Why? If the Holy Spirit indwells whomsoever He will, of what use is your witness? If you witness to the elect, that is of no use, since the HS will indwell at His timetable. If you witness to the non elect, are you taunting them with what they cannot have?
We are to share the Gospel because Christ sent us to do so. God uses us as His instruments to preach the word so that others can hear. Those who were predestined will eventually believe. ....... If I preach to a non elect, then it is not a taunt because my witness will be nonsense to him. In addition, as Irish said, we can never know whether we are witnessing to an elect or not. We are commanded to witness to everyone.
There is a huge difference between the reality of the world and what you believe. If you believe something to be true, then shouldn’t you ought to state it that way?
I believe that if I drop a hammer it will fall. I know that the faith God gave me in our Lord Jesus Christ is true. How's that? :)
My wife used to scorn the street corner preachers (we live in a big city). She thought it tacky grandstanding, not dignified enough. I asked her if among all those people walking by if just one had their ears itched by The Gospel would it be okay. She thought about it for a second and God Bless her said I hadn't thought of that.
IOW, I've had people say how irritating it is when some "Born Again Christian" actually witnesses to them. A few of those times I've actually been able to explain to them why that Christian thought it was so important.
***We are to share the Gospel because Christ sent us to do so.***
Are we back to the strictly mechanical Reformed view of the elect?
***God uses us as His instruments to preach the word so that others can hear. Those who were predestined will eventually believe.***
The Reformed predestined will believe regardless of your action or inaction. They are predestined. What, then, is the use of your preaching?
***We are commanded to witness to everyone.***
For what purpose? The elect will be ambushed by the Holy Spirit; the non elect will be taunted. Is this Christianity?
***I believe that if I drop a hammer it will fall.***
No. Your experience tells you that it will fall. It is knowledge. No wonder we have such interesting debates - we don’t even have common terminology.
***I know that the faith God gave me in our Lord Jesus Christ is true. ***
See? The Reformed appear have redefined “belief” and “knowledge” each to mean the other.