God's election preceded the creation of the world.. Grace follows the election .That is what Gods word teaches..
Act 13:48 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.
2Th 2:13 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:
There are so many scriptures that speak of the power of God and election.. and the power of His grace..
John 5:21, "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will."
The reason it is called irresistible grace is that it ALWAYS accomplishes what it is sent to do, it never fails
It is an internal work of God on the hardened human heart
Acts 16:14 14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
Everyone God calls to salvation will come...
My mistake, you do believe in double predestination.
Something about this verse just struck me. Paul was speaking to the Thessalonians, right? He was speaking to the entire assembly there in Thessalonica and, like many churches even today, there are tares among the wheat, so could it be possible that some of those that Paul was addressing were not saved?
I am in agreement with what Mr. Rogers says regarding the foreknowledge of God not being the same as him making us as his robots incapable of actions of our own will. God foreordained that all who come to Christ in faith will be conformed into the image of Christ. He has preordained that belief in the truth results in sanctification and justification to eternal life and because he is not bound by time, he has seen it all before it even came to be - he knows the end from the beginning and nothing is hidden from him. Maybe the problem is in trying to "over-think" an idea instead of accepting that not all things are able to be understood with the finite, mortal mind.
Jesus told his disciple, who wanted him to explain it all, that he had told them of earthly things and they didn't believe. How would they believe if he told them of heavenly things?