“But we know that if God has numbered someone to be one of the elect, that person will succumb to the persuasion of God at a time of God’s choosing. It could not be otherwise, if God is sovereign.”
Dr E, you are the one denying the sovereignty of God. You presume to tell God what His will is...and that it is to require men to obey.
But what if God doesn’t WANT compelled obedience?
Then in His sovereign will, He would give us a choice.
The question rests, not on the sovereignty of God, but on what God’s desire is, as revealed by scripture.
God loved Jacob and hated Esau. You tell Him He was wrong.
Mr. Rogers: Dr E, you are the one denying the sovereignty of God. You presume to tell God what His will is...and that it is to require men to obey.
I don't understand your objection. Dr. E.'s statement amounts to: "If God is sovereign and if God wills that a person is to be one of His elect, then everything that needs to happen WILL happen such that the person will be among the elect." So here, God's will is known. From your post, it looks to me that you are objecting to this by saying that it is God's will that man have the ability to thwart God's will.
Please correct me if that is not what you are saying. But if it IS what you are saying then I can only ask if this really describes a sovereign and loving God to you? The Bible tells us that God's will is "good, pleasing, and perfect" (Rom. 12:2). If that is so, then how can it be argued that God is showing love to us by submitting that good, pleasing and perfect will under the will of man? It would be like loving a two-year-old by submitting to his will to play in traffic. Is that love? :)