Replies

re: “Because I realize what a miserable sinner I am and look to Jesus for my Salvation, not my own works. Just like Scripture teaches.”

So, you think you are saved because you believe you are a sinner, or think you believe it? It’s not what you say, or think, or think you believe, or whether or not you believe you are a sinner, or whether you are looking to Jesus for salvation, or no matter what you think the Scriptures teach - it has nothing to do with anything about you or what you think you believe. That’s Calvinism’s God.

So, my question is again, what assurance do you have that you are one of the Elect? Just because you say or think you have belief doesn’t mean that you are saved. There is no real assurance for you. You might not be one of the few whom God has elected to salvation. You really have no way of knowing. Just a belief of a belief.

re: “And yet that is how it is, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God!”

So, once again, you really don’t know whether or not the Holy Spirit has drawn you to Jesus. You think He has, you think you know, you think you believe - but that is no guarantee that you are correct.

If you can’t tell anyone else that God loves them or has chosen them for election - what makes you think you can know that about yourself as well?

If you can’t tell anyone else that God loves them or has chosen them for election - what makes you think you can know that about yourself as well?

An example, to clarify:

Not you, not I nor anyone else can walk up to an atheist and tell them that they are among the elect and be certain that we are telling the atheist the truth or a lie. Because we can't predict the future and know whether or not an athiest will convert to Christ, live their life and die in Christ.

To tell people they "are" saved is not spreading the Gospel, but misleading people.

In spreading the Gospel message, the topic of salvation is of course most important - and the important concept to relay is the listener's need for salvation, for without their need for salvation, the listener will of course feel that they can safely ignore the Gospel message, even mock it.

Spreading the Gospel, of course, consists of personal testimony and quoting from Scripture. This serves as a CALLING of the listener to Christ, a calling of the listener by the Word of God, i.e., the quoting from Scripture. Those are the words that, upon hearing, the listener is affected by.

We can see from this how empty a lie it is to simply tell people they already are among the elect. They need not become convicted of their own sin, they need no feelings of guilt, they do not need to fear God's judgement - they just need to say the "magic words" of a profession of faith there on the streetcorner - without any study or knowledge of what they are professing to "believe in" and what that means. Why would they go to Church ? They would feel they are "saved". Church would be nice and fun, but it would be optional. They are "saved". What about that adulterous affair they're having ? Well, that's not "nice", but Jesus ultimately will forgive them. They need not worry about it, in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps they'll just "taper off" a little, out of "respect". Unless they start feeling unhappy in their marriage. Then, well, they couldn't help themselves. Jesus will understand. Someday they would like to get around to studying the Bible. Really studying it. That would be "nice". But they're ok if they don't get around to it just yet, they're busy. Jesus will understand. Oh, praying ? Oh, yeah, right. They would probably start praying every day. For a while. Then, maybe a few months go by, no prayers. It's ok, Jesus knows they are busy with life.

Now our dear "convert" starts attending a local Church, you know, one with a good band. Of course, the "teaching" and "preaching" that goes on there has nothing to do with Biblical doctrine, it's a bunch of wild fantasies about end-times, about being "inclusive" with homosexuals, standing up for the modern nation of Israel, and all the activities. Nothing about sin; that's an old-fashioned, abrogated thing from the OT. No more worries about sin, just try to be a "good person".

Of course, the above scenario is nonsense, not a real conversion. When we actually start honestly studying the Bible and taking it to heart, which only happens during and after a real conversion that was effected by God, we find this line of Scripture, which must be very curious to the unbeliever:

Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."

It is not up to the person spreading the Gospel message to determine how the hearers make use of their hearing of the Word of God.

It is never without effect though - those whom God has chosen, the elect, God draws to his Word:

Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

And those who are not among the elect will hate and despise God's Word:

Psalm 50

"16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee."

The Apostle Paul under divine inspiration writes:

Romans 8

"9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."