If Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians was Published in Christianity Today

The Sacred Sandwich ^ | 20 February 2009

[Jimbo7x7]

Let me invite you to choose him since he had already chosen you.

[colorcountry]

Been there. He already did it all, and I accepted.

[Lee N. Field]

I think you meant, “why God arb. shows mercy on Jacob, who embodies the Jewish children of promise, but not Esau, who embodies the Jewish children of the flesh.”

Careful. You'll get "certain parties" on FR all riled up at you.

[Dutchboy88]

Amen, amen, and amen. Laid hold of before the foundation of the world, and now not clothed in a righteousness of our own, but of His. To Him alone be the glory...

[Elsie]

“Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and imposters led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus.” -Thomas Jefferson

Looks like TOM was a PIKER!!

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http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/17#17

  17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
  18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
  19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
  20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.”

[Augustinian monk]

I used the word “arbitrary” because thats usually the argument from RC and Arminian folk. Of course nothing is “arbitrary” but God’s will is holy and perfect and sometimes beyond our comprehension.

[Dutchboy88]

True. We look upon most events and they only occasionally look like they were the well-oiled gears turning on a perfect plan. Our vision is so clouded, so shrouded. I’m sure Joseph thought that the “arbitrary” nomadic slave traders that hauled him off to Egypt were just coming by “happenstance”. But, then many years later he sees just how carefully God had maneuvered that particular gang of thugs through the desert to the precise hole where he was kept at just the hour his brothers are deliberating about killing him. Abdul and Hashiim decide, “Let’s turn over here to this truck stop and stretch our legs. Hey, what’s this? A kid for sale. Cool.” And the rest is history.

How does He maneuver every man physically, mentally, spiritually? Because His mind is so utterly beyond the universe, so transcendent, so powerful beyond comprehension that He simply wills this stuff and it plays out. What kind of arrogant creatures would believe that our 2 lb. brains could actually be the only things in the universe outside of this influence? Amazing.

[Jimbo7x7]

Yeah, I hear you. It is very clear in Romans 9.11 that God’s choice is not arbritary; he clearly is said to have a (definitive) purpose (which accords with his choice of both of the fetuses).

I do not read Romans 9 either Calvinistically nor in an Arminian fashion for they both understood Paul to be speaking primarily of the eternal salvation/damnation of all humankind; it is abundantly clear to me that this is not Paul’s primary point (in Rom 9.6-23).