CharlieOK1: "I am a Baptist and strong in my Christian beliefs, but this is something that I have struggled with. Would be interested in discussion on this subject, but maybe I need to head over to the Religion board."
What's to struggle with? Remember the thief on the cross? He was one of God's Elect, but it wasn't evident until the very day he died.
Just because Gandhi or the Dali Lama don't embrace the ONE true God today, doesn't mean we can count them out just yet.
Where there's life, there's hope that they (and many others) are one of God's elect (that he chose before the foundation of the earth. Rev.13:7-8; 17:8; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:28-30; Romans 9:11-13; Romans 11:7; 2Thess.2:13; 1 Pet.1:1 (NIV); 2:9, etc., etc., etc.
?.................What part of,..... "NO".....don't you understand?
(Romans 10:17)
Well the Dali Lama is still alive. Gandhi is dead. Does that make a difference? If you go to your death an unbeliever don't most mainstream Protestants (no path to the father except through me, etc) think you go to hell?
Where there's life, there's hope that they (and many others) are one of God's elect (that he chose before the foundation of the earth.
So here are you saying God has already decided who to save and who to damn? Calvinism? Where does that leave salvation through Christ?
...died...??????
.......or, better.......????
What's to struggle with? Remember the thief on the cross? He was one of God's Elect, but it wasn't evident until the very day he BELIEVED.
.................................????????....................
???.....Acts 16:30-31.........is it 'shalt',....or 'might'....?
(Titus 1:2.........Romans 10:17)