The Election that Counts

“Election!” “Choice!” “Vote!” 

We hear much about “electing” these days. Yesterday, President Donald Trump “chose” to nominate Amy Coney Barrett as the next Supreme Court Justice of the United States. And we are all being bombarded with demands about how we should cast our “vote” to “choose” the next President and Senator and Congressman, and so on. Everything rides on the next “election.”

But, step back a moment, and ask a question: Have I ever been elected? And from an eternal perspective, enquiring minds want to know, “Am I elect?” If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, rest assured that you have been chosen by the eternal God for eternal life with Him (Philippians 1:29). 

And why did God choose you? Out of love. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

“Did God choose me because of some good quality in me?” No, He chose me in spite of me. James (2:5) says it like this, “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” If God chooses you, it is not because of you, but simply due to his love, which generates love in us.

The next question then comes, “Did God choose me, because he loved me rather than someone else?” No. “God so loved the world,” and the world includes all human beings (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2). God loves the world, in spite of our rebellion, in spite of our sin, in spite of our spiritual poverty. Paul says that God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

“But how can we come to a knowledge of him?” Well, we come to know God through hearing what Christ Jesus did for us on the cross. Paul says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). That is how you can be among those chosen by God: by believing in the Good News of Jesus Christ as you hear it.

God loves you, and He wants you to love him. God calls you, and He wants you to call on him to save you. Paul tells us, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). God voted for you, and He wants you to vote in your heart and life for Him.

But you may say, “How do I know He will accept me?” Paul reminds us, “the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame’” (Romans 10:11).

My friends, President Barack Obama once said, “Elections have consequences.” Indeed, they do. So, vote your conscience in politics. 

But also make sure you vote in the election that really counts. The most important election occurred when God “chose” you “from the foundation of the world” to be “holy and blameless” in Christ (Ephesians 1:4).

God already voted for you. Now, you vote for God. So, vote early and vote often ... for God.