The doctrines of election and reprobation โ God's sovereign choice of some to salvation and His just passing by of others โ are the most searching and humbling truths of the Christian faith. The Westminster Confession (WCF 3.3) confesses:
By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.
Election is God's eternal, unconditional choice of particular persons to salvation in Jesus Christ. It is:
The classic text is Ephesians 1:4-5: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." ^[raw/en/wcf-ch03-s02.md]
Reprobation is the other side of the decree โ God's decision to pass by the non-elect and to ordain them to just punishment for their sins. The Confession's verbs are carefully chosen: the elect are "predestinated" (praedestinati), the reprobate are "foreordained" (ordinati).
The Reformed tradition distinguishes two aspects within reprobation:
Preterition (Latin praeterire, to pass by) โ God simply does not elect certain persons, leaving them in the mass of perdition where Adam's sin placed the whole race. This is an act of divine sovereignty; God was under no obligation to elect any.
Pre-damnation (or condemnation) โ God ordains these passed-by persons to eternal punishment on account of their sins. This is an act of divine justice, presupposing sin and ordaining its just penalty.
As William Perkins explained, "The decree of reprobation, as it is an act of God, is not against justice but according to justice, and therefore God is not to be charged with cruelty or injustice for reprobating some, because He might justly reprobate all." ^[raw/en/wcf-ch03-s03.md]
Paul's definitive treatment in Romans 9:21-23 uses the image of the potter:
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.
The grammar is significant: vessels of wrath are "fitted" (katฤrtismena, perfect passive) unto destruction โ fitted by their own sin; vessels of mercy are "afore prepared" (proฤtoimasen, active) by God Himself.
The ultimate purpose of both election and reprobation is "the manifestation of his glory." If God had saved all, His mercy would be displayed but His justice hidden. If He had condemned all, His justice would be displayed but His mercy hidden. In the actual decree โ some saved by grace, others condemned by justice โ all of God's moral attributes shine forth together.
The decree is secret; the gospel is public. No living person can know with certainty that he or she is reprobate, for as long as the gospel sounds, the door of mercy stands open. Thomas Watson counsels: "If you would know whether you are elected, do not pry into God's secret counsel, but examine your own heart. Do you find the marks of election there? A heart that mourns for sin, a will that is drawn to Christ, a life that is set apart for God โ these are the seals of election upon the soul."
The doctrine slays spiritual pride (What do you have that you did not receive?), anchors assurance (God's choice does not depend on your fluctuating faith), and energizes evangelism (God has a people in every city whom He will save through the preached Word).