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Originally Posted by boxcar
I FTFY above.
Also, the "U" in Unconditional Election is spot on because man cannot meet God's conditions due to his sin nature,. Therefore, on the vertical level (between God and humanity) Divine Sovereign Election must logically be unconditional. However, this doesn't mean that on the horizontal level (between the Father and Son in eternity) that God's election, which is motivated by the Father's Love for the Son, is not conditioned upon the Son's perfect obedience to his Father's will in time and space, which would ultimately result in the Son redeeming a people for his Father, whereby that act of redemption would manifest the Father's eternal love for his elect in Christ. This is the Greatest Paradox of all the Ages! We know this to be irrefutably true because there could be no salvation apart from the Son's perfect obedience to his Father's will. God's love for his elect finds it's only justification in that perfect, loving, joyful obedience of the Son. (This is why there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved, cf. Act 4:12)!
What I have just stated is what will drive God's elect to the Father in faith and repentance, as they plead the sinless life and the atoning work of the Son on the Cross. This Greatest of all Paradoxes, when by God's sovereign grace is understood rightly and appropriated with genuine, heart-held faith , is what will cause the greatest of sinners to repent with a contrite heart and broken spirit and to storm the Kingdom of Heaven by force (Mat 11:12, Lk 16:16) in the Mighty Name of the Spotless Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world.
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Thanks for the response. It's a systematic theology that interprets, from certain passages, some of which you cite, that Christ died only for the elect. We can all cite scripture, such as Christ dying for all men, universal salvation..
1 Tim 2:4 "God our Savior desires all men to be saved", Mt 18:14, the great commission to all nations Mt 28:19 , preach to whole creation Mk 16:15, Acts 10:34 "every nation", "every man's conscience" 2 Cor 4:2, "for the salvation of all men" Tit 2:11; prayers, etc. for all men, for kings (Nero at the time!) 1 Tim 2:1-2, 1 Jn 2:2 Christ is the "expiation...for the sins of the whole world", etc.
Proof texting seldom solves anything, as shown in the two devout Calvinists who came to different biblical opinions about fetal stem cell research, if you recall. Comes down to authority. Thanks for all the responses, and peace to you.
