The Biblical Doctrine of Election and Predestination

1 The Biblical Doctrine of Election and Predestination iiThe Biblical Doctrineof Election and PredestinationWhy a Baptist will never hold to a Doctrine of Calvinism or Augustinian PredestinationbyPastor Edward G. Rice Pastor E. G. Rice PublicationsGood Samaritan Baptist Church54 Main St. Box 99, Dresden NY : (315) 536-0878 Email: Copyright 2009 Registration # TXu 1-636-582 Service Request #1-194980241 Edward G. Rice All Rights ReservedCover Design by AuthorCopy Right Info on Cover PicturesImage: Portrait of Calvin, John. 1509-1564, Source : Hundred Greatest Men, The. New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1885.,Public domain: This image is in the public domain because its copyright hasexpired. :Augustine of , Original source: Hundred Greatest Men, The. New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1885.

2 Public domain This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. :Sainte , Permission - Public domain, The two-dimensional work of art depicted in thisimage is in the public domain worldwide due to the date of death of its author Therefore this photographical reproduction is also in the public :Tiffany Window of St Augustine - Lightner , Tiffany stained-glass window of St. Augustine, in the Lightner Museum, St. Augustine, Creator Name: Tiffany, Louis Comfort,Date of birth: 1848-02-18,Location of birth: New York, New York, Date of death: 1933-01-17, Location of death: New York, New York,Public domain, since artist died more than 70 years : Frayed Tulip Taken by : Pastel of Closed Tulip, commissioned by author from Valarie PoormanPrinted and bound in the United States by by Pastor E.

3 G. Rice Publishing54 Main St. Box 99 Dresden NY 14441 ISBN: 978-0-578-02455-4 Library of Congress The author who benefits you most is not the one who tells you something you did not know before, but the one who gives expression to the truth that has been dumbly struggling in you for The author whobenefited me most concerning the errors of Calvinism was without doubt Samuel Fisk in his book Calvinistic Paths Retraced. Fisk's editor describes the work with three words: Scriptural, Scholarship, and Thoroughness. Having spent 30 years bumping into the ugly Doctrine of Calvinism in Baptist Churches, I found that Fisk gave expression to the truth that has been dumbly struggling in me for utterance. Concerning such struggles, it has been said If you can not express yourself on any subject, struggle until you can.

4 Struggle to re-express some truth of God to yourself, and God will use that expression to someone .. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15) May my struggles find the expression in this short booklet which will clarify a gross error in soteriology that has plagued Christians since its inception in the mind of St. Augustine (AD 354-430). That error is in considering some chosen and elected for salvation, and some chosen and elected for damnation. The Doctrine of Election has even been that distorted in some Regular Baptist Churches that I have attended. This booklet is dedicated to the hope that it will keep some from partaking in the crippling poison of that error and give expression to a truth that has been struggling in you for utterance.

5 This effort was prompted by the airing of Dr. Sproul's series called Predestination . The error broadcast in that airing inflamed righteous indignation and sent me on a quest to express the truth concerning the Biblical Doctrine of Election . Thank you Dr. Sproul! Your error has initiated this struggle for words and it has been for my , Oswald, My Utmost For His Highest vviContents Table of 1 introduction The 2 Origins of the Error ..3 chapter 3 What is 4 Systematic Theology Considerations ..25A Soteriological Biblical Model of the New Problems With Quagmire Of Open 5 Election and Whosoever Will ..37 chapter 6 Election and the One One Foreordained before the foundation of the 7 Election and the Elect Ones ..49 chapter 8 Election and the 9 Election and the Sovereignty of 10 Election and God's Error of Foreknowing one's 11 Bible Exegesis and Calvinistic 's UnBiblical Error is Contended.

6 103 Eaton's UnBiblical Error is Contended:..104 Eaton's UnBiblical Error is Contended:..105 chapter 12 The Dangers of Calvinistic 13 Romans chapter 9, Election by God's 14 ..119 Appendix: Helpful Devotionals on : The Errant Doctrine Defined in : Initial Research and ..131viiA Word About the Author Pastor Rice is a retired USAF Systems Engineer with a Masters of Science degree and 48 years of being a born-again Baptist by conviction. He has been a youth worker and associate pastor for 20 years of his military career and has been a senior pastor since his retirement in 1995. His upbringing and work in Regular Baptist Churches, his associate pastorate in a Southern Baptist Church and his staunch stand as an Independent Baptist Pastor have given him a broad background for teaching Biblical Doctrine on this topic.

7 His 36 hours of graduate level Bible Seminary work and weekly communication of Doctrine combine with his systems analyst background to enliven a fresh look at Biblical Doctrines and Systematic Theology. Pastor Rice's staunch stand on the inerrant, infallible, verbally inspired Word of God drives all his works towards Biblical accuracy and adherence to the Holy Scriptures. His fervent love for the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind resonates in his writings on Bible Doctrine . viiiChapter 1 introduction -The Dilemma chapter 1 introduction The Dilemma To capture an infinite God with his unfathomable grace and unending mercy with a finite mind and limited pen is impossible. Thewisest of the wise2, however, says this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be excercised therewith.

8 (Eccl 1:13b) It would be arrogant error to presume that this work could bring a conclusion to thediscussions around the Doctrine of Election and Predestination . It would be inept error if it did not place on the table some worthwhile tools to be used by one who says (I'll give) my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven. (Eccl 1:13a) System analysts are always busy constructing models which capture all the inner workings of the system they are troubleshooting. Itis how finite minds best comprehend the innumerable parts of a working system. Such models cannot capture every aspect and operation but they are phenomenally useful tools. The model for the Doctrine here under consideration would have three parts and an emphasis is made throughout that these parts need to be kept in a proper balance.

9 The parts in this model are our concept of God, man and salvation, and the balance and necessary symmetrical overlapping of the three is pictured In times past a one dimensional line model was in use wherein Calvinism was on one far end and Arminianism on the other far end. Some calling themselves 'Biblicists' tried to stake out some middle portion of line segment and set up camp there. But everyone anywhereon the line considers themselves a Biblicist. 21 Kings 4:29-30 characterizes Solomon as with limited exposure to system models and their function have accused that this one tries to put God into a box and then make a 'man box' the same size as the 'God box.' As a model, and in actuality, this only encircles mans understanding of God, mans understanding of man, and mans understanding of soteriology.

10 It then examines the intermingling of the three in a 2 dimensional field. For those capable of another level of abstraction there is a third dimension wherein these circles are irregular spheres, and a different 'slice' can be yes, there are many models in the system engineering field that extend to the forth dimension and beyond. Please do not let the construction of these 2D models of understanding be an inhibitor or an intimidation, they are remarkably useful. 1 The Biblical Doctrine of Election and Predestination A center point on the single line concept became the issue of eternal security and although Baptists might hop from one camp to another, they would generally stay on the 'Calvinist's' side of that Consider that this is superior to the old one dimensional model, by examining the two extremes of Calvinism and Arminianism.