Riff's Christian Journal

There are two different views of salvation in Christian theology. In both of them, there is the cause and effect doctrine for how one is saved from facing the wrath of God and spending eternity in Hell.

On one hand, there is the doctrine of “free-will”. It says that man has the ability to choose of his own free will, when faced with the gospel of Jesus, whether or not to accept Jesus as Savior and so be saved or choose to reject Him and go on his merry way. In this, man can save himself, as his salvation is based upon what he does first and then God responds accordingly.

However, in the doctrine of election, as Jesus says in the Gospel of John chapter six and verses 44 & 65, “no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws (or enables) him.” In response some will say that God draws “all” men. If that were the case then everyone would be saved for in the same chapter Jesus also says, “All that the Father gives me will come.”

Now we know that not everyone will be saved. Therefore, we see then, that God will only draw certain ones to Jesus and they, and only they who are drawn, will come to Jesus and be saved. It is they who will be told about Jesus and will hear the gospel, as we are told in John 6: 45, “And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes to me.” In this, we see that God is the cause of man’s salvation and man responds by willing coming to Jesus.

So, in free will salvation man acts first and then God responds, but in the doctrine of election, God acts first and man responds. Who ever acts first is the cause and the effect is salvation.

As we have seen, of his own free will, man cannot choose to come to Jesus, as the Father must first draw him, and they who are drawn, and who are taught about Jesus, will come willing and so be saved.

Man’s will cannot save him as it takes God’s will to save man (see John 1:13).

In the first chapter of Ephesians 1 – 14 Paul, in writing to believers only, writes so beautifully about how and why God chose to save whom He wills…

Eph 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Eph 1:2  Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Man cannot save himself. It takes God to save man and God will save whom He has chosen. If it were not so, He would not have written about it to tells us so. Whoever calls upon the name of Jesus, and confesses that He is Lord, is one who has been saved. To do so in submission to Jesus is proof that one has been chosen by God for salvation.

How about you? Do you think that you have been saved by your own free will? Alternatively, are you saved because you were chosen by the will of God to be saved? Remember, all who call upon Jesus and submit to Him as Lord will have been saved already.