What is the doctrine of Election?

13 Therefore, if we wish to think or speak correctly and profitably concerning eternal election, or the predestination and ordination of the children of God to eternal life, we should accustom ourselves not to speculate concerning the bare, secret, concealed, inscrutable foreknowledge of God, but how the counsel, purpose, and ordination of God in Christ Jesus, who is the true Book of Life, is revealed to us through the Word, 14 namely, that the entire doctrine concerning the purpose, counsel, will, and ordination of God pertaining to our redemption, call, justification, and salvation should be taken together; as Paul treats and has explained this article Rom. 8:29f ; Eph. 1:4f , as also Christ in the parable, Matt. 22:1ff , namely, that God in His purpose and counsel ordained [decreed]:

15 1. That the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through Christ, who, by His faultless [innocency] obedience, suffering, and death, has merited for us the righteousness which avails before God, and eternal life.

16 2. That such merit and benefits of Christ shall be presented, offered, and distributed to us through His Word and Sacraments.

17 3. That by His Holy Ghost, through the Word, when it is preached, heard, and pondered, He will be efficacious and active in us, convert hearts to true repentance, and preserve them in the true faith.

18 4. That He will justify all those who in true repentance receive Christ by a true faith, and will receive them into grace, the adoption of sons, and the inheritance of eternal life.

19 5. That He will also sanctify in love those who are thus justified, as St. Paul says, Eph. 1:4.

20 6. That He also will protect them in their great weakness against the devil, the world, and the flesh, and rule and lead them in His ways, raise them again [place His hand beneath them], when they stumble, comfort them under the cross and in temptation, and preserve them [for life eternal].

21 7. That He will also strengthen, increase, and support to the end the good work which He has begun in them, if they adhere to God’s Word, pray diligently, abide in God’s goodness [grace], and faithfully use the gifts received.

22 8. That finally He will eternally save and glorify in life eternal those whom He has elected, called, and justified.

23 And [indeed] in this His counsel, purpose, and ordination God has prepared salvation not only in general, but has in grace considered and chosen to salvation each and every person of the elect who are to be saved through Christ, also ordained that in the way just mentioned He will, by His grace, gifts, and efficacy, bring them thereto [make them participants of eternal salvation], aid, promote, strengthen, and preserve them.

24 All this, according to the Scriptures, is comprised in the doctrine concerning the eternal election of God to adoption and eternal salvation, and is to be understood by it, and never excluded nor omitted, when we speak of God’s purpose, predestination, election, and ordination to salvation. And when our thoughts concerning this article are thus formed according to the Scriptures, we can by God’s grace simply [and correctly] adapt ourselves to it [and advantageously treat of it].

[shanekahrs]

I'm in the process of joining the lcms and also am coming from a reformed background. The thing I wrestle with is Romans 9:20-22. Election gives me great comfort but it seems that there are vessels prepared for wrath. Thanks for doing these q&a videos. They have been a tremendous blessing and give me lots to talk about with my reformed friends when the friendly banter inevitably comes up.

[Groszify]

Pastor Wolfmueller made the point before, and I think it’s a pretty accurate way to look at things…if you’re drawing a circle, Calvinism wants the circle to be neatly closed, while Lutheranism is content to leave the circle unfinished/missing a piece. Just in anecdotal experience (including here on YouTube), Calvinism seems to lend itself to a very brainy and formulaic (almost professorial) approach. Personally, I like many of these folks, though I may differ in some of their emphases. While Lutheranism seems more open to mystery; a humble stance, if I may say so…given our innate human limitations. What drew me away from a Calvinist interpretation of election (and limited atonement) is…the Bible! So many passages indicating that salvation is really meant for all. Truly, all. I could artfully interpret those passages to mean something other than “all”, but the interpretation always felt forced, and a bit of a stretch. Anyway, good video, pastors!

[SeanusAurelius]

As a former Roman Catholic turned vaguely Arminian (Baptist) Protestant, I started with the Smaller Catechism and then the Augsburg Confession and got hooked.

[karinlofgren]

Concord 11 is super! Thanks for your work guys.
/ Greetings from Sweden

[loneviking]

Good job guys! I hope you will make more of these short, summary videos of our Lutheran beliefs.

