Thank you so much Ariel,
Well, explained and reasonably understandable as to why your choice.
Can you tell me why God would have chosen me? And do I know he really has and that I am not suffering from delusions and that I am not
That is one of the biggest fears non Calvinist have about the theology. Though I have yet to have one admit it, but I readily admit I had that fear myself which is how I know that I am not alone in it. Thanks for bringing it up because it does need to be addressed.
If we get to the root of why if scares us we will find that all along we have been in a sense and probably sub consciously, that we are putting more trust in our choice than we are willing to trust God in the matter. Especially when we have always heard that if we choose Christ we are saved. To then have someone come along and appear to be saying we cannot rest our assurance there is very frightening.
Our assurance is in what we believe, not what we choose, and as the theology becomes more and more understood, it is a far better assurance because it is built on solid ground rather than just a teaching. It is built on God Himself. The one who
can be trusted, and we cannot be. And with it also comes the most profound grasping of His very, very personal love for
you. And Jesus dying on the cross becomes a profoundly personal act on your behalf.
Do you believe in the person and work of Jesus alone to have purchased eternal life for you? If the answer is yes, and no matter the degree of that belief since we have to learn and grow in the things of God, then you only do so because God loved
you before the foundation of the world, and predestined you to eternal life, and called you at just the right and perfect time, opened your ears to hear the voice of the Shepherd and follow Him. IOW sent the Holy Spirit to regenerate the hard heart dead in tresspasses and sin, quickening you to new life in Christ, applying the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross to
you.
As to whether one is simply being dillusionary with themselves that they believe, I have wrestled with that to, and probably will again. Personally when that happens I try to see if I can unbelieve, and I cannot, it is impossible and terrifying. The very fact that the thought of not believing terrifies me suggests strongly that yep, I really believe. And those times serve a purpose, or they did for me. They didn't last long, minutes, but they drove me into prayer and I came out of it stronger.
The statement you quoted from Calvin is not possible to gain a full understanding of the teaching when it is removed from both its full context and without further dedicated study of the entire predestination doctrine.
And what truly scares me is that those people who are damned... Because it has been said some would be sentenced to eternal damnation, and because God chose these people before the foundation of the earth they can do nothing to reverse that action.
God did not choose people for eternal damnation. We are all headed there without His intervention for some. And that He does not do it for all is His decision and He has reasons that are beyond our wheelhouse. He certainly receives glory when the wicked are destroyed. He owes no one anything. He is not obligated to save everyone or anyone at all. Those He gives to Christ receive mercy for He has met sins justice for them. The rest receive justice.
I have always had joy to tell people that I have unwavering faith in Jesus, "The Christs" shedding his blood for my sins and all to profess faith in him.
Is that not necessary? Because I know those who will laugh if said to them.
That is because you do have unwavering faith in Jesus and through His shed blood for your sins. That
is what is necessary for salvation. Whether one believes that their choosing to believe that or whether they believe that they believe that because God chose them and gave them the faith to choose to follow Christ and trust in Him, makes no difference in whether one is saved or not. It is not necessary to believe in predestination to be saved. And it is not necessary to not believe that in order to be saved. From mpv I would simply say you are of the elect then.
But isn't it true that God made the reprobate to be a reprobate? Perhaps so they would not be saved? Or is it that he would use them for
whatever bad needs to happen?
There are scriptures that indicate that but they may or may not be misunderstood. Certainly as humans we have tunnel vision compared to God's complete vision. But he does not cause anyone to commit any sin, they do it because they want to and we are all born in Adam. Sinners.
It is very difficult... and I still worry, based on Calvin if I was or was not.
It is difficult. Don't stress over it. Or be fearful. God will take you wherever you need to go.