The Old Gray Dog Ponders . . .The Doctrines of God's Grace: Unconditional Election

 

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

John 14: 1-3

 

Repetition does not make something true.

 

 

    Our churches are filled with saints who do not understand the meaning of Christmas or Easter.  They do not have the peace of mind which comes from knowing that Jesus' promise in John 14: 1-3 is real for each Christian.  Christ HAS prepared a place in Heaven for EVERY saint. 

     How is it that so many Christians don't understand this?

     If people are not taught the Truth, they cannot know the Truth. 

    * There are seminary professors who think teaching these doctrines is a "bad idea."  Pastors who are taught this are not likely to be able to equip saints with the Truth.

   * There are evangelical pastors who acknowledge the Biblical truthfullness of these doctrines, but do not personally "subscribe to them."  They are not likely to be able to equip saints with the Truth.

    * There are Reformed pastors who do not "feel called" to teach these doctrines.  They are not likely to be able to equip saints with the Truth.

     Is our Christian faith a matter of opinion or a matter of fact? 

     Until saints are equipped with the sound doctrines of TULIP, they have no basis in fact to believe Christ's promise.  They have no basis in fact to believe that Christianity is any better or worse than any other religion.

     Until they are equipped with these wonderful doctrines of God's grace, they will never be able to separate fact from opinion.

 

    Today we study the second doctrine of God's grace: Unconditional election.  For saints to appreciate what God has done for us in Christ, we must understand all these doctrines.  There simply is no other Biblical, logical explanation of how lost sinners become eternally secure saints

 

Unconditional Election
God does elect men from the foundations of the world. Isn't that assuring?

     Unconditional Election is defined in this manner through the catechisms and confessions: God did, by His most wise and holy counsel, of His own, freely and unchangeably ordain some men to heaven and some men to hell by the nature of His good pleasure.  In eternity, God has predetermined the course of everything and everyone.  He had foreordained the eternal destiny of everyone whether to heaven or to hell for His glory.  Men are unconditionally elected by God for His purposes without any prior works (good or evil) by which God would judge them good or evil.  The election of men rests solely on the counsel and purposes of God.  God has not decreed anything which he foresaw in the future, for that would place His decree upon foreseeing something in the creature.

     The following Greek and Hebrew sampling of the words associated with the doctrine should put to rest any doubt as to the nature of God's saving and electing hand.  Each section is in blue, and the verses and explanation of the word is listed below each blue heading.  The Greek and Hebrew are in black so that are distinguished from within the text.  If you do not have the proper fonts bwgrkl and bwhebrw, it will be difficult to see all the fonts in the original languages.  Simple use the words in brackets "{ }" to correspond to the words in the original.

 

The nature of God's works is clearly seen to be righteous, holy, right and in truth throughout the entire Bible:

 

Daniel 9:14b, "for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth..."

Psalm 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works..."

Psalm 33:4, "For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth."

Psalm 103:22, "Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul."

 

Instances of the word
"hate" and its use.

