That was always my understanding, therefore my surprise when I learned of the Calvinist point of view. That God, unconstrained by time, would always know who will be saved makes more sense to me. Though at the same time, the scripture referred to, Romans 9:14-24 by dhh712 does seem to support her view.
I would add also that Lutherans also believe in election, not on the basis of God knowing beforehand who would choose Him; but that He has indeed chosen us in Jesus. But election in Lutheranism is not about God choosing some to be saved and passing over others for damnation; it is instead about God's loving kindness toward us in Jesus who desires and causes our salvation by His own mercy. God passes over none, indeed God desires that
all be saved. And all means
all.
The Calvinist view is often called "Double Predestination" as it states that God has both predestined the elect to salvation and predestined the reprobate for destruction; Lutherans on the other hand absolutely and emphatically deny and reject double predestination; God has, in His grace, predestined us in Jesus, choosing us and electing us in Christ; but God has predestined nobody for destruction or damnation, indeed as said before God desires that
ALL be saved. As a Lutheran I might acknowledge that the Calvinist position is "reasonable", but it is not
biblical. The biblical view is indeed paradoxical according to Lutheranism; the paradox of God choosing His elect and, nevertheless, desiring all to be saved--and yet no one is saved by their own choosing, actions, or will but instead by the gracious work of Christ alone through God's efficacious means of grace, the preaching of the Gospel and the Holy Sacraments. Therefore no one is damned by God's choice or will, for God's will is the salvation of all, it is God's work to save all; it is only through our own will that we are damned, God does not damn us, we damn ourselves.
Here is what we might call a Lutheran alternative to TULIP:
Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Universal Atonement
Resistible Grace
Assurance of the Saints
Total Depravity, that is, man is sinful, broken, not only in part but in total, thus even man's will is subject to sin, and bent toward slavery to himself.
Unconditional Election, that is, God has chosen us in Christ apart from anything of ourselves--it was not on account of our worthiness or our acts or our choices that He has chosen us, it is solely on account of His great love and kindness in Jesus.
Universal Atonement, that is, Jesus Christ died for
everyone, without exception.
Resistible Grace, that is, while the human will is not free to do that which is pleasing to God due to the yoke and bondage of sin, the will absolutely does by its own natural inclination flee from God and resist His grace; which is why no one can boast of his or her salvation since it is God alone who causes it to be; having overcome us with His love and grace by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Means of His grace.
Assurance of the Saints, that is, we can be confident and certain in the promises of God in Jesus, that He who began a good work in us will continue that good work until the day Christ returns; that we are indeed truly saved in Christ, and that though we might and will fail Him, Jesus won't fail us.
In this way Lutheranism is neither Calvinist nor Arminian, and in some ways the Lutheran POV is that Calvinism and Arminianism share a common heritage which is completely different from the Lutheran. For Lutherans the chief and guiding principle of theology is the grace of God in Jesus Christ. It isn't God's sovereignty (Calvinism) or man's free will (Arminianism), it is instead the good, gracious, and Incarnate God crucified and raised from the dead
for us.
It's all about Jesus,
it's all about grace.
-CryptoLutheran
