hated either Esau or his descendants. The word "hate," is not altways used in the sense of bitterness, resentment, malice, but implies less love. So it is said that Jacob hated Leati, and loved Rachel, where it is manifest that he loved >Leah less than he lov ed Rachel. The context itself in Genesis 29:30, 31, gives this very in terpretation, where it is said, Jacob "loved Rachel more than Lean."

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Again, a Proverbs 13:24, it is- said: "He that spareth the rod hateth

his son, but whoso loveth 'him chasteneth him' betimes."

Here the simple mean-ing is that a father -who does not punish his son for disobedience loves him less than the parent who wisely cor

rects his boy.

Again, .we have this- condition laid dowxu for becoming the disciples

of Christ.

. Luke 14:26--H any man come to me, and- hate not his father, and

.mother and wife and children, etc.

does our Lord intend to teach that one must actually hate his par ents, and his wife and children; in order to come to him? Surely not.

What then? Simply -this--that in order to be a disciple of Christ we

must love others less than Him. Love for others must be secondary to

love for Him.

Bo when it is stated that God ''loved Jacob, but hated Esau," tho

manifest meaning was that He loved Jacob more than Esau, and pre

ferred the descendants o the former to those of the latter -in ibestowing

upon them certain privileges.

We come now to another step in this election of a nation for a Di

vine purpose. Jacob had twelve sons, from whose loins this nation

was to come. But the promised Messiah was to be fcorn of only one

of these tribes. So a tribal election takes place. And Simeon, Reu

ben and; iLevi, the three first iborn, are passed by; and Judah is chosen.

So Jesus was of the tri-be of Judah, that the purpose of God according to election might stand But does not every intelligent Bible reader

see that this tribal election had nothing whatever -to do with the sal

vation.- of either the heads of these twelve trifces, or of their descend

ants? Certainly it would be absurd to take the ground that because

Judah 'Was chosen as the tribe of which our Lord was to be born, there

fore, Judah and all his descendants were to be saved, and all the other

triibes -were to 'be reprobated. Here is the choosing of a tribe for a -particular purpose, just as the tribe of Levi was selected to be the min

isters of the tabernacle.

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Now to show that the election of the Israelites was not a particu

lar abid unconditional election unto eternal life, but was national in

character and conditional, bear in mind that ten of the tribes of this

chosen people have been so utterly lost that no trace, whatever of them

can >be found, while the other two, Judah. and Benjamin, are a rejected

people, "who have nullified their election of God.

All this serves to show conclusively that God's decrees concerning

men and Hi acts of election are conditional, and not absolute. Jonah

was sent unto Nineveh, with the message, "Yet -forty days and Nineveh

shall be overthrown," seemingly an absolute "shall," and yet Nineveh

was not destroyed, but was spared because -the -people repented. So

Hezekiah was told, "Set thy house in order, for thou shalt di* and not

live,"" and.yet God's decree was changed 'by prayer, and Hezekiah had

fiifteen years added to h-is life. - So it is with all of God's decrees which

have for their end the salvation or dam-nation of men. They are es

sentially conditional. They may be changed, defeated, annulled by the

will of man.

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JDOCTMNiE OF ELECTION.

-2. The choosing of the Gentiles as a. people to equal religious priv

ileges with. the Jews in the Christian Church, is another illustration of

this kind of election. It was the opening of the -doors of the Christian'

Church to the world outside of the chosen people of God, and was gen

eral ia- character, taking in all of Adam's race besides the Jews. Here

God exercised His sovereign right in making choice of a people to cer>

tain privileges, as well as deciding the time and the manner when this

election, should be revealed and carried into effect. It requires but a

glance to see this was neither particular nor unconditional election, for

this choosing of the Gentiles to these high privileges was general in character, and did not carry with it any guarantee of eternal life, only

conditionally. For we well know thousands of Gentiles thus chosen

have rejected Christ, lost their souls, and nullified their election of

God. How many in this day are defeating God in His act of election, hid for ages in the Oivine mind, tout revealed to the great Apostle of

the Gentiles? This view throws wonderful light upon many (passages In Paul's

writings which have long confused many good people, who have be come tangled in their minds upon this question of election. Take this

passage as a sample:

Ephesians 1:4--According as he hath chosen us In- him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame be fore him in iove.