anEf' sane' {saw-nay'} • 1) to hate, be hateful 1a) (Qal) to hate 1a1) of man 1a2) of God 1a3) hater, one hating, enemy (participle) (subst) 1b) (Niphal) to be hated 1c) (Piel) hater (participle) 1c1) of persons, nations, God.  Gen. 24:60 Gen. 26:27 Gen. 29:31 Gen. 29:33 Gen. 37:4 Gen. 37:5 Gen. 37:8 Exod. 1:10 Exod. 18:21 Exod. 20:5 Exod. 23:5 Lev. 19:17 Lev. 26:17 Num. 10:35 Deut. 4:42 Deut. 5:9 Deut. 7:10 Deut. 7:15 Deut. 12:31 Deut. 16:22 Deut. 19:4 Deut. 19:6 Deut. 19:11 Deut. 21:15 Deut. 21:16 Deut. 21:17 Deut. 22:13 Deut. 22:16 Deut. 24:3 Deut. 30:7 Deut. 32:41 Deut. 33:11 Jos. 20:5 Jdg. 11:7 Jdg. 14:16 Jdg. 15:2 2 Sam. 5:8 2 Sam. 13:15 2 Sam. 13:22 2 Sam. 19:7 2 Sam. 22:18 2 Sam. 22:41 1 Ki. 22:8 2 Chr. 1:11 2 Chr. 18:7 2 Chr. 19:2 Est. 9:1 Est. 9:5 Est. 9:16 Job 8:22 Job 31:29 Job 34:17 Ps. 5:6 Ps. 9:14 Ps. 11:5 Ps. 18:18 Ps. 18:41 Ps. 21:9 Ps. 25:19 Ps. 26:5 Ps. 31:7 Ps. 34:22 Ps. 35:19 Ps. 36:3 Ps. 38:20 Ps. 41:8 Ps. 44:8 Ps. 44:11 Ps. 45:8 Ps. 50:17 Ps. 55:13 Ps. 68:2 Ps. 69:5 Ps. 69:15 Ps. 81:16 Ps. 83:3 Ps. 86:17 Ps. 89:24 Ps. 97:10 Ps. 101:3 Ps. 105:25 Ps. 106:10 Ps. 106:41 Ps. 118:7 Ps. 119:104 Ps. 119:113 Ps. 119:128 Ps. 119:163 Ps. 120:6 Ps. 129:5 Ps. 139:21 Ps. 139:22 Prov. 1:22 Prov. 1:29 Prov. 5:12 Prov. 6:16 Prov. 8:13 Prov. 8:36 Prov. 9:8 Prov. 11:15 Prov. 12:1 Prov. 13:5 Prov. 13:24 Prov. 14:17 Prov. 14:20 Prov. 15:10 Prov. 15:27 Prov. 19:7 Prov. 25:17 Prov. 25:21 Prov. 26:24 Prov. 26:28 Prov. 27:6 Prov. 28:16 Prov. 29:10 Prov. 29:24 Prov. 30:23 Eccl. 2:17 Eccl. 2:18 Eccl. 3:8 Isa. 1:14 Isa. 60:15 Isa. 61:8 Isa. 66:5 Jer. 12:8 Jer. 44:4 Ezek. 16:27 Ezek. 16:37 Ezek. 23:28 Ezek. 35:6 Hos. 9:15 Amos 5:10 Amos 5:15 Amos 5:21 Amos 6:8 Mic. 3:2 Zech. 8:17 Mal. 1:3 Mal. 2:16

mise,w miseo {mis-eh'-o} • from a primary misos (hatred); 1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest 2) to be hated, detested Matt. 5:43 Matt. 6:24 Matt. 10:22 Matt. 24:9 Matt. 24:10 Mk. 13:13 Lk. 1:71 Lk. 6:22 Lk. 6:27 Lk. 14:26 Lk. 16:13 Lk. 19:14 Lk. 21:17 Jn. 3:20 Jn. 7:7 Jn. 12:25 Jn. 15:18 Jn. 15:19 Jn. 15:23 Jn. 15:24 Jn. 15:25 Jn. 17:14 Rom. 7:15 Rom. 9:13 Eph. 5:29 Tit. 3:3 Heb. 1:9 1 Jn. 2:9 1 Jn. 2:11 1 Jn. 3:13 1 Jn. 3:15 1 Jn. 4:20 Jude 1:23 Rev. 2:6 Rev. 17:16 Rev. 18:2

Psalm 5:5, "The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity."

Psalm 11:5, " The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth."

Psalm 7:11-13, "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors."

Hosea 9:15 "All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters."

Nahum 1:2 "God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies."

Malachi 1:2-3, "Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."

 Romans 9:13 "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."

 

"Appoint"

e;qeto verb ind aor mid 3rd per sing , from ti,qhmi impf. evti,qounÈ fut. qh,sw( mid. qh,somaiÈ 1aor. e;qhkaÈ 2aor. subj. qw/( 2pl. imper. qe,te( inf. qei/nai( ptc. qei,j( mid. evqe,mhnÈ pf. te,qeika( pass. te,qeimaiÈ 1aor. pass. evte,qhn a bland verb, w. a basic mng. of put, place, lay, and the sense oft. derived fr. its obj. and context. I. act. and pass.; place in the heart or mind, i.e. make up one's mind, decide, purpose (LU 21.14); tiqe,nai evn tw/| pneu,mati lit. place in the spirit, i.e. make up one's mind, resolve (AC 19.21); tiqe,nai th.n yuch,n lit. lay down one's life, i.e. die voluntarily (JN 10.11), et al.; (4) w. double acc. establish, appoint, make someone someth., destine someone to or for something (AC 13.47; RO 4.17).

