Good question. Do you remember me saying that I've always been a student of Calvinism? Well, once I devoured his "Institutes of the Christian Religion" and, withdrew from "Reformed Baptist Organization" The idea that God willed some to be saved and some to be lost, really bothered me.
Now, it is true that God willed that some would be lost. Example: Pharaoh, Judas, just a few in biblical history. But not the mass of humanity as Calvin proposed. Romans 9 covers some of this....
Romans 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9:9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
9:10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory
So, we have the Elect of whom God Himself chose. At some point, God will see to it that they come in contact with the Gospel and "irresistible grace" from God will cause these ones to believe and be saved.
Now we have the "General Call" of the Gospel. Calvin, for what ever the reason, excluded the mass of humanity that he proposed, would not be saved. I decided that was wrong so I went to the Lord for the answer.. John 3:16 was His answer and the Holy Spirit implanted the idea and words, General Call of the Gospel where everyone has a choice to accept or reject.
Now, I had another theological problem. OSAS. Calvin's "perseverance of the saints" as it has to do with the Elect is true according to....
John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Even though these were the Disciples, it goes for all the Elect....My problem was, what about the Scriptures that say a person can loose their Salvation if they don't stay true to the Faith until the end? See these Scriptures....
Hebrews 3:6 "But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."
Hebrews 3:12 "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;"
There are more of the same in Hebrews, one in Matthew and one in Luke.
I believe that, since the Elect can't loose their Salvation, those who come thru the General Call can. They also are the ones mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2 as a part of a great apostasy.
Something to think about friend.
