Another interesting verse I read today was:
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." John 6:36
Quite frankly I don't know how one could interpret the above verse except to read it exactly as written-the Father gives us to our Lord Jesus, we WILL go to Him, and our Lord Jesus will keep us. It's like Dr. E statement, "If God wanted all men to be saved, then all men would be saved."
BTW-Welcome back. The GRPL has undergone much tribulation with the banning of Dr. Steve and the suspension of a host of others. I feel like Elijah in saying, "I alone am left." but Dr. E, Rnmomof7, and others are around. We need your support.
One of the best crisp statements was my pastor's, in a sermon on Ephesians 1. He explained what the word "election" means (pick, choose, select), and then laid out the idea that God sort of picks everyone, but only those who pick Him out of free will are really elect unto salvation.
"That's not election!" he said. "That's co-signing!"
Dan
To all.
Good post.
The doctrine of election is certainly foundational - everything falls into place after that acceptance by faith of God's sovereignty.
Recently, whe the discussion of inclusivism vs exclusivism (Or: If someone does not know the Name of Jesus, can they be saved?) came up, the Open Theology of Clark Pinnock was part and parcel of the so-called "inclusivist" movement which says that a person can be saved through general revelation. (This is an idea I reject.)