Category Archives: Questions and Answers

A Dozen Objections to Divine Election

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Perhaps you can relate to this – Divine election does indeed seem to be clearly taught in the Bible. Passages such as Romans 8 and 9, Ephesians 1 and 2, John 3, John 6, John 10, John 17, and many others, make a convincing case. However, certain verses, at least at first glance, seem to present a different picture.

Over time I have sought to deal with some of the most frequently cited verses that are raised as objections to Divine election (the “what about?” verses, as I call them) trusting that this can be a helpful resource.

“WHAT ABOUT?” VERSES:

John 3:16

2 Peter 3:9

1 Tim 2:4

Matt 23:37

1 Tim 4:10

1 John 2:2

John 12:32

2 Peter 2:1

“WHAT ABOUT” CONCEPTS:

How can divine election be true if God is not a respecter of persons?

Does God create people knowing they will end up in hell?

If Divine election is true, why should we even bother to evangelize?

The ten different uses of the word “world” in John’s Gospel

Another question that often arises is “how can God be just in requiring man to do what he is unable to do?” John Piper answers that question here in this short video:

and the word was God

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Pastor John, I am told that members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s) are trained for upwards of five hours every week just to reach Christians. That is a whole lot of time, I am sure you would agree.

Dr. James White once told me of an encounter he had where a JW recited a 2-3 minute speech about John 1:1 that he had memorized concerning Greek words and constructions. At the end of the speech Dr White, a noted New Testament Greek scholar, pulled out his Greek New Testament from the shelf and handed it to the man and asked him to show him what he (the JW) was saying from the text.

“What’s that?” the JW asked.

“Dr. White said, “it’s the Greek of John chapter one that you are so busy telling me about.”

The man then admitted that he did not know how to read Greek. He had memorized a very lengthy speech (no doubt, provided by the Watchtower group) but could not read a single Greek word.
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Among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander

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Pastor John, but now have shipwrecked it, we must conclude that one can lose true faith in Christ.

How would you respond to this claim? Is there more that can be said about these two men, besides, “Since other Scriptures teach perseverance, then we must assume that the faith of Hymenaeus and Alexander must have been a mere profession”?

I think the last sentence in your question does indeed go a long way towards answering your own question, though I believe much more could and should be said.

The 1 Timothy 1:18-20 passage reads:

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

To fully exegete the passage would take far more space than a short blog article would allow for, but I would like to draw out a number of points from the biblical text.
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