“Election.” What feelings does the word create in you? Excitement? Weariness? Awe? Confusion? Delight? Disgust? Hopefulness? Frustration? Wonder?

Most of us, by this time in the presidential election cycle, are wearied by the constant barrage of information, disinformation, partial information, “Breaking News!”, propaganda, and disingenuousness that have become the hallmark of elections [and perhaps always were!].

It’s virtually inarguable that radio and television have radically altered the character, style, and reality of the electoral process in our country. There is virtually nowhere you can go to escape the bombardment.

Even the Bible talks about it! Yes, even our beloved Holy Scripture, the refuge to which we turn for comfort in times of trouble, for direction in moments of indecision, the beacon of light in a dark world – even God’s Word speaks of election! Is there nowhere we are safe?!!!

Be at peace. The “election” about which the Bible speaks has nothing whatever to do with campaigns, candidates, slogans, negative ads, nor, for that matter, with votes.

It is, however, one of the most mysterious, difficult-to-comprehend, and most comforting of the Scriptures’ teachings.

The election about which the Scripture – and, in particular, St. Paul – speaks has to do with our eternal life and how we receive it. This doctrine comforts the heart at the same time that it confounds the mind.

Simply stated it is this: if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, it is because you have been elected by God to be so. You have been chosen (predestined) by God to be one of His children.

You didn’t campaign for this blessing; you didn’t earn it; it’s not because you’re better nor worse than others; it’s not because you’re more faithful nor less than others. In fact, no one knows why or how it works. But it is clearly taught in Scripture, and not just by Paul, but by Peter and even Jesus Himself – see any or all of these texts and let the Spirit speak to your heart: Matt. 24:22, 24, 31; Romans 11:7; 2 Timothy 2:10; 2 Peter 1:10; Romans 8:28-30, 9:11; Ephesians 1:5, 11.

My purpose is not to confuse nor confound your already “election-saturated” mind. My goal is to echo with St. Paul in Romans 8:31ff, after he speaks about predestination: “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?....It is God who justifies…..Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?....For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [NIV]

No human being fully understands the doctrines of election and justification. Even as great an intellect and spirit as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther said, “At all events, accept the present promise and the predestination, and do not inquire too curiously about the secret counsels of God. If you believe in the revealed God and accept His Word, He will gradually also reveal the hidden God; for “He who sees Me also sees the Father,” as John 14:9 says, "This is written in order that divine grace might be magnified and the arrogant boasting of human merit might be utterly destroyed.....This is a hard saying for the proud and prudent. But it is sweet to the lowly and humble who despair of themselves." …. [From the American Edition of Luther’s Works 5:43-50; Luther’s Genesis Commentary, commenting on Genesis 29:9).] He counsels us, to understand the hidden God, focus on Jesus.
God’s election offers us the comfort of knowing that by God’s unfathomable grace, through faith in Jesus we are His children. It is not what we have done nor what we have failed to do. He has chosen us to be His children and, as Paul says, “…nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

Whomever wins the presidential election, whatever tomorrow brings, we are God’s by grace, through faith in Jesus, by His election – and nothing on this earth can change that.

In Christ,
Pastor