When I was in Bible school, we often had late night discussions,
or debates, about theology. We had a
class called Systematic Theology which was taught over two or three
semesters. What the class did was to
take all the major teachings of the Bible and organize them, so that all the
teachings on a subject spread through the whole Bible were brought together so
you might have a grasp on what the Bible taught about a certain subject.
One such topic was election, or predestination. As commonly expressed, it meant that God
chose certain people to be saved, and only those would be saved. Consequently, everybody else who was not
chosen to be saved was not saved, and so it seems that God decides who is saved
and who is lost, so what’s the point of trying to tell other people about the
gospel or to try to get other people saved if God decides that in the first
place?
So in the course of studying something else, it all makes
sense now.
I was reading in Deuteronomy 7 where Moses is explaining to
Israel about its place in God’s world. Actually,
it was a commentary that I was reading on Deuteronomy 7 that put the pieces in
place, though he wasn’t specifically addressing the question. I pasted the relevant passage at the end of
this paper.
Israel was a chosen people, holy unto the Lord. They were to live lives separate from the
peoples of the world, following God’s commands and laws. They had to be careful that they didn’t
become proud of their position. There
was nothing in them that made God choose them.
It actually has to do with something that He had promised their
ancestors.
They were to live separate lives from the other peoples,
because they would turn them against God.
So they lived separate lives not because they were better than other
people, but because they would draw them away from God.
Go to Ephesians 1 where Paul talks about election and
predestination.
God chose us in Christ that we might be holy and blameless
before Him. Like God chose Israel to be
holy and blameless before Him. Then Paul
says that we were predestined to adoption through Jesus Christ unto Himself.
This parallels God’s covenant with Israel at Mount
Sinai. The word ‘adoption’ that Paul
used is not the same as we think of adoption.
Think of it more like our confirmation classes in church, where the
child becomes the adult. The children
respond to God’s gracious call to be a holy people.
Nobody’s talking here about going to heaven when you
die. Oh, that’s included, but that’s not
the point here, and neither should it be the point for us. We always focus on getting people saved. God is focused on getting a holy and blameless
people. Not a perfect people but a
people who have a heart for God.
So Israel had a responsibility to be a holy people. What’s interesting is that all these fancy
names or terms that God gave to them, He also gave to the Church: holy nation,
a people for God’s own possession, a royal priesthood.
God chose people to be His holy people, a people who would
have a heart for Him and follow Him. Are
they saved? Yes, but that’s not the
question. Are they His holy people who
have a heart for Him?
I’m thinking maybe we should just drop talking about people
as saved or unsaved, but people as God’s people or not God’s people. People who have a heart for God and those who
don’t. Let God sort it all out.
Another way to look at it is to think of two points A and
B. A is where you are, or were, and B is
where God wants you to be. Somewhere
between the two points is a line called salvation. God calls you from point A to point B. Christians just focus on getting people
across the line.
I think we need to change our focus.
The discussion in vv. 1–5 concerning Israel’s need to remain
separate from their more numerous neighbors raises two issues that receive
further treatment in vv. 6–16, namely the mysteries of Israel’s holiness and
election, especially as they relate to the danger that Israel may become
arrogant due to its status as the chosen people. . . .
The first issue addressed concerns the rational [sic] for
the destruction of the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. Israel is a nation
“holy (qādôš) to YHWH,” chosen (bḥr)
from all the nations on earth to be YHWH’s “peculiar possession (sĕgullâ).” All of these terms imply
separation and distinction. In fact, although the idea of holiness often
includes notions of ethical purity, its basic force involves the idea of
something set aside for the deity—something reserved, off limits for ordinary
use. This basic idea of separation begs further definition: set aside for whom
or what? how? for what purpose? The Hebrew Bible answers these questions
clearly. YHWH has reserved Israel for himself. Israel’s holiness is manifest in
keeping the covenant. Israel has been set aside as a “priestly nation” (Exod
19:6) to “bring blessing to all the families of the earth” (Gen 12:3).
The ethical and religious demands of the covenant arise from
and extend this act of setting aside, as the passage makes clear a few verses
later (vv. 11–12). YHWH has chosen Israel to be apart from the other nations of
the world and this holiness becomes apparent in and through specific behaviors
on Israel’s part: namely, their responsibility to “keep the commandment, and
the ordinances, and the judgments” which, through Moses, YHWH commands them (v.
11). Again, the Hebrew Bible clearly establishes the relationship between YHWH’s
free choice and the covenant. Both logically and chronologically, YHWH’s
choice, as an act of unmotivated grace, preceded the requirements of the
covenant. Israel does not earn salvation; Israel manifests it.
Indeed, the text recognizes a danger for Israel inherent in
its status as the chosen nation, namely a false pride. Deuteronomy 7 began with
a reminder that Israel was to dispossess seven nations “more numerous and
mightier than you.” Now, Moses reminds Israel once again that YHWH chose them,
but “not because you are more numerous than any other nation” (v. 7). If
Israel’s size and strength did not influence YHWH’s decision to choose them,
what did?
The Hebrew Bible fails to answer this question. Viewed as
one nation among others, Israel was quite unremarkable, even insignificant.
Yet, YHWH “clings” (ḥšq,
v. 7, a word usually reserved for marital devotion; see Gen 2:24) to Israel;
YHWH “loves” Israel. Deuteronomy 7 appeals only to the promise YHWH made to
“the fathers,” perhaps the definitive statement of the mystery of election in
the Hebrew Bible. YHWH chose not a mighty nation, but a single, old, weak,
childless man, Abraham (Gen 12:1–3), promising him children, prosperity, and
protection. Why did YHWH choose Abraham and his descendants? Why not someone
young, virile, and capable? Obviously, Abraham merited the choice no more than
anyone else. Of course, the fact of the matter is that no one deserves to be
chosen.
Like its ancestor Abraham, Israel is weak and insignificant.
It cannot merit YHWH’s choice. It must depend upon YHWH’s character as one who
keeps promises (vv. 8–9, 12). Verses 9–10 incorporate the traditional statement
of YHWH’s faithfulness to the faithful and anger for the unfaithful, a
statement found already in the Decalogue (Exod 20:5–6//Deut 5:9–10) and
throughout the Hebrew Bible (Exod 34:6–7; Num 14:18; Jer 32:18; compare Jonah
4:2; Joel 2:13; Pss 11:4; 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Neh 9:17; 2 Chr 30:9). Israel
knows YHWH to be reliable (neʾĕmān,
from the root ʾmn, “to stand firm”) to keep his covenant
and his commitment (ḥesed,
vv. 9, 12) to the fathers. In the context of the whole scriptural witness, it
is important to note that, although the Bible does not indicate the reason
(answer the question “why” in the sense of causation or basis) YHWH chose
Abraham instead of another, it clearly maintains that election has an objective
(answering the question “why” in the sense of purpose). Abraham and his
descendants, the nation of Israel, were chosen to play a facilitating role in
YHWH’s relationship with “all the families of the earth.”
Deuteronomy 7, however, focuses not on the purpose of
Israel’s election, but on the defining characteristics of it, the covenant
requirements (vv. 9, 11–12). True to the theme and purpose of the book, even this
discussion of the unmerited grace YHWH demonstrated for Israel includes the
charge that Israel must keep the covenant[1]
[1]
Mark E. Biddle, Deuteronomy, ed.
Samuel E. Balentine, Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary (Macon, GA: Smyth
& Helwys Publishing, Incorporated, 2003), 137–140.
No comments:
Post a Comment