Why do you agree to it? What use is the Gospel to the Reformed? If the elect are predestined for salvation, what effect does the Gospel have for them? If the reprobate are predestined for hell, what effect does the Gospel have for them?
God shows His great love by choosing to save even ONE of us since none of us can merit Heaven. There is no Biblical rule saying that God can only have great love if He loves all people equally.
Nobody says that He does. The parable of the talents shows otherwise. However, He does give all talents ie the means for salvation.
However, the Bible is clear that not all people are God's children.
No; those are the Jews. The Gentiles are able to be grafted into the true vine.
And when you criticize "limited love" and "limited mercy" don't forget that your own versions of God's love and mercy are VERY limited too in that you require acts of men to get (or earn) that love and mercy.
Negative. I'm surprised after your extended talks with Kolo that you would say this. God love and mercy are unlimited. His atonement extends to all men. There is no earning; but there is Judgement.
Our view limits grace and mercy to God's sovereign will in choosing His elect (your view does not), and the Catholic view limits them to man's decisions to comply with requirements using their free wills (our view does not).
The Catholic view is not stated correctly. God's Grace is extended to all and enables all to come to the wedding feast. Some refuse to come and are left in the outer darkness. Some attend and are found to be unworthy and are ejected into the outer darkness. The rest, who comply with the Commandments of God and His teachings, will be accepted at the feast.
So, if you see limitations on God's grace and mercy as being a bad thing, then the Catholic God is in the same boat as the Reformed God.
Negative. The Reformed theology calls for limited atonement, limited mercy and limited salvation. The Catholic theology calls for this to apply to all men; the preaching of the Gospel is to convert all men to God, not merely a mechanical exercise.
Why do you agree to it?
Because scripture commands believers to spread the Gospel via the Great Commission. We know that the Great Commission does NOT apply only to clerics of a certain faith because sharing the Good News is a form of loving one's neighbor. Certainly it cannot be argued that this commandment does not apply to all believers.
What use is the Gospel to the Reformed? If the elect are predestined for salvation, what effect does the Gospel have for them?
The Gospel informs us of what our faith is in. Merely believing that there is some kind of God out there does not constitute saving faith. Since this knowledge is needed, in the normal course the elect are predestined to have it.
If the reprobate are predestined for hell, what effect does the Gospel have for them?
Well, for sure it does not have saving effect, but that is not to say no positive effect at all. The Gospel message along with the stories surrounding the Gospel serve as excellent moral guides of benefit to both the elect and reprobate. On average, even the reprobate will lead better and happier lives if they are more moral.
FK: However, the Bible is clear that not all people are God's children.
No; those are the Jews. The Gentiles are able to be grafted into the true vine.
God's children are those who have been given faith:
The reprobate are the children of someone else:
Therefore, my statement stands that the Bible is clear that not all are the children of God.
FK: And when you criticize "limited love" and "limited mercy" don't forget that your own versions of God's love and mercy are VERY limited too in that you require acts of men to get (or earn) that love and mercy.
Negative. I'm surprised after your extended talks with Kolo that you would say this. God love and mercy are unlimited. His atonement extends to all men. There is no earning; but there is Judgement.
But your Judgment is based on your works, making God's mercy limited to your choice of works. If you don't do enough works, then you don't get the mercy. That is not unlimited mercy, it is conditional mercy with the condition being what is earned through works. If you don't like the word "earned" I am fine with using "merited" if you like, but it is all the same. Under your view of the parable of the talents, the first two certainly did WORK the money given to them, and they EARNED a return on that money which resulted in "salvation", so there is no getting around the Catholic position on this. :)
FK: So, if you see limitations on God's grace and mercy as being a bad thing, then the Catholic God is in the same boat as the Reformed God.
Negative. The Reformed theology calls for limited atonement, limited mercy and limited salvation. The Catholic theology calls for this to apply to all men; the preaching of the Gospel is to convert all men to God, not merely a mechanical exercise.
So under Catholic theology atonement applies to all men, mercy applies to all men, and salvation applies to all men???? That can't be right. I've never heard Catholics argue for universal salvation before.