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BULLETIN NINETY FIVE

      ELECTION, SELECTION AND THE WAYS, WORKS AND WILL OF GOD

If one were to ask, Do you believe in 'unconditional election., the answer could be this.

In that it is God, who has the love to bother regarding human beings and their salvation, has presented and uses the Gospel in finding those who are His, and Himself makes the decision upon the result, yes in the most obvious of ways, it is so. It is unconditional  election, dependent on God's nature, decisions, usages, instruments, inspection and what He appoints to be so. He selects His own, saves and keeps them.

Yet lest any misunderstand, it is best to get beyond mere tags in such a case. It MUST be added that

SINCE HE HIMSELF has sovereignly decided upon

all these functions and needs and meeting of needs,

the Gospel and the results of its application,

AND it is HIS Gospel, HIS decision about who is who,

and that decision of His involves finding those who prefer Him
as in John 3:19,

and that is in  terms of His desire for all to be  reconciled (Colossians 1:19ff.),

and that decision involves the inclination of those to be found (John 3:`9),
truly known past all knots and conditions:

then there is a condition, but one prepared and appointed, 
applied and read by God ONLY.

If you want to discern this result in terms of what the Bible actually says, what then ? Then it is a sovereignly created and met selection in which the ways of God find the heart of man, this before time, sin and man's creation (Ephesians 1:4), and He knowing His own will concerning man, and the preference of each person, sees, seizes and predestines that very thing.

You might, if careful enough in understanding, perhaps call it sovereign election through the preferences of uncreated man in terms of the eternal heart of God. But that is rather long ? no matter, what IS important is the biblical answer, short or long. So passionate is His love that the result of John 15:21ff. and 9:39-41, cannot be avoided.

IF they had NOT seen the things and heard the words, they would have 'no sin', that is, not be judged at that point. The case would not in that case be closed. The equivalent of knowledge of what they are rejecting is required as from the first in the foreknowledge of God or at the last in the destiny incumbent. This or its divinely enacted equivalent is a condition for those wanting to get to hell. Ultimately, there is fairness and fervour alike in His selection: His desire is repeatedly stated (e.g. Colossians 1:19ff.); man's need is divinely covered BY Him as broadly as for the race and as intensively as for the individual, and He enacts in accord with truth, and at the instance of love.

This love may be rejected. Divine love is like that, and human love is purified when this loving restraint regarded.