[jo kus]

If your interpretation was correct (which I don't believe it is) then that would also confirm my fact that God created the righteous and wicked and there ARE slaves to sin and slaves to righteousness as described in Romans 6. There are two groups or "cities" as Augustine refers to them as. You only prove this point no matter how you interpret the passage.

God doesn't create "wicked" and "good" men. He creates men without sanctifying grace. This was not His initial plan for mankind (as we note in Adam's initial creation of goodness). Men CHOOSE to be wicked or good. This choice does NOT bring about sanctifying grace, necessary to enter heaven. Again, God wrote into EVERYONE'S heart the law of right from wrong. This presumes that we are able to obey it to a limited degree. When God sees that we cooperate with this sufficient grace, it become efficacious grace, and grace falls on us in greater quantity. We become more able to do God's will. Psalm 5 shows that men CAN be righteous and men CAN be wicked. The wicked are so blinded that they can no longer normally choose God. But it does not follow that all men become naturally wicked.

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

The word "especially" does not exclude non-believers. It only means that the Savior is of greater help to believers who naturally turn their will to match God's Will.

His blood only atones for ONLY those who God makes righteous in Christ. Christ did not died for the wicked. His blood does not atone their deed.

1 John says that God died for the sin of ALL men, not just the "righteous". God atoned for all men, even those who were in sin and those who would NEVER turn to Christ. This atonement doesn't mean that a man is saved. The atonement merely means that sanctifying grace is being made available to all men. Whether we accept to receive it is another story.

However we were JUST LIKE THE CHILDREN OF WRATH but God saved us.

Peter warns us to beware, not to return to the vomit of our past life. God saved us in the past - God healed us. But it does not follow that we will REMAIN healed. When you recover from a disease, can you not get sick again? The whole concept of perseverance presumes the possibility of falling into our previous lifestyles - for which NO ONE will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor and Gal)

Regards

[HarleyD]

God doesn't create "wicked" and "good" men.

Looking at my post I wasn't very clear. All men are wicked in God's eyes. I thought my verses in Ephesian 2 pointed that out. The righteous were considered like the wicked. Men cannot choose to be good.

When God sees that we cooperate with this sufficient grace, it become efficacious grace, and grace falls on us in greater quantity.

And there you have it, salvation by works. We cooperate and when God sees that we are very good people He saves us. The Pelagius error; condemned by the early church fathers but fully accepted at Trent.

God atoned for all men, even those who were in sin and those who would NEVER turn to Christ

And what precisely does this atonement do??? What does the blood of Christ cover if it is for all men??? And if it atones for ALL MEN what about those who commit the unpardonable sin? How can it atone for that and for those who commit the unpardonable sin? All doesn't mean all.