Understanding God’s election

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
If cannot see it in the bolded type, you are a hopeless case.

Hint:
Rom 9:21
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Jer 18:6
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
And does the clay in Rom 9:21 have any say over which lump they want to be?
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
Whom God foreknew, is what God foreknew.
Nope! That's reading into the passage. If God meant WHAT, he would have expressed himself differently. "Whom" or "those" are personal pronouns, not impersonal pronouns.
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
Get a clue man. "IN CHRIST" is an intentional construct of imagery hearkening back to Adam and the Woman.

Adam and the Woman = The Bridegroom and the Church.
Oh...so that's why the earthly, fallen bridegroom is a type of Christ by contrasts! :rolleyes: I bet you think it's pretty Kool for someone to be constantly and consistently contrasted with the Last Adam, don't you?
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
According the the hyper-Calvinists, there are NO heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.

Likewise there are NO OVERCOMERS either.

For them its all a cruel joke, a pack of lies, and a grand deception.
Calvinists are the byproduct of Satan shiting his major corruptive influence from the Catholic church that he knew many were getting frustrated with, to grabbing onto disciples of John Calvin, as to distort and create a new way to present corrupt dogmatism to people who were sick of the corrupt dogmatism of the RCC. They had become accustomed to such a form of autocratic authority.

John Calvin did not concoct TULIP. That was arranged by his disciple Theodore Beza after Calvin's death.
Theodore Beza led his committee to create and arrange a dogmatic system to be used to rule a people who hated
the previous dogmatic system the RCC had set up. Believers back then were just used to being treated that way, because
of the Roman Catholic Church's long held practice.

TULIP Calvinists seek to set themselves up as "kings of the hill" in the body of Christ.
Calvinism, as it had become degenerated into, was designed to please a certain kind of self righteousness
that grants license to a form of irrational religious arrogance. Like we see with some posting in this forum exhibiting.

:mad: You have no fee will!

:unsure: Then why do you leave it to me to believe that?


Its all about a failure to understand how God's grace is God's antidote for man's fallen state.

In Him.....
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
Oh...so that's why the earthly, fallen bridegroom is a type of Christ by contrasts! :rolleyes: I bet you think it's pretty Kool for someone to be constantly and consistently contrasted with the Last Adam, don't you?
You keep using the word "fallen" when God no longer sees us as fallen... as long as we exploit God's grace and walk under the control
of the Holy Spirit.

Trouble happens for those who are frustrated because they crave to run the show, is that they are controlled by their emotions,
not the Spirit... They memorized Scripture (without understanding) left and right as a means to gain ascendency over believers
who are weak in Scriptural understanding.

They are pain in the neck believers that humble believers must endure as God uses them as testing for the faithful believer.
For God wastes nothing. God will use the arrogant believer to further refine believers growing in grace and truth.

For that? The humble faithful who understand what I said? Are grateful.

Thank you!
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
23,778
8,614
113
TULIP Calvinists seek to set themselves up as "kings of the hill" in the body of Christ.
Calvinism, as it had become degenerated into, was designed to please a certain kind of self righteousness
that grants license to a form of irrational religious arrogance.
I think that you are on to something......:unsure:
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
It makes you feel safe to make others out to be just the way you are.
So Paul is not talking about two different categories of Abrahamic children (or descendants) in Rom 9?
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
You keep using the word "fallen" when God no longer sees us as fallen... as long as we exploit God's grace and walk under the control
of the Holy Spirit.

Trouble happens for those who are frustrated because they crave to run the show, is that they are controlled by their emotions,
not the Spirit... They memorized Scripture (without understanding) left and right as a means to gain ascendency over believers
who are weak in Scriptural understanding.

They are pain in the neck believers that humble believers must endure as God uses them as testing for the faithful believer.
For God wastes nothing. God will use the arrogant believer to further refine believers growing in grace and truth.

For that? The humble faithful who understand what I said? Are grateful.

