Today is Primary Election Day in Arizona. I voted and hope you did, too. I believe in the importance of exercising this civic duty to honor the precious freedoms won for us at great cost.

I’d like us to think of another election affecting all nations and all people who have ever lived: it’s the concept of election in the Bible.

Many theologians have attempted to grasp the mystery of “election” attested to in Scripture. In Calvinist theology, unconditional election is considered to be one aspect of predestination in which God chooses certain individuals to be saved. Those elected receive mercy, while those not elected, receive justice without condition.

I’ve been reading one of the most influential commentators on the doctrine of election, the Swiss theologian Karl Barth. For Barth, the doctrine of election is the sum of the gospel and the foundation for understanding God.

“Election” simply means “a choice.” The Christian doctrine of election involves a choice made by God. According to Barth, the Triune God eternally elects, or chooses, in divine freedom, to be for humanity the God of grace and love. Therefore, in Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human, God is both the elector and the elected.

Barth scholar John Webster describes it this way: “God elects to be this God, God in this man, God known in and as Jesus Christ.” As the act of grace and love, the Son of God is elected to give himself to become united with the Son of Man for the specific purpose to save sinful humans. The Son of God empties and humbles himself so that humans may be united in fellowship with God (see Philippians 2:6-8; John 17:22-24).

At the crucifixion, God rejects and says NO to the disordered human sin that caused alienation from him. Jesus takes the rejection and the NO of God totally upon himself as the human representative of and substitute for all humanity.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s YES to Jesus Christ. It is the acceptance of Jesus Christ’s obedient submission to God’s will. In and through Jesus Christ, the YES of God is freely given to all human beings. Therefore, we may say that Jesus Christ is our elected representative!

The NO passed away at the cross; Jesus bore the No and totally removed it. There remains only the covenant or relationship of YES with the resurrection of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:19-20).

This is the good news! We are not left to blind fate or some unknown will of God. Our election and predestination by God is certain in Jesus Christ, and in him alone. In Him, we have and know the will of God for the meaning and direction of our lives.

Our church motto is A Joyful Walk With Christ and we follow the ultimate direction for our lives by celebrating the Word of God. Please join us at 11 a.m. this Sabbath Saturday to find your own way out of the darkness of sin.

We have free childcare during the service and welcome everyone who is seeking the Truth!

Praying that I will see you Saturday morning,

Pastor Duff