Sovereignty and Freewill

II Peter 1:10-11
By Harold Dinsmore, M.Div.
© 2007 Harold Dinsmore

             One of the most avoided doctrines of the Bible is the doctrine of election.  Now the doctrine of election does not deal with politics.  I am not going to talk about Bush or Clinton, or any of the other candidates running to replace the president.  Suffice it to say this year’s debates so far have all been pretty entertaining: long on laughs and short on substance.  But we all need to pray for our country and pray that the right person gets in office next year.

            With that aside, the doctrine of election as described by theologian, Hendrikus Berkof “is comprehensive as salvation itself because it characterizes the totality of God’s dealing with his people, his church and his world.” (Berkof’s Theology).  What is the election business I am talking about this morning?  Well, the word elect is the Greek word εκλεκτος.  It appears 16 times in the NT & it is translated chosen 7 times in the NT.  The root meaning of this word means choice or a choosing or a laying out.      As we seek to come to a better understanding of this biblical concept, we must first of all come to an agreement concerning the nature and state of mankind.