Hi, Robby:
        You asked,
|But did God know which individuals would be saved or that a group of
|people would be saved?  The references to God wanting "all men" to be
|saved would seem to preclude the former.  Read Jeremiah 3:19-20 and see if
|that changes your thinking on foreknowledge.  Also helpful are Genesis
|22:12 and Exodus 32:9-14.
        Seems to me EPHESIANS 1 is talking about individuals.
If some say it refers to the whole Church, I'd still say it
refers to individuals comprising the Church.  ROMANS 9:21,
about the potter making various vessels for various purposes,
also suggests that predestination involves individuals.
        We are only saved as individuals, not as groups.  Even
a "people movement" in India, where a whole caste or village
may be saved within a period of time, spreads from one
individual to another.
        God wants all men to be saved.  Christ died for the
sins of all men everywhere, for all time.  But this has to be
appropriated by each one of us individually.  And far from
"all" are predestined to do so.
 IXTHUS<<
        JEREMIAH 3:19-20 is talking about the status of Israel
as God's chosen people.  Within that group, only some are
predestined to salvation.  Not to mention, that was the OT
Israel based on ethnic origin by biological descent; under the
New Covenant, Israel is comprised of people who join the
Church by faith in Christ [GALATIANS 6:16].
        EXODUS 32:9-14 likewise.  Physical Israel, not all of
whom were predestined to be saved, even though all had the full
opportunity.
    ||        Many blessings!   --Ralph
    ||        Ralph & Gene Ann Wood
    ||        randg.wood@encode.com
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