This thread has devolved from the 'Divine teaching of election' to 'Dumping on Brother Steve'. Can we please get back to the OP?
okay....
The second Helvetic conf.
Chapter X: Of the Predestination of God and the Election of the Saints
1. [1.] God Has Elected Us Out of Grace. God has from the beginning freely, and of his mere grace, without any respect to men, predestinated or elected the saints, whom he will save in Christ, according to the saying of the apostle, “And he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4); and again, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and the grace, which was given unto us, through Jesus Christ, before the world was, but is now made manifest by the appearance of our Saviour Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 1:9-10).
2. [2.] We Are Elected or Predestinated in Christ. Therefore, though not for any merit of ours, yet not without a means, but in Christ, and for Christ, did God choose us; and they who are now ingrafted into Christ by faith, the same also were elected. But such as are without Christ were rejected, according to the saying of the apostle, “Prove yourselves, whether ye be in the faith. Know ye not your own selves, how that that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate?” (2 Cor 13:5).
3. [3.] We Are Elected for a Definite Purpose. To conclude, the saints are chosen in Christ by God unto a sure end, which end the apostle declares when he says, “He hath chosen us in him, that we should be holy and without blame before him through love; who has predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himself, for the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph 1:4-6).
4. [4.] We Are to Have a Good Hope for All. And although God knows who are his, and now and then mention is made of the small number of the elect, yet we must hope well of all, and not rashly judge any man to be a reprobate: for Paul says to the Philippians, “I thank my God for you all” (now he speaks of the whole Church of the Philippians), “that ye are come into the fellowship of the Gospel; and I am persuaded that he that hath begun this work in you will perform it as becometh me to judge of you all” (Phil 1:3-7).
5. Whether Few Are Elect. And when the Lord was asked whether there were few that should be saved, he does not answer and tell them that few or many should be saved or damned, but rather he exhorts every man to “strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:23-24): as if he should say, It is not for you rashly to inquire of these matters, but rather to endeavor that you may enter into heaven by the strait way.
6. [5.] What in This Matter Is to Be Condemned. Wherefore we do not allow of the wicked speeches of some who say, Few are chosen, and seeing I know not whether I am in the number of these few, I will defraud my nature of her desires. Others there are who say, If I be predestinated and chosen of God, nothing can hinder me from salvation, which is already certainly appointed for me, whatsoever I do at any time; but if I be in the number of the reprobate, no faith or repentance will help me, seeing the decree of God can not be changed: therefore all teachings and admonitions are to no purpose. Now, against these men the saying of the apostle makes much, “The servants of God must be apt to teach, instructing those that are contrary-minded, proving if God at any time will give them repentance, that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the devil, which are taken of him at his pleasure” (2 Tim 2:24-26).
7. Admonitions Are Not in Vain Because Salvation Proceeds from Election. Besides, Augustine also teaches, that both the grace of free election and predestination, and also wholesome admonitions and doctrines, are to be preached (De dono perseverantiae 14ff.).
[6.] Whether We Are Elected. We therefore condemn those who seek otherwhere than in Christ whether they be chosen from all eternity, and what God has decreed of them before all beginning.
8. For men must hear the Gospel preached, and believed it. If thou believest, and are in Christ, thou mayest undoubtedly hold that thou are elected. For the Father has revealed unto us in Christ the eternal sentence of his predestination, as we have even now showed out of the apostle, in 2 Tim 1:9-10.
[7.] This is therefore above all to be taught and well weighed, what great love of the Father toward us in Christ is revealed. We must hear what the Lord does daily preaches unto us in his Gospel: how he calls and says: “Come unto me all ye that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you” (Matt 11:28); and, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16); also, “It is not the will of your Father that any of these little ones should perish” (Matt 18:14).
raying: