Prose

election + Grace

written by: alf hickey

ELECTION NOW GRACE IN EPHESIANS
I was reading Ephesians recently and came to a crazy conclusion. Paul in this, possibly his last work, (I understand it to be his) replaces the idea of election with grace; it surprised

me.

While the start of Ephesians seems to raise election.in 2:8 Pauls moves the passage along to, 'it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith, not of works so that no one may

boast.'

Why does Paul emphasise 'that no one may boast ?' Why does he emphasise abolishment of the LAW, in (2:15) or physical circumcision to blood of Christ making the two one in His flesh.

(2:13-14) Reading it, it seems that Paul is reducing anything that would assume human merit, to Christ's gift and work. Even our good works, are prepared beforehand to be our way of

life.

The election of Israel was dependant on works according to Israel's covenant agreement with God. It was still unmerited then. This covenant though was conditional on obedience to LAW.

'This is election' by covenant.

Paul seems to be facing Jewish Christians claiming superiority on the basis of election and circumcision in Ephesus. We know from Acts 19:9 there were issues with the synagogue.

What Paul does, it seems in Ephesians, is replace Old Covenant concepts with new concepts. Jew and Gentile becomes the Body of Christ, Election becomes grace, circumcision, becomes

Christ's flesh, our works becomes living by Spirit, Jew over Gentile as chosen to love. 5:4 contrasts justification by law with justification by grace. Election is gone, grace is the

new label and concept, which embodies God's choosing and gift for us.

As I now say: election implies pride, grace emphasises our thankfulness. Election now would imply an us and them, that some are superior.This is not love and seems clearly redundant

after Christ by grace through faith. This reasoning about pride in ministry later.

Paul says his 'ministry' is a 'grace.' The gifts in 4:11 serve to 'equip the saints for for the work of ministry' (4:12)for 'building up the body of Christ' (4:12) these are temporary

'until all come to unity and faith in Christ' (4:13) ALL are eqipped (4:16) and building up is essentially love (4:16); this is the ministry of ALL love- not the gifts necessarily. Once

again the idea that some are superior, maybe like priests in a MINISTRY is rejected it seems. As an Apostle, Paul reduces his gifting to a 'grace' and rather than considering himself

authority, calls himself the least of all the saints. (3:7)

This makes me rethink what MINISTRY is. For now, the only ministry is Christ, it is love, the grace of gifts are temporary things God gives to facilitate God's ministry of love, in the

unity of faith.

This idea is not without precedent in the Old Testament. It seems Amos may have left out notions of 'God's people' because this is no guarantee, they will always be that way, as their

covenant is conditional, and they are judged with a harsher standard because they are chosen.

CHOOSING WHICH SLAVERY
What is freedom ? What is liberty ?
We are free, was the liberty of Christ in response to the oppression of the religious leaders a token freedom, the freedom of Grace that Luther experienced, or the freedom Paul speaks

about when we are no longer enslaved by sin. Jesus is freedom. We are still individual, still unique, still separate, still choose and yet still one with Christ. With God inside us with

the Spirit, we are truly free, yet we choose to be slaves of Christ, because he is loving and gives us true freedom.

AUTHORITY
Freedom is really important to God. Sadly we chose slavery to sin in the garden. And God in His love gave us a way out. Even though God has placed us in charge of the Earth in

stewardship, we in sin, have corrupted our leadership, governments and communities which do not reflect Him. Its almost like he lets us see the cost of sin through corrupted leaders

that he places in authority, that oppress the poor and weak and suffering, as the scripture says, the oppressors have power on their side and the poor you will always have with you. We

do not rebel (yet we are supposed to be in charge- its a democracy). Our freedom and leadership is warped.

LAW
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath- probably why the Sabbath law is thrown out in the new testament, because we distort it. God does things for us, because we are

important, we are the apple of His eye, even in sin, he does not forsake us, he makes His sun to shine on the righteous and the unrighteous. Law that is made for freedom, peace and

love, becomes a tool of oppression and suppression. Why Jesus in the new testament redefines the law as love for God and man.

CHOOSING GOD
Christians are sort of like a democracy that votes for a monarch in a referendum- this happened in Australia a couple of years ago. If only we did that for Jesus ! This is a freedom God

has given us in His system, why we will be co-heirs with Christ and even judge the angels.
A person with a nature transformed by Jesus wants to be free from sin in themselves and free from an oppressive world, they wish to be close to the love of Christ and perfected to be

radiant and beautiful, not slaves to themselves, the flesh, sin and having to resist Satan. We are driven by freedom !

Galatians 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brtheren; only do not turn that freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Free Will

I think God has given us free will, decision, the concept of choice (The wide and the narrow road), reading the signs (Jesus to the Pharisees), examine yourself and see whether ye are

in the faith (implies reasoning about ourselves). The call to believe and have faith indicate choice, sure the spirit is working, but we respond-we choose, we can grieve or quench the

spirit, sear God's work in our conscience with a hot iron, despite our salvation (Taxi driver faith). We are personally accountable. I think free choice and pre-destination co-exist,

but how do you live in a pre-destined way ? I've heard of practicing the presence of God and the scripture 'pray unceasingly.' But pre-destination has little meaning for our walk, apart

from the fact that God is there, is ever present and worthy of all glory, and we are v.precious to Him. Our choice does not take away His control or leading- God always gets HIS way.

The argument about our nature is interesting. Paul indicates that we are divided, (I do what I don't want to do-the flesh and the spirit are at war in a believer) the nature of God

fights with human nature (the flesh ?). We are being sanctified too. In this we make choices. Some people have a problem that a single entity can be divided, but then look at the

Godhead, it is 3 but one. We are told that we are being perfected and we will be given new bodies. But we are judged according to what we do, what comes out of a man or his mouth, and

this is from the 'abundance of the heart.' And then though we are judged in the flesh, as the scripture says, by grace through faith, Christ has covered us with His blood and defends

us.
But we choose, the scripture says, 'choose life !' The scripture tells us we and God have choice ! In the TNIV there are 82 references to the word 'choose,' 46 references for 'decide.'

What's even more interesting, is that we can negotiate and fight with God, I mean he does get His way, eg. Jacob and his boken leg. But we can change God's mind- can we. What about Lot

and what of the Prophets pleading with God for Israel. What is intercession for ? We choose, are separate and are to think this way, even if It is predestined and pre-set. Even the idea

of our will being drawn into line with His will, and us not getting things because it is out of God's will. What about that scripture, 'what you say on earth will be done in heaven ?'

The scripture says, 'He has placed fierce desires within us.' But we are still separate entities. God reminds us, 'my thoughts are not your thoughts.' Here we have our own thoughts and

actions. Can we say that free will is predestined though, is it because God knows the future, or because God has created it to be that way ? We can look at this from the perspective of

there is nothing new under the sun, God knows all the possibilities that can happen and which will happen, including our choice.

On the cross, Jesus says, 'forgive them they know not what they do.' So it would seem that knowledge is linked to accountability (problemmatic when you are talking about being born in

sin as the scripture says-are still birthed babies responsible for their sin ?). Anyway the point is Adam and Eve were given free choice/will, with consequences and a way out through

sacrifice.

I have an argument that we are to live as if we are choosing with the knowledge that God knows all and is in charge. While we are on earth we cannot boast of being special or elect, it

is the Grace of God that has saved us, we can claim no glory-All glory can only go to Christ. We have a job to evangelise and people have a choice to respond or not, with the spirit

working there too. If elect is an 'us and them' phenomena now- I think we sin, for the love of God is for the world: John 3:16, and we do not know who will be saved yet.