I am not really responding to any particular post herein. Just want to raise a few questions and then let Scripture speak.
Is not the purpose of a discussion to eventually come to some sort of conclusion? Are is it to just discuss for discussions sake?
I don't believe there can be "Eternal Security" if SALVATION is NOT all of God. There is no eternal security if it is God plus something else. This would mean Salvation is left in the hands of fallible men. It would also mean, man has something to boast about.
(Rom 3:27) Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
(Jer 23:32) Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams, saith Jehovah, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, saith Jehovah.
God plus something else, might even be construed as a work. Faith spoken of in the Bible is not regular human faith. We all possess that. Human faith believes that a chair will hold me up when I sit down. That when I go to sleep I will wake up in the morning. That the sun will rise in the east. These are a few examples of human faith BUT the faith of Scripture that lays hold of Christ as Savior, is a special faith. A GOD GIVEN FAITH, that clearly sees Christ for who he is. This GOD GIVEN FAITH is imparted in the NEW BIRTH. Only in this way can one truly have "Eternal Security".
Many on this forum have hounded me about John 3:16 and some have asked questions like "When does ALL mean ALL?".
Most of the time in Scripture ALL does mean ALL but sometimes it is limited in it's scope. Ex. when Scripture says in (Mat 3:5) Then went out to him Jerusalem, and
all Judaea, and
all the region round about Jordan,. Obviously, not every man, woman and child from these regions went out, rather we understand that individuals in large numbers went out from these regions. To understand this in any other way would be foolish and impractical.
Perhaps the better question would be, when does the Scripture mean Chosen, Many and few?
I have a few things to say, then I will let Scripture talk for itself. We know that God CHOSE a people for Himself out of the whole world. This people were the Jews, the nation of Israel. Not because of what they had done to merit it but because He chose to do it. He is God, He does as he pleases. We also know that God is the one who shut Noah and the other seven in to the Ark of safety. Noah did not shut himself into it. (Gen 7:16) And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh,
as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. By way of understanding, God closed Salvation and everyone else was locked out. Only the eight would be saved.
Give serious thought to this for a moment. Out of the whole worlds population only eight were saved. This is a thought that should linger with us and cause us to tremble in fear before the Sovereign God of all creation.
We also know, that out of Sodom and Gomorrah only a few were saved and one of them was an unbeliever whose HEART was not on their Savior but longed for what she had left behind. Lot's wife. She looked back, which is understood as longing for her old home, rather than longing for where God was taking them.
So let's now look at what Scripture has to say about chosen, many and few:
First the word chosen:
(1Sa 10:24) And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom
the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
(Psa 33:12)
Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah,
The people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
(Psa 89:3)
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant:
This prophecy needs our full attention. It's very same principles are carried out in the New Testament:
(Isa 43:7-10)
Every one that is called by my name, and whom
I have created for my glory,
whom I have formed,
yea, whom I have made. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
(Mat 22:14) For many are called, but
few chosen.
(Joh 15:16)
Ye did not choose me, but
I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
(Act 1:2) until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom
he had chosen:
(1Co 1:26, 27)
For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but
God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and
God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;
(Eph 1:4) even as
he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love:
(Rev 17:14) These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him,
called and chosen and faithful.
Now let's look at the word
many:
(Mat 7:13) Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and
many are they that enter in thereby.
(Mat 20:28) even as
the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and
to give his life a ransom for many.
(Mat 22:9) Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as
many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast.
This parable Mat. 22:1-14, should be closely studied. It indicates the work of the Holy Spirit, in bidding those who thought they had no hope because they were outside of the covenant nation of Israel.
(Mat 24:5) For
many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.
(Mat 26:28) for
this is my blood of the covenant, which is
poured out for many unto remission of sins.
(Luk 1:16) And
many of the children of Israel
shall he turn unto the Lord their God.
(Luk 9:5) And as
many as receive you not, when ye depart from that city, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
(Luk 13:24) Strive to enter in by the narrow door:
for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
The following needs to be studied together and contains the answer of who the ones are who are believing in John 3:16:
(Joh 1:11-13) He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as
many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even
to them that believe on his name:
who were born, not of blood, nor
of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God. (There went the whole concept of man's will having anything to do with Salvation).
(Act 2:39) For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.
(Rom 8:14) For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
(Rev 3:19) As
many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Now let's look at the word
few:
(Mat 7:14) For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and
few are they that find it.
(Mat 22:14) For many are called, but
few chosen.
This one should be studied closely:
(Luke 13:23-27) And one said unto him, Lord, are they
few that are saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for
many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and
shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not who ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We did eat and drink in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets; and he shall say, I tell you, I know not who ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
So few is not used many times in regards to anything about Salvation. I suspect, many here, will gloss over this evidence because it does not conform to their beliefs. Simply, that Salvation is ALL of GOD. It is a totally unmerited
choice made by God. Administered on
many who will believe, through the agency of the Holy Spirit. A truth of Scripture only a few comprehend and are convicted of.
Again, I ask the question, in regards to "Eternal Security":
Did Jesus Christ die for the sins of all and then fail to bring all into the Ark of Salvation or did Jesus Christ die for some (the elect), and will bring all that the Father gave to Him in the Covenant of Redemption, before the world began?