1 Thessalonians 5:9 "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."

ti,qhmi tithemi {tith'-ay-mee} • a prolonged form of a primary theo {theh'-o} (which is used only as an alternate in certain tenses) 1) to make, to make (or set) for one's self or for one's use, to set, fix establish, to set forth, to establish, ordain; (The logical counterpart being that He does do this. )

To "Know/Foreknow", and its meaning.

Frieberg Lexicon, UBS Dictionary, Lownida Lexicon: proginw,skw proginosko {prog-in-oce'-ko} • from 4253 and 1097; TDNT - 1:715,119; v • AV - foreknow in the sense of to foreordain, • of those whom God elected to salvation; to predestinate

TDNT, "In the NT proginw,skw is referred to God. It is an election or foreordination of His people (Rom. 8:29; 11:2) or Christ (1 Pet. 1:20)."

Baur, "Choose beforehand. (Rom. 9-11; 1 Peter 1:20)."

Zhodiates, "To specially consider beforehand, i.e. that which is done. Used of God's eternal counsel it includes all that He had considered and purposed to do prior to human history. In the Scriptures, something "proginw,skw" is not simply that which God was aware of prior to a certain point. Rather, it is presented as that which God gave prior consent to (or that all things are contingent upon His counsel), and that which received His favorable or special recognition. Hence, this term is reserved for those matters which God favorably, deliberately and freely chooses or ordains. In relation to Romans 8:29, to believers, it occurs with the verb proori,zw to predestinate. Both words are logically coordinate. The former emphasizes the exercise of God's wisdom and intelligence in regard to His eternal purpose and the latter emphasizes the exercise of God's will in regard to it. What He has decreed is what He has decided."

[dy verb: qal perf 3rd pers masc sing [dy 1) to know, to know by experience 1a1f) to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

KJV Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

KJV Amos 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Romans 8:29  "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

GNT Romans 8:29 o[ti ou]j proe,gnw( kai. prow,risen summo,rfouj th/j eivko,noj tou/ ui`ou/ auvtou/( eivj to. ei=nai auvto.n prwto,tokon evn polloi/j avdelfoi/j\

Romans 11:2, "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,..."

GNT Romans 11:2 ouvk avpw,sato o` qeo.j to.n lao.n auvtou/ o]n proe,gnwÅ h' ouvk oi;date evn VHli,a| ti, le,gei h` grafh,( w`j evntugca,nei tw/| qew/| kata. tou/ VIsrah,l

1 Peter 1:20, "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,"

GNT 1 Peter 1:20 proegnwsme,nou me.n pro. katabolh/j ko,smou fanerwqe,ntoj de. evpV evsca,tou tw/n cro,nwn diV u`ma/j

 

To "Predestinate" and its meaning.

proori,zw proorizo {pro-or-id'-zo} • 1) to predetermine, decide beforehand 2) in the NT of God decreeing from eternity 3) to foreordain, appoint beforehand

Acts 4:28 Rom. 8:29 Rom. 8:30 1 Co. 2:7, etc...

KJV Acts 4:28, "For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."

GNT Acts 4:28 poih/sai o[sa h` cei,r sou kai. h` boulh, ÎsouÐ prow,risen gene,sqaiÅ

 

To "Choose" and its meaning.

evkle,gomai eklegomai {ek-leg'-om-ahee} • middle voice from 1537 and 3004 (in its primary sense); TDNT - 4:144,505; v • AV - choose 19, choose out 1, make choice 1; 21 • 1) to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one's self 1a) choosing one out of many, i.e. Jesus choosing his disciples 1b) choosing one for an office 1c) of God choosing whom he judged fit to receive his favors and separated from the rest of mankind to be peculiarly his own and to be attended continually by his gracious oversight 1c1) i.e. the Israelites 1d) of God the Father choosing Christians, as those whom he set apart from the irreligious multitude as dear unto himself, and whom he has rendered, through faith in Christ, citizens in the Messianic kingdom: (James 2:5) so that the ground of the choice lies in Christ and his merits only

