Why I Cannot Believe in the Doctrine of Election

There are a number of scriptures which use an inclusive noun when expressing God's love and forgiveness.  Examples are: all, anyone, whosoever.

Revelation 13:8 states "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (the beast which is Satan) whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) slain from the foundation of the world." KJV

This verse  in Revelation states that Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world. It does not say names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life since the foundation of the world. "From the foundation of the world" modifies "Lamb" who was slain from the foundation of the world.

Therefore, Revelation 13:8 cannot correctly be used to support the doctrine of election in which God chooses some for eternal life to the exclusion of others. 

This verse does not say that  God only writes the  names of the elect in the Lamb's Book of Life. Of course He knows whose names will be there, but His omniscient character does not negate any names being written there.  All mankind has the right to choose. God does not willingly leave anyone out!

The question that I have which says, "what about those who  have never heard" is not answered for me with the doctrine of election. The Nephilim of course are not human and will not be in Lamb's Book of Life.

It is not God's choosing. He died for all. It is man's surrender.

We who choose Jesus do love Him because He first loved us.  This again is not election. 

Also, Jesus said in John 6:44, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." This is a promise for believers who faithfully pray to the Father for their unbelieving family, friends, neighbors, the world.

The inclusive noun here, all, is not referring to mankind as a whole who were not part of the elect. It clearly only refers to those in the Tribulation Period who have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.

All mankind had an opportunity to have their  names written in the Lamb's Book of Life by choosing to worship Jesus  before the Rapture and during the Tribulation Period.   

It is not God who chose not to write their names in the Lamb's Book of Life.  It is clearly the result of a person's wrong choice which makes him/her part of the inclusive word all in this verse.  Those who are already dead without Christ certainly do not have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  It is too late for them.

All those in the Tribulation Period who have not chosen Jesus will be excluded from the Lamb's Book of Life. Why would God exclude any one else? He simply does not!  He leaves the choice up to man to be included in this book.

Hopefully and prayerfully,  those who believe in the doctrine of election can see what I am saying here.

Isaiah 53:6 Says "The Lord laid on Him (Jesus Christ) the iniquity (sins) of us all."  There are no exclusions to whom Jesus died for. God's Word plainly means ALL in this verse,  as it does in the following verses.

1. John 3:16 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

2. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If ANYONE hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

3. John 7:37 If  ANYONE thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

The Bible does not say "whosoever if they are the elect, or anyone who is the chosen, or all who are the elect." There are no restrictions on whosoever, anyone, all.

The only requirement is to believe, to be thirsty, to open the door to Jesus. It is a choice for all human kind. 

It is an incentive for believers to pray that the ones we know and love will be drawn by Father God to be thirsty, to open the door to Jesus, to believe. As Christians, the choice our loved ones and those we know make depends on the choice we make to pray for God to draw them to Jesus.

God made His choice to redeem mankind through the blood of Jesus.  Jesus made His choice to obey and give His life. I pray that believers, including me, will make the choice to pray that unbelievers will make a choice to believe in Jesus and follow Him.

In conclusion, I will add that believing I can pray for someone to thirst, to come, to believe gives me greater faith for those for whom I pray.  The doctrine of election fills me with doubt.  Therefore I cannot and will not accept it as true.

God did not create hell for mankind.  He created it for the devil and the fallen angels. 

God did not create Judas to go to hell.