The 'ELECT' vs 'Free-Choice'

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FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
I'm sure it applies to everyone 🙂
When's the last time you fulfilled anyone of the requirements Jesus chose for Paul to fulfill?

"Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel"

1. bear His name to kings?
2. bear His name to Jews in Israel?
 

Blade

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2019
1,783
624
113
"I have come across an idea lately within this forum, that some believe that there are 2 classes of Christian. They believe that there is a class called 'the elect', who have no choice but to be saved because God has decided they will be saved no matter what and the 2nd class being those who are not elect but are still able to be saved through choosing Christ."
I don't know. This thread evolved out of another wherein someone said that the elect are chosen by God and have no choice in salvation and the rest of us poor beggars are free to choose. When I asked for proof scriptures, I was given a mashup of unrealted verses that supposedly indicated that belief.

If you do re-find that site, I would be interested to take a look.

Thanks for your input...there are some very strange beliefs out there and they keep popping up.
I don't run with this but when I was young I asked Him how can you send all these people to hell. I was very young lol but I was asking from my heart. He came right back and said "For God so loved the world. Everyone gets a choice". It can seem as if God already picked us but.. He sees the end from the start. Is it not written in Rev how "All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. "

How about how "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, s". He's GOD.. all He said is true...yet I had a choice.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
2,972
420
83
I have come across an idea lately within this forum, that some believe that there are 2 classes of Christian. They believe that there is a class called 'the elect', who have no choice but to be saved because God has decided they will be saved no matter what and the 2nd class being those who are not elect but are still able to be saved through choosing Christ.

This is different from Calvinism as Calvinism believes God decides, or has decided, who will be saved and who will never be saved.

It is also not Arminianism because choice is given, according to this belief, to everyone.

While people will continue to debate reformed vs non-reformed, this 2 tier believer system is not available as a 3rd option that I have found nor anyone else or anywhere for that matter. I have searched different teachers/teachings, various articles and so on and the conclusions of people more knowledgeable than anyone in this forum, is that it does not exist.

Just interested in what others might have to say. I have no idea whether or not the person(s) presenting this idea will defend what they believe or not.

For clairity's sake, I am neither reformed or non-reformed. I tend to think that no one can come up with exactly what the Bible has in mind when it states 'from the foundation of the world'. I do not agree with the approach of Calvinism to settle it and I do not appreciate the Arminiam viewpoint either because of problems it presents.

Not to start another debate about reformed/vs non, we have a library of those already, but to take a look at the elect who have no choice in being saved and the rest of humanity who can choose whether or not to accept Christ.

That's about it.
There is always something behind why we see such awkward reasoning.

Here is a possible reason way some have been told to believe God chooses to save us, and we do not have a say in the matter.

Satan would want all to believe that he had no choice but to reject God.
(TULIP fell into his trap of scanted reasoning....)

Its Satan's rationalization. Its designed to get the angels of God to stop looking down upon the fallen angels...

Man has been given that rationalized reasoning thrown into the court to be played out to destroy Satan's excuse
for not accepting responsibility for his desire to be contrary and evil towards God.

It also explains why we find some humans who find being contrary to what is considered right a pleasure for them...

Everything that seems wrong serves a purpose in God's plan.

It also makes those who are being guided into all truth, who find the pressures they receive in this life, to be a good thing having divine purpose that God uses in His purpose of making all His enemies into His footstool.



Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you,
searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances
to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the
Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving
themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who
have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look
into these things."
1 Peter 1:10-12

.......
 
Dec 18, 2023
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When's the last time you fulfilled anyone of the requirements Jesus chose for Paul to fulfill?

"Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel"

1. bear His name to kings?
2. bear His name to Jews in Israel?
every day 😋

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. It's in Philippians 1:29

What did I say applies to everyone

Being chosen and also to suffer 😊
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
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When's the last time you fulfilled anyone of the requirements Jesus chose for Paul to fulfill?

"Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel"

1. bear His name to kings?
2. bear His name to Jews in Israel?
Pst there's many Jews here 😊
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
2,972
420
83
I'm sure it applies to everyone 🙂

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. It's in Philippians 1:29

As believers we will also suffer if we fail to follow the right path.

Believers who find grace and truth, walking in the light, are going to suffer for only a season of their life.
But, those who take pleasure in walking in error? They will make suffering for themselves a way of life.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ,
after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make
you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10


Too many think their suffering is glorifying God while they suffer because of persistence in refusing to grow up
in grace and sound doctrine.


Growing up means one stops thinking like a child (1 Corinthians 13:11) yet finding themself able recapture feeling inwardly as a child.

Desiring to return to feeling like a child is a desire not achievable by followers of inaccurate emotion driven, teachings...

Jesus said that the greatest of believers in heaven will on earth be changed and become childlike in their soul.
Some take that to mean they have been given license to be childish in their thinking.... Not so.


There is a balance to be found, but can only be leveled out when one has finally gained enough of the needed sound doctrine
to counter what comes against our particular soul's abilities, talents, and attributes....



In the same hour, (they were having a party in honor of Jesus at Peter's house)
the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of God?"
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven. " Matthew 18:1-4


Those one who will reach maturity in Christ will enter into a childlike ability of inner being. Free of stress.

In this world those who mature become like the little child who mater of factly saw the naked emperor as having no clothes.
Its why the world can find Christians annoying. Annoying by not going along with their peer pressured delusional conformity
which has been designed by Satan in his desire to perfect his own kingdom of darkness here on earth....


grace and peace ...........................
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
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As believers we will also suffer if we fail to follow the right path.

