July 16th, 1942

In our last issue (July 2) we promised to try to write more on this subject for this  issue. In order to an intelligent investigation of the subject it is well to first see what the word election means, and what the word elect means, and what the word elector means. We will take the last word first. Elector is one who elects, or has the right of choice. If persons of Adam's race were chosen to eternal life, or chosen to be made children of God, or to be conformed to the image of Christ, we may ask, Who did the choosing? Who did the electing? If such choice was made, then someone must have made the choice; someone must have done the electing, or the choosing. They either did the choosing themselves, or some other party must have done it. If they did the choosing, then they themselves would be the elector. If they constitute the elector, then they must have existed before the electing was done. Elect, as an adjective, means chosen; taken by preference from among two
or more. Theologically it means chosen as the object of mercy or divine favor; set apart to eternal life. An adjective is a descriptive word. If the word elect is used any place in the Bible to describe any person or persons, it is there used as an adjective. If the Bible speaks of any person, or persons, as the elect of God, as a descriptive term, the word is there used as an adjective, and it means that they were chosen as the objects of mercy or divine favor; it means that they were set apart to eternal life. Elect, as a noun, means one chosen or set apart. Theologically, one elect;-now only as collective; as, “Shall not God avenge His own elect?” -Luke xviii. 7. Elect, as a transitive verb, means to select; to determine by choice; to decide upon; to choose; to select or take for an office by vote. Theologically, it means to designate, or choose, or select, as an object of mercy or favor. Election is the act of choosing; choice; selection. Theologically, it means divine choice; especially, as one of the “five points” of Calvinism; predestination of individuals as objects of mercy and salvation; also, those elected. The foregoing definitions are taken from Webster's International Dictionary, which is conceded to be authority on the meaning of words in the English language. The dictionary gives the meaning of words according to their accepted use in the language. This being true, we are aware of the fact that such definitions as we find in our dictionaries are not always the same as the words meant in the original languages in which the Bible was written. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the New Testament was written in Greek. Those languages are dead languages, and have undergone no change since the Bible was written. The English language is not a dead language, and is undergoing changes all the time. Some words are going out of use, and others are being coined, and some words are used today in a different sense than
they were years ago. As an example of this, take Webster's definition of baptize. He gives it as from the Greek word “baptizo, to dip in water,” and then defines the word baptize as “to dip or immerse in water, or to pour or sprinkle water upon,” etc. This shows that the meaning of the original word in Greek was to dip in water, which is to bury or immerse; but in later years some have engaged in sprinkling or pouring water upon a person and called it baptism. But what the word meant in the Greek language when the New Testament was written is just what the word means in that language today. This all being true, it is well that we look into the original language now and see what the words elect and election mean in that language. Let it be remembered that what the words meant when the New Testament was written is what they mean now. That language, or the meaning of words in that language, has undergone no change in all these centuries. In every place in the New Testament where we find words elect, elected, or election, the word is translated from a word which means “to pick out; to choose, select; to choose out as the recipients of special favor and privilege; chosen out, selected; chosen as a recipient of special privilege; elect; specially beloved; possessed of prime excellence; exalted; choice; precious; the act of choosing out, election; election to privilege by divine grace; the aggregate of those who are chosen, the elect.” These definitions are given in Bagster's Analytical Greek Lexicon. We have not taken space to divide up and give each different ending and case of the word, for they all sum up to the same thing. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gives the meaning as “to select; make choice, choose, choose out, chosen.” Liddell & Scott Unabridged Greek Lexicon gives the meaning thus: “To pick or single out, to pick out for one's self, choose out.” In Thayer's Lexicon we find this, in defining the original word: “To pick or choose out for one's self; * * * so that the ground of the choice lies in Christ and His merits. * * * (Ephesians 1:4)” It seems that we have here produced sufficient testimony as to the meaning of the words; and if one will not believe, from the evidence here produced, neither would he believe, though one rose from the dead. The doctrine that God has made choice of a certain, or special, people, without regard to their works, or special fitness, may be repugnant to human nature, and contrary to the exalted opinion one may have of self; but that is no argument or evidence that it is not the truth. Let us next look into the meaning of the word predestinate. Webster defines the word as an adjective thus: (From Latin praedestinatus, perfect participle of praedestinare, to predestine; prae, before; destinare, to determine.) Predestinated; predestined; foreordained; fated; theologically, foreordained by God's decree or eternal purpose.” As a transitive verb he defines it thus: “To predetermine or foreordain; to predestine; theologically, to appoint or ordain beforehand by divine purpose or decree; to preelect.” The word in our English is translated from the Greek word pro-or-id-zo, which means “to limit in advance, predetermine; determine before; ordain, predestinate.” The word is from pro, “in front of, prior to; above, ago, before, or ever;” and horidzo, “to mark out or bound, to appoint, decree, specify; declare, determine, limit, ordain.” These definitions are taken from Strong's Concordance, and we find the same in the other Lexicons which we have before us, as Bagster's,

Thayer's and Liddell & Scott's. This is sufficient as to the meaning of the word. With these facts before us, do we need to refer to the Scriptures and quote what we find recorded therein in order to prove the doctrine we maintain in this matter? If you would read for yourself, and keep these definitions in mind, it seems to us that no argument would be needed to convince one that the doctrine is taught in the Bible. But we do not wish to let the matter go at that. But we have written enough for this issue already, and will promise to write more on the question for the next  issue. C. H. C.