Objection 33

From Sovereign Grace and the Scope of Election: A Comparative Examination of Attainment Theology and Grace Theology, with Particular Attention to the Question of Whether God's Elect Are Found Among All Nations and Religions

Matthew 22:14, "many are called, but few are chosen"; and the man without a wedding garment was cast out. Doesn't this prove graded admission?

The verse distinguishes exactly two categories, not four tiers: the generally called (the whole external hearing of the word) and the chosen. It is an election text, and quoted in full it says less for graded admission than it first appears, and more for the doctrine of this study. As for the garment: in the East the king supplied wedding garments to guests; the man present without one had refused the provided robe and offered his own attire, the picture of self-righteousness at a grace feast. He was not demoted to a lower banquet hall; he was bound and cast out, because there are only two destinies. The garment is the imputed righteousness of Christ (Isaiah 61:10, "he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness"), worn identically by every guest. No verse in the parable ranks the guests who wear it.