Purpose of election in the Bible (scriptures, sin, verse, vain)
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if someone refuses God's grace, they have no one to blame as they have been warned and told how to avoid hell. Including right here, so you have no excuse now.
I tire of this silly accusation. Unless and until God or Jesus personally and directly warns anybody about anything . . . it is NOT refusing God's grace and is not being warned because HUMANS have said it or claim it was written by God or Jesus . . . or whatever!!! People who do not believe . . . do not believe HUMANS . . . NOT God or Jesus!!! They have plenty of excuse.
I tire of this silly accusation. Unless and until God or Jesus personally and directly warns anybody about anything . . . it is NOT refusing God's grace and is not being warned because HUMANS have said it or claim it was written by God or Jesus . . . or whatever!!! People who do not believe . . . do not believe HUMANS . . . NOT God or Jesus!!! They have plenty of excuse.
You are given the knowledge by whats in the Bible, which recorded Jesus words to tell you the way to go. dont listen to me, read the bible. and you will find out.
the Bible was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and so it is not man's thoughts, yes, men used the pen or printing press, whatever, but the words were inspired by God. Literally "breathed by God".
christians also have a task to tell people about Jesus and the way of salvation. that was the task that Jesus commanded his disciples. and then each generation forward. If you refuse to listen to true preaching and the Bible, then i have no other options for you.
You are given the knowledge by whats in the Bible, which recorded Jesus words to tell you the way to go. dont listen to me, read the bible. and you will find out.
the Bible was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and so it is not man's thoughts, yes, men used the pen or printing press, whatever, but the words were inspired by God. Literally "breathed by God".
christians also have a task to tell people about Jesus and the way of salvation. that was the task that Jesus commanded his disciples. and then each generation forward. If you refuse to listen to true preaching and the Bible, then i have no other options for you.
... but without comprehension through that of the Spirit, reading is a mindless activity.
I tire of this silly accusation. Unless and until God or Jesus personally and directly warns anybody about anything . . . it is NOT refusing God's grace and is not being warned because HUMANS have said it or claim it was written by God or Jesus . . . or whatever!!! People who do not believe . . . do not believe HUMANS . . . NOT God or Jesus!!! They have plenty of excuse.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO
You are given the knowledge by whats in the Bible, which recorded Jesus words to tell you the way to go. dont listen to me, read the bible. and you will find out.
I do not wish to impact your faith in Christ or love for God, period. But your credulity concerning the Bible leads me to conclude you have not studied any scholarship on the origins of the Bible and its canon. I follow Christ and I do NOT believe every word in the Bible. I test the Spirit of every verse against the Spirit of agape love . . . who IS God. Those who do not test the Spirit risk confusion, contradiction, mystery and excuses for having to accept evil as good because God is somehow involved. The bottom line: The Bible is NOT the inerrant word of God . . . it is God-inspired, tells us of Christ and is USEFUL (profitable) for instruction,
Was thinking about this on the way to work, totally independently of this thread - not seen it before now!
One has to accept there is a paradox between Jesus's irritation over people not believing and yet God the Father only choosing a few. Therefore, God the Father must have a bigger purpose in the next ages than was revealed, other than the purification and restoration of all things. If people are 'without excuse' as Romans says, that is in regard to the truth that God IS - that verse doesn't make a tick box connection to the revelation of Jesus Christ in a persons heart. That's why Paul talked about the Gospel of God as well as the Gospel of Jesus Christ - the latter is a subset of the former, in venn diagram terms.
The purpose of teaching election is to emphasize that we are saved by grace. That is that there is nothing special in us, moral superiority etc. that caused God to choose us. God did not choose some because He knew who would believe and who would not. Its clear that some are chosen and fall away. It was God's free choice and He chose who He chose. Why some are chosen and others not is not revealed.
The purpose of teaching election is to emphasize that we are saved by grace. That is that there is nothing special in us, moral superiority etc. that caused God to choose us. God did not choose some because He knew who would believe and who would not. Its clear that some are chosen and fall away. It was God's free choice and He chose who He chose. Why some are chosen and others not is not revealed.
My question is not why God chooses some and not others. God chose Israel not because of anything Israel was or had done. But in Isaiah 43 and 44 we are told that Israel was God's witnesses! I heard that Israel means "to rule with God". Israel had a special calling. Israel was blessed to be a blessing. So, what is the purpose of election? Why does God have a set apart people? Do these elect have a glorious purpose in the plan of God not only in this age but in the ages to come in bringing about the restitution of all things? Peter tells us in Acts that there will be "times of the restitution of all things". Ruling and reigning with Christ! The high calling! There is coming a time when the sons of God will be revealed! Romans 8 tells us that this is something all creation is eagerly awaiting! Why? "Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God! This is good news! This is what I am seeing as I am seeking truth. I have so much to learn.
The purpose of teaching election is to emphasize that we are saved by grace. That is that there is nothing special in us, moral superiority etc. that caused God to choose us. God did not choose some because He knew who would believe and who would not. Its clear that some are chosen and fall away. It was God's free choice and He chose who He chose. Why some are chosen and others not is not revealed.
Being that you're a theologian with 8yrs of college and seminary with being trained to understand and read the OT Hebrew & Greek, I glad to know that you verified what I stated earlier.
... the primary purpose of election is to focus on what a gracious God has done and is doing for us, which that includes the entire way that God leads us to heaven - justification, conversion, preservation.
As DRob4JC concluded: But to say God elects because of A, B, and C - I don't think we know.
... can't rep you
and much to some peoples dismay of repeating an irrelevant point, a truthful answer is a truthful answer
Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
It really come down to this ... and the desire to know for what purpose is - is not for us to know beyond trust that election is done "accordingtohispurpose. "
It really come down to this ... and the desire to know for what purpose is - is not for us to know beyond trust that election is done "according to his purpose. "
But what if God reveals what His purpose for election is in His Word? Would it then be for us not to know? Why he chooses some and not others is not the question.
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