Paul shows in a number of ways to the church at Corinth that God is sovereign, that He designs and chooses and appoints. See for example:

I Corinthians 1:27. “You see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

Does Paul “contradict” any of the above in his further teachings to Corinth? Perhaps one could see it in:

I Corinthians 1:21. “…it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe…”.

You must believe to be saved. But God has ordained preaching to be the instrument of salvation. God brings the preacher to the sinner, and the grace to believe that preacher.

We see from the first passage above that God deliberately chooses the underdog. And,

I Corinthians 7:17, 12:7, 11. “As God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all… one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

God distributes gifts as He pleases. Further,

I Corinthians 12:14, 18. “The body is not one member but many… God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased…”

God ordains specific members of the Body of Christ to be in the positions that please Him. This is brought out again in

I Corinthians 12:28. “God has appointed these in the church: first, apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”

But, what about I Corinthians 12:31, 14:1.

“Earnestly desire the best gifts…Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts…”

Looks to me like the way God places gifts and men in order is to place within them the desire to have certain gifts. When we step back into eternity past we see God arranging the church just as He desired it to be. Whether men or their gifts, all is set in order by God.

Even down to each individual life, things are set in order beforehand, not by man. Look at

I Corinthians 15:10. “By the grace of God I am what I am… I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

Paul himself was a man directed by the grace of God. He did nothing on his own. Just like nature, that preceded all of us…

I Corinthians 15:41. “There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory…”

Even the universe and its various shades of brilliance is totally set in order by God to fulfill His specific purposes.

The first letter to the Corinthians, with some minor suggestions of disharmony, is easily arranged into a unified statement of God, that He is in charge, that He does all things according to His will and plan.

No opposition here!

I TIMOTHY

Paul writes to a younger brother in the Lord, a man in whom he has placed much confidence. He appoints Timothy as temporary leader of the Ephesian church, counseling him to ordain elders and allow them to feed the flock after he leaves. He has other wise words to a minister of God, which all of us can take to heart.

First he reminds Timothy of his own (Paul’s) calling, an unexpected manifestation of the grace of God, if ever there was one!

I Timothy 1:12-16. “Jesus… enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man…I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief… that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.”

In Paul, Jesus establishes a pattern of grace. Former blasphemers, persecutors, anything, take note: whatever God did for me He can do for you. What He did for me was show unmerited favor. Grace. He called me specifically, out of all the Pharisees and Sadducees he could have called. God truly has a people… But wait,

The same apostle says, a little later in the letter, that God is for everyone! He wants all to be saved!

I Timothy 2:3-4. “God… desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

I Timothy 4:10. “God is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.”

Problem here? Let’s see. God wants everyone to be saved. Does not God have the power, then, to save everyone? It seems certain to me that not all will be saved. So what must we say about God’s “will”?

Since we were made in His image, perhaps there is a bit of ourselves that will explain His nature. I too desire things. Many things. Wonderful things. Most of them never happen. Willing, or wanting, is not the ultimate decree of God.

Our God did not create a planet full of people in hopes that they would – mostly – be lost forever. He wants all to be saved. He wishes it. He desires it. But He knows that not all will be saved. Yes, He is the Savior of all but in a special sense He is the Savior only of the believers.

That is in accord with John 3:16. God loved the world so much, that is, wanted it to be saved, that He gave Jesus to die for – in that same special sense - those who are believers.

A great mystery here. Paul has uncovered it for us and not fully solved it. God calls men like Paul to know and serve Him, while not calling others. Yet He loves even the ones He does not call and has not called from the foundation of the world.

Both truths are here. But “who has known the mind of the Lord?”

The point I am making in this work is that this whole “election” matter is not about Paul versus Peter or an early Paul versus a later one, more matured in his opinions. These two great truths stand side by side in the same epistle from the same man, and call us to “go figure”, not to start a new denomination…

Let’s see if Paul speaks against himself in another letter to that same Timothy:

II Timothy 1:9. “(God) has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”

Why me, we ask, and not him? Why you, and not her? Why, why, why? The answer is clear, or at least as clear as we will have it on this side of things: His own purpose and grace! And it was done before there was a world, a person, much less you or me. No one knows who they are yet, but Paul in his day served these “invisible” believers night and day…

II Timothy 2:10. “… I do all things for the sake of the elect (chosen ones), that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

But here it is again. After Paul’s clear declaration that there is a chosen people, after He tells us they were clearly and definitely saved before time began, he introduces the element of doubt again!

II Timothy 2:11-13, 20-21. “…IF we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. IF we endure, we shall also reign with Him. IF we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself…. IF anyone cleanses himself… he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master…”

Put it all together before you choose sides. Both truths are before us again: a clear plan and a doubtful now. Doubtful to us. We see through a glass darkly. He sees in bright splendor every name that is in that Book of Life. In other words, the true elect WILL die with Jesus. The non-elect will play along. The true elect WILL endure. The non-elect will be as the seed in Jesus’ parable, scorched by the heat of trouble and persecution. The true elect WILL cleanse themselves. The non-elect will muddle through, taking on the colors of the world some days, and people of God others.

After all,

II Timothy 2:19. “…the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His’”...

And that has to be remembered in the midst of the questions, the “if’s”. So encourage everyone, because you don’t know who will overcome at last and who will fall away at last…

II Tim 2:25. “(Correct) those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth…”

But Paul was sure of one thing:

II Tim 4:18. The Lord WILL preserve me.