The question of predestination is also raised when we take seriously the Old Testament claim that God has "chosen" the Jewish people as his special concern. (See further the section on "the covenant" in Chapter 15.) And when we realize that God chose them, not because they deserved it, but simply because he loved them, it all sounds highhanded and arbitrary. Why should God "choose" one nation instead of another? And what about those who are not chosen?
An important part of the answer is the reminder that the Jews were "chosen" not for special privileges but rather to bear special responsibilities. They did not have an easier time because they were God's chosen people. They had a tougher time. The pagans could in a sense be excused for their wrongdoing, but the Jews had no excuse -- they knew better! So we must rule out any notion of "favoritism" in the sense that election made things easier for the elected.
Furthermore we must see the election of the Jews in terms of its ultimate purpose, which was that through them God's love and concern could be expressed to all people: "I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" ( Isa. 49: 6). And it is a matter of sober fact that it was through the events of Jewish history that the nations did come to see God at work, and were prepared for his final manifestation in Jesus Christ.
Notice further that in doing all this God does not override the gift of freedom which he has given us. The Jewish people can accept God or reject God. They usually reject him, just as we do. But this does not defeat God. He makes use of the very facts of their sin and rejection, working them into his plan, using them as a way of showing more clearly who he is and what he demands. It is almost as though a composer of a piece of orchestral music were to stand behind us as we played, and as we made mistakes, he were to alter the succeeding measures of the score to make use of those mistakes and weave them into the pattern of the piece. He would control the ultimate direction and outcome of the music, but he would do so in relation to the way we fulfilled his directions or failed to fulfill them. He would be master of the situation, and we would still be free.
The Biblical belief in election is a positive belief. It does not say, "God deliberately rejects most people and chooses only a few." It affirms that God does choose, and that those so chosen are the ones through whom he reaches out toward all men. It is not our job to puzzle about the fate of those "not chosen," and gloat over the fact (as Christians sometimes have) that "we made the team" and somebody else didn't. As a matter of fact, nobody but God knows who is "on the team." The "bad pagan" may actually be a lot closer to the Kingdom of God than you.
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