pre-destination

jameshjr said:

i do not think God would hold it against me if i were to preach to people He wasn't going to save

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I understand that Jesus told His disciples to preach to anyone, but He also told them that ones would refuse.

But > if we do what the Holy Spirit has us doing, we are ministering God's grace, and His grace can do good to anyone, even when He does not save the person.

God blesses evil people. And Jesus says to bless those who curse us, right? And even if ones despise us, still the blessing can do them some kind of good . . . however God pleases.

And 1 Timothy 2:1-4 says to pray for any and all people, I understand. So, even if ones will not get saved, still our prayer for them can bless them, somehow.

Also, by the way > remember how Jesus prayed,

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (in Luke 23:34)

And note that >

"Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing." (Matthew 27:44)

So, there was a time while both the criminals hanging with Jesus "reviled" Jesus. But we see in Luke how one of them stands up for Jesus and asks Jesus to remember him > we see this after that prayer of forgiveness.

So, I consider it is possible that while both criminals were bad-mouthing Jesus, Jesus prayed forgiveness to them, and then was when that prayer effected one of those criminals so he repented and then stood up for Jesus and asked Jesus to remember him > Luke 23:34-43.

So, I think it looked like that guy would never be saved; yet, Jesus prayed and then the guy stands up for Jesus and asks Jesus to remember him!!

Jesus was loving, on that cross; Jesus was ready for love, when that man changed. He prayed forgiveness out to people while they were hating Him, and He was ready for our Heavenly Father to bring results for that prayer, even right there on the cross