27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Matthew 11:25-27.
God elects those whom He will save based on His own pleasure and purpose, not based on any condition supplied by man whether it be works or even faith. In Romans Chapter 9, Paul compares the twins Jacob and Esau. Jacob was considered a child of God, a child of promise, and Esau was not: “for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,” Romans 9:11.
Paul recognizes that this may seem unjust. Consider that it would not seem unjust if God saved on the basis on man’s work, man’s faith, or on the basis of any condition supplied by man. But, Paul states: “What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:14-16.
This may not seem fair to us. This may not seem just to us. But, Scripture is clear that God saves on the basis of His purpose and choice alone.
God does not want us to boast. If we were saved because we performed enough works, then we could boast. If we were saved because we had enough faith, then we could boast. But, if God hid salvation from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants, then no one could boast.
“18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written,
“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
29 so that no man may boast before God.
30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31.
I know I am preaching to the choir about this general subject of unconditional election, but there remains a difficult point for us to consider. I can wrongfully take pride in my knowledge of unconditional election and have done so many times. I can look out over many churches and denominations and shake my head like the Pharisee and say: “‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: Pentecostal, Baptist, or even like this Methodist.”
I must remember that it is not even my knowledge of unconditional election or other finer points of Reformed Doctrine that saved me. I must remain humble like the Publican who was “even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ ” Luke 18:13.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 