It know it is a hotly debated topic, but I am not looking for that heat. I am looking at a way of seeing "election" as non-controversial. I may fail at it, but here goes:
Churches teach that ALL are called to His Son. Do you think that is true? Many think so, and we accuse those who do not become followers of His Son as those who refuse the call. How ever:
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
If this passage is true, then we may not all be called - despite majority opinion.
But then, the Apostle John performed Baptism for repentance. I think this fits well with:
Acts 17:30–31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
This is not the same baptism discussed in 2 Peter 3:21 or Acts 2:38. That baptism is for those whom God called to His Son. Looking further, we see:
Acts 2:39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.
Matt 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
So, shall we think that there will be those who do get called, but do not make it into the narrow gate?
If I consider these passages as literal, are there may be many who never received the call to come to the Son of God?
I think there will be a "first chance" for the rest of this world to come to Yeshua. These verses lead me to think so:
John 3:3–17 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
Anyone have an idea of when we should expect this call to come to those who have not yet received one?
Churches teach that ALL are called to His Son. Do you think that is true? Many think so, and we accuse those who do not become followers of His Son as those who refuse the call. How ever:
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
If this passage is true, then we may not all be called - despite majority opinion.
But then, the Apostle John performed Baptism for repentance. I think this fits well with:
Acts 17:30–31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
This is not the same baptism discussed in 2 Peter 3:21 or Acts 2:38. That baptism is for those whom God called to His Son. Looking further, we see:
Acts 2:39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.
Matt 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
So, shall we think that there will be those who do get called, but do not make it into the narrow gate?
If I consider these passages as literal, are there may be many who never received the call to come to the Son of God?
I think there will be a "first chance" for the rest of this world to come to Yeshua. These verses lead me to think so:
John 3:3–17 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
Anyone have an idea of when we should expect this call to come to those who have not yet received one?