In John 1516, Jesus speaking to his apostles said, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.

Some prominent Calvinists use this text to teach their doctrine of individual divine election to effectual salvation.

He told his disciples, I chose you out of the world.

This is where Jesus says to his disciples, you did not choose me, but I chose you.

You are in this predicament because of my divine sovereignty.

We are here by the Lord's sovereign intention. There is one of the clearest affirmations

of what we know as the doctrine of election right in this passage.

Yet, it is clear from the text that in John 1516, Jesus is speaking specifically to his

apostles about being chosen for their ministry, not about their being unconditionally

elected to effectual salvation.

Even James White, a notable Calvinistic apologist,

acknowledges this point.

That election is like a gate, you know,

and on the one side, it says,

whosoever will.

But when you walk through and you turn around and look back,

it says, you have not chosen

me but I've chosen you.

The problem is that text from John is about the disciples and it's about apostleship and

it's not really about election at all.

Al Mulder says that John 1516 teaches the doctrine of election.

And James White, on the other hand, says it's not about

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