One of the mysteries of Calvinism is the struggle Calvinist theologians have had since Calvin as trying to understand the mystery of election. Probably one of the most difficult areas is the issue of God’s sovereign choosing who will be saved and who will be damned. Some have tried to deny that Calvin himself held to double predestination but there is no doubt that Theodore Beza, Calvin’s successor and teacher of Arminius, held to double predestination. Some have said that Beza reacted to attacks against Calvinism by embracing such a view. Arminius (and others after him including John Wesley) rejected such a view. Wesley said that such a teaching (unconditional election) “makes my blood boil.”
Most Calvinists today continue to struggle with the issues related to election. Why is it that God has chosen some but not all? Some Calvinists like to narrow this down even more to make it personal as “Why did God elect me but not someone else?” Truly, election within Calvinism is a mystery.
Some Calvinists try to find answers. Most, however, settle for quoting Deuteronomy 29:29 and leaving the mystery of election simply as that: a mystery.
For the Arminian, this answer (that election is a mystery) is not sufficient. For Arminianism, election is based on a person having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Peter 1:10-11). We believe that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (John 1:29; 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:1-2; 4:10) and we believe that those who place their faith in Jesus become the elect of God (1 Timothy 4:10). For the Arminian, a reading of Ephesians 1:3-14 is not difficult to grasp as the elect are simply those in Christ Jesus. That seems simple enough to understand.
The issue then related to why are not all men saved is simple: not all have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28; Mark 10:45; Acts 2:38). Only in Jesus is a person completely forgiven (Romans 3:22-26; 10:4; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:12). Those who reject the gospel (John 3:19-21) or those who are not in Christ Jesus by grace through faith are not redeemed (John 14:6; Romans 1:18-32; 10:9-17; 1 Peter 1:18-21). Redemption is found only in the Lord Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross (Hebrews 9:22, 27-28). Those who hope in works or in religion or in themselves are not saved and will be condemned for all eternity (Revelation 21:6-8, 27).
For Arminians, this is not an issue of God simply predestining some to eternal life and others to hell. For us, it is an issue of people refusing to repent and believe the gospel. A person in hell will not be able to cry out to God, “You placed me here without me ever having a choice in the matter!” No! The person in hell will be there because of their sins and their refusal to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior (Romans 1:18-32). Just as Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, so hell is a prepared place for unprepared people. No doubt the elect will be in Heaven with Jesus, but the idea that those predestined to hell apart from their own sins and their own rejection of Jesus Christ, in the words of Wesley, makes our blood boil.
[Link to original post and comments on Roy Ingle’s website.]