The Doctrines of General and Special Election as Marriage Proposals
It's always mystified me that (some) folks think that God's love is more consistent with a doctrine of general election (where God elects salvation for those "in Christ," but does not elect any particular individual to be in that group) rather than a doctrine of particular election (in which God elects specific individuals to salvation).
What woman would not be taken by this profession of love and proposal for marriage:
"I love all women equally, and am happy to marry one woman or another equally. The particular woman whom I marry is a matter of indifference to me, because I have no special love for you relative to any other woman. If you choose to marry another man, that is entirely fine with me; I'm not the jealous sort at all. I do not desire your love any more than I desire the love of any other woman in general. If you choose to marry another man, then so be it. I'm not the jealous sort. I love all women equally, and do not love you any more particularly than I love every other woman."
Contrast that affirmation with this one:
"I love you above all women. You are so very special to me. I want to grow old with you as my lover. There is no other woman in the world whom I would compare with you. Ask of me and I will give you the sun, the moon. I would gladly lay down my life for you. Anything to love you, and to demonstrate my love for you. You are the love of my life. Marry me, my beloved."
The first seems to me to be a "general election" affirmation of love. The second seems to me to be a "particular election" affirmation of love.
To be sure, I understand the thrust of the the general-election complaint about particular election to be one of fairness. But fairness is a different issue than love. (Of course, I don't think that God is unfair, either.)
What woman would not be taken by this profession of love and proposal for marriage:
"I love all women equally, and am happy to marry one woman or another equally. The particular woman whom I marry is a matter of indifference to me, because I have no special love for you relative to any other woman. If you choose to marry another man, that is entirely fine with me; I'm not the jealous sort at all. I do not desire your love any more than I desire the love of any other woman in general. If you choose to marry another man, then so be it. I'm not the jealous sort. I love all women equally, and do not love you any more particularly than I love every other woman."
Contrast that affirmation with this one:
"I love you above all women. You are so very special to me. I want to grow old with you as my lover. There is no other woman in the world whom I would compare with you. Ask of me and I will give you the sun, the moon. I would gladly lay down my life for you. Anything to love you, and to demonstrate my love for you. You are the love of my life. Marry me, my beloved."
The first seems to me to be a "general election" affirmation of love. The second seems to me to be a "particular election" affirmation of love.
To be sure, I understand the thrust of the the general-election complaint about particular election to be one of fairness. But fairness is a different issue than love. (Of course, I don't think that God is unfair, either.)
posted by Jim at 2:32 PM
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