Who are the elect?

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

sorry, but I was predestined to go for the Braves!

 

Well, then you were predestined to be a reprobate...

 

Looks like good evidence to me. :thumbs:

 

Being a student of the Word, my team is ... Go Angels.

And yes AIC, the evidence found in the bible for unregenerate men to be seeking God is overwhelming. The T of Calvinism is a fiction.

And if you want to pile on, 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3 demonstrates limited spiritual ability is the only doctrine found in scripture. Natural men can lose what spiritual ability they have, they can harden their hearts or God can harden them, i.e. Romans 11, but what is taken away when a heart is hardened? Why the limited spiritual ability of the unregenerate. The truth seems so obvious to me, what I do not understand is why are all Calvinists unable to grasp this basic truth?

 

I dont undrstand it either. Its not hard to grasp.

 

As I have said before, you will never understand the grace of God until you understand the depravity of man. Every one of the scriptures that you have quoted are dealing with his elect and not with the natural man. You are not understanding 1 Cor 2:14, the natural man will not receive the things of the Spirit. He will not hunger and thrist after righteousness, Spiritual things are foolishness unto him. Ps 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countence , will not seek after God, God is not in all his thoughts.

 

Your statement "The natural man can lose what spiritual ability he has. The truth is that the natural man never had any spiritual ability to lose.

 

Eph 1:13, They trusted in Christ after they heard the truth in the gospel, which tells them how they were eternlly saved by Christ on the cross. The gospel does not save them eternally, niether does their believing, but only tells them how they were saved. Eph 2:5, Even when we were dead (spiritually dead) hath quickened us together with Christ. Puting us together with Christ is regeneration. Eph 2:8, For by grace ye are saved through (whose faith?) Christ's faith and not our faith, Gal 2:16. If you are saying that "corporately" means "all mankind" you are going to have to explain a lot of scriptures to me. John 6:37-41 tells us that Christ died only for those that his Father gave him, and he will not lose one of them. I am glade that you have confidence that you are a learned scholar of the bible, that makes the descussion much more interesting.

 

Only a few of the elect are ready for the meat of the word. Most of God's children do not understand doctrine, which is evedenced from this forum. Isa 28:9, Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk. When the elect are quickened to a spiritual life they do not get rid of the baggage of the flesh, but become both spiritual and flesh, thats why Paul is explaining the warfare within us. The natural man only has the fleshly nature. In 1 Cor 3:1, Paul is speaking to "babes in Christ" telling them that they are not yet ready to bear the meat. You say that the truth is not buried. Matt 11:25, I, thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,(is that you?), and hast revealed them unto babes. Maybe you should change some of my strikes to balls! To the natural nan the milk of the word is foolishness unto him.

 

The kind of God I serve is not a "wooing" God, but a God that accomplishes all of his will, Dan 4:35. If it was God's WILL to eternally save all mankind, then He would accomplish that will and save all mankind. The hearing of the gospel can bring about a deliverance (sALVATION) here in this world, but the hearing of the gospel will not eternally save anyone. Most of the salvation scriptures are pertaining to timely deliverances and are not talking about eternal salvation. All scripture must harmonise before you can understand the truth.

 

Forest...

You said...

Thats interesting.

How do you account for the famous Helen Keller?

She was born completly deaf and completly blind. Thats total darkness and total silence her entire life.

When her teacher...who in my opinion must have been one ULTRA-extrordinary individual...said to Miss Keller..."Its now time for me to tell you about God....

Kellers response was, "Good. I have been thinking about him for a long time"

 

Forest...

I said...

And you said...

Than I dont think you really know God.

I am not saying you are not saved. You probably are.

But I dont think you (((KNOW))) God. Meaning knowing Him intimetly. You probably know Him as a heavenly computer, or the "Supreme Commander". or something like that. But I dont think you have learned to know him as Father.
I promise you. it will be a very good day when you get to that point.

God bless.

 

You agree that Dan 4:35 says that God accomplishes all his will. Then you say that God is not willing that any man perish. Sense we know that all mankind will not be housed in heaven, God does not accomplish all his will. Is that your thinking? All scripture must harmonise or you are not understanding the truth. In actuality, 2 Pet 3:9 has been missinterpreted by you. Look at 2 Pet 1 to see who Peter is talking to and it is "them that have obtained like precious faith". So Peter in 2 Pet 3:9 is talking to people who are already born again children of God. Peter is warning them that when they sin that they should repent of the sin so that they would not perish(lose their fellowship with God) not their eternal life. God does not want any of his elect to lose their fellowship with him. Peter is even including himself in the warning by using the word "us-ward". Eph 2:2-3 tells us how depravid man is before he has been quickened to life. How do you explain away "election" in reference to Romans 9:11? Isa 65:9, Isa 65:22, Matt 24:24, Matt 24:31, Luke 18:7, Rom 8:33, Col 3:1.

 

You say that there is scripture that states that God does not want anyone to be lost, but you didn't give me the scripture that you think says that, would you accomadate me? If its 2 Pet 3:9 I have explained that scripture many times, but if you missed it, I will explain again.

 

You are degrading God even more if you don't think that God can quicken a deaf and blind person. Hearing and believing is not the cause of our eternal salvation. Its God's grace and not hearing and seeing is no obstacle for the God I worship.

 

Forest...

Yes the passage is the 2 Peter 3:9 one,one.

But there is really no need for you to adress it, because you will merely regurgatate the faulty "stock" calvinistic response, that is of course in error.

 

And what makes you come to that conclusion?

 

He was probably playing the banjo while saying all that.