Divine Election or Free Will

[Blain]

1 Corinthians 6:20
For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body.

Forgive my ignorance but what does this verse have to do with anything?

 

[GWH]

We don't elect ourselves.

True, God offers election, and we either accept His grace through faith or reject it because of foolishness (Eph. 2:8-9, Psa. 14:1).

 

[Blain]

Actually, John 8:32-36, Rom. 6:18 and Gal. 5:1 call believers free, but you illustrate the need to harmonize all teachings in Scripture.

Ah you are right they do call us free I never thought of these verses

 

[Solitude]

Ephesians 1:4
As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.

 

[Solitude]

Ah you are right they do call us free I never thought of these verses

Free to choose good or evil.

 

[GWH]

As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world

Yes, and "in him" signifies "because of faith in him", and faith can choose either to be in him or out of heaven.

 

[ChristRoseFromTheDead]

1 Timothy 2:4, which states that God "wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth," and 2 Peter 3:9, which says God is "not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance". 1 Timothy 2:6 further explains this by saying Christ "gave himself as a ransom for all

The scriptures seem to say otherwise

All of those verses are true, but God can't work with people whose hearts are unwilling, and therefore he let's them choose their own destiny

 

[Solitude]

Yes, and "in him" signifies "because of faith in him", and faith can choose either to be in him or out of heaven.

Do you believe He chose those who choose to be unholy?

 

[GWH]

All of those verses are true, but God can't work with people whose hearts are unwilling, and therefore he let's them choose their own destiny

Yes, and although God could work their hearts to be willing, such work would abrogate MFW, making humans into robots.

 

[Blain]

All of those verses are true, but God can't work with people whose hearts are unwilling, and therefore he let's them choose their own destiny

ok yeah that is true but as far as being predestined before hand the scriptures cannot say one thing and then another so either he desires that all come to salvation or he does not

That is the tricky part because really he is all knowing yet time and time again all throughout the bible he gives people choices and if they obey him they are blessed even Abraham being a prime example God tested his faith in this situation with his son knowing the outcome yet making him to do it would imply there was a choice of some kind on Abrahams part

 

[Solitude]

Yes, and although God could work their hearts to be willing, such work would abrogate MFW, making humans into robots.

The robots are the unwilling.

 

[Solitude]

Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.

 

[GWH]

Do you believe He chose those who choose to be unholy?

No, but why in the world would you ask that question, when "unholy" means "not sanctified or unsaved or nonelect"?!
Of course, everyone is unholy before they repent and choose to cooperate with God's grace/plan of salvation-election.