Introduction

Election is one of the most talked-about topics in discussions of Calvinism and soteriology, often sparking confusion and heated debate. It's a term that can polarize, especially when misunderstood. Non-Calvinists might be tempted to recoil from the idea, saying, "I hate that election stuff." All Bible-believing Christians should affirm some type of election, the debate lies in what election means and how it works. Non-Calvinists shouldn't reject election; we reject the Calvinist interpretation of election.

The Calvinist Understanding of Election

To be clear, the definition of election and predestination that is opposed by Non-Calvinists is any derivative of the following. 

God, before the foundation of the world, chose to make certain individuals the objects of His unmerited favor or special grace. These individuals from every tribe, tongue and nation were chosen by God for adoption, not because of anything they would do but because of His sovereign will. God could have chosen to save all men, and He could have chosen to save no one. He instead chose to save some and leave others to the consequences of their sin.
~ GotQuestions.org¹

And similarly here is a statement from John Calvin:

“Predestination we call the eternal decree of God, by which he hath determined, in himself, what he would have to become of every individual of mankind. For they are not all created with a similar destiny; but eternal life is foreordained for some, and eternal damnation for others. Every man, therefore, being created for one or the other of these ends, we say he is predestinated either to life or to death.”
~ John Calvin 

This view, often called unconditional election or double predestination, holds that, without regard to anything they have done, God predestines some to eternal life, the elect, and others to eternal damnation, the reprobates. Non-Calvinists find issue with this understanding of election because it directly contradicts the biblical revelation of God’s character—His desire for all to be saved (God Desires All to Be Saved ), He does not delight in judging the wicked (God does not delight in the death of the wicked ), and His love for the world (God's Love for All ).

We don’t question the Calvinist's sincerity or passion for Scripture and believe they arrive to their conclusions while honestly searching the scriptures for truth; we simply disagree with their conclusions. The issue lies in their presuppositions and interpretations—not their intentions.

Election means to choose?

To understand election biblically, we must first recognize that word simply means "to choose." In its original New Testament context, election wasn't the theological term it has become today with thousands of years of doctrinal baggage and debate. 

While God sovereignly elects a people for His purposes, He leaves the response to the individual on whether they will join this chosen people by faith. We believe this choice is freely offered and genuinely available to all.

Examples of Human Choice in Scripture

Throughout the Bible, God often places before humanity the freedom to choose. One clear example is in the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam the responsibility of naming the animals. Though God made sovereign choices in creation, He also delegated choice to Adam, illustrating that his divine  Sovereignty  does not negate human  Free Will .

Similarly, in Deuteronomy 30:19, God says, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life so that you may live." Here, God sovereignly offers a choice, but the decision to choose life is given to the individual. Just as Adam freely named the animals and Israel freely chose between life or death, God also allows individuals to freely respond to His grace through accepting Christ as their savor.

The Bible is full of “If statements” and “conditions” showing God has laid true choice before mankind. God is genuine in these requests from us. He is not a deceiver or a liar in these commands.

Biblical Categories of Election

Understanding election properly involves recognizing its various biblical applications. Election in Scripture isn't always about salvation; it encompasses several categories:

1. Election of a Nation (Israel)
2. Election of Messengers (Prophets and Apostles)
3. Election of Hearers (those exposed to the gospel)
4. Election of Believers (those in Christ)

Each of these categories represents different facets of God’s sovereign choices, and they demonstrate that election is not necessarily tied to the topic of individual salvation.

1. Election of a Nation: Israel

God’s election of Israel was not about predestining individuals for salvation but choosing a people through whom He would bring blessing to the world (Genesis 12:3, Deuteronomy 7:6-8). The purpose was corporate—Israel would be the vessel for God's redemptive plan. This election was unconditional in the sense that it wasn’t based on Israel’s merit but on God’s purpose to bless all nations.

2. Election of Messengers: Prophets and Apostles

God also elected specific individuals to serve as His messengers. This election was about appointing individuals for a task, not determining their eternal fate. God chose prophets like Jonah and apostles like Paul for specific roles in His redemptive plan. Importantly, their election to these tasks didn’t preclude their freedom to respond to God’s call (e.g., Jonah’s initial reluctance to obey).

3. Election of Hearers

God’s election of hearers refers to how and when the message of salvation reaches various peoples and nations. Romans 1:16 tells us that the gospel is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" This election is not about God deciding in advance which individuals will respond to the gospel, but about His sovereign choice of when and how the message reaches different people groups. The extension of the gospel to the Gentiles illustrates how God chose to broaden his election of hearers to now include the whole world (Acts 17:30-31).

4. Election of Believers: Those in Christ

The election of those in Christ is where the main debate lies between Calvinists and Non-Calvinists. Calvinists assert that God predetermines who will believe and who will not. However, Non-Calvinists understand the election of believers as God’s predetermined plan for what will happen to those who choose to trust in Christ.

