Just a question

I think its like walking through a door. On one side it says "whosoever will', and on the other it says "chosen".

 

Those whom know me, I don't know if you would call me a "BIG" Calvinist as I stand just under 5 foot 7 inches....ahem.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

 

I know that I am "chosen" because I have believed in my heart that Jesus died for my sins, providing the only way for me to aproach the Throne of Grace and come into God's presence in heaven, and because I have confessed this with my mouth.

Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

I didn't choose to do this until God enabled me by drawing me to Him!

John 6:44 (NIV)
44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

God Almighty chooses---the Whosoever Will's!!!

Your friend,
Blackbird

 

I agree, and I stand only 5' 6 1/4" does this mean you are a bigger calvinist than I am?

Amen.

Again, Amen.

The question is handled as such: Your coming is proof of your election; if you never come; this is proof of your not being elected (at least unto salvation).

God Bless
Bro. Dallas

 

Our God does not live in a "time zone", He knows the beginning from the end. He also knows who will be with Him in His kingdom and who will not be there. These who shall be with him are the "chosen" or the "elect".

Now allof the chosen may or may not know of their future destiny with the King. (Exo. 33:19, also Psalms 45:13-17), and many who think that they are in the kingdom are really not. (Matt. 7:21-23, also Matt 13:24-30; 47-50). It is something known only to God, and it is not our place to judge whether one is in, or will be in, the kingdom or not.

[ November 09, 2002, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: zyzex ]

 

I am curious as to why you put the word chosen in quotation marks. Is it because this is not normally the way the word chosen is used, and the scenario you present really means that it is the foreseen choice of those who will be in the kingdom that is the determining factor, and God's choice is really only a sort of rubberstamping of the choice He foresees?

 

In 1 John 5:13 we are told, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

I Jn 5:13
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
(NIV)

I Jn 5:13
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
(NAU)
Hope looking at the different transtaltions help and maybe this preceding veres may help also.

I Jn 5:12
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
(KJV)

I see this as more of a reasuring verse than a predestination verse. We should debate about calvanism but not divide over it. If we all came to a consensus we would find something else to debate over like.....how did God creat the universe?

Just my humble oppinion.

[ November 09, 2002, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: rkbo ]

 

I have never heard it put like that before. Same thing differant viewpiont.

 

If I understand calvanism correctly, you guys believe that God has already chosen his people to be with him for eternity. If this is true, please provide me with scripture. If this is true, why have churches, preachers, song books, and everything else that relates to Jesus?

 

Well, Calvinists believe that before time began, God chose people to bring to salvation, but He brings them to salvation through the means you have listed. Preachers, evangelist, missionaries, anyone who witnesses, etc. are God's instruments to bring those he has chosen to faith in Jesus.

Just like the scripture Bible Student alluded to:
We plant and water, but God gives the increase. We do our job of spreading the gospel seed, and it is God who determines the size of the harvest.

 

Sorry if I'm ignorant about this, but were in the Bible does it say that God chose people before time began for His Kingdom?

 

Homebound;try Eph.1:3-6 for your answer