I haven't met that many Calvinists. But I have been graced by marrying one and raising a couple of them, and knowing a few of them in person in my Presbyterian church.
I have, however, by the grace of God, met many of them on-line and been enriched by their witness to and knowledge of God and Scripture.
As to your question, no one but God knows the names of the elect. Yet we're told that men are known by their fruits, so in that case, I think I've known some of God's elect. And surprise, they're not all Calvinists. But one day, by the grace of God, I think they will be. 8~)
Additionally, I have His promise that because I have received Trinitarian faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I, too, am among the elect. That doesn't mean I won't continue to stumble and sin for every day of my life. But it does mean He will never lose hold of me, and that He will inevitably lead me home because Christ has already paid the price for my sins in total. I have been redeemed.
"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: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will" -- Ephesians 1:4-5 "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." -- 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." -- Acts 13:48
An excellent article is found here: (though it addresses the errors of some fundamentalists, it is the same error as held by all those who deny monergistic salvation)
And, of course, there is Spurgeon's great paraphrasing of Owen's masterful logic...
"The Arminians say, 'Christ died for all men.' Ask them what they mean by it. Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of all men? They say, 'No, certainly not.' We ask them the next question: Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of any man in particular? They answer 'No.' They are obliged to admit this, if they are consistent. They say, 'No; Christ has died that any man may be saved if ?' and then follow certain conditions of salvation. Now, who is it that limits the death of Christ? Why, you. You say that Christ did not die so as infallibly to secure the salvation of anybody. We beg your pardon, when you say we limit Christ's death; we say, 'No, my dear sir, it is you that do it.' We say Christ so died that he infallibly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, who through Christ's death not only may be saved, but are saved, must be saved and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved. You are welcome to your atonement; you may keep it. We will never renounce ours for the sake of it." -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
While we're at it, let's read Owen's short and perfect formulation:
"God imposed his wrath due unto, and Christ underwent the pains of hell for, either all the sins of all men, or all the sins of some men, or some sins of all men. If the last, some sins of all men, then have all men some sins to answer for, and so shall no man be saved....If the second, that is it which we affirm, that Christ in their stead and room suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the world. If the first, why then, are not all freed from the punishment of all their sins? You will say, "Because of their unbelief; they will not believe." But this unbelief, is it a sin, or not? If not, why should they be punished for it? If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it, or not. If so, then why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which he died from partaking of the fruit of his death? If he did not, then did he not die for all their Sins."
Another excellent essay is found here:
"And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifice, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." -- Hebrews 10:10-14
Are you among God's elect, D-fendr? Did Christ pay the penalty in full for all your sins? Have you been redeemed?
As someone wise told me recently, "no one but God knows the names of the elect."
I, too, am among the elect.
This seems to contradict my wise advisor.
He will never lose hold of me, and that He will inevitably lead me home because Christ has already paid the price for my sins in total. I have been redeemed.
You seem to have God in a box in your pocket. You're in and there's nothing He can do about it - or nothing He will do about it, which is essentially the same thing.
This thinking also gets too quickly into "My theology gives me assurance of Heaven, does yours?" We see the evangelist's appeal, "do you know you're going to heaven?" and if not, well here's how you can.
Speaking only for myself, I think it is harmful to think in terms of my "reward." Would we follow Christ if we were not rewarded for it?
Perhaps this thinking is good for others, but I can't understand it. Which is why I asked you. I've never run across someone talking about assured salvation who didn't think their's was assured. So, it becomes meaningless to me.
thanks for your reply.
I often try to set down for myself a confession of what I believe, and I never get very far because so many things remain obscure to me. I do hope that if what remains obscure should really be crystal clear that the Lord illuminate my understanding. But I always begin such a confession, and it’s always easy to begin with what I believe about my own regeneration. I know it has occurred, I know it was none, and I mean, none of my own doing. The only possible caveat to that being that I persevere in asking God to please ’make haste to help me’ in my unbelief when it rears itself, which is certainly often enough. When I say unbelief it’s really more doubt or a lack of trust than out-and-out unbelief, but I don’t think Adam and Eve‘s sin was much different than that.
"Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed." Psalms 6:2
Another thing I know is that God’s call follows no pattern that I’m aware of. I stopped sinning in the grave manner I had been without personal amendment, without warning, and it wasn’t until several years had elapsed before I was gifted by God with a vibrant Faith, and tearful and mournful repentance. And I just want to mention one other thing regarding life before regeneration, when I was involved in grave sin, I was having a very good time, my conscience wasn’t vexed at all. In fact, if I would have died during that time, “it would have taken 6 undertakers to take the smile off my face.” My Faith and repentance were not my own creations.
Finally, I don’t ‘know‘ that I‘m saved, but I have no fear about it. I often think it’s quite possible that I could find myself indicted before God. His Sovereignty and Justice is inexorable, and I feel no need to argue that, or buck that, or palliate that in any way whatsoever. His Will be done, always!
“Who hath been the Lord’s Counselor?”