Thank you!
Well...learn to read already. I wasn't talking about "us as fallen"! Adam did fall and there's not a scintilla of proof that that he ever exercised faith. But the evidence is strong that he must (by default) have been relegated to the ungodly seed of the Serpent. If not, to what seed does Adam belong? (Rhetorical question; for I know how dishonest and duplicitous you are. You'll never give me a straight answer.)
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
Indeed, and similarly, Rufus, they overlook a comparable inherent problem within their argument: if individuals who once had faith in Christ subsequently experience various physical or mental impairments, such as a stroke or dementia, ETC, and consequently lose their belief without the ability to regain it, what then becomes of their salvation? Should they happen to lose belief through no fault of their own, is their salvation forfeited, considering that those disagreeing with you deem that man-made, man-sustained belief is a prerequisite to salvation? Or is there an undisclosed exception or another distinct gospel applicable solely to the disabled, young, old, and not to others? If this is the case, then where in scripture has this stipulation been made? Or are there two gospels of salvation to address this and not one, yet the scripture speaks only of one gospel: salvation through/by Christ alone as Savior. This raises the question of the exact measure of faith needed to be produced and sustained by someone in order to attain/retain salvation. Where is this requirement detailed so that everyone can understand exactly how to measure, embody and achieve it, without which, it becomes requirement without solution.
The problem with their argument is that by distorting the pure and simple gospel of Christ—that Christ alone is the Savior, who grants salvation along with everything that accompanies salvation —they are compelled to create increasingly absurd deviations to make it seem viable, akin to forcing a square peg into a round hole, or they simply refuse to address the question at all. These deviations, or lack of answers, should their version of the gospel be followed to its logical end, would lead to utter nonsense and fail to represent the true gospel.
Excellent post! And you raise points that I hadn't thought of previously. Genez's "good teacher" will come to our rescue soon. Have no fear. He likely knows of some secret gospel(s) that cover(s) these kinds of situations that we haven't discovered yet. :rolleyes:
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
3,390
1,006
113
the truth if we choose to keep his word you mean ?

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Again if we do what he said there , we’ll be set free from what was caused by sin well after cain.

If we choose to become a disciple and follow the lord we’ll come to know the truth and be set free from serving sin because we’ll be serving God ….

But your talking about cain God told cain “ if you do what’s right , you will be accepted if you don’t do what’s right sin is at the door desiring to have you you must master it

It’s an option given to cain . Again here’s the quote

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right,

( notice he isn’t telling cain sin is your master you have no choice ?)

sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, ( not it’s your slave master you have no choice )


but you must rule over it.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I said “ it seems like cain was offered a choice and all he had to do was choose what God told him would make him acceptable instead of chi posing what God told him that would lead to sin having him …..

not sure how he had no choice but to kill his brother but seems like he should have done what God told him that would make him acceptable like we all should keeping the word of Jesus and knowing the truth ….

Gotta choose the lords way and we can cain could have also just like any sinner now can choose to follow jesus but often we don’t
If you call someone a fool you are guilty, in effect, of murder. (Matthew 5:22)

Cain and me are in big trouble.

Notice also the Genesis text says do what is right.

The text does not mention a codified ten commandments.

Do what is right!

I'm in the wrong thread, bye.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
Well...learn to read already. I wasn't talking about "us as fallen"! Adam did fall and there's not a scintilla of proof that that he ever exercised faith. But the evidence is strong that he must (by default) have been relegated to the ungodly seed of the Serpent. If not, to what seed does Adam belong? (Rhetorical question; for I know how dishonest and duplicitous you are. You'll never give me a straight answer.)
Seed of the devil is about how mankind changed into the image of Satan after the fall.
Even now. Believers walking in their flesh will lie and maneuver to get our way to win an argument.

Besides...

How do you know what ran through Adam's mind after he ran and hid?
Do you?

Adam? Had no faith?

Then, why do we see why the Lord shedding the blood of animals as evidenced with the animal skins that the Lord provided for Adam and Eve to cover themselves with? God accepted their repentance for doing wrong.

Another thing.
Why do you need everything spelled out for you in black and white?


And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge
and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may
be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11​


Insight does not appear in black and white.
Insight has been an ongoing part of the spiritual life of those who are growing in grace and understanding.


Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going
to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body." John 2:19-21


If someone like you been there?
He would have been demanding that someone explain, "Where did he say it was about his body?"

We're all in the Bible.
Sometimes, it takes insight to see how.

