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To: HarleyD

But you can’t deny that God’s purpose through Isaiah was Israel’s salvation. The whole book is God begging Israel to get right. But God, being who He is, knew they would reject Him. It’s really that simple. God knows who will reject Him and who will accept Him, but His desire is that all are saved.

Isaiah 55:6&7

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Isa 49:15
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.


15 posted on 03/18/2013 2:03:33 PM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
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To: demshateGod
God knows who will reject Him and who will accept Him, but His desire is that all are saved.

It is impossible that God has a desire that he is unable to accomplish.

That would mean he was not all-powerful, but he is all-powerful. If he wants something to happen, he makes it happen. He knows what he is going to make happen in the future.
35 posted on 03/18/2013 5:08:54 PM PDT by PieterCasparzen (We have to fix things ourselves)
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To: demshateGod
God knew, yes (and by His knowing, predestined since God cannot have wrong knowledge).

The call goes out to everyone (free offer of the Gospel).

God's people respond. Those who do not are left to perish in their sins but nonetheless culpable as per Luke 12:47: "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes."

Election isn't to give fear to God's people but rather comfort. Nonetheless, the doctrine is justly terrifying to those who hear and harden themselves. Take comfort, therefore, if you are shaken by the awesome majesty of our King's sovereignty in election that you, too, are numbered among His elect if you are in Christ Jesus.

38 posted on 03/18/2013 5:31:24 PM PDT by Lexinom
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To: demshateGod
But you can’t deny that God’s purpose through Isaiah was Israel’s salvation.

That is not what Isaiah 6 states. God's purpose through Isaiah was to harden their hearts so they wouldn't come to Him. But God in His mercy and grace is gracious enough to save a remnant.

The whole book is God begging Israel to get right.

God doesn't beg. God loves. Man doesn't seek God. Man rebels against this love. Destruction is decreed for all but a remnant.

This is the story of man. We saw the same thing when God wouldn't allow Adam and Eve to eat of the Tree of Life. We saw it again with Noah and the flood. We saw it with the tower of Babel. And the rebellion of Israel in the wilderness with Moses. On and on. The whole book of Judges in this constant dynamic; God saves, man rebels. Paul tells us now God has hardened the hearts of the Jews until time time of the Gentile is complete (Romans 9).

We have a highly inflated value of self-worth. The only reason any of us are saved is because God is exceptually patience and loving to us by which He extends His grace. He doesn't beg us to come to Him. He acts aggressively to save His elect by His will. And those of us who are saved are saved ONLY because He so decreed it just like the remnant of Isaiah's time.


46 posted on 03/18/2013 6:08:52 PM PDT by HarleyD
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