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I received this question this past week
Bro. Mack
I am sincerely asking you to explain election again to me. I have looked at it, studied it, and prayed about it, but I just don't see it. If I am wrong about something I need to be corrected. I am honestly seeking the truth of this matter according to God's Word. My reply:
Dear brother,
Praise the Lord for His mercy, that He helps us walk in the light.
I confess that this particular doctrine is very difficult for many and is hard to come to understand, in light of many other truths which the Bible speaks of, such as the gospel being offered to all and all being called to believe, and that if anyone, anywhere, desire to be saved and come to Christ, they are to immediately repent and believe, and they will be saved.
This is not something I can address quickly, especially am leaving immediately for Missouri for a week.
At this point, I would encourage you just to seek the Lord about it; tell Him everything you feel and think about it; if it is not the truth, then you don't want anything that is not true; on the other hand, if it is true, we ought to want to understand it, even if it goes against all we have ever been taught;
So just be prayerfully asking the Lord to show you what He wants you to see, asking Him to show you by His Spirit if this is a truth from His Word or not; then read the Scriptures with an open heart to him;
Remember also that it is not a matter if election is in the Bible--it's all over the Bible; there are too many references through the Old and New Testaments which speak of the elect, election, chosen, predestinate, etc, in many passages; so it is not a matter if this is IN the Bible, but rather it is a matter of what the Bible is actually teaching about it; I have seen professing Christians who hate the very idea, and will not even read or face the specific Scriptures that directly speak of it; this, sadly, is very unfortunate because they are rejecting a part of the very Bible they profess to believe.
So, at this point, do this specifically-- get a concordance and look up every reference on these Bible words: elect, election, chosen, predestinate; read every passage in its context and just see what the Bible actually says; don't read into it what you WANT it to say, but rather see what it actually says;
Its not a matter of my opinion, or yours, or anyone else's; the only issue that is important is what God has said and has revealed; that is all that matters.
Remember also that Jesus said to the Pharisees "You make the Word of God of none effect through your traditions"; I have seen over the years that I have often believed things, not because the Bible taught it, but because of my church traditions and my religious training; I finally came to the place of wanting only the truth, fully the truth and nothing but the truth, regardless of what my church believed or what I had been taught. I believe this is where we have to come to, of desiring to know the full counsel of God, regardless of the cost.
So keep on searching the Scriptures with an open heart and mind, asking the Spirit of God to lead you to see what He wants you to see. Then later, we can talk about other resources to read.
Be encouraged-- it is God's truth we want and He wants to show us all that is of Him. He will teach you faithfully because you have the Holy Spirit as your teacher, and He has promised to do so.
-- Mack Tomlinson
Question on the Difficult Doctrine of Divine Election
I received this question this past week
Bro. Mack
I am sincerely asking you to explain election again to me. I have looked at it, studied it, and prayed about it, but I just don't see it. If I am wrong about something I need to be corrected. I am honestly seeking the truth of this matter according to God's Word.
Dear brother,
Praise the Lord for His mercy, that He helps us walk in the light.
I confess that this particular doctrine is very difficult for many and is hard to come to understand, in light of many other truths which the Bible speaks of, such as the gospel being offered to all and all being called to believe, and that if anyone, anywhere, desire to be saved and come to Christ, they are to immediately repent and believe, and they will be saved.
This is not something I can address quickly, especially am leaving immediately for Missouri for a week.
At this point, I would encourage you just to seek the Lord about it; tell Him everything you feel and think about it; if it is not the truth, then you don't want anything that is not true; on the other hand, if it is true, we ought to want to understand it, even if it goes against all we have ever been taught;
So just be prayerfully asking the Lord to show you what He wants you to see, asking Him to show you by His Spirit if this is a truth from His Word or not; then read the Scriptures with an open heart to him;
Remember also that it is not a matter if election is in the Bible--it's all over the Bible; there are too many references through the Old and New Testaments which speak of the elect, election, chosen, predestinate, etc, in many passages; so it is not a matter if this is IN the Bible, but rather it is a matter of what the Bible is actually teaching about it; I have seen professing Christians who hate the very idea, and will not even read or face the specific Scriptures that directly speak of it; this, sadly, is very unfortunate because they are rejecting a part of the very Bible they profess to believe.
So, at this point, do this specifically-- get a concordance and look up every reference on these Bible words: elect, election, chosen, predestinate; read every passage in its context and just see what the Bible actually says; don't read into it what you WANT it to say, but rather see what it actually says;
Its not a matter of my opinion, or yours, or anyone else's; the only issue that is important is what God has said and has revealed; that is all that matters.
Remember also that Jesus said to the Pharisees "You make the Word of God of none effect through your traditions"; I have seen over the years that I have often believed things, not because the Bible taught it, but because of my church traditions and my religious training; I finally came to the place of wanting only the truth, fully the truth and nothing but the truth, regardless of what my church believed or what I had been taught. I believe this is where we have to come to, of desiring to know the full counsel of God, regardless of the cost.
So keep on searching the Scriptures with an open heart and mind, asking the Spirit of God to lead you to see what He wants you to see. Then later, we can talk about other resources to read.
Be encouraged-- it is God's truth we want and He wants to show us all that is of Him. He will teach you faithfully because you have the Holy Spirit as your teacher, and He has promised to do so.
-- Mack Tomlinson
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