Election or Predestination?

One of the things that often comes up in Theological studies is the concept of election and predestination. I am not planning on tackling the actual question in this post, I just wish to clarify the defintion and difference between the two terms.

Predestination, or  προοριζο,  means to choose ahead of time. This implies choosing something before it happens. This term is used six times in the New Testament.

Election, or εκλεκτοσ, means to be chosen to preform a duty or task. (e.g. a president or minister may be elected.) another definition is as follows: chosen: an exclusive group of people; "one of the elect who have power inside the government".

Now, we see that both terms are used in the Bible to refer to God's people at different times. However, we also need to remember that just because someone is elected, or elect, if you will, does not mean that it was chosen before time. A minister may be elected, but that is not a predetermined item. It takes the choice of those in the congregation. We have the same thing with a president. They are elect, but that does not mean they had no choice.

We also see that predestination also is a Biblical principle. However, we need to be careful in how we use these two terms. Although many people may use the two to mean the same thing, they most certainly do not. We may have an elect group of School board members, but that does not mean they were predestined to be there.

In other words, predestination requires election, but election does not require predestination. This is not an attempt to refute anyone's theory, just to define the terms thrown around as if they were interchangeable.

In other words, all people in a position of authority, privilege, or grace, are elect in their position. That includes presidents, parents, teachers, employees, employers, and most definitely Christians. We are elect. We are indeed an exclusive people chosen to preform a duty and fulfill a task. That is the meaning of being elect in any area of life.

For more examples of how we must make sure to use reasoning correctly in Theology, see this earlier  post.