Unconditional Election question...

[Reformationist]

I wonder if I'd remember you. I was there for about three years. What name did you post under?

I think it was Reformationist. I don't really remember. I must be getting old.

God bless

 

[A. believer]

I think it was Reformationist. I don't really remember. I must be getting old.

God bless

Hmmm, perhaps we weren't there at the same time or maybe I just don't remember you. Anyway, I'm having quite a time right now on the thread I started on the interdenominational debate forum, and it's taking up waaaaayyyy too much time. It's extremely frustrating. I guess I'll go back there and see what's transpired since I last checked.

Ree

 

[TCapp]

If a person feels called to God and then professes their faith in Christ, but then later denies his or her faith, does that mean he/she was never part of the "the elect" or that they were but then lost it?

Over in another forum, there were several posts by people who are "former Christians" and so this question occured to me. Were they just never part of God's Elect to begin with?

God Bless

I haven't really spent much time thinking on this matter, and by no means do I consider myself an expert. But here is just a question to provoke thought on it. Often, in Scripture, a relationship with God is compared to marriage. Using that analogy, let's make some substitutions in the above statement.

If a person marries someone, but later divorces, does that mean he/she was never really married?

Yes, I can see the above quote being true in some cases, like the parable of the seed sower and the rocks and whatnot. But I don't think it applies every time. I also must admit it is baffling to me how anyone can come into a relationship with God and then discard it.

I just don't think it fair to say "you were never saved to begin with". But as I said, I don't completely know, and maybe I never will.

My $0.02

 

[MariaRegina]

"I just don't think it fair to say "you were never saved to begin with". But as I said, I don't completely know, and maybe I never will."

***

Dearest joy in Christ,

Christ is in our midst! He is and always shall be!

I never thought about the parable of the sower in that light before, but you are right. Christ sows His word in the new Christians but they don't let it grow. If the word of faith is not nourished by praying and reading the Word of God in scriptures, then that faith will die. So someone could lose his salvation, and it will be his own fault.

That was an excellent comparison, by the way, about marriage. Marriage is a decision to love. If you stop loving, the marriage is over. If you keep trying, the marriage has a chance even in the worst of situations. Of course, an abusive situation is different. However, there had to be a spark of love to get married in the first place, unless someone married just to escape reality - like a rebellious 18 year old girl who can't wait to leave home.

I don't believe that Christ partially saves us. That would be cruel. He grants us the full grace of salvation, but we can freely reject it. The monkey is on our backs.

YSIC
Elizabeth

 

[sad astronaut]

Concerning free will, I believe both free will and predestination can be possible with God. Think of Judas. He made the decision to betray Jesus out of his own free will. But as we know, it was part of God's plan and thus predestined to happen.

A former pastor of mine said that free will and predestination coexist, and they form another enigma about God. He stated that even they they "seem" to contradict each other, they coexist in the same way that Jesus was both God and man, and God is loving, yet just. I don't remember what scriptures he referred to.

I, personally, don't see the limited atonement as an issue. I don't know where I stand on the predestination/free will issue, but from the standpoint of free will, I wouldn't see Christ's sacrifice at all in vain. Even if people did have a role in choosing God, not one drop of Christ's blood would be for nothing. God knows in advance what will happen, so He knows in advance who would choose Him. (If free will is the case/part of the case).