“God love (sic) us all and has freely given His Grace to all. I agree very much and thank you for opening this thread.”
This smacks of universalism - is that what you intended? For the Scripture teaches that only those called by God to become son of His are truly loved by Him; this being beyond the common love and common grace He freely bestows on all men. The saving love and saving grace is for the elect of God and none other.
Romans 9, for example:
“6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
***This smacks of universalism - is that what you intended?***
The term Catholic means all. God has extended His Grace to all; but not all take it.
1 Tim 2:
1
First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
2
for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.
3
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
4
who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
5
For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human,
6
who gave himself as ransom for all.
All of us, sir. Everyone. But not all will heed the call. Not all will follow where the Holy Spirit leads.
***(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)***
But God calleth all; without Him and His Grace, we will suffer the fate that original sin demands we do.
AMEN!
I can understand the temporal world trying to erase this fact. What's really puzzling is that so many Christians work to obscure the specific, transformative, personal love of God for His family which He ordained from before the foundation of the world.
Seems like some of us are working the wrong side of the street here.
Added to Christ's own words in John 17, Ephesians 1 should end the debate...
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"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: