Divine election—God’s sovereign choice of His people—can stir up big questions. One of the most important ones is: If God has already picked who’s saved before the world began, why bother sharing the gospel? Doesn’t that make evangelism pointless? The short answer to this question is: Not at all. In the mystery of God’s plan, election doesn’t cancel out our call to proclaim Christ, it fuels it. Scripture ties these two truths together, not as rivals, but as allies working under God’s hand. Let us look no further than Acts 13:48 and Romans 10:14-15 to see how this dance of sovereignty and responsibility plays out.
Start with Acts 13:48 we read: “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” What we have here is Paul and Barnabas are preaching hard, spreading the word like wildfire… and what happens? The Gentiles believed, and Luke ties it straight to God’s appointment. “As many as were appointed” didn’t sit back waiting for a divine memo; they heard the gospel, and faith sparked. So, election didn’t mute the message—it gave the preaching its power. God’s choice was the hidden engine, but the apostles’ words were the spark. An author wrote, “This isn’t a sleepy fatalism where nothing matters—it’s a living, breathing scene of God working through human voices to call His own.”
Then flip to Romans 10:14-15, Paul knowing full well about divine election asked: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” Paul’s logic is airtight: faith comes through hearing, hearing through preaching, preaching through sending. This is our job—election does in no way nullify it. God’s chosen ones don’t wake up one morning and magically know Christ; they need the gospel delivered to their ears. The elect are out there, sure, but they’re not glowing with halos; they’re regular folks who need to hear “Jesus saves” from someone like you or me. God’s sovereignty doesn’t bench us; it sends us.
Again, why evangelize if God’s already decided? Because He has decided to use us. Election isn’t a shortcut that skips the messy, or hard work of sharing the good news—it’s the blueprint for how it happens. Acts 13:48 shows the endgame: those appointed believe, when the word hits them into their hearts (Acts 2:37). Romans 10:14-15 shows the means: we’re the messengers. God could’ve zapped every elect heart with instant faith, but He didn’t. He chose fishermen, tax collectors, and us to carry the message of Christ and Him crucified. That’s not a contradiction, it’s a privilege.
This shatters the grip of apathy: If election meant “don’t bother,” Paul wouldn’t have sailed seas or faced whips to preach. But he did, because he knew God’s plan thrives through human hands. Election assures us the harvest is secure—not one of God’s own will slip through the cracks. Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers put it nicely:
“If God had painted a yellow stripe on the backs of the elect, I’d go around lifting shirts. But since He didn’t, I’ll preach Christ to all, and trust His Spirit to draw His own.”
As one author says, “Yet it demands we swing the sickle, trusting He’s already marked the crop.”
So, evangelism isn’t negated by election; it’s empowered by it. We don’t preach to guess who’s in or out—we preach because God says, “Go,” and He promises fruit. That’s the call: speak boldly, trust deeply, and watch Him gather His elect through every word.
