Doctrine of Unconditional Election

David1701 · Friday at 9:58 AM

lismore said:
Hello! Thank you for your reply. The passage says that Cornelius was given the opportunity to be saved because he had good works. How does this fit with unconditional election? God Bless.

The passage does not say that Cornelius was "given the opportunity to be saved", nor does it say that Peter was sent to him because Cornelius had good works.

We need to believe what the Bible says, not what our theology might like it to say.

1) Cornelius was already a believer in God, who was devout, feared God, gave alms and prayed regularly; in other words, he was saved; however, he was under the Old Covenant, and, like all others who were alive and saved under the Old Covenant, he had to hear the gospel and come into New Covenant salvation.

2) Cornelius was a Gentile, so there had to be apostolic witness to the fact that Gentiles were now to be included in the New Covenant.

3) God sent Peter, to participate in, and witness, the Gentile "Pentecost".

4) The Bible declares that faith is a gift from God, not the result of sinful man's will or choice.

5) The Bible says that election is of grace (unmerited favour), not because of sinful man's foreseen will or works.

lismore · Friday at 10:13 AM

David Lamb said:
Where does the passage say that? It says that his prayer was answered by the visit of Peter, so it seems he had been praying for somebody to teach him more about being a Christian. If we look at Acts 10, we find that Cornelius was already a God-fearing man. We don't read that he was saved only when Peter visited him. Certainly there is no conflict between unconditional election and the account of Peter's visit to Cornelius.

Hello David, good to hear from you, I hope you're well today. I was looking at the phrase 'memorial offering' that Cornelius was commended for having made, prayers and gifts to the poor. God bless you.

Jan001 · Friday at 10:51 AM

Brightfame52 said:
This is Scrabble

Do you believe that God knew before he created the world which people he'd later create would inherit eternal life and which people would not? Or do you believe that God isn't omniscient—all-knowing?

Brightfame52 · Friday at 2:46 PM

Jan001 said:
Do you believe that God knew before he created the world which people he'd later create would inherit eternal life and which people would not? Or do you believe that God isn't omniscient—all-knowing?

God created some people for heaven, called vessels of mercy and He likewise created some people for hell and destruction for their sins, called vessels of wrath. Rom 9

Jan001 · Friday at 6:24 PM

Brightfame52 said:
God created some people for heaven, called vessels of mercy and He likewise created some people for hell and destruction for their sins, called vessels of wrath. Rom 9

How do you reconcile the following scripture passages with Romans 9? It seems to me that God desires every person to be saved, and therefore he makes it possible.

1 Timothy 2:3-6
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

1 John 4:8
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Perhaps Romans 9 doesn't mean what you think it means.

I think Paul was telling these Roman Jews that the Gentile Christians were just as worthy of inheriting eternal life as were the Jewish Christians.

I think Paul's point for these Roman Jewish Christians to understand is that God's ways are not our ways, and they shouldn't question his salvation plan for the Gentile nations but accept it as his will. The Jews thought that they were the only ones who could be saved. They were mistaken.

Paul stated, "What if God, wanting to show his wrath... created some vessels for honor and some for dishonor?" Please note that Paul never claimed that God literally created some people for the purpose of destroying them.

Romans 9:22
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

Paul states in 2 Timothy that our choices determine whether we are vessels of honor or dishonor.

2 Timothy 2:20-22
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Scripture shows us that God cannot possibly do evil against a righteous person because God is perfect goodness and he is love.

Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

Brightfame52 · Friday at 6:28 PM

Jan001 said:
How do you reconcile the following scripture passages with Romans 9? It seems to me that God desires every person to be saved, and therefore he makes it possible.

I dont need to reconcile them, they your burden not mine, I agree with them

Jan001 · Friday at 6:45 PM

Brightfame52 said:
I dont need to reconcile them, they your burden not mine, I agree with them

Your God doesn't seem to be the same as my God.

My God is the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is love. He desires all people to know, love, and serve him on earth until death in obedience to his commandments so that they can then be happy with him in eternal life. Revelation 2:10, James 1:12

A New Dawn · 2026-06-20T11:15:41-0500

lismore said:
Hello! Thank you for your reply. The passage says that Cornelius was given the opportunity to be saved because he had good works. How does this fit with unconditional election? God Bless.

It says nothing of the kind. I compared about 10 or 12 versions, and none of them say that. Cornelius was already a believer who did the good works he was created unto when he was saved. The angel came to say that God was pleased with his offerings and good works and to send for Peter so Peter could witness the gospel being delivered to the gentiles.

Brightfame52 · 2026-06-20T13:40:23-0500

A New Dawn said:
It says nothing of the kind. I compared about 10 or 12 versions, and none of them say that. Cornelius was already a believer who did the good works he was created unto when he was saved. The angel came to say that God was pleased with his offerings and good works and to send for Peter so Peter could witness the gospel being delivered to the gentiles.

God isn't going to be pleased with a lost mans alms giving and good works. They had to be accepted through the Mediation of Christ, Cornelius was already accepted in the beloved Eph 1:6. He just needed further enlighten about Christ who saved him, ad to instruct him on things to do Acts 10:6

6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

David1701 · 2026-06-20T20:00:07-0500

Jan001 said:
Your God doesn't seem to be the same as my God.

My God is the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is love. He desires all people to know, love, and serve him on earth until death in obedience to his commandments so that they can then be happy with him in eternal life. Revelation 2:10, James 1:12

You do realise that God is not ONLY love, I hope.

Rom. 9:21-24 (A.V.)
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Search

Search

Doctrine of Unconditional Election

David1701

God is good!

More options

lismore

Maranatha

More options

Jan001

Striving to win the prize...

More options

Brightfame52

Well-Known Member

More options

Jan001

Striving to win the prize...

More options

Brightfame52

Well-Known Member

More options

Jan001

Striving to win the prize...

More options

A New Dawn

Bind my wandering heart to thee!

More options

Brightfame52

Well-Known Member

More options

David1701

God is good!

More options

Similar threads