Did God choose me to be saved before I chose Him?
Yes. Scripture says God chose His people in Christ before the foundation of the world, and it never bases that choice on foreseen merit. Election is unconditional: it rests on God's mercy and the good pleasure of His will, not on anything in us. Far from being cold, it is the deepest ground of our assurance and our praise.
This question arose from studying What does it mean that God is sovereign? and If God controls everything, do my choices matter? and Can I seek God on my own?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
The choice is real, and it came first
Paul blesses God for our salvation in a single sweep: 'he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love, having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire.' Jesus says it as plainly: 'You didn't choose me, but I chose you.' The initiative in salvation does not begin with us climbing up to God; it begins with God reaching down.
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love; having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
It is not based on anything in us
Paul makes the point with the twins: before Jacob and Esau were born or had done anything good or bad, 'that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls.' He draws the conclusion plainly: 'So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.' God does not look down the corridor of time and choose the promising ones, because there are none promising enough; He chooses as mercy chooses, freely.
For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.”(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Is God unjust to choose?
Paul asks the objection himself: 'What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be!' Mercy is God's to give: 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,' and He is the potter with power over the clay. He even shows that His patience with vessels of wrath and His glory shown to vessels of mercy are both woven into one purpose, 'that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory.' The choice is not cruel; it is how a God who is owed nothing shows grace to anyone at all.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be!What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Election works through the preached gospel
The election Scripture describes is never a whisper outside history; it works through the word that is preached. At Antioch, 'as many as were appointed to eternal life believed': no one is appointed apart from believing, and believing is the response election produces through the message. Peter greets the scattered churches as 'elect... in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ'; the chosen are known by the obedience of faith. Paul can say he knows the Thessalonians are chosen, because the gospel came to them 'not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit.'
As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
We know, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen, and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
No one is told, 'You are not elect'
Nowhere does the Bible say to any seeker, 'You are not chosen.' The secret things belong to the Lord; what is revealed is the open call: 'whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life,' and 'he who comes to me I will in no way throw out.' Peter's instruction is the one that concerns us: 'be more diligent to make your calling and election sure' by faith, obedience, and growth. We do not begin with the hidden decree; we begin with Christ, and in Him election becomes our security, not our speculation.
The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out.All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Continue this trail
Doesn't God want everyone to be saved?→“Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”Can anyone resist God's grace?→“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”What price can buy forgiveness?→“none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)”What does it mean that God remembers our sins no more?→“and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”What are the parables of the kingdom about?→“He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”Is it too late for me to come to Jesus?→“All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out.All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”Explore further
What is the difference between assurance and presumption?→Our Walk with Him trail“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”For whom did Christ die?→Jesus Christ trail“I am the good shepherd.The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”What does 'the whole world' mean in 1 John 2:2?→Jesus Christ trail“And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”Why does God harden hearts?→God the Father trail“but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love;According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Worth visiting