“For many are called, but few are chosen.” —Matthew 22:14

[Hammster]

"Chosen" is spoken in God's sovereignty. It means God knows in advance who is who even before the creation and with their names written in the Book of Life of the Lamb, though the outcome is a result out of a fair judgment. Calvinism's advocate is that we are saved because God knows who we are. I think that a more accurate description is that we are saved because we can pass the judgment of a carefully designed covenant which identifies the righteous from the wicked. This process however won't escape what God's omniscience can foresee.

We can’t pass any judgement apart from Christ.

 

[Hawkins]

We can’t pass any judgement apart from Christ.

Christ will be our Judge. It means there will be a judgment, by faith as specified in the New Covenant.

 

[Hammster]

Christ will be our Judge. It means there will be a judgment, by faith as specified in the New Covenant.

And we can’t pass any judgement apart from being in Christ.

 

[Hawkins]

And we can’t pass any judgement apart from being in Christ.

As that's what faith could mean.

 

[BobRyan]

Christ will be our Judge. It means there will be a judgment, by faith as specified in the New Covenant.

In what context do we find the summary ending "many are called few are chosen"?

Matt 22:1-14 -- instead of "just vs 14"

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4 Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, 6 and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. 7 But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8 Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12 and he *said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

In that context -- "Chosen" has nothing to do with calling them into the wedding feast - because all both good and evil high and low - as many as can be found --- are called in.

In that context "chosen" relates to the inspection... a judgment to see who among the guests has on the wedding garment... it is based on that choice by the attendee - that the choice of the king is made. In the "actual details" of the chapter.

The attendee is asked why he did not choose to put on the wedding garment and he has no answer.

So then IN THAT context "many called few chosen". -- has nothing at all to do with "the king choosing Christ" or many of the other nice but not applicable ideas that one sometimes sees.

 

[CaspianSails]

They tend to be high on story telling and large crowds -- but low on Bible knowing much less believing



It is unclear to me that the former group you mentioned would know enough about their own beliefs to be against something like the Apostle's creed.

It is the failure of leadership and pastors to provide adequate training to those they are charged to care for and whom they should be making disciples of. They are the ones who are not fulfilling their obligation. The poor congregants don't know any better but their ministers should. If they don't they have no reason to be in a position that is supposed to teach and guide and shepherd. So perhaps we do agree on that point.


1. Why would it be "either or"?
2. The Holy Spirit is God -- and omnipresent... and yet "he will come" after Christ leaves John 16.
both are true.

On this one I am not 100% sure what you mean. God is omnipresent and the Holy Spirit did come as the comforter to lead us into truth and to work in us to make us like Christ for example. But He is not still coming, He is here and in dwells within every believer. In that sense He is not coming.

 

[BobRyan]

On this one I am not 100% sure what you mean. God is omnipresent and the Holy Spirit did come as the comforter to lead us into truth and to work in us to make us like Christ for example. But He is not still coming, He is here and in dwells within every believer. In that sense He is not coming.

My point is that there is only one Gospel and as Christ said before the cross in John 3 "you must be born again" -- that was already true before the cross. The New Birth takes place under the one Gospel (preached to Abraham Gal 3:8) and in fact only takes place via the Holy Spirit.

The new birth was before and after the cross - it is part of the "one gospel"

But in Acts 1 - Jesus said to 'remain' until the promise of the Holy Spirit was given - He was talking about pentecost - not the new birth.

 

[CaspianSails]

My point is that there is only one Gospel and as Christ said before the cross in John 3 "you must be born again" -- that was already true before the cross. The New Birth takes place under the one Gospel (preached to Abraham Gal 3:8) and in fact only takes place via the Holy Spirit.

The new birth was before and after the cross - it is part of the "one gospel"

But in Acts 1 - Jesus said to 'remain' until the promise of the Holy Spirit was given - He was talking about pentecost - not the new birth.

Then we are in agreement.