Here "was the etetion of the Gentiles, In the Divine purpose, to Gos

pel privileges in Christ, hid from the Jews for hundreds of years, a great "mystery," as Paul calls it, and revealed to Paul, of which he

speaks further on in the same Epistle:
Ephesians 3:3-6--How that by revelation be made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote before in few 'Words; whereby, when ye read, ye may understand any knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made knowa unto the sons of men, as it is now re vealed unto his aipostles and prophets toy the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same 'body, partakers of his premise in Christ by the Gospel.

Here then is the "mystery of Christ," so frequently mentioned by

Paul, not the nzconditibnal election of .particular persons to eternal

life before the foundation of the world, 'but the choosing of a -people in mass to the privileges of salvation through faith.

Having in mind the same thing, Paul writes again:

11 Thessalonians 2:13--But we axe bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the -Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit' and <belief of the truth.

There is no unconditional and particular election here, but it Is stated that "in the beginning," (whenever that was--certainly In the

beginning of time, and not from all eternity) God chose these Gentile Thessakmians to salvation, which salvation was to be obtained by

them through voluntany faith, and by the eanctification of the Spirit-- an election of a mass of people conditionally to salvation, to tie made

effectual only by the personal acceptance of Christ by each one of

them.



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Take this vieiw of the question, and it appears very plain when we hear Peter earnestly entreating believers to ''give diligence to make their calling and election sure," as if it were not yet sure, but was to be made sure by the personal diligence of those called and elected.
3. We might instance the Anglo-Saxon race as another illustration of the election of nations to peculiar privileges under the <Jospel. To what high things is this (people called? Is it mere chance that America, England and Germany, the three great -Protestant nations of this day, are the leaders among the governments of the earth? -Is the hand of providence not in the fact that while other peoples are passed -by in the toestowment of great things, (we might narrow it down and say) the English gpeaking -people have been elected of God to such exalted stations in the 'world, just at this time? It is the very same kind of election umdr which the Jews were chosen of iGod in Abraham's day, and the same kind under which the rest of the world -were chosen by God in the Apostle's day.
Why God Should th/us elect Americans to such high privileges, to gether with other nations, >we may not know, for this belongs to the mysteries of Divine -providence. But this (we do fcnow: That the elec tion of the AngloJSa:xon -race to high stations and exalted privileges in this age does not toy any means car.ry with it their absolute salvation. For is it not patent that thousands of them are wicked, defeating God in His gracious (purposes concerning them?
Who that studies the times and is interested in Divine providence can doubt that iGod has chosen and raised up the English' speaking people, ''a vessel -unto honor," for some high and noble purpose? Of them it might be truly said, "Ye are a chosen generation." Yet it by no means follows that all of this {people are unconditionally elected to eternal He; The black race, the yellow race, and the red race, have not -been so called and chosen. These less favored races have been passed toy in this act of electing nation's. But these unfavored races are surely not reprobated unto eternal death. They are simply loved less, than the white race, so that in an accommodated sense, -we might say, "America and England have 1 loved, but Africa, China, an-d India have I hated."
If rwe will keep this in mind in reading the -Ninth chapter of Ro mans, it will solve the riddle and untangle the puzzle iwhich there seems to be recorded. Paul takes Abraham as a starting point, and shows that he was originally chosen as the head of this chosen people. Then ' of Abraham's two sons, Isaac -was chosen and Ishmael passed (by. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob, and Jacob was chosen as the line of descent, ac'd Esau was passed by. Now that Paul speaks of this election in a national sense, and not In a personal' sense, note that he uses the figure of a potter and the clay, and says: "Hath not the pot ter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?" That is, God has the sovereign right to make one nation unto greater honor than another, and the nation selected as a vessel for less honor has no right to say, "Why hast thcoiinade me thus?" And so, if the "vessel made unto honoi" fails

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DOCTRINE OF ELECTION.

