this is true but they cant admit it. they say gospel is the means by which God save His elect.
problem is again that calvinist cant really preach gospel honestly. they cant say Jesus died for you. because they dont know if you are elect. if they say that they might be lying.
problem is again that calvinist cant really preach gospel honestly. they cant say Jesus died for you. because they dont know if you are elect. if they say that they might be lying.
Do you believe God knows the future in advance?
If so, then he knows who is going to be saved and who is going to be lost. And there's nothing whatsoever that person will do in order to stop it.
This is true no matter if you are Reformed or not.
Therefore, in God's mind, the person is already either lost or saved.
By the way, as a Reformed believer, I can say, if you believe and repent, you will be saved. Christ's atoning sacrifice will be applied to you. That is true.
I don't have to discuss election with that person. What I said is totally true. The Reformed person believes this, the same as any other. I don't need to tell someone Christ died for them specifically, and they can be saved if they believe and repent.
I believe that the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit is what leads to belief and repentance, but I don't need to describe the mechanics of this to them.
However, maybe the free-willer should disclose this:
Jesus died for you specifically, but it might not be effectual. Free-willers believe that the atonement was universal but not necessarily effective. Jesus' atonement made salvation POSSIBLE, but not effective. In fact, you may end up burning in hell even though Jesus died for you.
That doesn't seem logical, does it? Jesus paid the price for all sin, but unbelievers end up in hell anyways. Their sin was atoned for, but they end up in hell.
By the way, I really don't think you guys understand union with Christ, and how that impacts salvation. Unless a person is united with Christ, they don't have anything to do with his death, burial and resurrection. So, claiming Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is for unbelievers who will never be united to Christ is not reasonable. Read Romans 6:1-14.
There's no salvation, theoretically or otherwise, without being united with Christ.
I am probably wasting my time trying to explain deeper concepts like this to you guys, though.