God has predestined believers to be holy and blameless in His sight and to be conformed to the image of his Son (Ephesians 1:4-5). This is about what happens to believers, not about who becomes a believer in the first place. Those who are "in Christ" are predestined for adoption, sanctification, and glorification—not predestined to be in Christ as most Calvinist will mistakenly read into Ephesians 1. 

To summarize the difference in understanding the Elect, the calvinist view holds:
If I am one of the Elect, then I am predestined to be in Christ. 

This is an incorrect conclusion from Ephesians and other passages when instead it should be:

If I am in Christ, then I am one of the elect and predestined for glorification and adoption.

Biblical predestination is about what happens to believers not about who becomes a believer.

The Misapplication of Scriptures to Support Unconditional Election

While God makes specific choices in history—such as choosing the nation of Israel or the apostles—these choices relate to His plan of redemption, not individual salvation. Calvinists might use a passage like John 15:16 ('You did not choose me, but I chose you') to argue for individual election to salvation. However, in context, Jesus is speaking to His disciples about their role as apostles and this has nothing to do about eternal destiny. Understanding these categories of election helps us avoid misapplying Scripture to support unconditional election.

Likewise, passages about God choosing Israel, messengers, or hearers should not be conflated with election to salvation. God's choices in these contexts serve His redemptive plan but do not imply that He is predestinating individuals to salvation or damnation apart from their faith.

God's Choices are to his Glory

God’s sovereign choices throughout history often defy human expectations, revealing that His ways are higher than ours and that He chooses in ways that magnify His glory, not human wisdom. His election is not a matter of passing over some individuals because they were predestined for damnation, but rather a matter of blessing others through His chosen instruments. When God selects messengers, nations, or people, He does so out of love, with the intention that His message of repentance and salvation reaches all. All of these choices can be considered “Unconditional” only in that they are not influenced by morality, strength, nationality, or personal qualities; however the bible teaches clearly that his promises often come with conditions, particularly for salvation that the condition is to believe. Whoever Turns and Believes Will Be Saved

God's choices highlight His desire for all to come to Him freely, and He extends His call to everyone, commanding repentance of everyone(Acts 17:30) and wishing that none should perish God Desires All to Be Saved . These divine choices are not arbitrary acts of exclusion but sovereign decisions that serve His redemptive purposes and ultimately benefit all who hear the message.

A recurring theme in Scripture is that God often selects the least likely candidates to fulfill His purposes. This pattern serves to demonstrate that His power and glory are not dependent on human strength, wisdom, or status. In fact, God's choices frequently go against what human wisdom would deem logical or impressive, thereby ensuring that the glory belongs to Him alone.

For example, God chose Israel, not because of their greatness or strength, but precisely because they were a small and seemingly insignificant nation. Deuteronomy 7:7 emphasizes this point:

It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples.

In choosing Israel, God showed that His plans are not based on human expectations of power or worthiness. Instead, He often chooses the weak to showcase His own strength and faithfulness.

Similarly, when Jesus called His apostles, He didn’t choose influential or noble men by worldly standards. Instead, He selected fishermen, tax collectors, and common folk—people whom society would have overlooked. Paul reminds us of this in 1 Corinthians 1:26:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

By choosing the humble and the lowly, God makes it clear that salvation, and the ability to carry out His purposes, come not from human achievement, but from His grace and power. This pattern echoes throughout Scripture—from David being chosen over his older brothers to the selection of unlikely prophets like Jonah and Amos.

God’s choices consistently challenge human expectations and remind us that His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). The biblical narrative is full of examples where God chooses to use the weak, the outcast, and the humble to fulfill His redemptive plans. This serves to demonstrate that God’s election is about His grace, not about human merit. It is not about selecting people based on their social status, accomplishments, or inherent worth, but about God’s sovereign plan to redeem the world through unlikely vessels.

This counterintuitive aspect of God's choices also serves as a reminder of His impartiality and justice. He shows no favoritism (Romans 2:11), and His decisions are based on His purpose of bringing salvation to all. God’s choice of Israel, His election of apostles, and His use of weak vessels throughout history consistently display that He desires glory not in human strength, but in His ability to work through the least expected.

Conclusion

Election is a biblical concept, but its meaning varies depending on the context. Non-Calvinists affirm election but reject the Calvinist view that it involves God choosing some individuals for salvation and others for damnation before they are born. Instead, we affirm that God’s election is corporate and centered on Christ, with the offer of salvation extended to all. The Bible consistently shows that Conditional Promises and come to repentance and that the choice to accept or reject His grace is genuinely ours.

Simply put, God's election is his choice to accept those who come to Him clothed in the righteousness of Christ Matthew 22:1 - 14 , not his choosing who will be in Christ; and predestination is God's plan for believers, not God planning who will be believers.

By understanding election in its biblical categories, we honor God’s sovereignty while acknowledging humanity’s responsibility in accepting Christ's offer of salvation without trampling the heart and character of God in the process.

1. Definition of election pulled from the Calvinist source of https://www.gotquestions.org/unconditional-election.html