to fulfil the purpose for which It is made and chosen, then God has the sovereign right to destroy it as a nation, because of its infidelity, just as JHe did with the Jews. Is not that .plain?
Unquestionably Paul had in his mind the .words of Jeremiah, chap ter 18 :G, where the prophet uses this very figure of the potter and clay, and applies it directly to nations, and not to persons. He said he went down to the .potter's house, and the vessel he 'wrought was marred in his hands. So he made another vessel as seemed him good. Then the application is made. "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?" They had voluntarily marred themselves, and he .was angry with them. And to show that God is speaking of them nationally, and not personally, hear what (He says:
Verse 7: At .what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation -against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I -will repent cf the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will re,pent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
All cf which goes to show here was an election not individual, but
national, not absolute, but conditional. II. The election of persons to particular offices and the choosing of
individuals to some special work, is another kind of election found in the Scriptures.
This is net personal election, 'but is official, and does not involve present salvation and eternal life . The purpose of it is not the salva tion of those elected, but the .performance of some needed work, or the fulfilment of some definite mission. Nor is this election unconditional, since the success of it depends upon the voluntary consent of men, and the fulfilment of conditons. These thus elected can .prave faithless, and can nullify God's purpose in electing them. Many have done this very thing, as we shall presently see.
As samples of this kind of election, I point you to Abraham, who was selected in the sovereignty of God to be the head of a great nation, which should bless all other nations. And yet this did not elect 'Abra ham unto eternal life. He could'have refused to go out -from his native land, and make his home among strangers, and thus have defeated God as far as he was concerned. It was several years after his call to leave home that he believed God and -found the blessing of justification.
Moses was chosen to ibe the leader and law giver of this chosen na tion, but this was not a personal election of this great man to eternal life. While .Moses was chosen of God for this purpose, he voluntarily "chose rather to suffer affliction with the .people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." This- was his election unto eternal life, made by himself, and not made by God. Even after God had elected him to be the leader of His people, God became angry -with him, and would not let him go over into the Promised Land.
Saul was chosen to be the first King of God's chosen people, and shortly thereafter he iwas changed into another man, and received a

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new heart, the Spirit of God coming upon him. It was not left to a popular vote who should toe 'king, tout God exercised His sovereign right in electing the man. Saul was God's choice, all others being pased by. And so no one had any right to object or complain- Yet this Divinely elected king was rejected toy God for disobedience, and finally took his own Me far battle, a striking.illustration of the truth that one can tie elected and yet toe rejected, and a sample of man who once had a change of heart, .but fell from grace, and died in his sins.
Saul, of Tarsus, was a case of election under this head. He was .de clared to ibe "a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gen tiles and kings, and the children of Israel." But was this aa election of Paul unto eternal life? W cannot think eo, for his very office "and work shows it was an election of Paul to be the great Apostle to the Gentiles, and not a choosing of him unto eternal salvation. That it was hot unconditional, his words clearly imply in speaking of his convic
tion for sin (before Agrippa, for he said, "Whereupon, O King, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision." Why speak thus if he could not have been disobedient, which would have been the case had he been unconditionally elected to eternal life?
Again, he says, "I keep my (body under, and bring it unto subjection, lest after I have preached to others, I myself should .become a cast away." It is very clear Paul was afraid he would fall from grace, and that he did not believe his election unto salvation was absolute. He had it 'in his power to lose his soul.' This choosing of Saul, of Tar sus, was simply his election to be the -great Apostle to the Gentiles.
The twelve disciples were thus elected to the apostolic office, and not unto eternal life. They were selected by our Lord to be His daily companions, witnesses of his miracles, and official representatives of His kingdom. To this they were chosen in this language:
John. 15:16--Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and or dained you, that ye shall -go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain.
This couldi not possibly refer to an unconditional electio-n unto sal vation for the following reasons:
First, these men did actually choose Christ to be their -Lord and Master, in obedience to His call, "Follow me," for they voluntarily left all and followed Him.
Secondly, any and all of them could have refused to choose Jesus to be their Master, as many others did to whom He gave the same com mand, and- as some did who after becoming Hi disciples, ''went back and walked no more with him."
Thirdly, even after becoming His disciples, which they all did vol untarily, thus electing themselves unto eternal life, they could have proved- unfaithful, as Judas did, been rejected by their .Lord, and died in -their sins. Although chosen by Christ, an ordained byffJim to be one of iH-la Apostles, and even though promised a throne, yet he be trayed His \Lord, and took his own life through -remorse. Here is the case of a chosen Apostle who died In sin. If these men were uncon ditionally chosen unto eternal life, how came it to pass that Judas nul lified that election, and failed- to reach heaven?

12

(DOCTRINE OF ELECTION.

