Understanding God’s election

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rogerg

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Jul 13, 2021
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They received the same Gospel (the Faith - the NC content) with all of its same promises and privileges.
Faith is a prerequisite to believing; believing is that which causes someone to accept something in their heart as being true.

Which specific verses do you have in mind?
 

studier

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2024
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Faith is a prerequisite to believing; believing is that which causes someone to accept something in their heart as being true.

Which specific verses do you have in mind?
Faith is belief. The faith is what is believed.

I've supplied verses that speak of the faith = that which is believed.

Faith is a prerequisite to believing just says believing is a perquisite to believing.

Now if you said, The Faith is a prerequisite to believing, we'd be getting somewhere because we need something (The Faith) to believe.

He believed the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He had faith in the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He exercised his faith in the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He put his faith in the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He trusted in the faith Jesus authored and perfected - all of which ends up = He believes in Jesus Christ and all of what Jesus Christ and His Apostle taught.

The Faith = The Completed Gospel Jesus authored and perfected and handed down to His Holy Ones.

There's even a bit more to this but this needs to be understood in order to understand how faith is used in the NC Scriptures.
 
Mar 20, 2025
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This is a good thread for you to be condemned by others for this statement and how you proceed with it.

I won't be one of those who do so. I agree with you that God created men and endowed them with the right and ability to choose. I also agree that God doesn't take this away but works with it in various ways and will ultimately honor it with eternal union with Him or eternal separation from Him.
I'll stand on what I said as I believe the bible teaches it. Be glad to discuss it. :cool:
 

rogerg

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2021
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Faith is belief. The faith is what is believed.

I've supplied verses that speak of the faith = that which is believed.

Faith is a prerequisite to believing just says believing is a perquisite to believing.

Now if you said, The Faith is a prerequisite to believing, we'd be getting somewhere because we need something (The Faith) to believe.

He believed the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He had faith in the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He exercised his faith in the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He put his faith in the faith Jesus authored and perfected = He trusted in the faith Jesus authored and perfected - all of which ends up = He believes in Jesus Christ and all of what Jesus Christ and His Apostle taught.

The Faith = The Completed Gospel Jesus authored and perfected and handed down to His Holy Ones.

There's even a bit more to this but this needs to be understood in order to understand how faith is used in the NC Scriptures.
This is simple - that faith is obtained, not of ourselves, but by the righteousness of Christ. Is that correct or not?
Yes, or no?
 

HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
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Let's consider all this election thing for minute.
God showed "grace" to man by sending Jesus to this earth.
Therefore, in that regard, it is God that allows one into heaven or not. Man has nothing to do with Grace. Grace is like God opening the door so that man may enter.
But....
God also created man and gave man a "free will" in that man can choose to enter the door of Grace or not. And as I read the bible, God never took the "free will" from man.
So while God opened the door of heaven through "grace", man has the right to accept that door or not, because of man's free will.
And while God wants everyone to go to heaven, it is man that chooses to go or not to go. God doesn't make that choice. It is not God's fault if someone doesn't go to heaven.
How does man choose to go to heaven.... simple.... by doing what Jesus wants, and doing it the way Jesus wants it done.
Which brings me back to this "election" idea....
God give grace...
But man, because of his free will, must choose to accept that grace.
Thus the election is a two part process.... God's and man's.
Faith/belief does not emerge from a free will.
One cannot "will" belief or faith.
 

Cameron143

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Mar 1, 2022
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If Abraham had not obeyed God would the bible still talk about him as being righteous?
Do you believe Abraham always obeyed God? Do you believe obedience is the reason righteousness was conferred upon Abraham?
Obedience isn't the reason righteousness was ascribed to Abraham; faith was. The Bible teaches that Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.
It is unlikely that Abraham would be considered righteous had he not believed God. And it is equally doubtful that he would have obeyed God had he not believed God. So, in answer to your original question, likely not.
 
Jul 3, 2015
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The argument is not about free will, that is a distraction, saving faith/belief in scripture is NOT part of the gift.
No one is regenerated first and then given faith.
Faith is first.

So their entire argument and system is like a house of cards.
How convenient, after having your silly arguments thoroughly trounced, to admit they were ridiculous in the first place and of no import.


Romans 12:3b Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.
The only thing that matters in this entire discussion/argument is that saving faith is not a gift.

All of Calvinism hinges on this premise which is easily disputed.

They just want to spin you around and around but notice they cannot deal with this one point honestly.
The Bible explicitly states that God gave you a measure of faith. How long before you see how silly and plain wrong
your argument is and pretend it was never an important part of any discussions? Oh, yes, we know you will deny it.
You easily dispute many things which are explicitly stated in Scripture but you refute none of it.
 
