Well, I offered private interpretation as an alternative to your seeming inability to understand John.
My real concern (knowing your theology) was that you knew but were trying to steer the discussion into your idea that the gospel hasn't gone to the whole world but only to the "elect."
And I would have just said that but I was trying to answer your question sincerely as I could. :D
Perhaps my "editorializing" was out of line.
Sorry.
Lol Blammo.
I'm guilty of saying much of the time "I love this verse of scripture".
I love all of scripture... even those which teach human responsibility.
All of them.
However, I find this one particularly interesting because it says "the Gospel is veiled [to whom?] to those who are perishing".
This raises a lot of questions for me.
Aren't we all perishing before we're saved?
So it is speaking of everyone?
The context implies that it isn't speaking of everyone.
Why are these particular people perishing?
Because the Gospel is veiled to them?
Or is the Gospel veiled to them because they're perishing?
And so on...
I don't recall the Potter "making" the clay...but forming the clay that was already there. You seem to think the potter created the clay for destruction, when the text states simply He formed what was already there....some for honor and some for dishonor. The "why" and "how" is where we disagree. This has nothing to do with "veiling" in the first place, and that text (potter) was not in reference to "veiling".
Why hide the tree of life and put a guard on it? Is it a case of dead men walking webdog? ...who said the veil was over the Israelite's eyes? LA 3:65 Put a veil over their hearts, and may your curse be on them! :)
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
Gen 3:24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
So if our gospel be hid it be also guarded by one with a point and a mark to make if any approach the tree of life alone.
I don't recall the tree being "hidden"...but guarded. Why guarded? Because these "dead" people could walk up to it and eat of it's fruit. Why guard anything from a corpse?
Does the text say "eyes" or "hearts"? Who was doin the talking in La. 3:65?
Here's this whole "hid" thing again. It does NOT say the tree was hidden, nor is the Gospel ever hidden.
You asked, I answered with a biblical answer webdog.
Sorry if you did not like it.
Yes, the potter made the clay also in this instance.
God made the dirt.
I never said that the potter created the clay for destruction.
Where did you get that?
We all come from the same lump of clay.
God creates some as vessels of honor, some not.
Where does the text state that God used what was already there?
I fail to see that in the text.
Again webdog, God made the clay too.
See Genesis.
Yeah you are right.
We disagree on the why and how.
It seems we disagree on the fact that God made to clay also.
Yes, both and more.
I believe there are "7 spirits of God" gone out unto all the world, Rev 5:6.
They are the 7 dispensations or revelations of God regarding Himself.
They have operated throughout His-tory but in varying degrees of emphasis.
Good question.
Here would be my summation of it -- man sees God in creation or His spirits.
Man, by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, is convicted of his own failures toward God.
Man turns to God's light (whatever God gives him) and God grants once and forever "justification" (which ends in eternal salvation when one sees Christ).
That is true -- however they cannot enter Christ's kingdom in this lifetime if they don't hear the gospel of this church age.
And they are quite easily persuaded by Satan and self to "draw back" (Heb 10:38) without ever being believing and being justified.
Rom says they are "without excuse" but that doesn't mean that they don't have to pursue ("seek" after) the light they have been given.
Rom 1 again tells us that when they knew God, they should have 1) glorified Him, 2) thanked Him, and 3) not become foolish in their vain imaginations.
This is, to me, the essence of "drawing back," isn't it?
He seeks us but we need to seek Him as well.
Preaching doesn't make sense but it brings truth to a fine point called a "decision."
Which is the hyper-Calvinist motivation for mission, plain and simple, right?
They don't have to convert them -- they just have to identify the "elect" so the "elect" can live a better life, right?
In truth, there is a point of decision that all men must come to regarding what they will do with their "light."
So that although ALL hear the gospel and ALL are without excuse, ALL do not choose life, do they?
That would be the free will thought.
Ecc 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
If man is created for destruction, as calvinism implies, what "eternity" has been placed in their hearts...the desire to burn forever?