James White on Unconditional Election

from the book Debating Calvinism, pages 91,92

“Unconditional election is simply the recognition of the biblical teaching that God is free in the matter of salvation. He chooses to exercise mercy and grace toward underserving creatures solely on the basis of “the good pleasure of His will” (Ephesians 1:5). There is nothing in the creature that merits, earns, or attracts His favor. His election is unconditional in that it is based solely on His purpose and His pleasure and not in anything whatsoever in the creature.

This belief , of course, is most unpopular, since it leaves no room for man’s accomplishments, works, rituals, sacraments. or (and this is the main issue), the exercise of his allegedly autonomous will. In biblical theology, it is God’s free will, not man’s, that determines the outcome of the work of salvation. As with each of the doctrines of grace, the foundation is to be found in the careful, fair, contextual exegesis of the inspired Scriptures.”