Featured Bible vs Reformed Election

Reformed/Calvinistic “election” teaches that Jesus Christ only died for this group, and no person who is “non elect”, can ever be saved.

In the Old Testament, the Nation of Israel were the “elect” of God, whom He “chose” to be “His People”, as “His own possession”, etc. This is very clear in these passages, especially the one from Amos, which makes this very clear, “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth”. Or, as it reads in the translation of Isaac Leeser, “Only you have I loved out of all the families of the earth”. And the LXX, “You especially have I known out of all the families of the earth”

“‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19:4-6)

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deut. 7.6)

“For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession” (Psalm 135:4)

“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.” (Isaiah 41:8-9)

“But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus says the Lord who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you, ‘Do not fear, O Jacob My servant; And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen” (Isaiah 44:1-2)

“For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me.” (Isaiah 45:4)

“You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos 3:2)

However, it is also very clear from other passages in the Old Testament, that God’s saving Grace and Love, is not restricted only to His People, the Children of Israel.

In the Book of Joshua, we have the truly wonderful story of God’s great saving Love for a woman, and her family, who God chose to protect His People. The woman is Rahab, who was a city prostitute! This woman was not from one of the “elect” in Israel, who God could have very well used for His purposes. Yet, out of What incredible Grace and Love! Here is clear evidence from the Bible, where a person, and her family, who were not from the Nation of Israel, who were ONLY the chosen of God, saved by God! Rahab is also mentioned in The Genealogy of Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of Matthew (1:5).

Then we have Ruth, who was a Moabite, who were enemies of Israel. Yet we read in the Book of Ruth, how God in His Providence, brought Ruth together with Boaz, who were the ancestors of King David, and that of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also in The Genealogy of Jesus Christ, in Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels. Again, the Lord could have used any other person, especially one who was from the Nation of Israel, His own People, but He chooses to use someone who was not only not from Israel, but from a people who were enemies of Israel!

We also have the great city of the Ninevites, Nineveh, who oppressed the Children of Israel for many years. They were also not part of the “elect” Nation of Israel, as they were Assyrians, whose national “god” was called Ashur. The Prophet Nahum says that the Ninevites, were very wicked people. In Book of the Prophet Jonah, is an amazing account of the Great Mercy of God towards a people who were not only extremely evil, but also had not part of “His People”, the Children of Israel. Yet God call on His servant Jonah, to go to this city, and preach the Gospel of repentance to salvation. It is clear from the end of chapter 3 in Jonah, and chapter 4, that the people of Nineveh, from the greatest (the King), to the least, did obey the call of Jonah, and repent of their wickedness, and the Lord Mercifully had pity on them, and saved them!

This is irrefutable evidence from the very Word of Almighty God, that God’s saving Grace, Mercy, Compassion and Love, is NOT restricted to any “elect”, whom He would only save, and damn the others. The God of the Old Testament is the SAME God of the New Testament, and His salvation is still ever the same, to “whosoever repents and believes”, will indeed be saved. It is mans “theology” that has sought to narrow the Great Love that the Lord has towards to entire human race, NONE EXCEPTED!

 

hate? wow! I very much LOVE the Bible fact, that "GOD VERY MUCH LOVES EVERY HUMAN BEING", and desires that NONE are lost, but that they turn to Him from their wicked ways! Limiting the death of Jesus Christ for the "elect" only, is a hateful teaching and against the Bible!

 

none of this answers God's Amazing Grace towards non-elect people in the OT as I have shown in the OP. the nations that Rahab and Ruth came from, and to whom Jonah was sent with the Gospel of salvation, were enemies of the God of the Holy Bible. And YET God is Rich in His Mercy towards those who are "not His People"! This is the real heart of the God of the Bible!

 

and WHERE did I ever say that they did? another strawman argument!

 

Amos 3:2, among other passges shows that ONLY the Children of Israel were the "People of God", and therefore "elect". The other nations were God's emenies!

 

you have failed to answer WHY would God use "non elect" people, for His purposes? Simple answer, because He LOVES ALL humans and desires their salvation. As it is very clear in Ezekiel 18:23, "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?". Do you grasp what God is saying here?

 

Ezekiel 18:21, "“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die"

 

indeed, but this still does not answer the fact that God desires (which the Hebrew for "pleased" is) that all wicked people were to repent of their sins and turn to Him for their salvation.

 

yes, but God saving Grace and Mercy extends to the ALL that you mention! Those who believe will be saved, those who do not, will be sadly damned. very simple

 

so you are saying that ALL the people in Nineveh, were "elect"? Then why did God destroy this very "elect" place a hundred years after Jonah preached?

 

hang on a minute. It is Reformed theology that teaches that "men cannot obey", because their "will is bound" by sin, which prevents their obeying? You guys talk in riddles!