A paradox is a seemingly contradictory statement that is still true. There are several in Christian theology, and we accept them by realizing that God knows everything and fully understands reality, though we do not. Isaiah 55:8 applies. Here God states, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.”

Probably the most misunderstood and contested paradox is that of election and reprobation. Man, with his limited mind, asks, “How can a person have free choice about a matter that God has already determined?” Like all paradoxes, this will never make sense to us because of our very limited intellect. God is sovereign and never owes us an explanation . Some things are “hidden in the counsels of God.”

However, the truth, believe it or not, is that God chose some people to be saved before the foundation of the world, while He chose to pass over and not save others but to punish them for their sins. This truth might seem unfair, but God determines right and wrong, fair and unfair. This truth is supported by much Scripture, so it has to be the whole truth. Many people, especially intelligent ones, make the big mistake of thinking they are adequately intelligent to understand all things. They are not.

Election is supported by several Scripture passages, such as Acts 13:48, Ephesians 1:4-6, Romans 8:29, and many more. Many people fatalistically claim that human choice and decision make no difference, since things will always turn out as ordained by God. But Peter tells us that God is unwilling that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). And that’s where the paradox comes in. God has already chosen whom He will save, yet everyone still has a choice in the matter. This makes no sense to our limited minds, but we know it’s true because it is in Scripture.

Reprobation is God’s sovereign decision to pass over some people and punish them for their sins in order to manifest His just nature. Jude speaks of some persons “Who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4).

The idea of reprobation is so unacceptable to many people that they try to explain election by claiming that God elected those whom He foreknew would accept Christ and be saved. But there is no Scripture to support this idea. Also that theory takes away from the concept of grace, in which God’s sovereign will is displayed. If election were dependent on man’s choice, it would be a matter of human will and not God’s sovereignty and grace.

The hard fact is that none of us can ever understand how any paradox is possible. But several are in God’s Word, the Bible, so they have to be true and we Christians are obligated to believe them. Where, except from Satan, does man get the idea that he can understand all things?