QUOTE="Chuckyz2, post: 3712479, member: 272428"]Actually you are very wrong.
John 17:2
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
It says all. Not complicated.
Reading this AS IS,this said "that HE should give Eternal Life to as many as thou has given HIM.
See what I mean,many does not mean all.
In John 17, Jesus' prayer can be broken down into three parts.
1) He prays for Himself (vss. 1-5)
2) He prays for His disciples (vss. 6-19) [11 men]
3) He prays for all believers (vss. 20-26) [You and me]
By the way, this is how we should pray . . . for ourselves, then for our nearest and dearest, then for others.
The phrase, "as many as thou hast given him" comes up seven times in this chapter (twice in chapter 6, verse 9, verse 11, verse 24).
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37).
However, it doesn't say what you want it to say. Predestination and election are all founded upon the foreknowledge of God . . . in that order. Jesus knows how many will be saved from the foundation of the world. It doesn't mean that these are specially chosen while the rest go to hell. It means the number is already known. He knew my name before He even said, "Let there be light."
At this stage of Christ's life . . . He did not know . . . He limited His knowledge.
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:5-9).
Does it give a Calvinist some kind of evil pride to think that he is CHOSEN while his neighbor is destined for hell? Seems like it to me . . .