[Dr. Eckleburg]

Only those who become Christ-like become His adopted children.

You have that backwards, Kosta. Those whom God has adopted from before the foundation of the world will become Christ-like, at a time of His choosing.

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. " -- Acts 13:48

the way Reformed theology is presented (and I have no reason to believe it is otherwise) is basically like saying you are on a train going to a known destination.

Every man's life is like riding a bicycle on board a train. We think we're peddling to our destination all on our own, but the train is heading where God intends.

"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." -- Acts 17:-28

We believe God gives everyone a ticket.

No one can buy a ticket to heaven for themselves and all men are heading for a brick wall without a ticket. But God ordained from before the foundation of the world to freely give some men a ticket bought with the blood of Christ and that ticket will take them all the way home.

"Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." -- 1 Peter 2:7-10

[Gamecock]

Those whom God has adopted from before the foundation of the world will become Christ-like, at a time of His choosing.

You got that right.

There was nothing in me that desired Christ. Had the Holy Spirit not grabbed me by the throat and brought me into the Kingdom kicking and screaming, I would be lost forever.

There is nothing in me that would trigger this conversion. Nothing that made me worthy. It was all that God's eternal purpose of election might stand.

[kosta50]

You have that backwards, Kosta. Those whom God has adopted from before the foundation of the world will become Christ-like, at a time of His choosing

If God adopted some from before the foundation of the world, what point — if any — would there be in Baptism? An empty ritual?

Every man's life is like riding a bicycle on board a train. We think we're peddling to our destination all on our own, but the train is heading where God intends

Agreed. Our final destination is not affected by what we do; it's where we go from there that is, because "it is "appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment." [Heb 9:27], for "the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds." [Mat 16:27]

But God ordained from before the foundation of the world to freely give some men a ticket bought with the blood of Christ and that ticket will take them all the way home

We believe that Christ's sacrifice made it possible for all men to be saved, as God is not partial. The train we are on is not taking us to paradise, dear lady, but to our death. It isn at that last station that God decides what will be our eternal home. According to Scriptures, that decision is based on how we behave on the train.

We firmly believe that those who are Christ-like in their hearts will be with God for all eternity.

[Uncle Chip]

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. " -- Acts 13:48

How do the Greek Orthodox interpret or explain the word "ordained" in this verse? Does it imply a previous selection by God or is there some other explanation?