more on predestination and relationships

*the inspiration for this post arose out of a discussion with mingyu and weijie at the james cu weekend away over the weekend. of course, any mistakes are my own.*

the way i see it, there are three ways of understanding the doctrine of election:

1. unconditional election - election is unconditionally given by God and unconditionally received by man.
2. conditional election - election is conditionally given by God and conditionally received by man.
3. unconditional conditional election - election is unconditionally given by God and conditionally received by man.

to say that a girl may initiate a relationship with a guy is to say that we may initiate a relationship with Christ. however, this goes down the path of conditional election. we may not initiate a relationship with Christ. in fact, we are dead in our transgressions and cannot initiate a relationship with Christ. Christ must initiate a relationship with us!

to say that a guy may only initiate a relationship with a girl whom he knows will respond (ie. say yes) to him is to say that Christ may only initiate a relationship with those whom He knows will respond to Him. however, this also goes down the path of conditional election. Christ does not only initiate a relationship with those whom He knows will respond to Him. Christ initiates a relationship with all, who are then free to respond to Him (or not)!

on the other hand, to say that a girl must respond to a guy who initiates a relationship with her is to say that all respond to Christ, who has initiated a relationship with all by living, dying and being raised from the dead for all. however, this goes down the path of unconditional election. just because Christ has initiated a relationship with all by living, dying and being raised from the dead for all does not mean that all respond to Him. evidently, not all respond to Him. again, all are free to respond to Him (or not)!

in one sense, Christ's life, death and resurrection is sufficient for all to be saved. in another sense, Christ's life, death and resurrection is not sufficient for all to be saved. Christ's life, death and resurrection is sufficient for all to be saved in the sense that we are justified by faith in Christ alone. Christ's life, death and resurrection is not sufficient for all to be saved in the sense that we have to appropriate Christ's life, death and resurrection by the instrument of faith.

to this end, election is unconditionally given by God and conditionally received by man (the sole condition being faith in Christ alone).

link: predestination and relationships (10 may 09)