HEADER FOR MessageBoard II
(Click picture to go back to Table of Contents)

Welcome to Messageboard II

Agora Messageboard now functions as a quorum. Please click to join as a member. We want to hear from you... A query that needs an answer, a word to uplift the people, a statement of concern that needs prayer, a cry for help...

  God bless you...

Previous Messageboard have been archived.   tell your friends

Next-in-Thread Next Message

Feedback On God's Election and man's choice 

Forum: Messageboard
Re: Idea On Dice and the Fixed Future - Part I (John Doe 666)
Re: Question Hi J36 (Ivan)
Re: More Answer (John Doe 666)
Re: Question May I ask further (Ivan)
Re: Feedback Both (John Doe 666)
Re: Question So, God didnt fix our lives here though His knowledge is perfect; we fix our lives & choose the consequences, right?eom. (Ivan)
Re: Feedback No (John Doe 666)
Re: Question So, God fix our lives; we still make choices as though we fix our lives and face the consequences, right? eom. (Ivan)
Re: None How come like to view as linear relationship? (Eveline How)
Re: Idea Life is linear? (John Doe 666)
Re: Question Does God garantee that we will obey one day? (saved-by-grace)
Re: Idea Obedience and the fixed future (John Doe 666)
Re: Feedback Not easy to reconcile the Sovereignity of God and the responsibility of men. (saved-by-grace)
Re: Idea Dice is loaded against ALL humanity.. (John Doe 666)
Re: Disagree Hi J36 (Ivan)
Re: Question Longsuffering (John Doe 666)
Re: Note What I am saying (Ivan)
Re: Idea My perspective (John Doe 666)
Re: Note Your thinking needs renewal (Ivan)
Re: Pray It is in Scripture - but we have the mind of Christ (John Doe 666)
Date: 2001, Nov 30
From: Ivan Ivan

As requested to read up the subject on "Election", which I did not deny that this is in the Bible, I would like to expand on your understanding of election from the New Bible Dictionary. I will only quote certain parts which will shed further light on this subject which you may not be aware.

  Election is a sovereign choice, prompted by God's own good
  pleasure alone (Eph 1:5,9), and not by any works of man, 
  accomplished or foreseen (Rom 9:11), or any human efforts
  to win God's favour (Rom 9:15-18). Such efforts would in
  any case be vain, for however high sinners aspire and
  however fast they run, they still in reality only sin
  (Rom 8:7,8). God in sovereign freedom treats some sinners  
  as they deserve, hardening (Rom 9:18; Rom 11:7-10) and 
  destroying them (Rom 8:21,22); but He selects others to be
  "vessels of mercy", receiving "the riches of His glory"
  (Rom 9:23). This discrimination involves no injustice, for
  the Creator owes mercy to none, and has a right to do as
  He pleases with His rebellious creatures (Rom 9:14-21).
  The wonder is not that He withholds mercy from some, but 
  that He should be gracious to any. And it remains true,
  according to Paul, that it is God's sovereign election
  alone that explains why, when the gospel is preached, some
  do in fact respond to it. The unbelief of the rest requires
  no special explanation, for no sinner, left to himself,
  can believe (1 Cor 2:14); but the phenomenon of faith needs
  explaining. Paul's explanation is that God by His Spirit
  causes the elect to believe, so that when men come to a 
  true and active faith in Christ it proves their election
  is a reality (1 Thess 1:4-6; Tit 1:1; Acts 13:48).
  Election is a choice of individual sinners to be saved in
  and through Christ. Election is "in Christ" (see Eph 1:4),
  the incarnate Son, whose historical appearing and mediation
  were themselves included in God's eternal plan (1 Pet 1:20;
  Acts 2:23).

The significance of election for the believer is it spurs the believer to ethical endeavour as opposed to sanctioning licence (Eph 5:5) or presumption (Rom 11:19-22). The knowledge of one's election and the benefits that flow from it is the supreme incentive to humble, joyful, thankful love, the mainspring of sanctifying gratitude (Col 3:12-17).

I hope that with the knowledge gained, we can be reconciled in our understanding of "Election". So, you can see that man's choice and God's election are reconcilable. If you want to do a thorough study, I commend you to read up the full text from the New Bible Dictionary.

May the light of God's word shine on us,

Next-in-Thread Next Message

Add Message to: "On God's Election and man's choice"

Members Subscribe Admin Mode Show Frames Help for Agora Public 1.10

Messages Inline: 1 All Outline: 1 2 3

1. Note You're agreeing with JD totally. Where's the reconciliation of men's responsibility to choose? eom by saved-by-grace, 2001, Dec 01
1. Note No, not at all by Ivan, 2001, Dec 01
1. Question To WHAT ? by John Doe 666, 2001, Dec 03
2. Feedback Sounds confusing but it seems to be the same as JD's except for the fixing part. n/t. by Interested , 2001, Dec 01
1. Feedback The reasons why you seem confused by Ivan, 2001, Dec 01
(_ Feedback Hi Ivan, your answer is fantastic. Keep it up. n/t. by Interested , 2001, Dec 02
2. Feedback Yah, Ivan doesn't seem to understand his New Bible Dictionary. n/t. by Interested , 2001, Dec 01
1. Feedback Yeah, I am interested in your Bible Dictionary which may be more simplified for the simple-minded.eom. by Ivan, 2001, Dec 01
(_ Feedback I don't have a Bible dictionary. n/t. by Interested , 2001, Dec 01
(_ Idea Maybe you should invest in one that will help you understand better. eom. by Ivan, 2001, Dec 01
(_ None But your quotation from the said Dictionary fully supports JD's views and not yours. How do you understand? n/t by Interested , 2001, Dec 02
(_ Feedback It seems to be so by Ivan, 2001, Dec 02
(_ Feedback Not easy to reconcile the doctrine of Election (God's Sovereign's choice) and the Responsibility (Free Will) of men. by saved-by-grace, 2001, Dec 03
3. Ok you ARE agreeing with me.... by John Doe 666, 2001, Dec 03
1. Feedback Because we do not have the complete, perfect picture, we do not want to fix our thinking by Ivan, 2001, Dec 03
1. Ok Thanks Ivan...glad to know you comprehend what i'm warning about. eom by saved-by-grace, 2001, Dec 03
2. Feedback Binary thinking, to Ivan. by Interested , 2001, Dec 04
3. Ok No double pre-destination by John Doe 666, 2001, Dec 04
2. Question Hey Ivan, What on earth is linear thinking? The only linearity I know is y=a+bx. n/t by Interested , 2001, Dec 03
1. Feedback I think, it is different from lateral thinking. eom. by Ivan, 2001, Dec 03
(_ Feedback Ah, so I thought. Sorry, am no fan of What's his name. n/t. by Interested , 2001, Dec 03

Add Message to: "On God's Election and man's choice"

Members Subscribe Admin Mode Show Frames Help for Agora Public 1.10
FOOTER for MessageBoard II

tell your friends

Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998,1999, 2000, 2001 Antioch Networks International. All Rights Reserved.
The Agora Forum is a registered trademark of Antioch Networks International.

Thank you for contributing to MessageBoard!

Back to Antioch's Home Page
For more information, please send your request to: forumaster@antioch.com.sg.