Romans 11:5-8 Proves God Chooses Who is Saved and Defines What the Elect Are

[Lowly one]

5It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has elected because of his grace. 6His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace.

7What then does this mean? The people of Israel did not find the favor of God they were earnestly looking for. It was only the small group that God chose who found it; the rest God hardened. 8 As the scripture says, “God made their minds and hearts dull; to this very day they cannot see or hear.”

The entire Bible is God choosing who He wants and directing events. I heard preachers years ago say God always has a remnant. It says the way is narrow and their are few that find it. Well that is because God chooses a few as a remnant in comparison to the large population that is seeking after Him. He does it the same always. If people choose Him then they can take credit so it would not be grace as the text says. God will take the credit for everything to those He saves.

Paul says he is there for Gods elect. He doesn’t say he’s there for the all those in world to know and come to Jesus. He’s there for an elected group God has already picked out as He directs Paul to those chosen ones on Paul’s journies.
Titus 1:1
1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect

John 6:65
65Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”

Matthew 15:13
13But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.

John15:16
16You did not choose Me, but I chose you.
(As Jesus says here those God chooses are saved no matter what. He irresistibly saves them)
John 10:29
29My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

 

[Lon]

5It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has elected because of his grace. 6His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace.

7What then does this mean? The people of Israel did not find the favor of God they were earnestly looking for. It was only the small group that God chose who found it; the rest God hardened. 8 As the scripture says, “God made their minds and hearts dull; to this very day they cannot see or hear.”

A note from my take on Calvinism and election: Matthew 5:45 He makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. God's nature is consistent. 1 Peter 2:4-8 Jesus is the foundation for those of faith and a stumbling block for those perishing. It isn't that He desires men to stumble, but His nature is simply Himself. Presenting a sacrifice for sin will cause those who need salvation, to trust in Christ and automatically will cause men rejecting love, to stumble by their very rejection. For me the answer is this: Rain will cause both wheat and tares to grow. Tares will grow into further wickedness. Wheat will grow into righteousness as God intended His creation to be. When God 'hardened' Pharaoh's heart, it was a consistency in Him. 10 Plagues is ten opportunities of grace to do what God wanted, or ten times a hardness of heart. It wasn't that God's actions HAD to come to judgement on the Egyptians. It was that God's righteous, good, and gracious actions were presented and the 'stuff' Pharaoh's heart was made of caused the hardening. God cannot stop being who He is, in the face of sin and sin's effect. Thus His consistent nature produces effect according to the heart of those He comes in contact with. His desire is always salvation "He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked."

The entire Bible is God choosing who He wants and directing events. I heard preachers years ago say God always has a remnant. It says the way is narrow and their are few that find it. Well that is because God chooses a few as a remnant in comparison to the large population that is seeking after Him. He does it the same always. If people choose Him then they can take credit so it would not be grace as the text says. God will take the credit for everything to those He saves.

It is also because sin takes such a strong hold on this world.

Paul says he is there for Gods elect. He doesn’t say he’s there for the all those in world to know and come to Jesus. He’s there for an elected group God has already picked out as He directs Paul to those chosen ones on Paul’s journies.
Titus 1:1
1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect

Yet remember, there is a consistency. While men may 'pick and choose' we are not supposed to. We are here on earth to be lights and specifically for those who come to Christ, to help them, love them, and lead them to the Savior. It doesn't mean we are inconsistent with those perishing. It is always our Hope, and God's desire, that all men come to repentance. His desire is not that any man should perish. He knows and is sovereign over the facts.

John 6:65
65Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”

Matthew 15:13
13But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.

John15:16
16You did not choose Me, but I chose you.
(As Jesus says here those God chooses are saved no matter what. He irresistibly saves them)
John 10:29
29My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Amen.

 

[beloved57]

5It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has elected because of his grace. 6His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace.

