Rom 11:1-36 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
There's your "secret counsels" that you rant against so much, Ed. Right there in the Word you claim to believe! Paul boldly declares that there are depths to God's Wisdom and Knowledge that are past our finding out. God has given us enough, but He has not revealed all there is to know. Some of it we can't handle right now. There is no requirement that God must make "full disclosure" of His Will and Purpose. You can't demand it, and He certainly does not have to give it, unless it pleases Him to do so!
So, it follows that just because you don't understand how and why God has done, is doing, and will do what He Wills, you cannot accuse Him of injustice simply because it doesn't seem right to you. You don't have all the info necessary to make such a judgment! What is revealed shows that it is God who makes the choices, and you should be grateful that He chose you, rather than spending your time ranting about how you think it's unfair that He doesn't choose everyone, or that He doesn't allow them to make a choice which you can't seem to understand that they can't make, by themselves. Your problem is not with Calvin, but with God, and your faulty understanding of Him.
I think you need to learn to read more closely!
Chapter 11 is speaking of the hardening of Israel, not the reprobation of the non-elect!
So, it follows that just because you don't understand how and why God has done, is doing, and will do what He Wills, you cannot accuse Him of injustice simply because it doesn't seem right to you. You don't have all the info necessary to make such a judgment! What is revealed shows that it is God who makes the choices, and you should be grateful that He chose you, rather than spending your time ranting about how you think it's unfair that He doesn't choose everyone, or that He doesn't allow them to make a choice which you can't seem to understand that they can't make, by themselves. Your problem is not with Calvin, but with God, and your faulty understanding of Him.
If Calvinism cannot understand why someone is saved (as it cannot explain why God chose one and not another), then it is based on a mystery and not what is revealed.
What is revealed is that God wants all men saved (as you stated) died for all men (which you stated) but all men are not being saved (which means God is not accomplishing what He reveals He wants)
Appealing to the mystery of God as the final answer of your 'Biblical' faith, means you have to reject what God has revealed, that He has provided salvation for all men, but it is man who says 'no' to God. (Rom.1:28, Jn.3:36)
Calvinism then on the one hand claims to know how God is saving men (with unconditional election) but when pressed to ask why some and not others then it holds up its collective hands and cries MYSTERY.
Hey, if its such a mystery then shut up about it!
Unconditional election was never an issue in the first 300 years of the Church.
I think you and I have finished our discussions, don't you?