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Only the called are chosen, however, not all the called are chosen.

guysmith

Member
Only the called are chosen, however, not all the called are chosen.

Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Guy
 
Only the called are chosen, however, not all the called are chosen.

Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Guy

There is a outward call that all may hear by the preaching of the Gospel, however only few have been Chosen to be inwardly called by that call !

So there is call restricted to the Chosen of God:

1 Pet 2:9

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

The called here are a Chosen Generation or Seed or Offspring !

The word generation is the greek word genos:


kindred

a) offspring

b) family

c) stock, tribe, nation

1) i.e. nationality or descent from a particular people

d) the aggregate of many individuals of the same nature, kind, sort

The words Generation and Seed compliment one another here Ps 22:30

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.


And this Offspring, Seed, Family is called out of darkness unto Marvelous Light. They are called into fellowship with Christ, the Light .

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

And this Generation is called into the Fellowship with this Light as per 1 Cor 1:9

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Jn 1:3

3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Christ lightens all His Offspring or generation with His Light. Lk 2:30-32

30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

So this Call of 1 Pet 2:9 is the conversion work of Christ through His word of Truth and it turns all the Seed, no matter of ethnicity, from darkness to light Acts 26:18

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
 
Called according to God's Purpose !

Rom 8:28

28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Those whom God calls according to His Eternal Purpose in Christ, shall as a result of that call Love God !

How does one come to Love God ? We do not Love God by Nature. Its by Spiritual circumcision of the Heart. Deut 30:6

And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Rom 2:28-29

28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

So those who are called according to God's Purpose are that promised seed of Deut 30:6 and they are given a New Heart by Covenant Promise Ezk 36:26

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Those called according to God's Purpose have been given a New Birth by the Spirit.

And all without exception are called according to God's Purpose in Christ , thats why Paul writes TO THEM that are called according to His Purpose !
 
A Eternal and Holy Calling

2 Tim 1:9

9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

The calling in time proceeded from and issues from a Call of God before time began. Yes, those who are called in time, were called and saved before time according to God's Purpose.

Also, why is this an Holy Calling ? Well of course it has to do with it being a Call from the Holy God, but it is also because its according to a Holy Purpose, an Holy Covenant Lk 1:72

72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;.

Its also an Holy Calling because it issued to an Holy People, a set apart people ! And who are they ? Its for everyone Christ died for, or gave Himself for. Heb 10:10

10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

And its a Holy Calling because it causes those called in time to be obedient to the Divine Purpose !
 
Only the called are chosen, however, not all the called are chosen.

Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Guy

The Lord doesn't play favorites.
 
The Kingdom of God is like a wedding party where many are invited but only a few are chosen.

Many have ever heard of Jesus Christ and the gospel, but only a few are willing to believe in Jesus Christ.

There's yet another party going on here on earth, and (almost) everyone is guarranteed to be tempted to that party. That party is hosted by Satan.

Since everyone is attracted to that party, God however will make sure that His sheep won't join that party. In the end, only God's sheep will join God's party instead of Satan's. Others are captive (perhaps addicted) to Satan's party.

And under the circumstance, it is quite accurate to say that many are invited but only a few are chosen.
 
The Kingdom of God is like a wedding party where many are invited but only a few are chosen.

Many have ever heard of Jesus Christ and the gospel, but only a few are willing to believe in Jesus Christ... (emphasis added)
...And under the circumstance, it is quite accurate to say that many are invited but only a few are chosen.

:thumbsup

But I think you mean, "...but only a few are made willing to believe..."

-HisSheep
 
Isn't EVERYONE "called" to become followers of Christ, believers in God? Yes, For God so loved THE WORLD...
In this, everyone is called... Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone open the door...

The onus is on the person who needs God, and to be chosen, they must accept Christ. They determine if they are chosen or not, but they are all called to repentance. ;)

:yes
"Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden—and I will give you rest
Matthew 11:28


 
Isn't EVERYONE "called" to become followers of Christ, believers in God?

No, not everyone is called. At least not in the sense that Paul used the word here:

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Yes, For God so loved THE WORLD...

Yes, God loves the world, that’s why He is going to redeem the Earth, lifting the curse from it and destroying the wicked who are in it. But He will not save everyone, though He certainly could.

In this, everyone is called... Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone open the door...

Anyone does not always mean anyone. Seriously. Here is an example. Laugh if you like. I could split a group into three smaller groups, and give red tickets to one group, green to the second, and blue to the third. Then after the group is reassembled, say, “Anyone with a green ticket please come to this cornerâ€. This does not mean that “anyone†could have a green ticket.

Consider the Revelation verse worded like this: Behold I stand at the door and knock, if a person opens the door...

Do you see it? I wonder if the Greek implies “if a person does†or “any person mayâ€.

