Election in the book of Ephesians

Following my examination of predestination and election in Romans, specifically chapters 8-9, I felt that it was necessary to look at the book of Ephesians, another important book regarding predestination in the NT. 

Ephesians 1:3-5 reads:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,"

Calvinists are quick to use verses 3-5 in support of unconditional election and predestination of individuals from eternity past. God "chose us" in Jesus "before the foundation of the world". Paul then repeats himself for emphasis that God "predestined us". Clearly, no matter how mysterious it still remains to believers the truth of predestination cannot be denied. I do not want people to misunderstand me that when I question the Calvinist doctrine of unconditional election, I am not questioning the reality of predestination. Rather the opposite, I affirm predestination by seeking to evaluate the Calvinist doctrine against the very passages of Scripture that speak of predestination. The first thing to consider when trying to understand the nature of election in Ephesians is the context within which Paul is writing. The letter of Ephesians was written to a predominantly gentile church. Ephesus was a pagan city famous throughout Asia Minor for its temple to Artemis (Acts 19). But gentiles were now members of the New Covenant made through Jesus` death and resurrection, having broken down the barrier between Jew and gentile, as Paul says later in his letter (2:11-15). The issue of God`s acceptance of gentiles is an important consideration when trying to understand Paul`s teaching on predestination and election.

The second thing to consider in the debate between individual versus corporate election is how Paul addresses the Church at Ephesus:

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:" Ephesians 1:1

Paul does not address the Church as the elect in Christ. Paul wrote to the saints who were faithful in Christ Jesus. This touches upon the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints as Calvinists would argue that one still needs to have faith and produce the fruit of faith and sanctification in one`s life to prove election. Nevertheless, Paul`s address is significant to my thinking. To be faithful implies active, on-going faith. Thus Paul is writing to those Christians in Ephesus who are faithful to Jesus. It is to these Christians that Paul says in verses 3-5 that they were chosen and predestined. So it is logical to conclude that faith is an important requisite of election - but the real question is, is faith a prerequisite of election? Interestingly, in every letter written to an individual in the NT the title "elect" is never used, with the exception of 2 John. But even then, Bible commentators believe John is referring not to an individual woman, whom he calls the elect lady (2 John 1:1) but to the church. Reasons for interpreting this greeting as metaphorical include the fact that the Greek word for Church is feminine and the Church in the NT is referred to as the bride of Christ. So even the only apparent reference to an elected individual is debatable. In Luke chapter 1, Luke refers to Theophilus his patron as "excellent Theophilus" (Luke 1:3). Paul greets Timothy and Titus as his "true children in the faith" (1 Tim 1:2, 2 Tim 1:2, Titus 1:4) and Philemon as his "beloved brother and fellow worker" (Philemon 1:1). So the NT never explicitly identifies a single person as elect unto eternal life. Jesus chose the 12 disciples, Paul was later chosen to be an apostle to the gentiles, Peter was chosen by Christ to build His church upon, Timothy was chosen to appoint elders in the churches, John was chosen to receive the book of Revelation. But all these examples of "election" were for specific purposes and not simply a matter of being chosen for eternal life. Calvinism tends to reduce examples of election (Abraham, Moses, Pharaoh etc.)  to a dichotomy between heaven and hell.　This is an oversimplification of the nature of election in the Bible in my view. 

Going back to the question of whether faith is a prerequisite for election we must consider the nature of election. Calvinists believe that election means that we are predestined from eternity past to inherit eternal life or damnation. It is by the sovereign will of God and therefore one cannot lose their salvation if they have been elected to eternal life. But if this is what Paul meant (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) in verses 3-5, then this would contradict what Jesus revealed to John in the book of Revelation:

"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works ofthe Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’" Revelation 2:4-7

These are the very words of Jesus spoken to John (Revelation 1:1). Jesus is speaking to the Church at Ephesus directly in chapter 2:1 so there can be no ambiguity as to who Jesus` audience is. Jesus says He will remove their lampstand from its place if they do not repent. In chapter 1:20 Jesus identifies the lampstands as the churches. So Jesus is giving a clear warning to the Church in Ephesus that they could very well be removed and not inherit eternal life if they do not repent. The real threat of loss of salvation is made clear from verse 7 in which Jesus says the one who "conquers" will be granted permission to eat of the tree of life. So Jesus` words about "removing your lampstand" could not refer to some lesser punishment. 

This means either Calvinism`s interpretations of Paul in the book of Ephesians are wrong or Paul and Jesus contradict one another. But Scripture cannot contradict itself so therefore by deduction the Calvinist doctrine of unconditional election must be wrong.

So how do we interpret Paul`s words then in Ephesians 1:3-5? I think the clue lies later in 3:3-6:

"how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." 

Paul speaks here in chapter 3 of a previously hidden mystery of Christ that has now been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. This mystery relates to the gentiles being fellow heirs with Israel and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. "Through the Gospel" is the condition of becoming fellow heirs. The Gospel necessitates repentance of sin and faith in Jesus as saviour. So when Paul speaks of God choosing us (Eph. 1:3) and predestining us (Eph. 1:5) I believe he is speaking of the mystery of Christ mentioned in 3:3-4. Paul is speaking to those Ephesians who through faith in Christ have entered into covenant relationship with God, a relationship made possible through the Cross which God predestined before the foundation of the world. All the blessings connected with election described in Ephesians 1 are in Jesus. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ (1:3), and God predestined us for adoption as sons through Christ (1:5). God`s eternal plan was to incorporate gentiles into His covenant made at Calvary. Paul is affirming the gentile Christians acceptance by God. Election of the gentiles was predetermined. But the view is not individual, unconditional election. Election is dependent on faith:

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14

"And believed" is the condition of receiving the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance (eternal life). Paul says the Gospel is their salvation (from damnation). If individual, unconditional election were true then ultimately the person`s salvation is not in the Gospel but in their election, although the Gospel is the means of salvation. But means notwithstanding if you are elected to eternal life you will inevitably believe the Gospel. So election is the root cause of your salvation. This runs contrary to what Paul teaches here in Ephesians. 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

This verse is hotly contested by Calvinists and Arminians. Calvinists claim faith is included with grace as a gift from God, which God grants the elect. Arminians/Non-Calvinists claim salvation is the gift referred to and not faith specifically. But what is clear is that Paul says it is through faith that we have been saved. No-one can enter heaven or experience eternal life without first believing the Gospel and putting their faith in Jesus as their only saviour. Therefore, while I do not pretend to fully understand election or predestination and I do not deny God knows us all personally and individually (Matt 10:30, Psalm 139, Philippians 4:3); nevertheless I do not see individual, unconditional election here in the book of Ephesians. Once again I think the Calvinist doctrine of unconditional election applies eisegesis and not proper exegesis to the key texts relating to election and predestination.