[dora]

Hello from the plains of Northeast Colorado...

[dylanwagoner]

Arminians: “this is the answer”
Calvinists: “no, this is the answer”
Lutherans: “we have no answers, but we know you’re both wrong.”

[calebyurk]

Hey Pastor! Could you do a video explaining temptation v the sin of concupiscence? After listening to your podcasts with the girls of “Let’s Talk About It” on the Sacraments, this question came up when discussing justification and original sin cleansed by Baptism. Would love your thoughts!

[davidwiist]

I usually recommend the Large Catechism after the Small because it cover the same six, chief parts and then the epitome because it demonstrates a path toward Concord through true and clear confession. After that, I figure most people will be hooked and explore however they want.

[gregorydaack]

I sent in a question when I was in need.

[barefootinroann]

My Book of Concord was published by the ELCA - is it a valid edition or should I go shopping at CPH?

[WaterMelon-Cat]

As a Lutheran myself I am deeply disheartened by the doctrine of election, or lack thereof. Walther and Chemnitz both say that the elect will persevere and will not fall away. Okay. The confessions affirm monergism, but also resistible grace. So if the Spirit is resistible, than how can anyone be regenerated ? Conversion would then need to be irresistible, or else we are not monergists. If we can not choose God, but God chooses us, and the elect persevere, then conversion would need to be irresistible. If initial conversion is resistible, then no one is saved. After then, why is the Spirit resistible after the irristible conversion?

[adventureswitheileen]

Do you have any advice for talking to a non-Christian about this? A friend of mine has asked what happens to people who weren't able to hear about Jesus, for example native Americans before Europeans arrived. A simple way to explain it or a parable of sorts would be better as he's not an academic so he doesn't have the patience for a complicated/theoretical explanation

[jmh]

The Lutheran Confessions are theologically more consistent and deferent to Scripture over reason. Both Confessionally and in practice, Reformed seem to solidly place reason on as high a pedestal as Scripture in their reading and extrapolation of it. Scripture must always preceed reason, and while reason is a precious gift from our Creator within its proper use, the Holy Spirit is the greater interpreter, and this the Lutheran Confessions proclaim faithfully. One only concludes double predestination is true if they infuse their reading of Scripture with their own fallen reason, and this is a most HUMAN thing to want to do. We desire more than anything to know all things, so we apply our reason where we shouldn't to derive a faulty hermeneutic.

[Steadfast-Lutheran]

God's election is based on: a) His gracious will to save, b) the merit of Christ, and c) faith which receives Christ's merit. The Lutheran dogmaticians rejected the Calvinistic notion of an absolute decree.

[outnabout]

Lutheran squat man. Pulling buses to remember. :)

[eileensongs]

John 3:16 sums it up.
God predestined those who choose salvation through Christ to be saved and anyone who refuses/ disbelieves are predestined to eternal damnation. Its not based an individual person. God has revealed himself to everyone Romans 1 so no one is without excuse. The predestination it's based on a person's choice.
That doesn't put people in hell, people put themselves their by not believing on Jesus Christ as Savior.
We were all heading hell without Jesus. Repentance, and having Jesus Christ as your savior has redeemed us from that judgement

[ImDanWhoAreYou]

Why is comfort relevant to how one interprets scripture?

[SojournerDidimus]

As a Evangelical leaning towards Reformed, I find your understanding of Calvinism lacking. Why would the comfort of God's providence guiding us through life towards the cross be anything but comfort? The double predestination is simply implied, as we read in John 3:18-20 all who have not been born again remain in a state of condemnation.

[TheRomansGuy]

4:27 What’s wrong with these three maxims is #2. In #2 the speaker says that this maxim is that Grace Alone means salvation is by Grace alone. Salvation isn’t a thing. We use this made up term of “salvation” to boil a multi-step process into a one word conclusion. It’s not “saving”, it’s God creating, man sinning, God judging, Jesus coming in flesh and dying, God accepting and satisfying his judgment, God giving Grace, man surrendering and having faith (or not), and God granting eternal life. The forgiveness of sins is by Grace alone, and it is ALL the work and deserves all the glory. Man’ surrendering to God is still necessary, but it’s the abandonment of self/surrender, not the boasting of self/work, so there’s no glory in it. All glory goes to God.