God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit. ( 2 Thessalonians 2:13 13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: )

Dozens of passages in the Bible speak of our final salvation (though not our election) as conditional upon a changed heart and life. The question arises then, How can I have the assurance I will persevere in faith and in the holiness necessary for inheriting eternal life?

The answer is that assurance is rooted in our election ( 2 Peter 1:10 10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: ). Divine election is the guarantee that God will undertake to complete by sanctifying grace what his electing grace has begun.

This is the meaning of the new covenant: God does not merely command obedience. He gives it. “The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” ( Deuteronomy 30:6 6 And Jehovah thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. ). “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes” ( Ezekiel 36:27 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them. ; cf. 11:20).

Election secures that “those whom [God] justified he also glorified” ( Romans 8:30 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. ), so that all the conditions laid down for glorification will be met by the power of God’s grace.

Election is the final ground of assurance because, since it is God’s commitment to save, it is also God’s commitment to enable all that is necessary for salvation.