Is Election Arbitrary?

One of the most prevalent objections to Historic Calvinism is this notion that election is arbitrary. When this subject is discussed for any length of time, the argument is often raised that if God chooses sinners before the foundation of the world without regard to any foreseen faith or works, then this makes God's sovereign choice arbitrary. God is reduced to a cosmic team captain, reminiscent of pick up games from our school days where a child would pick and choose based on a whim who would be on his side. But dare we commit such blasphemy and equate God's sovereign purposes with a childish pickup game? Does the Bible tell us why God chooses some and not others? If the Bible does tell us clearly why he does NOT choose the elect (i.e. not because of anything good in them), then does it offer us insight on why he DOES choose the elect?

To answer this question, we must delineate between two kinds of questions that the objector might be asking at this point. The objector may still be asking the first question, which is the cry of every natural man's heart: "How could God only choose some?" This is a question of fairness or justice. If this is the question the individual is asking, then they still don't understand Paul's theodicy in Romans 9. We dare not ask for God to be fair or just with us. That is in an entirely different category. If God is fair or just, then all we get is Hell. Sinners must never plead justice, if they are hoping for salvation. They must plead for mercy. And the whole human race will only ever receive either of the two categories: mercy or justice. Injustice is not a category in which God operates.

But the second kind of question the objector might be asking is, "Why does God only choose some", which is a different question altogether. The first question was one of defiance; the second is one of inquiry. The first is characteristic of the rebellious, natural man who raises his fist in mutiny at God's sovereign rule. The second is indicative of one who may submit to God's sovereignty but seeks understanding. Still, a caveat must be issued here. The question we ought to be asking is not: "God why did you only choose some" but "God why did you choose any?" When we ask the latter, we allow the full weight of God's unmerited grace towards sinners to fall on us. That being said, there is an appropriate place to inquire why God only chooses some.

Eph 1:5 tells us that God predestined us in love "according to the purpose of his will." The purpose of his will indicates that God does everything for His own divine prerogative. He acts in accodance with his free and sovereign good pleasure. We do not know why God chooses to save some and not all. We do not know why God chooses to save any. We do know that He does it in accordance with his desire and we must trust the goodness and benevolence of God's desire. Soli deo gloria!