[Frumanchu]

Nope. I insist. You appear to prefer going right to the Greek. The English, as translated in every translation I can find, certainly seems to indicate that appointment unto eternal life preceded their belief instead of being the result of it. I'm curious to see how you explain that away. Perhaps the Greek shows us something the English does not?

[Vernon]

Well, take a look at it. The fact is that this verse has been tragically twisted. The actual word used here for "ordained" includes no idea of pre-ordination or pre-destination of any kind. Even if it did, which it does not, it is an incredible extension to even suggest that they persevered to the end.