From a closed thread:
(Gal. 3:23) Paul is referencing 'we Jews'. "we were kept under the law'.
(Gal. 3:24) Paul is referencing Jews. "the law was our schoolmaster...that we might be justified by faith"
(Gal. 3:25) Paul is referencing Jews. "after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."
(Gal. 3:26-29) Paul is referencing Gentiles. "For ye are all the children of god by faith in Christ Jesus"
(Gal. 4:1-2) Paul is referencing both Jew and Gentile. "the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant.
(Gal. 4:3-5) Paul is referencing Jews under the law. "when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world."
(Gal. 4:6) Paul is referencing Gentile believers. "because ye are sons".
Of course believers are children/sons of God. But, until they believe, they are not saved. They are elect, yes. They will be saved, yes. But until they exercise faith in Christ, they are lost.
They were chosen before the foundation of the world. The are not saved till they exercise faith in Christ.
Concerning 'reconciliation' God reconciled the whole world to Himself. (2 Cor. 5:19) That doesn't make the whole world saved.
I understand what you're saying but I disagree. Election assures who will be saved. Salvation of that one to be saved begins with their faith in Christ.
Quantrill
I loved this and wanted to respond ... but the thread was closed due to length.
You said:
- "Of course believers are children/sons of God. But, until they believe, they are not saved. They are elect, yes. They will be saved, yes. But until they exercise faith in Christ, they are lost."
It seems to me that it is an assumption on your part (within the context of Galatians 3-4) that the source of the faith is "people exercising faith". An alternate possibility could be "God gives them faith".
So I was wondering, do you have any thoughts to share on the source of faith that marks "salvation"?
Concerning the "when" of SAVED, I wanted to discuss "
They were chosen before the foundation of the world. The are not saved till they exercise faith in Christ.". I wonder if we are attempting to drag God into TIME, when God exists outside of time. There is a Greek Tense that indicates that a matter is a settled disposition, that even if it has not happened yet, its outcome is absolutely certain. I believe that this is used in the so-called "Golden Chain" of Romans 8:29-30 where actions that were clearly in the past (predestined and called), actions potentially in the present (called and justified) and actions that must be in the future (glorified) are all presented in this "settled certainty" case (translated as past tense in English). I believe this might point to God existing outside of TIME where all events are settled with equal certainty. I believe someone once described it as the "eternal now". So from Man's perspective, we were CHOSEN in the PAST and SAVED in the PRESENT and will be GLORIFIED in the FUTURE, but from God's Eternal Now, we are CHOSEN-SAVED-GLORIFIED in the settled certainty of Romans 8.
You also said:
"
I understand what you're saying but I disagree. Election assures who will be saved. Salvation of that one to be saved begins with their faith in Christ."
I agree. Ultimately we are human beings that experience reality from a human perspective. I believe that is why most of scripture speaks to us from the human empirical point of view (speaking of the sky above and the earth below and the waters below the earth.) As human beings we know there was a time when we did not know God, and now we do. So God speaks to us of a distant past when God CHOSE us and a time when we had FAITH to believe in Him. It is something that we can relate to as human beings.
Anyway, you raised some good points that I though were worth discussing as a topic of its own.
When are we SAVED?
Everybody who has ever lived need to be redeemed from being under law, thou shall not eat of it.
The Son died for the sin of the world. 1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for
the sins of the whole world. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Father raised him from the dead and gave him glory. 1 Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
That allowed for the Holy Spirit to be available to be given to those in the flesh. John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet
given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
It will be that Spirit that will ultimately bring about the end of your salvation. Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Now what is the plan of how that is applied?
Acts 2:38 For the promise (of the Spirit V 38) is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call. The us of Acts 15:8 “So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as
He did to us,
What about the them of that verse?
Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles,
to take out of them a people for his name.
Now in my humble opinion the them and us are the same as spoken of is James 1:18,1 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be
a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
There change relative to Romans 8:11 Takes place at 1 Cor 15:50, Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.1 Thes 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,<
even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God
bring with him. (
into the kingdom of God)
What about the rest of the house of the Judah and the house of Israel and the residue of mankind?
After the taking out a people for his name?
Why did Jesus stand up and say what he did in John 7:37,38 relative to the Holy Spirit which was not because he was not yet glorified? on the last day that great of the feast. What about the seven days that preceded that great day?
Acts 15:16 After this (After taking out a people for my name, the kind of first fruit of his creatures) I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: What feast was Jesus speaking on?
Why
Acts 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
V 18
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.