The wickedness of the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam. 1:3; 2:34), who were priests in Israel, is described in 1 Samuel 2:12-17. While the Lord had allocated certain portions of the sacrificed animals to the priests (Lev. 7:28-36; Deut. 18:3), these wicked men intimidated worshippers and took other portions of meat to which they were not entitled. They also committed fornication with the women at the tabernacle (1 Sam. 2:22; cf. Ex. 38:8). While Phinehas’ earlier namesake, the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, was commended because he forcibly stopped fornication in Israel (Num. 25:6-18), this later Phinehas, son of Eli, descendant of Aaron, would be punished because he engaged in fornication. Eli questioned his sons and told them not to do these evils (1 Sam. 2:22-24). However, God asked Eli, “Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?” (1 Sam. 2:29). God knows the difference between that which is mere talk and what is truly in one’s heart. Eli said “no” to his sons, but evidently was made fat from their stolen portions of meat.
The Levitical priests were chosen by God (Ex. 28:1). God asked this rhetorical question to Eli regarding the descendants of Aaron: “Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?” (1 Sam. 2:27, 28). But God’s election of them did not mean that God would not revoke their status and punish them if they fell away into wickedness. The text goes on to say: “Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house” (1 Sam. 2:30, 31). God punished Eli’s house. Hophni and Phineas died at the hands of the Philistines when the ark was stolen (1 Sam. 4:10-18). When Eli heard this news, “he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy” (1 Sam. 4:18). This is how the overweight judge who ate the stolen sacrifices met his end.
Today as Christians, we are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9). We are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Pet. 1:2). Many in the religious world view election as guaranteed salvation, but the Bible does not teach such. This religious error comes from John Calvin who taught unconditional election. Regarding the elect in 1 Peter 1:2, Calvin stated, “Hence, when Peter calls them elect according to the precognition of God, he intimates that the cause of it depends on nothing else but on God alone, for he of his own free will has chosen us.”¹ The inspired apostle Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph. 1:3, 4). Calvin’s comments on being chosen are thus: “…all our holiness and purity of life flow from the election of God. How comes it then that some men are religious, and live in the fear of God, while others give themselves up without reserve to all manner of wickedness? If Paul may be believed, the only reason is, that the latter retain their natural disposition, and the former have been chosen to holiness.”² Calvin’s false teaching is that men have nothing to do with their salvation. According to him, God’s choosing/election does everything, and men really have no choice whether they are wicked or holy.
However, an exhortation to stay faithful can be found on almost every page of the Bible. Several passages in the Bible show that election cannot mean guaranteed salvation regardless of one’s behavior. The chosen priests cut off in First Samuel are only one example of many that demonstrate this principle. God chose Israel as a holy nation to Him (Deut. 14:2). Moses said, “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut. 7:6-8). Yet, Deuteronomy is filled with warnings for Israel to beware of forgetting the Lord (Deut. 6:12; 8:11) for the blessings of election were conditional on their continued obedience (Deut. 28). We know from history many in Israel fell away (Num. 14:29-35; 16:35, 49; 21:6; 26:64, 65; Judges 2:11-13; Isa. 1:19).
Speaking of Judas, one of His twelve apostles, Jesus said, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (Jn. 6:70). The word in the original Greek for “chosen” here is used in the LXX in Deuteronomy to refer to God choosing the patriarchs and their seed, the nation of Israel (Deut. 4:37; 10:15). Thus, God’s election/choosing refers more to His purpose rather than a guarantee of final salvation.
Let us not silence passages like 1 Samuel 2:27-36 from informing us of the nature of God’s choosing/election. Since we, as Christians, are all priests to God today, then we must live holy lives (1 Pet. 1:15, 16; 2:9) to make our calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10). We must continue in God’s goodness, otherwise we will be cut off (Rom. 11:22).
— Mark Day