Mk. 13:20 Lk. 6:13 Jn. 6:70 Jn. 13:18 Jn. 15:16 Jn. 15:19 Acts 1:2 Acts 1:24 Acts 6:5 Acts 13:17 Acts 15:7 Acts 15:22 Acts 15:25 1 Co. 1:27 1 Co. 1:28 Eph. 1:4 Jas. 2:5

KJV John 15:16, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

GNT John 15:16 ouvc u`mei/j me evxele,xasqe( avllV evgw. evxelexa,mhn u`ma/j kai. e;qhka u`ma/j i[na u`mei/j u`pa,ghte kai. karpo.n fe,rhte kai. o` karpo.j u`mw/n me,nh|( i[na o[ ti a'n aivth,shte to.n pate,ra evn tw/| ovno,mati, mou dw/| u`mi/nÅ

 

The "Elect" and its meaning.

evklogh, ekloge {ek-log-ay'} •  1) the act of picking out, choosing 1a) of the act of God's will by which before the foundation of the world he decreed his blessings to certain persons 1b) the decree made from choice by which he determined to bless certain persons through Christ by grace alone 2) a thing or person chosen 2a) of persons: God's elect

evklekto,j eklektos {ek-lek-tos'} • from 1586; TDNT - 4:181,505; adj • AV - elect 16, chosen 7; 23 • 1) picked out, chosen 1a) chosen by God, 1a1) to obtain salvation through Christ 1a1a) Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God 1a2) the Messiah in called "elect", as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable 1a3) choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians eklektos {ek-lek-tos'} • from 1586; TDNT - 4:181,505; adj • AV - elect 16, chosen 7; 23 • 1) picked out, chosen 1a) chosen by God, 1a1) to obtain salvation through Christ 1a1a) Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God 1a2) the Messiah in called "elect", as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable 1a3) choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians

Matt. 24:22 Matt. 24:24 Matt. 24:31 Mk. 13:20 Mk. 13:22 Mk. 13:27 2 Tim. 2:10 Acts 9:15 Rom. 9:11 Rom. 11:5 Rom. 11:7 Rom. 11:28 1 Thess. 1:4 2 Pet. 1:10

KJV Mark 13:27, "And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."

GNT Mark 13:27 kai. to,te avpostelei/ tou.j avgge,louj kai. evpisuna,xei tou.j evklektou.j Îauvtou/Ð evk tw/n tessa,rwn avne,mwn avpV a;krou gh/j e[wj a;krou ouvranou/

 

The Justice, wrath and Judgment of God, and His glorification.

Lev. 10:3, "I will be sanctified by those that draw nigh Me." (Nadab and Abihu were killed by God. God will be sanctified in wrath, or in holiness, through men.)

Psalm 104:31, "The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works."

Psalm 145:10, "All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee"

Ezekiel 28:22, "And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her."

Revelation 14:7, "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

Proverbs 16:4, "The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."

l[;P' pa`al {paw-al'} • a primitive root; TWOT - 1792; v "a work." • AV - work 19, workers 19, do 10, make 4, commit 1, doers 1, Maker 1, ordaineth 1; 56 • 1) to do, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do 1a2) to make

Romans 9:1-24(ff), "1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 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 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;  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;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 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.  16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.   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.  18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 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? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 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: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"

"known" gnwri,zw gnorizo {gno-rid'-zo} • from a derivative of 1097; TDNT - 1:718,119; v • AV - make known 16, declare 4, certify 1, give to understand 1, do to wit 1, wot 1; 24 • 1) to make known 1a) to become known, be recognized 2) to know, to gain knowledge of, have thorough knowledge of 2a) in earlier Greek it means "to gain a knowledge of" or "have thorough knowledge of"

"shew"  evndei,knumi endeiknumi {en-dike'-noo-mee} • from 1722 and 1166;; v • AV - show 9, show forth 1, do 1, vr show 1; 12 • 1) to point out 1a) to show, demonstrate, prove, whether by arguments or by acts 2) to manifest, display, put forth endeiknumi {en-dike'-noo-mee} • from 1722 and 1166;; v • AV - show 9, show forth 1, do 1, vr show 1; 12 • 1) to point out 1a) to show, demonstrate, prove, whether by arguments or by acts 2) to manifest, display, put forth

do,xa doxa {dox'-ah} • from the base of 1380; TDNT - 2:233,178; n f • AV - glory 145, glorious 10, honour 6, praise 4, dignity 2, worship 1; 168 • splendor, brightness, magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace, majesty, a thing belonging to God, the kingly majesty which belongs to Him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity, a thing belonging to Christ, the kingly majesty of the Messiah, the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty, a most glorious condition, most exalted state, of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after He had achieved his work on earth, the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Savior's return from heaven.

