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Act 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

They were not appointed to eternal life BECAUSE they believed. They believed because they were appointed to eternal life. Otherwise Acts is wrong.

In context, Acts 13 represents the first public preaching to the Gentiles. From verses 16-45, Paul and Barnabas preach to the Jews, and NOT the Gentiles. But when they reject the Gospel, we find verses 46-48:

46And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “’I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 48And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

A POSSIBLE interpretation is the one HarleyD advances - that they were ordained to salvation as individuals, and then believed. And if this was a common phrasing of the conversion experience, that interpretation would have a lot of strength.

However, another POSSIBLE interpretation notices that 30 verses were addressed to the Jews, and only in verse 46 does it change. And what did P&B say to the Jews? That they “judge [themselves] unworthy of eternal life” - which doesn’t sound like irresistible grace.

In verse 47, they proclaim that they are also sent to the Gentiles, and in 48 “when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”

So another interpretation is that ‘as many as were appointed’ refers to the fact that it wasn’t just Jews receiving the message, but the Gentiles who were also appointed for salvation by God. Until this point, only Cornelius has received the Gospel as a Gentile, and he was a special case: “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.”

There is at least one other way of looking at it, found at this link:

http://classicalarminianism.blogspot.com/search/label/Exegeting%20Acts%2013%3A48

However, another POSSIBLE interpretation notices that 30 verses were addressed to the Jews, and only in verse 46 does it change. ...That they “judge [themselves] unworthy of eternal life” - which doesn’t sound like irresistible grace.

On the contrary, this is EXACTLY what irresistible grace is about. Everyone is responsible for their own salvation. The Jews demonstrates the outward calling of God. The Jews are called to the wedding feast. Yet they will not come. Neither will the unbelieving Gentiles.

In Acts, the believing Gentiles demonstrated the inward calling of God. They were appointed to salvation and they believed. They were not more clever then the Jews or did they chose wisely on their own. Instead scripture tells us that they were appointed to believe as an illustrated that God was with the Gentiles now.

Paul talks about this to the Corinthians:

1Co 1:19-25 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Now if everyone had a choice, as some suppose, these verses make no sense. Who exactly is God stopping from coming to Him? What exactly is a "stumbling block" that God is putting in people's way? Isn't this EXACTLY opposite of what we hear on free will?

However, if one were to read it in context of God choosing men, then not only does these verses make sense, these verses are in perfect harmony with Acts 13:48. There are people who God simply refuses to help, according to His good council and His plan. Why He helps one out and not another is a mystery. Why did He tell the Jews about the Angel of Death and not the Egyptians? Why didn't God have Joshua run into Canaan and try to convert the people rather than slaying them? Why did God save Noah (and seven others) and drowned everyone else?

Is God unjust? No. Every action that God ever takes is holy, just and good. Perfect justice. Perfect love. Perfect grace. The truth is that we are vile creature who God RIGHTFULLY should cast into the torment of hellfire and brimstone for all eternity. This is perfect justice at work and serves to illustrate what fallen creatures we are to demand such a punishment.

It is because of His perfect love and perfect grace and perfect mercy, that God has looked merciful on some of us vile creatures. It isn't that we're special-it is that God is merciful and gracious and have incorporated us into His plan for His righteousness sake. God chose these Gentile, for purposes know to Him, to illustrate that God saves men. Every believer is woven into God's plan and serves as an illustration to non-believers that God is merciful as well as just. We should PRAY that God would grant repentance to others and free them from their bondage, knowing that once free it is because God appointed them to His kingdom.

Less we be boastful that the Gentiles have been chosen by God, we are reminded in scripture that God has put a hardening of the heart on the Jews until the Gentiles have been brought in. We have been grafted in ONLY because of His mercy. According to scriptures God has chosen us because we were foolish. Again, this does not make any sense if God allows all men to chose Him.

While you may wish to try to explain away Act 13:48, the context and wording are clear; "and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed." We were appointed to believed. It could be added "...by His mercy." But it was obvious. This is why the Gentiles rejoiced.