Berkouwer does not wish to
dispense with the ‘before’ element in God’s election. Rather, he seeks
to understand it in a way that does not diminish the significance of the
historical revelation of God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Baker contends that, in his interpretation of Ephesians 1:4 - “chosen
before the foundation of the world” - , Berkouwer has undermined the
ontological foundation of divine election. There is, in Baker’s view, a
suggestion that he has not distanced himself sufficiently from his own
outlook in order to understand more sympathetically and accurately
Berkouwwer’s understanding of the language of predestination.
In his critique of Berkouwer’s doctrine of election, A. L. Baker writes,
“Berkouwer desires to maintain a dynamic concept of election, but
instead lays most of his emphasis on the human response to the gospel.
He continually warns against ‘an objectivized election that goes its own
way without consideration for faith and unbelief” (G. C. Berkouwer’s
Doctrine of Election: Balance or Imbalance?, (1981), p. 67, citing
Berkouwer, The Return of Christ, p. 333).
In response to this criticism, it should be pointed out that, as well as
placing a proper emphasis on the human response to the Gospel,
Berkouwer, in his exposition of the doctrine of election, repeatedly
emphasizes the divine origin of our salvation:
“… in Scripture the election of God … does not come out of works but out
of grace” (Divine Election, p. 51),
“God’s electing plan prepares the way of salvation in which man learns
that salvation is obtained only as a divine gift and never as an
acquisition because of good works” (p. 68).
“… salvation … has its eternal foundation in the love of God” (p. 168).
“election is not of works but of Him who called” (p. 217).
“God’s election is sovereign and gracious, and hence not based on any
human quality” (p. 308).
In view of Berkouwer’s repeated affirmation of the divine character of
election, it must be denied that most of his emphasis is laid on the
human response. Rather, it should be pointed out that Berkouwer’s
penetrating analysis of the competition-motif enables him to place due
emphasis on the human response without threatening the divine character
of God’s gracious election .
Berkouwer emphasizes that a full emphasis on the significance of faith
does not relativize the gracious character of salvation - “The character
of faith resolves all tension between objectivity and subjectivity, For
faith has significance only in its orientation to its object - the
grace of God. Thus sola fide, instead of directing our attention to the
believer, points us away from him to grace and God … Sola fide and sola
gratia mean the same thing.” (Faith and Justification, pp. 29, 44,
italics original).
In response to Baker’s contention that Berkouwer has continually failed
to expound the ‘before’ element in election, it may be argued that
Berkouwer has expounded this element. He has offered a different kind of
exposition from that which Baker is asking for. An alternative
exposition must, however, be distinguished from the absence of any
exposition.
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