Rev. 14:7, "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

 

The Wicked Made specially for Destruction, to glorify God's wrath and justice.

Job 21:30, "That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath."

%f;x' chasak {khaw-sak'} • a primitive root; TWOT - 765; v • AV - spare 8, keep back 3, withhold 3, refrain 3, asswage 2, reserved 2, hold back 1, variant 1, forbear 1, hindereth 1, kept 1, punished 1, withholdeth 1; 28 • 1) to withhold, restrain, hold back, keep in check, refrain 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to withhold, keep back, keep for oneself, keep from, hold in check, refrain, spare, reserve 1a2) to restrain, check 1b) (Niphal) to assuage, be spared

Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

2 Peter 2:9, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished."

2 Peter 2:17, "These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever."

Jude v. 13, "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."

thre,w tereo {tay-reh'-o} • from teros (a watch, perhaps akin to 2334); TDNT - 8:140,1174; v • AV - keep 57, reserve 8, observe 4, watch 2, preserve 2, keeper 1, hold fast 1; 75 • 1) to attend to carefully, take care of 1a) to guard 1b) metaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is 1c) to observe 1d) to reserve: to undergo something • For Synonyms see entry 5874

Romans 9:21-23, "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonor? 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: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, "

2 Tim. 2:20, "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonor."

avtimi,a atimia {at-ee-mee'-ah} • from 820;; n f • AV - dishonour 4, vile 1, shame 1, reproach 1; 7 • 1) dishonour, ignominy, disgrace

 

Puritan Quotes on Unconditional Election

"Moreover, as God respects no persons, so He respects no conditions upon which He gives salvation to us."  
Dr. Thomas Goodwin

"It is absurd to think that anything in us could have the least influence upon our election.  Some say that God did foresee that such persons would believe, and therefore did choose them; so they would make the business of salvation to depend upon something in us.  Whereas God does not choose us FOR faith, but TO faith.  "He hath chosen us, that we should be holy," (Ephesians 1:4), not because we would be holy, but that we might be holy." 
Rev. Thomas Watson

"Let us then ascribe the whole work of grace to the pleasure of God's Will.  God did not choose us because we were worthy, but by choosing us He makes us worthy." 
Rev. Thomas Watson

"God is hidden.  But He lets those who seek Him find Him." Pascal

"Acknowledge that God wished to hide Himself.  If there were only one religion, God would be clearly evidenced.   Likewise, if there were no martyrs except in our own faith.  But God being thus hidden, any religion that does not say that God is hidden is not true, and any religion that does not explain why this is so, does not truly instruct.  But ours does all this.  "Verily Thou art a God that hides Thyself." (Isaiah 45:15)"
Blaise Pascal

"If the foreknowledge of God is eternal, it is necessary that the decree upon which it is founded should also be eternal...All things were decreed of God by an eternal and unchangeable counsel; hence they cannot but take place in the appointed time; otherwise the counsel of God would be changed, which the Scriptures declare to be impossible, Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:9."   Dr. Francis Turretin

"The orthodox maintain that the good pleasure alone (of God) has place and think that no other cause can either be given or rightly sought [for election]." Dr. Francis Turretin

"The good pleasure of God is an act of the divine will freely and effectively determining all things."  Dr. William Ames

"In whatever God wills He is universally effectual; he is not hindered or frustrated in obtaining what He wills.   For if he should properly will anything and not attain it he would not be wholly perfect and blessed." Dr. William Ames

"The application of redemption to some men and not to all and the manifest difference which, therefore, arises between men in the dispensation of grace gives to us a first intimation of God's predestination of men." Dr. William Ames

 

How blessed are the saints equipped with the doctrines of TULIP!

Yours in Christ,

Jim Tuckett