Election – Who Will Be Chosen?

Here it is then, Election Day, the 2nd of May 2013! A day when hopes will be either realised or consigned to the ash-heap of failure and disappointment. Here in the United Kingdom, or parts of it at least, there are elections to the County Councils. It will be interesting to see how many people bother to exercise their democratic right to vote, and in doing so elect the representative of their choice to this tier of our local government. The point is we are able to choose, the successful candidate will have been chosen by the majority of those who placed their voting paper in the ballot box. What will be the reason for us choosing to vote for a particular candidate? Will it be we just like them as people, perhaps they accurately represent our own political views, or is it that we have always voted this way? Will they be worthy of our vote, or turn out to be a real disappointment?

A Far Greater Election

Whatever is the outcome of these local elections, contemplating my own visit to the ballot box later in the day, my mind turned to a far greater election. An election with a far greater significance. The outcome of this election will not just last for five years, but for eternity itself. When I think about God’s electing love for His people, I often wonder ‘why me’. What made me so special in the sight of a Holy God, that He set His love upon me such that I too was ‘chosen’?

“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.” Ephesians 1:4

That God, way back in eternity past, before the very creating work of bringing this world into being, should so love us, that He chose us in Christ to be His own, is a doctrine to which not everyone subscribes, I know, but it’s there in scripture so I believe it. However when we reflect, or should I say when I reflect upon my own life I find the nature of God’s love the more remarkable. To choose someone so unworthy, sinful and undeserving, and to love them so much to be prepared to send an only Son to die on their behalf is love indeed.

God’s Grace in Election

Many articles, books, and other works have been published on this great doctrine of election, and to expand it here is not my purpose, but to merely emphasise the grace of God in such a might act. For does not the Bible itself speak in such terms concerning our salvation:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…” Ephesians 2:8

Scripture is replete with references to God divinely choosing, and the fact that not all are eventually chosen seems evident in such passages as Matthew 22:14 where we learn that “Many are called but few are chosen.” The unbelieving world may have a very poor view of us, thinking us to be weak and foolish, but God looks upon those He has chosen with a different regard:

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:…..” 1 Corinthians 1:27-28

Is your Election Sure?

Have you the assurance of such a salvation? Have you called upon our God to forgive your many sins? May I plead with you so to do, taking heed to the encouragement of the Bible when it call upon us to:

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall”: 2 Peter 1:10