7What then does this mean? The people of Israel did not find the favor of God they were earnestly looking for. It was only the small group that God chose who found it; the rest God hardened. 8 As the scripture says, “God made their minds and hearts dull; to this very day they cannot see or hear.”

The entire Bible is God choosing who He wants and directing events. I heard preachers years ago say God always has a remnant. It says the way is narrow and their are few that find it. Well that is because God chooses a few as a remnant in comparison to the large population that is seeking after Him. He does it the same always. If people choose Him then they can take credit so it would not be grace as the text says. God will take the credit for everything to those He saves.

Paul says he is there for Gods elect. He doesn’t say he’s there for the all those in world to know and come to Jesus. He’s there for an elected group God has already picked out as He directs Paul to those chosen ones on Paul’s journies.
Titus 1:1
1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect

John 6:65
65Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”

Matthew 15:13
13But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.

John15:16
16You did not choose Me, but I chose you.
(As Jesus says here those God chooses are saved no matter what. He irresistibly saves them)
John 10:29
29My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Exactly. That is why the Gospel of Gods Grace is so despised for it excludes the boasting of men even the opportunity to boast.

 

[ttruscott]

Romans 11:5 It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has elected because of his grace. 6His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace.

7 What then does this mean?

Romans 11:5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. 7 What then?

This implies that the fulfillment of the promise of salvation in the sinful elect is NOT based upon any good work or attitude they might do or have but is by grace only, due to thier sinfulness. But consider: unconditional election means unconditional non-election, people being damned before they ever chose to sin.

1 Timothy 5:21 I charge thee before GOD and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the ELECT angels. Since there are elect angels we can assume that the demonic angels were passed over for election or not considered for election. Angels do not presumably have any racial solidarity, ie, they all are holy or sinful by their own choice, not by anyone else's choice. So now we have to answer the question: were some elected before or after the fall of the Satanic rebellion?

IF they were elected / chosen before the fall then there is no stated reason for the non-election of the others. Unconditional, unmerited, election then also means unconditional unmerited non-election, ie, for no lack of merit or sinful condition at all some were passed over for salvation and NOT chosen to be saved if they should ever sin.

What can we make of such a supposition? Can we say it is loving? Righteous? Just? The best we can say is HE is sovereign and if HE chose this way then who are you to argue, which is not a real answer at all. Why teach us HE is loving, righteous and just if it has no meaning in the biggest question in their existence: Why were some passed over for election!!!

[ASIDE: It is entirely possible that the decision for some to receive unconditional unmerited election and others to receive unmerited rejection for election with no indication that this decision was loving, righteous or just could have precipitated the Satanic war in heaven when the non-elect were subject to a decision that was NOT loving, righteous or just so they committed themselves to war, putting their faith in the belief that YHWH was a false god and a liar, unworthy of being their GOD.]

This is what unconditional implies. It implies 'no reason', not just an 'unknown reason' because if there was a reason there would be merit to being on the side of the reason. Unconditional election means everyone was just as acceptable for election as everyone else but some did not receive it....that is what 'without merit' also means! That does NOT sound like my GOD at all. IF they were passed over for a evil they did then there is a righteous reason to their being passed over and to the election of those that were not passed over but who got the promise of election because they did not do that evil!!

IF election was a response to the Satanic rebellion to reward those angels who did not rebel and to pass over those angels who did rebel and condemn them on the spot, then election by merit makes sense. Their rebellion to the command to put their faith in the Son and to love one another which they heard in the beginning* is then the reason they were passed over to be HIS Bride. The choice by some to accept HIM as their GOD and to put their faith in in HIS Son was then the reason they were elected based upon the merit of this choice to obey the commandment.

*1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. I believe that John is referring to the loving purpose GOD has for each of us: 1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Thus we probably have a precedent in the angels for election being based upon merit and proper free will decisions being the condition of being elected. And since unconditional election is apparently false in the first people elected, I strongly suggest that it is also wrongly used for sinful men who were also elected in the beginning before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4. probably at the time of the Satanic fall and election of those of faith.