Will all the elect hear and believe the gospel? Primitive Baptists believe they will not. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (Heb. 4:1) Christians can forfeit the promise of rest in Christ by unbelief. I am particularly interested in what the Calvinists believe regarding this text.
The Elect and the Gospel
Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by Primitive Baptist, Nov 6, 2002.
-
-
Warm Christian greetings!
Yes, all the elect will hear and believe the Gospel. Please read Romans 8 v 29 - 30.
Kind regards
Robert J Hutton -
If you will, please post your interpretation of the Scriptures I posted.
-
-
My understanding is that in this so called Gospel dispensation God effectually converts by the Biblical Gospel such elect ones He has decreed to convert this way. Obviously there are an untold number of babies who die in their mother's wombs or in early infancy who are elect, if not all babies thus dying. These are obviously not Gospel-wise converted to a life of discipleship here on earth. They are born spiritually dead but God regenerates them before He takes them away. No oral confession is needed for their entrance into heavenly glory, nor any "free will decision" etc. etc.. The Golden Chain is unconditional foreknowledge, election, predestination, efficacious redemption in and by Christ Jesus the Nazarene, and sovereign quickening by the Holy Spirit apart from means. Then those babies dying young are glorified, entering into eternal bliss.
In my view Romans 8:29-30 the word "called" may not necessarily refer to Gospel conversion, but to the effectual summons into life which occurs at Holy Spirit regeneration. The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and this voicing forth in the spiritual realm by the eternal Son is an effectual summons, and the spiritually dead will be quickened by this call.
Harald