Definition
Election (Greek: ἐκλογή eklogē; Latin: electio) is the doctrine that God has chosen certain persons (or the entire human race, in some views) from before the foundation of the world for salvation or for a specific task. The classical debate is between Calvinism (double predestination: some to salvation, others to damnation) and Arminianism (conditional election based on God’s foreknowledge). The corpus offers a broad range: from monergistic election to full salvation (Bullinger, Reformed line) to election as “saved first” in a universally restorative scenario (Jones) to sovereign assignment of tasks without double predestination (Noordzij).
Usage in the Corpus
Stephen Jones
Jones positions his election doctrine as a “third way” beyond Calvin and Arminius: predestination is real and sovereign, but it is predestination to be saved earlier, not to be saved exclusively. God has foreordained some to belong to the firstfruits (first resurrection, Manchild), others to later redemption, but no one to eternal damnation. Eph. 1:4-5 (“chosen before the foundation of the world for adoption as sons”) refers for him specifically to the firstfruits, not to the only ones ever saved. [Jones, Creation’s Jubilee, Ch. 11]
Cees Noordzij
Noordzij sees election as sovereign assignment of tasks within the plan of salvation: God chooses who holds which position and timing in salvation history. This is not double predestination but a differentiation in calling and timing within a universally inclusive salvation perspective. [Noordzij, Moses and the Way to Sonship]
E.W. Bullinger
Bullinger maintains a strictly monergistic election doctrine: God chooses sovereignly and without human cooperation. His emphasis is on the absolute certainty of the elect, connected to his numerical symbolism of the covenant.