2 Thess. 2:13

[Isaiah40:28]

It plays a HUGE role, IMO. Chosen "before the foundation of the world" becomes much clearer (albeit not being able to ever fully understand it).

I don't understand how you cannot see the "why".

God: Believe and be saved.

Amy: Believed

Why was Amy saved? Because she obeyed God by putting her faith in Christ.
How was Amy saved? By obeying God through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ.

Webdog,
we are trying to ascertain from you "why we are chosen", if you don't believe in unconditional election nor "foreseen faith".
You insist on saying that our salvation answers "why we are chosen".

It doesn't.

I just went over this with Allan in the "who did Jesus die for part 2" thread.

By obeying God through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ.

They are not reasons for our "chosenness". They are the means by which God accomplishes His choosing or His election.

Reasons are not means.

God chose you to be saved(that's His election) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth(those are His means).
The reasons(or "why") for our salvation is rooted in His choice(His election).

 

[webdog]

Webdog,
we are trying to ascertain from you "why we are chosen", if you don't believe in unconditional election nor "foreseen faith".
You insist on saying that our salvation answers "why we are chosen".

Different choosings, different reasons. I don't deny unconditional election (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.), but I do deny unconditional election as it pertains to salvation, because the requirements are given very clearly.

God chose you to be saved(that's His election) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth(those are His means).
The reasons(or "why") for our salvation is rooted in His choice(His election).

As I have already pointed out, the "for" and "through" cannot be separated as you did above. We are chosen for salvation...how?...through sanctification...and faith in the truth.