Arminians believe in divine election/predestination. We have to. It is in the Bible!
The question is whether or not predestination is based solely on God’s will (Calvinists= unconditional election) or whether there is some basis upon which God preordains people (Arminians= conditional election).
God’s Foreknowledge
Arminians typically have argued that God’s condition for predestination is God’s foreknowledge of how we will respond to God.
Texts like:
- 1 Peter 1:1-2- To God’s elect … who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.
- Romans 8:29- For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Corporate Election
Some Arminians (and Calvinists) also teach that predestination/election is a corporate reality. That is, rather than God electing certain individuals to salvation, God elected a people—in the OT it was Israel, in the NT it is the Church.
So, God determined he would have a Church, but not necessarily who would be in and who would be out. Many (if not all) of the key “Calvinistic” texts actually provide support for this view:
- Ephesians 1:4-5- For he chose US in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined US to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. (notice the plural)
Consider also:
- 1 Peter 2:9- But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (Here election is explicitly corporate)
Pentecostals on Election
There is nothing explicit in my Pentecostal denomination’s statement of faith about election. So, Pentecostalism often does allow for a Calvinist view of election. I do know some Pentecostal pastors out there who lean toward Calvinism.
Nevertheless, most Pentecostal statements of faith affirm that Jesus died for all, thereby rejecting the Calvinist view of “limited atonement” (i.e. that Jesus died only for the elect).
Further Reading
If you are interested in reading further, there is a great book out there called Perspectives on Election: Five Views (preview on Google books) edited by Chad Owen Brand. Five different authors present their views on election and the authors also respond to each other’s chapters.
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You might also be interested in these posts:
- You Don’t Have to Say Something to Become a Christian
- ‘Pentecostal/Evangelical’ Bible Commentaries
- Spirit Baptism in Current Pentecostal Theology: Part 1 – Frank Macchia
Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Touched by God: Experiencing the Holy Spirit (forthcoming) as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.
Hello Andrew. I am new to your blog and come across it through Nick Norelli’s review of your book. It is a book I hope to read now due to his review.
Also, if you weren’t aware of the thesis below submitted by Joshua Ratliff on Ephesians 1:3-4 on the corporate nature of Election, do check it out.
http://evangelicalarminians.org/files/Ratliff.%20Ephesians%201.3-4.%20An%20Explanation%20of%20the%20Corporate%20and%20Christcentric%20Nature%20of%20Election.pdf
Very informative read. Great to see your view on predestination and election. I would have to say that I lean towards the Arminian thought.
God bless!
Nera Maaser
Relevant topic! What we believe about this discussion affects the way we live out our lives!
Thank you for this article, Andrew! You helped bring clarity where I didn’t realize I needed it. I look forward to reading more posts!
What the foreknowledge is of is not found in the Bible. If you could find a passage that says otherwise please let me know. IF that for knowledge was based on our response of our own choice and intellect consider Ephesians 2:8-9KJV where it explains that we are saved by grace(defined as an earned) and through faith which is not OF OURSELVES, that it is the gift OF God, not of works(anything a man can do), lest any man should boast(or take credit for). Notice four times in four different ways this passage is telling us salvation is not of us it and the reason is so that we cannot boast or take credit for it…..
Read Acts 13:48KJV where it says…….”and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed”.
Romans 8:27-32KJV
It doesn’t matter what you want to believe what you think is fair God‘s word is the truth and that is where our faith is supposed to be. So read and study Romans 9KJV especially verses 11,13-16,18,20-21,30-33. It’s very humbling but true.
The Bible teaches that there is only one savior and not that we are part savior.
If you think you can sin(work)your way out of salvation, and work your way back in salvation through repentance. This is called salvation by works, and the Ephesians passage told us that we’re not saved by works, and if you think that you can lose your salvation consider God’s omniscience and knowing all things, including knowing those who are his, and if we make it to heaven. it may appear from a human view that we can lose our salvation based on what we see and others experiences, yet from God’s view, if you don’t make it to heaven, what were you ever saved from or to if you were saved and lost it, and God would’ve never said they were saved in the beginning if they didn’t make it to heaven. And how can saved people receive eternal life if they can have it today and lose it tomorrow, because eternal is forever. I would comment in more depth but I know I would go pass the word limit.