Unconditional Covenant Election Unto Glory
According to the Covenant of Redemption set forth in Rom. 8:29, 30 God elected, predestinated, called, justified, and glorified a people to be His in this covenant made before the foundation of the world: Rom. 8:29, 30, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
We are told in Eph. 1:4 that this election or choice of a people took place before the foundation of the world: Eph. 1:4-6, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
Also, in Rom. 8:33, 34 we are informed that there is no charge that can be made to God’s elect because they stand justified by the sacrificial atonement of Christ: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
Furthermore, we are informed in the following verses that God’s election of a people was not based on anything that they did, but solely by the grace of God:
1. Rom. 9:10-13, “And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
2. Rom. 11:5, 6, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
The end result of God’s election of a people by his grace is that those chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world will stand before God glorified in the morning of the resurrection. Again, this is set forth in Rom. 8:29, 30 and Eph. 1:4, 5 above.