Hi RANDG,
|And He cannot know this unless He also predetermined and decreed it--H
|King and Sovereign over every event.  In fact He sustains the universe
|His power (see Hebrews 1:3).
RW>        Yup, we agree.
RW>        Up to,
|I agree up to the last sentence, Randg.  The grace of God cannot be
|resisted by the elect because grace is only given to the elect and onl
|the elect respond to God's call.  (See Ephesians 2:8-9; John 6:37, 44-
|65).
RW>        Who had more grace of God than the Israelites who
RW>resisted it and made a golden calf to worship?
We're not taking about grace as in "forbearance"; we're talking about grace 
as in "saving" grace.  The Israelites abused God's longsuffering patience 
and forbearance by rebelling against Him.  And grace does not make the 
elect any less culpable, responsible, or accountable for their rebellion.  
Also, one has to remember that election is individual as well as corporate.
Not all of Israel is of Israel, according to Paul (See Romans 9:6).
RW>        IMO, God in His sovereignty permits us to resist His
RW>grace.  I know He let me resist it for many years, wasted
RW>years, until I cried out to Him to take over!  Even now we are
RW>exceedingly dis-satisfied with our level of fruitfulness-- we
RW>still are not living up to all God wants us to be; i.e., we
RW>still must be resisting His grace, ROMANS 7 all over again!
Ah, but the Calvinist position recognizes that we rebel against God 
continually.  However, you came back.  Why?  Because you simply chose to do 
so or because God's kindness and mercy drew you back?  (See Romans 2:4).
Also, Romans 7 is not about resisting grace at all.  In fact, Romans 7 is 
an illustration of the Christian who is still in bondage to some degree to 
the sinful nature (sarx).  We are able to win the victory with God's grace:
1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
Chapter 13
Of Sanctification
1. They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, 
having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of 
Christ's death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and 
personally
(1) through the same virtue, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them;(2) 
the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,(3) and the several 
lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified,
(4) and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving 
graces,(5) to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall 
see the Lord.(6)
 1. Ac 20:32; Ro 6:5-6.
 2. Jn 17:17; Eph 3:16-19; 1Th 5:21-23.
 3. Ro 6:14.
 4. Gal 5:24.
 5. Col 1:11.
 6. 2Co 7:1; Heb 12:14.
2. This sanctification is throughout the whole man,(7) yet imperfect in 
this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every 
part,(8) when ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting 
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.(9)
 7. 1Th 5:23.
 8. Ro 7:18,23.
 9. Gal 5:17; 1Pe 2:11.
3. IN WHICH WAR, ALTHOUGH THE REMAINING CORRUPTION FOR A TIME MAY MUCH 
PREVAIL,(10) YET, THROUGH THE CONTINUAL SUPPLY OF STRENGTH FROM 
THE SANCTIFYING SPIRIT OF CHRIST, THE REGENERATE PART DOTH OVERCOME;(11) 
and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 
pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the 
commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed to 
them.
(12) 10. Ro 7:23.
 11. Ro 6:14.
 12. Eph 4:15-16; 2Co 3:18; 7:1.
RW>        Now, I realize that great men of God have differed on
RW>this topic.  The Scriptures I read say Christ died for all, and
RW>that all have the opportunity of being saved.
Ah, but I'm glad you brought that up:)  You see from the human perspective 
and from God's revealed will to us in Holy Scripture it is God's will to 
save all.  1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9 both make this clear.  However, 
God's decrees are not revealed to us.  They are part of His secret will 
which is hidden from us.  So we are to evangelize and act as though we can 
will every person to Christ, but both Arminians and Calvinists know 
instinctly that all will not be saved because Scripture also teaches that 
many will be lost.  
Here's what Wayne Grudem has to say about it:
"...God's secret will usually includes His hidden decrees by which He 
governs the universe and determines everything that will happen.  He does 
not ordinarily reveal these decrees to us (except in prophecies of the 
future), so these decrees really are God's "secret" will.  We find out what 
God has decreed when events actually happen.  Because this secret will of 
God has to do with his decreeing of events in the world, this aspect of 
God's will i sometimes also called God's *will of decree*.
"There are several instances where Scripture mentions God's revealed will. 
In the Lord's prayer the petition, 'Your will be done, On earth as it is in 
heaven' (Matt. 6:10) is a prayer that people would obey God's *revealed* 
will, his commands, on earth just as they do in heaven (that is, fully and 
completely).  This could not be a prayer that God's secret will (that is, 
His decrees for events that He has planned) would in fact be fulfilled, for 
what God has decreed in His secret will shall certainly come to pass.  To 
ask God to bring about what He has already decreed to happen would simply 
be to pray, "May what is going to happen happen."  That would be a hollow 
prayer indeed, for it would not be asking for anything at all.  
Furthermore, since we do not know God's secret will regarding the future, 
the person praying a prayer for God's secret will to be done would never 
know for what he or she was praying.  It would be a prayer without 
understandable content and without effect. Rather, the prayer 'Your will be 
done' must be understood as an appeal for the *revealed* will of God to be 
followed on earth.   ....
"Both the revealing of the good news of the gospel to some and its hiding 
from others are said to be according to God's will.  Jesus says, 'I thank 
you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things 
from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, 
*for such was your gracious will' (Matt. 11:25-26).  This again must refer 
to God's secret will, for His revealed will is that all come to salvation. 
Indeed, only two verses later, Jesus commands everyone, 'Come to me, all 
who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matt. 11:28).  
And both Paul and Peter tell us that God wills all people to be saved (see 
1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).  Thus the fact that some are not saved and some 
have the gospel hidden from them must be understood as happening according 
to God's secret will, unknown to us and inappropriate for us to seek to pry 
into.  In the same way we must understand the mention of God's will in 
Romans 9:18 ('He has mercy upon whomever He wills, and He hardens 
the heart of whomever He wills') and Acts 4:28 ('to do whatever Your hand 
and Your plan had predestined to take place') as references to God's secret 
will."  [Wayne Grudem, SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 
1994), p. 214-215].
RW>        But as I said before, since we cannot discern who are
RW>elect and who are reprobate, it is only a theoretical matter
RW>anyway.  Very significant theory, to be sure, but not one that
RW>makes a practical difference in carrying out the Great
RW>Commission, since we still have to preach the gospel to everyone.
Next message>>>
Sincerely in Christ,
Charlie Ray, 
Chaplain
1 Timothy 4:16
Watch your life and doctrine closely.
Persevere in them, because if you do,
you will save both yourself and your hearers.  (NIV).
chaplain@isgroup.net
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 * WR  # 461 * Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide.
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