........
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
1,830
447
83
What do you believe influences/limits human will?
Who limits human ability is their Creator. What limits them mainly from trans-humanizing is their humanity or being qualitatively NOT God, but what limits them quantitatively includes various genetic, environmental and experiential factors. For example, trans-gendering is impossible because each cell contains the gender-causing chromosomes. Remembering GW is difficult for those with a poor memory (
(2PT 1:12-15). Becoming a Christian seems less likely for someone who lived in Outer Mongolia in 500 B.C. than for you and me. (Etc. :^)
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
1,830
447
83
Another heresy. Christ is only a potential savior? :rolleyes:
What do you think is the definition of heresy per Scripture?

Christ is potential for all and becomes actual for those who accept Him as Lord per Scripture.

Oops! I just answered the question for you! :^)
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
20,075
6,882
113
62
Who limits human ability is their Creator. What limits them mainly from trans-humanizing is their humanity or being qualitatively NOT God, but what limits them quantitatively includes various genetic, environmental and experiential factors. For example, trans-gendering is impossible because each cell contains the gender-causing chromosomes. Remembering GW is difficult for those with a poor memory (
(2PT 1:12-15). Becoming a Christian seems less likely for someone who lived in Outer Mongolia in 500 B.C. than for you and me. (Etc. :^)
Does one's nature affect the will?
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
What do you think is the definition of heresy per Scripture?

Christ is potential for all and becomes actual for those who accept Him as Lord per Scripture.

Oops! I just answered the question for you! :^)
So much for the concept of "limited atonement."

For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God,
who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe." 1 Tim 4:10​

But, they'll keep saying its a limited atonement...
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,652
5,908
113
If you call someone a fool you are guilty, in effect, of murder. (Matthew 5:22)

Cain and me are in big trouble.

Notice also the Genesis text says do what is right.

The text does not mention a codified ten commandments.

Do what is right!

I'm in the wrong thread, bye.
Who called someone a fool ?

amen ! that’s all gods ever been telling mankind do what’s right and you’ll also be accepted
 

The_Parson

Active member
Dec 1, 2024
145
32
28
East Tennessee
Just wanted to mention something here. This very subject separated the historic Baptists into two parts. They went totally asunder in the early 19th century. So that now we have Sovereign Grace Baptists & the Originals who will not have hardly any fellowship with one another at all. Is it not written folks:
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
This verse highlights the precept of reasoning together, and puts emphasis God's willingness to go one on one with His people in a thoughtful and redemptive manner, doesn't it?

Look, I know that we aren't going to agree until the Lord has us all with him, but we ought to at least TRY for the unity of the faith... Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
865
346
63
And what does that passage have to do with Rom 9:21 wherein God MAKES two lumps out of one!? Would not one lump, in the context of the chapter, be the natural, earthly children of Abraham and the other lump be the spiritual children of the patriarch, i.e. children of promise? And who determined which of these two distinct groups everyone is in: God or man?
The context is the nation Israel. But individually speaking........
The main question is~~~Why does God have to PATIENTLY endure when shaping this clay? Because the clay has a mind of its own and is STUBBORN. So why is God patient with his clay?

2 Pet 3:15~~
and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,

The calvies have Romans 9 and the purpose/will of God bassackwards. Paul is actually defending AGAINST the argument that God's purpose and will is capricious and arbitrary! He molds His clay according to the circumstances, temperament of the clay. Most modern day potters say, " The clay has a mind of its own."

The purpose and will of God is His shew bread in the temple....The Lord Jesus Christ. The bread of life.
John 6:33~~For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”


Jer 18~~3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel.

4 But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying,

6 “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the aclay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
865
346
63
Well...learn to read already. I wasn't talking about "us as fallen"! Adam did fall and there's not a scintilla of proof that that he ever exercised faith. But the evidence is strong that he must (by default) have been relegated to the ungodly seed of the Serpent. If not, to what seed does Adam belong? (Rhetorical question; for I know how dishonest and duplicitous you are. You'll never give me a straight answer.)
Luke 3:38
the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
 

brightfame52

Well-known member
Nov 21, 2020
6,463
590
113
@Kroogz

The calvies have Romans 9 and the purpose/will of God bassackwards. Paul is actually defending AGAINST the argument that God's purpose and will is capricious and arbitrary! He molds His clay according to the circumstances, temperament of the clay. Most modern day potters say, " The clay has a mind of its own."
Thats false the potter doesnt shape, form the vessel in accordance with the mind of the vessel. That destroys the whole imagery of the Sovereignty of the Potter.