Thoughts on Election

Fooled ya--not the Election you may be thinking of!

I've been pondering the Christian denomination/worldview/theological stance (proper term?) called Reform. One of the tenets is the idea of predestination and election. Here are some random thoughts. Let me know what you think.

The question came up on the Well-Trained Mind General Board (an excellent, fabulous, wonderful, fun, helpful, interesting bunch of homeschoolers) about the need to evangelize--How should the idea that God chooses whom he will save influence the Christian's witness? Sort of a "Why bother witnessing if God's already predetermined who is saved?" Good question. I had a different spin off from that--as I age, I am refining my ability to put into words what I truly believe, and let me tell you, it isn't easy. To sift thru what I've been taught, what I've learned on my own, and what I feel Holy Spirit has guided me to, is difficult sometimes. It involves pretty deep thinking, and not being general, but being very specific.

I think it's easy to live an unexamined life. I think it's easy to hear a doctrine or some theology, say, "Oh, that sounds pretty good, I'll believe that" but keep it so general that you don't apply it to your own life and loved ones. On the idea that God elects whom he will save, and all others are screwed (oops) are not saved, well--Ok, I can see God being the Boss.

I can give God permission (not to sound heretical or anything) to do whatever he wants, and be whatever he wants. He gets to choose and do anything he wants to, because he's the Head Honcho. Creating everything gives him that right--actually, he has that right just because of who he is,not because of what he's done. So I'm good with that basic concept.

But what I find inconsistent with who I think Scripture and the witness of the saints shows God to be is that he would create someone who cannot choose him. Not someone who WON"T choose him, but someone who cannot, because God did not first choose him. You see, I believe God reaches out to us first--We love because he first loved us. That's in John. I believe he desires all to come to a saving knowledge of him. I believe he wants all his creation to live in relationship with him.

So I simply can't be a member of a Reform Church, who believes there are some who are never woo'ed by God, who are out of his Thoughts, and whom he does not love. For it would take the absence of Love to allow the formation of a human who has no chance and no choice to ever choose God.

I was worried about this because of those in my life, particularly my son, who have not chosen a relationship with God (yet?). Could he be one of the "non-elect?" When you take the concept out of the general and apply it to the specific, it's one I simply cannot believe. I can see how perhaps he is one who may not choose God, and therefore will not spend eternity with God. I can go there, tho it's hard. But to think God made him but doesn't love him? He's not a throw away. He's not to be created then discarded like some forgotten children's scribble. He's a masterpiece, and I believe God wants him.

Let's be careful to examine our statements of belief, and see if they "work" when we take them out of the general and apply them to living, breathing people, that we know and love like our own flesh.

Then I think, How big is my faith--could I give God my worship if he, indeed, does only choose some to be saved? If he didn't choose Sky? Can I allow him to be God over that, too?