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WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT ELECTION, IT’S NOT BASED ON FORESEEN RESPONSES:
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. (Ma 13:20)
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (Jo 15:16)
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)
The following video was created a few years ago to help explain Acts 13.
A very powerful example of how God choses can be found in Romans 9.
Notice;
1) it is before “having done any good or evil”
2) it is based on the purpose of God and not the create
3) not based on what we do but God who calls us
4) that Jacob was loved and Esau hated
The Arminian or free will tradition tries to avoid the plain interpretation by claiming “loved” mentioned in point 4 means “loved less” but the point still stands and that is, Jacob was loved more and elect, Esau was not. Jacob’s election was based on God’s love. Another free will argument to avoid this conclusion is to claim Jacob means the nation of Israel while Esau represents the gentile nation. The logic if faulty. Without conceding any ground, nations are made up of individuals so we are back to the main point, one was elect the other not.
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Ro 9)
The elect get it…those who are not were blinded.
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (Ro 11:7)
Being a chosen nation or elect is based on God’s will and not ours.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. (Ro 9:16)
If you are not a Christian it should be clear by now that I am not up to the task of changing your mind, I can’t change that which is flesh into that which is spiritual, all I can do is tell you what the Bible teaches and trust in Jesus Christ alone to accomplish His will. The Christian on the other hand must consider the copious amounts of scripture I provided, take time to reflect, pray about it and decide for or against the Doctrines of Grace. By God’s grace through Jesus Christ alone, I pray, I am one of those foolish things, used for His good purpose.
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Cor 1:27-29)
Belief in Christ is given to us and not something we generate within ourselves.
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (Phi 1:29)
The inclinations of our hearts after we are born again are God’s will working in us for His pleasure.
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Phi 2:12-13)
God is eternal. His choice in election is eternal, not based in time for God is not subject to time, or limited by anything. The eternality of God disallows the notion or prevents us from entertaining any ideas about God having a succession of thoughts since He is not affected by time itself.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Eph 1:4)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10)
The following verse has been misused by Arminian free will traditionalists to teach that in the preaching of the word brings prevenient grace or preparing grace. It is true that we see the Holy Spirit working through the preaching of the word and sacraments, however, any ideas of prevenient grace cannot be entertained. I hope to address the idea in post at a latter date. Setting aside the Arminian notion of prevenient grace, look at the text, notice the beginning of the verse where we see it is address to “brethren” who were “elect.” The power of the Holy Spirit were given to the elect through the preaching of the word. As I have demonstrated from scripture, election is God’s choice to save and not ours. The power in the preaching of the word comes to the elect alone, those whom the Son choices to reveal Himself.
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. (1 The 1:4-5)
God’s choice, not ours…from the beginning.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 The 2:13-14)
We are called according to “his own purpose and grace” not because of something foreseen in us.
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Tim 1:9)
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (Jam 2:5)
Because God is not subject to time “the Lamb” was said to be “slain from the foundation of the world” meaning that in God’s mind there are no sequences of time. He knows all because He creates all and is not subject to it.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8)
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. (Ma 13:20)
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (Jo 15:16)
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)
The following video was created a few years ago to help explain Acts 13.
A very powerful example of how God choses can be found in Romans 9.
Notice;
1) it is before “having done any good or evil”
2) it is based on the purpose of God and not the create
3) not based on what we do but God who calls us
4) that Jacob was loved and Esau hated
The Arminian or free will tradition tries to avoid the plain interpretation by claiming “loved” mentioned in point 4 means “loved less” but the point still stands and that is, Jacob was loved more and elect, Esau was not. Jacob’s election was based on God’s love. Another free will argument to avoid this conclusion is to claim Jacob means the nation of Israel while Esau represents the gentile nation. The logic if faulty. Without conceding any ground, nations are made up of individuals so we are back to the main point, one was elect the other not.
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Ro 9)
The elect get it…those who are not were blinded.
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (Ro 11:7)
Being a chosen nation or elect is based on God’s will and not ours.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. (Ro 9:16)
If you are not a Christian it should be clear by now that I am not up to the task of changing your mind, I can’t change that which is flesh into that which is spiritual, all I can do is tell you what the Bible teaches and trust in Jesus Christ alone to accomplish His will. The Christian on the other hand must consider the copious amounts of scripture I provided, take time to reflect, pray about it and decide for or against the Doctrines of Grace. By God’s grace through Jesus Christ alone, I pray, I am one of those foolish things, used for His good purpose.
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Cor 1:27-29)
Belief in Christ is given to us and not something we generate within ourselves.
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (Phi 1:29)
The inclinations of our hearts after we are born again are God’s will working in us for His pleasure.
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Phi 2:12-13)
God is eternal. His choice in election is eternal, not based in time for God is not subject to time, or limited by anything. The eternality of God disallows the notion or prevents us from entertaining any ideas about God having a succession of thoughts since He is not affected by time itself.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Eph 1:4)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10)
The following verse has been misused by Arminian free will traditionalists to teach that in the preaching of the word brings prevenient grace or preparing grace. It is true that we see the Holy Spirit working through the preaching of the word and sacraments, however, any ideas of prevenient grace cannot be entertained. I hope to address the idea in post at a latter date. Setting aside the Arminian notion of prevenient grace, look at the text, notice the beginning of the verse where we see it is address to “brethren” who were “elect.” The power of the Holy Spirit were given to the elect through the preaching of the word. As I have demonstrated from scripture, election is God’s choice to save and not ours. The power in the preaching of the word comes to the elect alone, those whom the Son choices to reveal Himself.
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. (1 The 1:4-5)
God’s choice, not ours…from the beginning.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 The 2:13-14)
We are called according to “his own purpose and grace” not because of something foreseen in us.
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Tim 1:9)
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (Jam 2:5)
Because God is not subject to time “the Lamb” was said to be “slain from the foundation of the world” meaning that in God’s mind there are no sequences of time. He knows all because He creates all and is not subject to it.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8)
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