The Doctrine of Election

The Doctrine of Election

Sermon on Belgic Confession Article 16 – The Doctrine of Election – Scripture reading from Romans 9

Romans 9:15-18 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. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

Article 16: The Doctrine of Election

We believe that—

all Adam’s descendants having thus fallen
into perdition and ruin
by the sin of Adam—

God showed himself to be as he is:
merciful and just.

God is merciful
in withdrawing and saving from this perdition those who,

in the eternal and unchangeable divine counsel,

have been elected and chosen in Jesus Christ our Lord

by his pure goodness,
without any consideration of their works.

God is just
in leaving the others in their ruin and fall
into which they plunged themselves.