Nor will It do to claim that he was never converted, for hear Jesus:
John 17:12--Those thou &vest me I have kept, and none of them Is lost but the son of (perdition.
Judas was as much given to Jesus 'by the Father as were the other eleven disciples, but afterward (became "the son of perdition."
Nor is it at all reasonable to claim that "Judas iwas a devil from the beginning." -Let DO one quote that as Scripture, for he will advertise his ignorance of the Word of God. Have the advocates of uncondi tional electon and final perseverance seen where this would put Jesus Christ? Tiey would place <Him in the monstrous 'position of choosing a devil, one whom He knew at the time was a devil, and sending him out to -preach. His GospI, cast out devils (which would be the absurdity of the devil casting out devils), and would make Jesus promise a throne to a devil. "Wiho can believe any such nonsense? Judas is sim ply a case of one elected to a high office, not in that act of election chosen unto eternal life, but who proved unfaithful, and nullified his election.
Fourthly, the election of these twelve men to be the Apostles was done in time, and not before the foundation of the -world. The choos ing was done just after Jesus had spent all night in- prayer:
Luke 6:13--And when it was day, he called his disci-pies, and of them he chose twelve whom he also named apostles.
iNotice that from His disciples, who had already voluntarily chosen to follow Christ, He chose twelve men to be His apostles.--the choos ing of the twelve being quite different im time and in design from the choice made 'by these disciples to follow Christ.
Every minister who is called of God to preach is an illustration of the election of .persons to office, an election which does not have to do with personal salvation. He is chosen, ordained, set apart, elected to a. particular "work, and this election is exercised by the sovereign right of God, while others are passed by. But how foolish would it toe to
say that these men whom God calls to preach are therefore elected unconditionally unto eternal life, 'While all others not thus called are reprobated unto eternal death? In this sovereign act of electing men to office, none have any right to object or complain, for God has a right to do as He pleases with His own, since this does not save nor damn men without their consent.
But even this election, while a sovereign act of God, is not uncondi tional, since those who are called 'may refuse to obey, or after they have answered tie call to preach, may prove unfaithful, and die in their sins. How many have thus defeated God in their election to the high office of the ministry!

'EH. Another kind of election taught in the Scripture is that of the conditional election c.f persons to eternal life, through faith in Christ.
This kind of election involves final salvation, the end of it being
eternal life, tout it is not particular, but general, in that it embraces all of Adam's race, and is not absolute, but conditional, in that it is de pendent upon personal faith, in those elected, and results, ultimately in

DOCTRINE OP ELECTION.

IS

the salvation, of those only who are faithful unto death. So that this election may toe nullified by- the unbelief 'and sin of men, and those chosen unto eternal life may foe finally damned *y their own act of disobedience.
This election may have two sides First: It is general, embracing all men. All men involved In. the fall of Adam have ibeen divinely chosen from the beginning unto sal vation in Christ, through personal faith. None are left out, no one is passed by. Every man has a chance to be saved, so that if he is damned, it is his own fault, and not because he was not elected nor re deemed in Christ , Secondly, a particular election may ibe admitted of this kind, viz., the election of every man whom God foresaw would voluntarily repent and ibelieve, and the reprobation of those whom He foresaw would re main impenitent and unbelieving, this election being absolutely depend ent upon faith foreseen, or unbelief foreknown. ' Neither of these ideas of election is absolute nor unconditional, but hinges entirely upon the voluntary act of the creature. So that the burden of responsibility rests upon men, and not upon/ God in election. As all men are involved involuntarily in the fall of Adam, eo all men are redeemed in Christ, and tinder this provision of grace, all men are 'freely and sincerely offered salvation through faith. In the Di vine purpose, therefore, all men are elected unto salvation condition ally. That is to say, He chooses all men alike unto eternal life through the abounding merits of Jesus Christ, the one Mediator and Redeemer, the remote end of this choice depending eutirey upon the voluntary act of each man in accepting this Saviour. It remains after men have *een elected, to make that election effectual and certain, since they must "give diligence to make their calling and election sure," for it was not made sure -when God elected them, but depends upon their ow.n exertions. All, therefore, who are fallen in Adam have been redeemed in Christ, have been predestinated, elected, chosen, to eternal life, and this unal terable decree has gone forth, which can never be changed, that "God bath not appointed- us to wrath, but (hath appointed us) to obtain sal vation -by our lord Jeaus. CKriaL" 'Here is the ordainment of heaven, that all men shall ibe saved In Christ if they will, for ''He is not will ing that any should perish, but that all should come unto repentance," which could not be true if unconditional election was true. God has sent forth the -Divine decree, as fixed as the very throne of God, unalterable as God's own word, unchangeable as God's character, that "he that believeth chall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." Neither men nor devils can' change this conditional de
cree, which makes .possible the salvation or damnation of every man. It has been 'predetermined that "whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," and all the devils in hell cannot alter'that decree. So that resting securely upon that predetermining act of God, w are warranted In going forth everywhere and declaring "Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of lifa freely." Here is. th hope of every poor sinner, the encouragement to every man fallen In Adam.

