Dr Paul Allen

The Reunion of Jacob and Esau (1844 painting by Francesco Hayez) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Election is the term the Bible uses to refer to God ’s act of choosing people to salvation. Paul unpacks this meaning most clearly in Romans 9:10-13, where he sees God announcing and then carrying out his plans in the lives of Jacob and Esau .  He writes, When Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “ Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Election is a demonstration of the sovereign love of God in knowing, choosing, saving, and safeguarding particular people to be members of his family forever, apart from any merit or credentials on the part of The reconciliation of Jacob and Esau.  those chosen (see Romans 8:29-30, w

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son  (Rom. 8:29). The classic passage in the New Testament on election and predestination is the ninth chapter of Romans. The emphasis in Romans 9 is on God ’s purpose. Romans 9:11–12 tells us that the reason the decision was made before Jacob and Esau were born, before they had done anything good or evil , was so that God’s purpose might stand. This statement is totally opposed to any kind of “foreknowledge” view of predestination, the notion that God based His choice on His foresight of man’s decision. Not only had Jacob and Esau not done anything good or evil in space and time when God made His choice, but by implication they had not “done good or evil” even in the mind of God. In other words, from God’s perspective there was no personal good or evil activity that was taken into account here. His choice was made without regard to the goodness or wickedness of the two boys. English: The reconci