Does UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION mean that God has no conditions to salvation? Can one be saved without faith? Without repentance? Without being baptized three times by someone that can trace their pedigree back to an Apostle?
[
That was a trick question. The answer to the first three is “No”, but the answer to the last question is “Yes” … I’ve just had a few arguments with a certain Christian Sect that teaches incorrect baptisms are invalid and negate your salvation … a teaching that really pisses me off.]
Scripture is clear that God decrees conditions for salvation - like placing your trust in Jesus Christ, for one. Those are conditions for JUSTIFICATION. The Doctrine of Election is something else and speaks of a much narrower scope.
Romans 9:15-16 [NKJV]
15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 16 So then [it is] not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
SINCE (not “if”, God already said so) God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and it does not depend on what mankind “wills” (desires) or “runs” (strives to do) but the mercy of God is given based on the will of God … “On what basis does God ELECT (choose) some people to be saved?
R.C. Sproul prefers the term SOVEREIGN ELECTION because God’s choice is based on God’s Sovereignty.