I look at it like this. God chose Saul. It was God's will to turn Saul to Paul and use him to preach the Gospel. And God chose Saul from before the foundation of the world. God chose Saul in accordance to His sovereign purpose and grace, He didn't choose Saul on account of anything Saul might or might not do, because God knew what He'd have Saul do. And so God invaded Saul's life, knocking him off his horse, and smote him with blindness to bring him to his knees. The cost was Saul's surrender to the sovereign will of God in all things. Did Saul do anything to cause God to choose him? Nope. Thus, Saul's salvation was absolutely free and predicated upon God's sovereign grace. All it truly cost Saul was absolute surrender to God's will and grace. In this, Saul became Paul.
What criteria does God require that you meet,
to receive His salvation?
Well then. If I'm punished, it's because of what God didn't do (choose me), not because of what I did.
Sounds fair.
No. If a sinner is punished, they are punished for their sin. Chosen for salvation or not... they did the crime. Please note, the election are just as guilty. It's simply that God chose them as vessels of grace and mercy. It wasn't their choice to be saved. It was in accordance to the sovereign and just will of God.
No. If a sinner is punished, they are punished for their sin. Chosen for salvation or not... they did the crime. Please note, the election are just as guilty. It's simply that God chose them as vessels of grace and mercy. It wasn't their choice to be saved. It was in accordance to the sovereign and just will of God.
True or false: If God chooses me, I won't be punished. If God doesn't choose me, I'll be punished.
The issue of whether I have sinned and deserve punishment, as you point out, is moot. EVERYONE deserves punishment. The question is what God will or will not do to spare me from that punishment.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
True or false: If God chooses me, I won't be punished. If God doesn't choose me, I'll be punished.
True. Yet you are deserving of damnation.
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The issue of whether I have sinned and deserve punishment, as you point out, is moot.
Nope. That's the very point.
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EVERYONE deserves punishment. The question is what God will or will not do to spare me from that punishment.
No... the question is God's sovereign will. Does God desire to save you or not? Who better to be entrusted with such a choice than God Himself? Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make what He desires, rather it be a vessel of honor or dishonor?
In the argument regarding free will... few wish to grant GOD free will to do as He pleases. Does God have free will to do as He chooses with His creation?
It is irrelevant to the question of whether I will be punished or not. That's my point.
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No... the question is God's sovereign will. Does God desire to save you or not?
The Bible says he does. That's part of your view's hilarity. God wants to save me, and he will save me if he chooses me for salvation, but he may not. In fact, few will be saved. Most of us won't be. Because of God's choice.
Hilarious.
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Who better to be entrusted with such a choice than God Himself? Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make what He desires, rather it be a vessel of honor or dishonor?
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In the argument regarding free will... few wish to grant GOD free will to do as He pleases. Does God have free will to do as He chooses with His creation?
Well, ya got me there. Of course God doesn't have to be just, if he doesn't want to. (Don't even try to claim that your view of how it works is just!)
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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