Duh.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. - Ephesians 1:4-6
Looks to me as if God's objective reason is according to the good pleasure of His will, and in order to obtain the praise of the glory of His grace.
(Just because you don't think that God doing something solely to bring praise to Himself isn't proper doesn't mean that He is wrong when He does. By His grace, for His glory.)
I can agree with what you right here. "My own reasons" is a response I would sometimes give my own kids when they were small and I was in a hurry. That didn't preclude me from actually having other reasons...it's just that I wasn't going into them at that moment.
All of God's words are true, Jerry.
So, according the verse you list below it was just arbitrary, why wasn't it to His 'good will' to choose someone else instead of you?
Actually what Eph. 1:4-6 is talking about is getting chosen in Christ,(chosen us in him, accepted in the beloved.
That is the objective basis for being saved, choosing Christ and getting in Christ.
For the Calvinist there is no objective reason why God chose anyone to be the elect, just willy-nilly (for the praise of His glory)?
Boy, were you sure lucky