It’s a fine distinction, I know, but it is a real one. One sense means, “anyone who does†while the other means, “anyone mayâ€.

In several threads, I’ve mentioned the fact that God does not offer His grace to all people. Many people die every day without EVER hearing the gospel. So, although “anyone†may answer, God does not knock on every door.

The onus is on the person who needs God, and to be chosen, they must accept Christ. They determine if they are chosen or not, but they are all called to repentance. ;)

We determine if I we chosen? You make God out to be our elect.

I just can’t buy that. Before he did His work in me, I hated God. I was hostile toward Christians. It is nothing short of a miracle that I am a believer today. If God left it up to me, I would deny Him all day long unto my death. That’s precisely what I was doing when he knocked on MY door.

If the lost of the world could only see what I saw, they would surely turn to Him. But He doesn’t knock on everyone’s door.

-HisSheep
 
Anyway, it doesn’t say “…if anyone opens the door…â€.

It says …if any man hear my voice and open the door…â€

And we know that not everyone hears:

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. (John 8:43)

-HisSheep
 
There is a outward call that all may hear by the preaching of the Gospel, however only few have been Chosen to be inwardly called by that call !

So there is call restricted to the Chosen of God:

1 Pet 2:9

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

The called here are a Chosen Generation or Seed or Offspring !

God would have ALL to come to repentance. However, not All will...

The word generation is the greek word genos:


kindred

a) offspring

b) family

c) stock, tribe, nation

1) i.e. nationality or descent from a particular people

d) the aggregate of many individuals of the same nature, kind, sort

The words Generation and Seed compliment one another here Ps 22:30

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.


And this Offspring, Seed, Family is called out of darkness unto Marvelous Light. They are called into fellowship with Christ, the Light .

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

And this Generation is called into the Fellowship with this Light as per 1 Cor 1:9

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Jn 1:3

3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Christ lightens all His Offspring or generation with His Light. Lk 2:30-32

30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

So this Call of 1 Pet 2:9 is the conversion work of Christ through His word of Truth and it turns all the Seed, no matter of ethnicity, from darkness to light Acts 26:18

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

God would have ALL to come to repentance. However, not All will...
 
Anyway, it doesn’t say “…if anyone opens the door…â€.

It says …if any man hear my voice and open the door…â€

And we know that not everyone hears:

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. (John 8:43)

-HisSheep

The Holy Spirit works on the hearts of ALL men, some harden their hearts others place their faith in Christ...
 
The Redeemed are called !


So the called are those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. 1 Pet 2:9

9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Now if we recall, Peter said of these same people earlier in the letter 1 Pet 1:18-19

18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Redeemed means purchased by paying the ransom, to liberate, to cause to be released to one's self by payment of a ransom

Notice it says to cause to be release, not an offer to be released, but an actual release..

Also they are released from the penalty of their sins. Now there were chosen sinners called during the Ministries of the Apostles, and some would be called after their ministry but through their word Jn 17:20, up until the Second Coming of Christ, they will be called from death unto life, from unbelief to faith or belief in the Truth !

Up in 1 Pet 2:9 where they are said to be called out of darkness into light, that light is life as well out of darkness of death into the light of life Jn 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
 
Isn't EVERYONE "called" to become followers of Christ, believers in God? Yes, For God so loved THE WORLD...
In this, everyone is called... Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone open the door...

The onus is on the person who needs God, and to be chosen, they must accept Christ. They determine if they are chosen or not, but they are all called to repentance. ;)

:yes Matthew 11:28



AMEN!!!
 
Will any (or all) of the "free-will" folks please answer these two questions?

Does God know who will be in Heaven with Him, or is He waiting to see who will choose Him?

Have men ever died who have never heard the Gospel?

-HisSheep
 
The Holy Spirit works on the hearts of ALL men, some harden their hearts others place their faith in Christ...

That sounds nice, but like the assertion that "God doesn't play favorites", it is wholly unscriptural. An unregenerate man has no faith to place! Faith is the gift of God. All to whom He gives it have eternal life.

If the Holy Spirit worked on the Hearts of all men, then all men would believe.

Besides, men do not harden their hearts, God hardens them:

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. (Romans 18)

What do Arminians DO with this pesky verse?

This "free will" business describes a system in which men save themselves, if they want to. The human will is simply not powerful enough to deny God's will. Scripture confirms it.

-HisSheep
 
Will any (or all) of the "free-will" folks please answer these two questions?

Does God know who will be in Heaven with Him, or is He waiting to see who will choose Him?

Have men ever died who have never heard the Gospel?

-HisSheep

God is privy to all elements of time and space. Mankind is limited by the constrictions of time...God knows ALL.
There are some who have not heard the Gospel throughout history...
 
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