FreeGrace2 said:
In fact, the experience on the road to Damascus was to prove to Paul that Jesus HAD BEEN resurrected. Up to that point, he, like all the other religious leaders, viewed Him as a mere human, and therefore blasphemous for claiming to be God's Son.
You find this conclusion in the Bible, where?
Just read the account. Do you disagree that the religious leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) viewed Jesus as a mere human? That is WHY they condemned Him to the cross: for blasphemy. You are free to disagree all you want. But the facts are quite clear.
Saul was unquestionably saved on the road to Damascus.
That is quite unclear. He spent 3 days blind thinking about what he experienced. And what Ananias said to him doesn't make clear WHEN Paul believed. It just as easily have been when Paul's dream about Ananias came true that convinced Paul.
We simply DON'T KNOW WHEN Paul actually believed.
Acts 22:14 is what happens to someone when they become saved.
22:14 - “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
Amazing. Another verse that PROVES that election is to service. God's will was for Paul to SEE Jesus and hear words from Him.
And what were those words?
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
6 “Now get up and go into the city, and
you will be told what you must do.”
So, what was Paul told in the city? At this point, there is no mention of Paul believing anything.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
The Lord instructed Ananias to go see Paul and restore his sight.
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
The Lord told Ananias that Paul was His "chosen instrument to proclaim My name to the Gentiles". That is election to SERVICE, not salvation.
The result:
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Only they can learn His will, see and hear Him. Notice that God chose Saul, Saul didn't choose God.
The Bible tells us what God chose Paul to do in v.15. Election is to service.
You know, you've developed a very bad habit of conjuring up doctrine, which doctrine is not found and is against scripture.
This is lol. You have a very bad habit of believing what the Bible DOESN'T SAY. Where is the verse showing election being to salvation? You still have not provided one.
[QUOTE\]I'm not going to refute all of your points as it wouldn't be worth the effort[/QUOTE]
lol again. You aren't going to because you CAN'T and you know it. The ONLY WAY you could refute my claim about election is IF IF IF you could quote a verse that clearly shows election is to salvation. But you haven't because you CAN'T. And you can't because there are no such verses. iow, you have NO EVIDENCE for your understanding of election.
excetolpt for the one below. I'll add that all saved Christians are to perform good works, but that is wholly different than good works being the purpose of election.
You are free to misunderstand whatever you want. But I've shown from many many verses that specifically and clearly show that election is to service.
True election, is of God having chosen certain people to salvation from the foundation of the world.
To clarify your continued confusion, God HAS chosen "certain people" to salvation. These "certain people" are believers.
The calvinist view of election is that God has chosen "certain people" to believe. From that, He then saves them. But there is NO EVIDENCE for that in Scripture. And you know it. You just can't let go of what you have been taught.
If you would only apply the Berean study method of Acts 17:11, you would realize what election really is.
I've given you plenty of verses that clearly show election being to service, not salvation.
You've given NOTHING to show election being to salvation.