The Doctrine of Election Isn't About Saving People Against Their Will

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There has been so many misconceptions about Calvinism that even some beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus have them. While I don't care too much if a person is Calvinist or non-Calvinist (and a non-Calvinist isn't automatically an Arminian) - there has been a serious and gross misrepresentation of Calvinism that needs to be addressed. This is the mistake that Calvinism or the doctrine of election is about saving people against their will when it isn't. So what drives people unto the Lord Jesus? John 6:44 has Jesus saying that no man can come unto Him except that the Father draws said person to Him.

The great Reformed Baptist preacher Charles H. Spurgeon got it right when he said that people aren't saved against their will but they are made willing by the Holy Spirit. A good example of election and people made willing by the Holy Ghost is the conversion of Saul. If there's anything that Calvinist Christians can get it right - it's that they don't remember Saul choosing Jesus on the way to Damascus. Instead, Acts 9 tells us that it was Jesus who chose Saul. Acts 9:15 has Jesus telling Ananias that He has chosen Saul. One can see Saul getting made willing by the Holy Ghost (Acts 9:4-6) when he said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

The misconception that Calvinism doesn't believe in any form of free will is stupid for this reason. Saul had his choices all along. It was Saul's choice to do wickedness. The Lord Jesus appeared unto Saul in Damascus and softened said heart. The very heart of Saul was changed to that one that's willing to do wickedness to one that's willing to say, "Lord what will you want me to do?" Saul's limited free will was given a new direction - one that could decide for Christ's glory and not his own. If there was no free will in Christianity then what about the willingness to do good and why do Christians even make bad decisions and later repent of them?

It's also all about God's grace that makes people willing. It's not about "I believed." and "I was found." Rather, it was "I was lost and I am now found." Titus 2:11-14 talks about this grace of God that moves people to become zealous unto good works and to resist ungodliness. This is not about forcing good works but rather making people willing to do good works. This is what election is all about - God's grace that saves sinners from their sin and that they are made willing by the power of the Holy Spirit!

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