14

DOCTRINE OF ELECTION.

This act of predestination will be seen, therefore, to differ entirely from that interpretation given to election toy many .people. It is world wide in extent, and not 'particular, .narrowed down to a certain num ber. It is conditional, and not absolute, -for its ultimate success de pends first upon voluntary repentance and .faith; and secondly, upon final (perseverance, according to the word, "He that endureth to the end shall be saved."

This election necessarily is conditioned upon man's free choice as to its ultimate results. So that men are not saved because they have been elected unto eternal life, but rather because they voluntarily a.ycept God's act o election, and make that Divine act their own act. They consent to and ratify it toy repentance and faith. They do not believe and repent because they have been -unconditionally predestin ated unto eternal life, but rather the end to which they have been pre destinated is rendered certain by their own repentance, faith and per severance.

We see, therefore, how God can be defeated in electing men to final salvation. "The purpose of God according to election'' -may be set aside by voluntary sin and unbelief, and men may perish in despair at last even after havicg been predestinated unto eternal life. Every lost sonl in hell has only himself to blame. He is there In spite of having been redeemed in Christ, and in the face of the fact that he was divinely chosen unto eternal life, 'but he despised mercy, set aside God's elective act, and counted the blood of the atonement an unholy thing.
If there was no other reason to reject the unconditional election and reprobation of men, the deceitfulness of declaring that Jesus Christ tasted death for all men when He died for ocly the elect, the insincerity of offering salvation to all men, when it has ibeen provided for only a particular number, and the injustice of damnirg certain men who never had an interest in the Saviour of sinners, and who could not believe in Him as their Saviour, is so apparent, that merely to state these things is sufficient to refute any such view of the acts of a loving and just God.

Ccnsiderable light is thrown upon Scriptural election toy looking at .political elections. The election of a maa to an office is not absolute nor unconditional. After a candidate has been chosen by the suffrages of the people, he may refuse the cffice, decline to qualify, or may be ineligible. He may defeat the'very act of the people iwho elected him. In Georgia several times lately it has been announced that tax collec tors and tax receivers were about to lose the respective offices to which they had been chcsen by ballot 'because .they had failed to file their bonds in time with the Comptroller General of the State. They voluntarily neglected the required qualification til! almost too late to secure the office -with its perquisites.

So sinners, after haviag been chosen to eternal life through Jesus

Christ, may defeat the Divine act of election, toy refusing to .qualify;

and take, the oath of allegiance to the King of Heaven. They may vol

untarily refuse the gracious .perquisites belonging to the position of a

son of God.

.

,

... :'. ..-.

DOCTRINE OF ELECTION.

15

Again: Even after a candidate has qualified for the office to'which he has been chosen, he may so conduct 'himself as to lose the office, and ibe turned put of. it. Thus he 'may nullify the act of election, de feat the suffrages of the people, and deprive himself of its .benefits. Election in itself does not put one in office, but only gives him a right to it. He comes into the possession of the office after the election >by vol untarily qualifying himself. The act of election is one thing--getting possession of the office quite another thing. Getting possession of the office is dependent upon compliance with certain conditions. And even after 'being inducted: into the office, continuance therein is condi tioned upon 'behaviour.
The same is true of Divine election. After the sinner has repented and 'believed, and thus far made his election of God to salvation effec tive, he may so conduct himself as to lose what he has gained, toe turned out of office, and ultimately defeat the divine act which origi nally chose him. to eternal salvation. That was the case of Judas, who lost his soul after he had' been once elected by Divine favor. So also was it the case with King Saul.
Again: Men are elected to office, who decline the office after the election, and refuse to accapt the honor, the labor, and the -perquisites. Why then cannot it be true, even though God elects sinners to the ex alted position of sons of God, that they may likewise decline the hocoi,
despise the privilege, and reject the office?

