“But then again, he was a Calvinist. Like all Calvinists, he had more respect for John Calvin and his teachings then he did for Jesus and His teachings.”
Joh 6:64-65 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. (65) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
“As for me and my house, we shall follow the one true God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, not John Calvin and his misguided teachings.”
So Martin Luther, all of the Reformists, John Knox and all the Scottish divines who brought revival to that country, Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, countless others... weren’t following Jesus Christ!?
Not if and when they put so much emphasis on Calvinism that they make others think they are lost if they don't agree with him.
Joh 6:64-65 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. (65) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life" John 3:16
I do not think Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he had to be one of the chosen. He told him that all are chosen, yet some will and some will not accept the gift of life.
So yes, God chose us before we knew who He was. However, what he means is we are all chosen, not just some. Yet some of those who are chosen before the creation of time, will not accept the offer, thus some will lose out and be sent to hell that was created for Satan and his minions. After all, hell was created for Satan, not man.
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Matthew 25:41
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,
not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2Peter3:9
Gee, it sounds like God wants all to come to repentance, not just certain individuals chosen above others, but ALL.
Unfortunately, many will not accept the gift of life. Instead they will end up in the place that was created for Satan, not man.
See, you Calvinists have a bit of a problem, because when you claim that only the elect are chosen, then you also claim that many were created for the sole purpose of going to a hell that was created for Satan, and God did not say he created hell for man.
Jesus clearly tells us that hell was created for Satan and his angels, not man. We also learn from Peter that God wants all men, that is
ALL MEN, WOMEN, & CHILDREN to come to repentance and gain eternal salvation....Not some, but all!