Does anyone know of....

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Lamar

Well-known member
May 21, 2023
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No, it means to, not by - the elect are recipients. If it was by election, then the elect would be born as believers but they're not.
Instead, it is imparted to them individually, solely by God at a time of His choosing. The elect chooses Christ but as result, not cause.
Regardless of when, at birth or some other time it is still election and not free will...correct?
 

rogerg

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2021
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Regardless of when, at birth or some other time it is still election and not free will...correct?
Not by free will. It is a gift, as all attributes are that accompany or come from salvation.
 

Lamar

Well-known member
May 21, 2023
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I think that Ephesians 1:3–6 tell what reformers believed and taught.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

God is glorified each time He takes a poor wretched sinner who has absolutely no power to save himself, and adopts him as a son. And, please note that He did this before we existed. Therefore, no boasting allowed!

Why He picked certain people is not explained, only that it was according to the good pleasure of His will....... God's plan for His creation will not fail.
Who does the pronouns "us" and "we" apply to?

Believers or the chosen few?

If believers then free choice. (Arminianism)
If the chosen few then the elect. (Calvinism)

God predestined believers for adoption.
It pleased God to adopt those who believed in Him.

John 3:16
"16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
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Does anyone know of people who are convinced of the validity of the tenets of Calvinism and are also assured that they are not part of those chosen few?

If we can be assured of our salvation because of predestination, can the opposite be true of our damnation?
I was not saved because of predetermination. I was saved because of the Blood of Jesus and the price paid for my sins.

If Predestination saved me, then my sins never condemned me.