In conclusion, let us ask some questions: First, Wtoat is the evidence of having been elected to eternal life? Not personal faith or regeneration. This is tut tne acceptance of the act of Divine election,' the consent to receive the high privileges of a child of God, and the voluntary qualification for the gracious things to which we have -been chosen. The highest evidence we have been elected to eternal life is the revealed will of God. Only in this way do we'tavow that we have toeem chosen in Christ unto holiness, happiness and heaven. Shut up the Word of God, or shut our eyes 'to its won derful revelations of the Divine plans and purposes, and we Know nothing of Divine election. We are absolutely in the dark as to the purpose of God in election. Opening it, .we find there the glad infor mation, which is the proof, that all men fallen dn Adam have been chosen and redeemed in Christ. Secondly, W!hy are any of'Adam's race damned? Certainly .not.be cause they have been reprobated or passed by in the provisions of the atonement It is not because they have not ibeen elected to eternal life. Far from it, for all men have been redeemed in Christ, and all of Adam's race have been "chosen in Him. through sanctification of the Spirit and 'belief of the truth." Those fallen in Adam who are eternally damned, voluntarily reprobate themselves in. spite ef a. universal atonement, in the face of world- wide invitations to take the water of life freely, and even though the? have been, divinely elected unto eter nal salvation. Sinners go down to hell over the blood of the atone ment and directly in the face of the predestinating act of God, and

18

DOCTRINE OP ELECTION.

thus defeat God in His gracious plans concerning their eternal destiny. Thirdly, What is tne -difference between tne saint and the sinner?
Some -would answer that one is elected while the other is not. Bat this is far from the truth, for all of Adam's fallen race have been condi tionally elected to eternal salvation. "For God hath not appointed na to wrath, tout to obtain -savation iby our Lord Jesus Christ.'" This could not be true if God had willed to -pass by a ipart of the race, and determined to save only a particular number. Herein is the real dif ference {between the saint and the sinner: One has voluntarily ac cepted the fact of his election, 'and has qualified for those things to which he was chosen in Christ, while the other has rejected the things of God, and has nullified the Divine election, tinder the atonement, all men have been elected to be kings and priests unto God, and to be sons of God. But men refuse the office to when they have been chosen in the mind of -God, decline the privileges of election, despise its hon ors, turn from its rich heritage, and reject the priesthood and king ship of sons of God.
The ground of condemnation, therefore, cannot be that sinners have been passed by in the gracious provisions of salvation. To thus damn men would 'be the very height of injustice. But it is that "light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light"
The fault is not to be found in a gracious, loving, all-wise God, but In men themselves. "He that believeth cot shall be damned."

This then is the Scripture view of the doctrine of election, in per fect harmony with the Divine character, and in full accord with man's free agency, -placing the responsibility of accepting or rejecting Christ where it rightly belongs, upon the sinner, and making him reasonably and justly responsible for the salvation or the loss of his soul.
This view does not run counter to a plain, common sense view of God's Word, nor put us where we must be continually twisting that Word to make it harmonize with reason and accord with Divine Jus tice, love and mercy. Such a view runs -parallel with the 'Whole trend of Scripture. All difficult -passages bearing upon -predestination and election can be easily explained with this theory, while the opposite view is contradictory, unreasonable and impossible to reconcile with other plain Scriptures.
Moreover, this view of election vindicates the Divine character, and places the responsibility for sin where it rightfully belongs--not upom
God, but upon men.

Doctrinal Pamphlets for the Times
. ----BY----
Rev. Clement C. Gary
1. INFANT BAPTISM .................................. 10 Cents Giving Sound Reasons for this Apostolic Practice.
2. THE MODE OJL BAPTISM .............................. 10 Cents Answer to the Claims of Exclusive Immersionists.
3. AJ?OSTAS5f, OR FAliIJNG FROM GRACE ............ 10 Cents An Antidote to /Once in Grace* Always in Grace."
*. Suhiifi UiUG VUSW OF EJUECTION .................. 10 Cents .Scriptural, Reasonable and Clear.
5. THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT .................. ...-10 Cents What Tnis Doctrine Involves.
6. MAY CHRISTIANS DANCE .......................".. 10 Cents T. HEGKXSRATKXV ..................................... 10 Cents
Tie Character of the New Birth. 8. THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF ROMANS ............ 10 Cents
Not the Experience of the Regenerate. 3. JSSUS CHRIST'S DOCTRINE OF HEL.L ............. 10 Cents
Or the Punishment of the Wicked, Future and Eternal. 10. THE DIVINE RULE OF GIVING ..................... 10 Cents 11. CLOSE COM-MUNION--Showing its Fallacy ........... 10 Cents 12. WHAT IS A METHODIST? ......................... 10 Cents
All of the above 10 Cts. Each, 90 Cts. per Doz.
ALSO
The Second Coming of Christ
An Answer to tUe Errors ot" Pre-AiiJIeuarianisoi.
Price ^< Cents, Paper: 60 Cents Cloth.
ORDER OF THE AUTHOR,
Rev. CLEMENT C. GARY, Atlanta, Ga.