Believers who find grace and truth, walking in the light, are going to suffer for only a season of their life.
But, those who take pleasure in walking in error? They will make suffering for themselves a way of life.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ,
after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make
you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10


Too many think their suffering is glorifying God while they suffer because of persistence in refusing to grow up
in grace and sound doctrine.


Growing up means one stops thinking like a child (1 Corinthians 13:11) yet finding themself able recapture feeling inwardly as a child.

Desiring to return to feeling like a child is a desire not achievable by followers of inaccurate emotion driven, teachings...

Jesus said that the greatest of believers in heaven will on earth be changed and become childlike in their soul.
Some take that to mean they have been given license to be childish in their thinking.... Not so.


There is a balance to be found, but can only be leveled out when one has finally gained enough of the needed sound doctrine
to counter what comes against our particular soul's abilities, talents, and attributes....



In the same hour, (they were having a party in honor of Jesus at Peter's house)
the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of God?"
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven. " Matthew 18:1-4


Those one who will reach maturity in Christ will enter into a childlike ability of inner being. Free of stress.

In this world those who mature become like the little child who mater of factly saw the naked emperor as having no clothes.
Its why the world can find Christians annoying. Annoying by not going along with their peer pressured delusional conformity
which has been designed by Satan in his desire to perfect his own kingdom of darkness here on earth....


grace and peace ...........................
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones,

Important to see this 😊

You also have his life in you before your saved before this next part

— 5 you also, like living stones,


are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:



“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b]
7 Now to you who believe, this emoji-smiley.gif stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[c]
8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of


him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

He called you after the fall of Adam not before, Adam wasn't in darkness before the fall emoji-smiley.gif




10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
2,972
420
83
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones,

Important to see this 😊

You also have his life in you before your saved before this next part

— 5 you also, like living stones,


are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:



“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b]
7 Now to you who believe, this View attachment 263377 stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[c]
8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of


him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

He called you after the fall of Adam not before, Adam wasn't in darkness before the fall View attachment 263378




10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

You wrote that like you were responding to a different post, not what I wrote.

Is it intentional when you do that?
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
2,972
420
83
well like God said every life has a living stone View attachment 263384


😊


You are acting like you have attention deficit disorder. Do you?

Or, is it?

You feel somehow its your duty to prevent any cohesive doctrinal discourse from continuing?

That is not the Christian way.




For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7


You fear the Word to be expounded and clarified for the edification of the body of Christ.


........................
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
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Right here! Regenerate type.
oh really

I was only talking about the unbelieving Jews here.

According to a scripture they've spread out around the world

So I just like to help them really

What gets me is why believing Jews still call themselves Jews I mean aren't they suppose to be hebrews, or even Christians

I heard there's a lot of Isreal people who see being called Jews as offensive saying at one time they where called Judes and judeans to

But really what I wonder the most did The word Jew originated from the the tribe of judha
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
You are acting like you have attention deficit disorder. Do you?

Or, is it?

You feel somehow its your duty to prevent any cohesive doctrinal discourse from continuing?

That is not the Christian way.




For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7


You fear the Word to be expounded and clarified for the edification of the body of Christ.


........................
well like I said God said every life has a living stone
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
You are acting like you have attention deficit disorder. Do you?

Or, is it?

You feel somehow its your duty to prevent any cohesive doctrinal discourse from continuing?

That is not the Christian way.




For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7


You fear the Word to be expounded and clarified for the edification of the body of Christ.


........................
I heard that an illegally parked frog got toad away
 

BeeBlessed

Active member
Jun 1, 2023
251
127
43
Before he could do any of that. He had to entrust his eternity to Christ. The one he was attacking.

I agree, he was chosen for a reason and a purpose. But that is not what saved him.
Let me be clear about what you are saying…. Do you mean that before Paul could be obedient (enabled for his true purpose), he had to profess his faith in a risen Savior? Do you mean that in order to be obedient (enabled), Paul had to have a change of heart? If so, I agree, and he did…. However, the means that brought about those changes in Paul and the total reversal of his character were extraordinarily miraculous, don‘t you think? He was a smart man, well-educated in the Old Testament scriptures; but before that remarkable day on the road to Damascus, he was spiritually blind and needed a supernatural spiritual awakening. Why was he chosen? Consider the possibility that our Father knew him very well in the spiritual realm before the foundation of the world and had a reason for His choice. I’m certain that the spiritual man in Paul loved God. I won’t presume any more than that, except to say that Scripture teaches this:

Romans 8:28-30

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.


In this present age, Paul taught as the Holy Spirit inspired—salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10); that’s how we are saved, but not necessarily the reason. i think maybe it’s because God loves His creation and wants to be surrounded throughout eternity with those who also love and revere Him. Paul finished faithful, still loving God in spite of all his difficulties—sustained by grace through every hardship until the end—as will all of God’s elect. Jesus promises.

John 10:28-29

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
every life is precious with a living stone in them even the ones yet to be chosen
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones,

Important to see this 😊

You also have his life in you before your saved before this next part

— 5 you also, like living stones,


are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:



“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b]
7 Now to you who believe, this View attachment 263377 stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[c]
8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of


him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

He called you after the fall of Adam not before, Adam wasn't in darkness before the fall

Now this bit means all Jews where in darkness to before they where called ànd chosen


10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
2,972
420
83
every life is precious with a living stone in them even the ones yet to be chosen
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones,

Important to see this 😊

You also have his life in you before your saved before this next part

— 5 you also, like living stones,


are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:



“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b]
7 Now to you who believe, this View attachment 263377 stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[c]
8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of


him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

He called you after the fall of Adam not before, Adam wasn't in darkness before the fall

Now this bit means all Jews where in darkness to before they where called ànd chosen


10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
That's very nice....ok...

Now let others expound without you jumping in front of them.
Attention seeking is not a virtue.