The Doctrine of Election isn’t really in the Bible, but Sovereign Grace is.
Keep in mind that the Scriptures were written mostly by Hebrew people. God designed their language and culture as the means to reveal Himself to fallen humanity. The Hebrew language itself is inherently symbolic; most common expressions were parables. This language arose from the Ancient Near East, a range of people, places and cultures that were utterly convinced that there was a Spirit Realm, but that you could not possibly describe it in human language. So virtually all ANE languages were indicative, not descriptive. Ultimate truth is beyond actual knowing, yet that ultimate reality made serious demands on human existence.
And while the Hebrew people were notorious for falling away from their Covenant, the firm assertion of Scripture is that there is only one God — their God Jehovah. The whole of Hebrew Scripture points to a very personal reality, animated with the life force of Jehovah. Everything in reality was seen in light of relations with Him. He is depicted as an imperial eastern potentate, a tribal feudal ruler. His nation was His family, adopted by covenant. He was ever-present in all of Creation. The whole of human existence was a matter of how devoted one was to His dominion and authority.
If you read Romans 9, Paul’s clearest statement on predestination, you realize that the term he used (Greek: proorizo — a horizon established in advance) applies to God’s mercy on people in this life. That is, it’s predestination in the sense of your lot in life. While it most certainly implies eternal destiny, there is really very little said about that directly.
This is a very Hebrew approach to the question. Don’t focus on your eternal destiny because there is no way we can talk about it. However, be aware that there is an eternal Spirit Realm where the consequences of things in this life are played out. In Hebrew revelation, death means the end of your opportunities to seek Jehovah’s favor, to bring Him glory. Seek His glory in this life because no one can explain what happens afterward. In other words, there is precious little about us going there, and an awful lot about how that other realm affects life here.
Backing up to the previous chapter in Romans, Paul encourages his readers to seek the power and glory of eternity in the here and now — “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4). Even when he says something about what lies beyond death (8:18), he then goes on to talk about how that demands we manifest divine glory here and now. When we talk about eternity, the only way to hold that discussion is to talk about what it demands of us in this world. The word “saved” (8:24) falls in the context of redemption of our current existence. We need that expectation of eternity to cope with this life.
Thus, the whole discussion of predestination is focused on conforming to the image of Christ (8:29). Predestination is all about choosing us before we even enter this life (sovereign grace), but seeks to shape what this life will be for us. We are then required to make appropriate choices about our lot in life. Get your priorities straight in this world and eternity will take care of itself.
In that sense, we see that the classical systematic theology statement about divine election misses the point. It tries to settle a question about something we cannot possibly know in this life. Sure, you can become quite secure and convinced in your own eternal destiny, but it comes in the personal awareness of God’s favor, not some declared official status. Election cannot be objectified; it is inherently personal in nature.
When Paul addresses the issue of works, it is invariably in the context of dealing with Jewish legalism. Even Greek and Roman folks knew better than that nonsense. And the Epistle of James castigates Hellenized Jews for trying to separate works from faith. Thus, when Paul says legalistic performance won’t serve any purpose, he’s on the same sheet of music with James. The key to God’s favor is seeking it through revelation. Revelation is inherently mystical, symbolic, full of parables, because there is simply no way human language can capture the essence of the Spirit Realm where God and His throne reside. Jesus taught in parables to indicate truth in a way that would unite heart and mind in service to the Father, but could not carry the mind there alone.
I grew up in a Baptist church which held the view that being “saved” meant one was going to heaven after one dies. But lately, from my own meditations I’ve gotten the impression that the Biblical concept of “being saved” is more relatively pertinent to this life, as in making one’s life count for something, as opposed to a humdrum routine lacking any significant purpose. It stands to reason that “being saved” would have eternal ramifications as well, but as you say here, its not the same as “going to heaven” as the Baptists believe. This realization makes me wonder what is truly significant in this life from an eternal viewpoint.
The purpose of life is to manifest His glory. Being saved includes going to heaven, but that’s hardly the focus in Scripture. The focus is on being His dutiful children.