Jul 3, 2015
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1 Corinthians 4 verse 7b; John 3 verse 27; Romans 9 verses 15-16 ~ What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did also receive it, why do you boast as not having received it? John replied, "A man can receive only that which is given him from heaven." "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then, it does not depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
:)
 
Jul 3, 2015
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You mean "hostile to God" is a misapplied text like all the others.

John 3 verse 6, Romans 8 verse 7, Galatians 5 verse 17, 2 Timothy 3 verse 13, Romans 3 verse 18 ~ Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. The flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other. Evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Unbelievable how much of the Bible you deny. You suppress the truth in unrighteousness as surely as unbelievers do.
 

studier

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2024
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This is simple - that faith is obtained, not of ourselves, but by the righteousness of Christ. Is that correct or not?
Yes, or no?
The information and relationship with God & His Son based upon that information (the faith) is obtained and that is what Peter is talking about.

This is simple once it's understood.
 

rogerg

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2021
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The information and relationship with God & His Son based upon that information (the faith) is obtained and that is what Peter is talking about.

This is simple once it's understood.
The true faith of the heart isn't informational, its spiritual. The delivery of the tenets (the information) of faith intellectually to someone for their edification/caretaking/preaching/ contending for it, is not the same as the obtaining of true spiritual faith of the heart. I am asking about the obtaining of the true spiritual faith of the heart which faith brings forth true, permanent spiritual belief. Whether according to you, that faith of the heart can be obtained only through the righteousness of Christ as the verse so states? BTW, the obtaining of the true spiritual faith of the heart, is the faith that Peter was speaking of.
 
Feb 15, 2025
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I am an alcoholic. The world has many options for me to "save" me from my addiction.......I admitted I was an alcoholic and in need of salvation of my addiction. I reached out to the available "help" and they helped me.

For the calvie.... I can make that choice and seek help in this world. But God forbid if I recognize that I am sinner in need of salvation.

You can make everyday decisions to "save" you from everyday death......But in NO WAY can you make a decision for The Lord Jesus Christ!
Yes well, your contempt for Calvin's people let's you ignore Paul. 1 Corinthians 2.
And of course Jesus who has already been discussed as one who tells us repeatedly,we do not choose him.

Paul told us why.

Continue to ignore that. Giving the natural mind the capacity to overcome God's plan which is thought foolishness as written. And needs revision by the ego of man.
 
Dec 21, 2024
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Nope, Eddie, NC chosen is different than OC chosen. For the NC, God unilaterally did all of the choosing, man did not and could not contribute to it.
Another speculation not based on a serious study of these words used in OT and NT. There is absolutely no support for your statement about God unilaterally choosing man in the NT. Election does not refer to salvation but to service, in both the NT and OT. Show me one verse in the Bible that supports the idea that God has chosen people to salvation. Don't try to cite Eph. 1.4, that refers to any member of the Church, who was chosen IN HIM, so that we may be holy and blameless. See, here is where you see that God does not elect to salvation.
 

rogerg

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2021
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Another speculation not based on a serious study of these words used in OT and NT. There is absolutely no support for your statement about God unilaterally choosing man in the NT
Perhaps it is you who should do a serious study. Eph 1:4 is not about the church, it is about chosen individuals, and don't tell me what I can and cannot cite - I'll cite what I please when I please - that you don't have the ability to read and understand is not my problem.

[2Th 2:13 KJV] 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
 

studier

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Apr 18, 2024
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The true faith of the heart isn't informational, its spiritual. The delivery of the tenets (the information) of faith intellectually to someone for their edification/caretaking/preaching/ contending for it, is not the same as the obtaining of true spiritual faith of the heart. I am asking about the obtaining of the true spiritual faith of the heart which faith brings forth true, permanent spiritual belief. Whether according to you, that faith of the heart can be obtained only through the righteousness of Christ as the verse so states? BTW, the obtaining of the true spiritual faith of the heart, is the faith that Peter was speaking of.
Not much I can do for you. IMO you're importing language "true spiritual faith of the heart" into the Text. Everyone can believe. The issue is what they choose to believe and Who they choose to believe.

ESV John20:29-31 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

This entire document written by John of signs Jesus did was written so unbelieving men who have not seen Jesus could believe that Jesus is [YWHW''] Christ, the Son of God and thereby have eternal life.

Some will choose to believe and some will not. In the end of it all, it's really that simple.

Receiving "true spiritual faith of the heart" so a man can believe is made up and a myth.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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Some will choose to believe and some will not. In the end of it all, it's really that simple.
Such nonsense and completely unBiblical.


2 Corinthians 4 verse 4 ~ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God.
 
Oct 19, 2024
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Such nonsense and completely unBiblical.


2 Corinthians 4 verse 4 ~ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God.
No, unMagental, which is ironic since you sign off with Love but do not affirm that God loves everyone.
You could resolve the contradiction by believing that those unable to be saved do not go to hell (like babies or the
mentally/morally incompetent?), which might be biblical, but do you?