Evangelism and the Doctrine of Election by Grace

One of the most damaging influences of Arminianism is its effect on our understanding of evangelism (i.e., witness and outreach). Because of Arminianism’s influence, the common understanding of the purpose of evangelism among American Christians is to “keep people from going to hell.” This understanding of witness and outreach is then used to convince and convict people to engage in evangelism in order to keep the people they care about from ending up in hell. The result of this approach is to make evangelism a man-centered activity driven by obedience to the Law. Not surprisingly, many Christians have a deep sense of failure and guilt when it comes to witness and outreach.

The doctrine of Election by Grace stands in clear contrast to the decision-based theology derived from Arminianism. The Formula of Concord summarizes this nicely with “In this His eternal counsel, purpose, and ordinance God has not only prepared salvation in general, but He has also graciously considered and elected to salvation each and every individual among the elect who are to be saved through Christ …” (SD, XI:23). This properly centers evangelism in God rather than in man. It also bases witness and outreach in the Gospel rather than in the Law. Recognizing that our witness and outreach efforts will not result in a single additional person ending up in hell (or, for that matter, heaven), frees us to engage in evangelism as a joyful work rather than an onerous task.

Perhaps one of the underlying fears that leaders (including some Lutheran leaders) have about this understanding of evangelism is that it does not appear to provide any purpose for witness and outreach, let alone any sense of urgency about it. This is also addressed in the Formula of Concord in which the above citation continues by explaining that God has “… also ordained that in the manner just recounted He wills by His grace, gifts, and effective working to bring them to salvation and to help, further, strengthen, and preserve them to this end.” Simply put, the doctrine of Election by Grace defines the role and purpose of evangelism as our faithful use of the Means of Grace in order for the elect to hear, believe, and grow in the Faith into which God has called them.

This understanding of witness and outreach is not appealing to many people in large part because they do not embrace the doctrine of Election by Grace in the first place. Many view this doctrine as a hindrance to evangelism, especially in a culture that has deified personal choice. Even those who reject decision theology are troubled by the intellectual challenges of this doctrine. Herein lies the problem, especially in terms of witness and outreach. Attempting to reconcile the reasonableness of evangelism with the doctrine of Election by Grace intellectually will always frustrate us because such efforts are inquiries into the mind of God (i.e., the Deus Absconditus). However, our call to join God in His mission of witness and outreach is not founded in the mind of God, but in the heart of God. Setting aside the irreconcilable conflicts between human reason and the doctrine of Election by Grace and embracing the heart of God who desires that all men would hear the Gospel and be saved frees us from the guilt, pressure, and ultimate failure of man-centered evangelism and frees us for the joy of participating in God’s mission to call, enlighten, gather, sanctify, and keep His elect.

SDG,
@RevMAWood