God would have ALL men come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved,
Yes, all in kind, such as Kings and others, not each and every man who has ever lived bro.
but such is not the case because men love darkness...
Agreed. And those who come to the light are regenerated and no longer love darkness. The unregenerate cannot please God, Romans 8:8; and only those drawn will come; John 6:44.
..there is a fine line concerning the election and to me boils down to the simplicity that is found in Jesus....The Heavenly Father determined to elect (choose) all who would come to Him in Christ before he cast down the world....if the election was as hard right as some make it then the following verse is moot.
There is nothing in Scripture suggesting God chose us because we voted for Him, unless you believe grace is earned or merited by behavior. No one makes election "hard right" excepting for those who are against it, deny it and/or do not like the doctrine. God chose us based upon nothing good in us, nor due to anything we would do. If it is because we voted for Him, that would be after He regenerated us, because prior to His intervention we were hostile toward Him - Soli Deo Gloria.
Many are called, but few chosen<--Why would God call someone that he will not elect to salvation?
Like MacArthur and others say, we don't have that all figured out. And he's correct. His ways are...
<--James states that the Lord does not upbraid.
Apples and oranges, those two texts are differing topics bro. I know you are better at 2 Timothy 2:15 than this.
The word WHOSOEVER WILL<--this can be applied to the MANY are called, but few chosen verse....
God makes us willing in the day of His power. Note Matthew 11:25-30. Note the context and description of those who come.
Creation testifies both day and night
Salvation is open to all men<--bolded above
As far as we know, yes, but it is limited to the elect, and is according to God's will, not mans choice or will, 2 Timothy 2:8-10.
Men have been dealt a measure of faith (the ability to believe) Jesus was without measure and John had it from the womb.
Romans 12:3 which you allude to is written to believers, not the world at large. John in the womb is a differing thing, as not all men have faith - 2 Thessalonians 3:2. Faith is external, not inherent, Romans 10:17; Acts 3:16; and is via the power of God that raised Christ from the dead, by which power we are enabled to believe, Ephesians 1:19.
The way is open to all....but only those who exercise saving faith will be saved......
Having said that...God knows the hearts and minds of men and has the unique perspective of being able to see ALL choices that men will make....Hence the words "many are called" and not "all are called"
God doesn't merit us grace based upon what choices we make. Grace is unmerited.
I suppose at the end of the day God is God and we just do not have all the facts and or his ways are so much higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts.....God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy and he hardens whomsoever he choose to harden.......
There you go! Yet He has revealed how He saves, because He chooses based upon nothing we have done or will do.
For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
He is the Savior of all men that is true, but what does it mean? It would have to mean universalism if we took it as above, that is that "He is the Savior of all men!" and left it at that. It needs drawing out.
He was the Savior providentially to all Israel, yet, not all Israel was saved. He is Savior providentially to all men. Savior here is in as far providence, but in a particular way, salvation-wise, He is Savior to those who believe as well which means eternal life.