The purpose of the entire Scripture, says the _Formula of Concord_, is
to comfort penitent sinners. If we therefore abide by, and cleave to,
predestination as it is revealed to us in God's Word, "it is a very
useful, salutary, consolatory doctrine." Every presentation of eternal
election, however which produces carnal security or despair, is false.
We read: "If any one presents the doctrine concerning the gracious
election of God in such a manner that troubled Christians cannot derive
comfort from it, but are thereby incited to despair, or that the
impenitent are confirmed in their wantonness, it is undoubtedly sure and
true that such a doctrine is taught, not according to the Word and will
of God, but according to [the blind judgment of human] reason and the
instigation of the devil. For, as the apostle testifies, Rom. 15, 4:
'Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.'
But when this consolation and hope are weakened or entirely removed by
Scripture, it is certain that it is understood and explained contrary to
the will and meaning of the Holy Ghost." (1093, 91f., 837, 16; 1077,
43.)
Predestination is comforting when Christians are taught to seek their
election in Christ. We read: "Moreover, this doctrine gives no one a
cause either for despondency or for a shameless, dissolute life, namely,
when men are taught that they must seek eternal election in Christ and
His holy Gospel, as in the Book of Life, which excludes no penitent
sinner, but beckons and calls all the poor, heavy-laden, and troubled
sinners who are disturbed by the sense of God's wrath, to repentance and
the knowledge of their sins and to faith in Christ, and promises the
Holy Ghost for purification and renewal, and thus gives the most
enduring consolation to all troubled, afflicted men, that they know that
their salvation is not placed in their own hands (for otherwise they
would lose it much more easily than was the case with Adam and Eve in
Paradise, yea, every hour and moment), but in the gracious election of
God which He has revealed to us in Christ, out of whose hand no man
shall pluck us, John 10, 28; 2 Tim. 2, 19." (1093, 89.)
In order to manifest its consolatory power predestination must be
presented in proper relation to the revealed order of salvation. We
read: "With this revealed will of God [His universal, gracious promises
in the Gospel] we should concern ourselves, follow and be diligently
engaged upon it, because through the Word, whereby He calls us, the Holy
Ghost bestows grace, power, and ability to this end [to begin and
complete our salvation], and should not [attempt to] sound the abyss of
God's hidden predestination, as it is written in Luke 13, 24, where one
asks: 'Lord, are there few that be saved?' and Christ answers: 'Strive
to enter in at the strait gate.' Accordingly, Luther says [in his
Preface to the Epistle to the Romans]: 'Follow the Epistle to the Romans
in its order, concern yourself first with Christ and His Gospel, that
you may recognize your sins and His grace; next that you contend with
sin, as Paul teaches from the first to the eighth chapter; then, when in
the eighth chapter you will come into [will have been exercised by]
temptation under the cross and afflictions,--this will teach you in the
ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters how consolatory predestination is,'
etc." (1073, 33.)
Predestination, properly taught, affords the glorious comfort that no
one shall pluck us out of the almighty hands of Christ. The _Formula_
says: "Thus this doctrine affords also the excellent glorious
consolation that God was so greatly concerned about the conversion,
righteousness, and salvation of every Christian, and so faithfully
purposed it [provided therefor] that before the foundation of the world
was laid, He deliberated concerning it, and in His [secret] purpose
ordained how He would bring me thereto [call and lead me to salvation],
and preserve me therein. Also, that He wished to secure my salvation so
well and certainly that, since through the weakness and wickedness of
our flesh it could easily be lost from our hands, or through craft and
might of the devil and the world be snatched and taken from us, He
ordained it in His eternal purpose, which cannot fail or be overthrown,
and placed it for preservation in the almighty hand of our Savior Jesus
Christ, from which no one can pluck us, John 10, 28. Hence Paul also
says, Rom. 8, 28. 39: 'Because we have been called according to the
purpose of God, who will separate us from the love of God in Christ?'
[Paul builds the certainty of our blessedness upon the foundation of the
divine purpose, when, from our being called according to the purpose of
God, he infers that no one can separate us, etc.]" (1079, 45.) "This
article also affords a glorious testimony that the Church of God will
exist and abide in opposition to all the gates of hell, and likewise
teaches which is the true Church of God, lest we be offended by the
great authority [and majestic appearance] of the false Church, Rom. 9,
24. 25." (1079, 50.)
Especially in temptations and tribulations the doctrine of eternal
election reveals its comforting power. We read: "Moreover, this doctrine
affords glorious consolation under the cross and amid temptations,
namely, that God in His counsel, before the time of the world determined
and decreed that He would assist us in all distresses [anxieties and
perplexities], grant patience, give consolation, excite [nourish and
encourage] hope, and produce such an outcome as would contribute to our
salvation. Also, as Paul in a very consolatory way treats this, Rom. 8,
28. 29. 35. 38. 39, that God in His purpose has ordained before the time
of the world by what crosses and sufferings He would conform every one
of His elect to the image of His Son, and that to every one his cross
shall and must work together for good, because they are called according
to the purpose, whence Paul has concluded that it is certain and
indubitable that neither tribulation nor distress, nor death, nor life,
etc., shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus, our Lord." (1079, 48.)