Once saved always saved

[Dryhn]

To understand Christ, one must first understand these signs point to supernatural fulfillment by the power of the Holy Spirit through the name of Christ. Signs are gifts through the Holy Spirit that Christ gave to the church "bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will." These supernatural signs are gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the will of God.

Mr 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mr 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mr 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mr 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Mr 16:19 ¶ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mr 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1Co 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Are you able to "take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, cast out devils, speak in new tongues "
If not then according to those verses you are not saved

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Cant or wont?

You tell me

1 John 3:
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

A saved child of God has the free will to do either but John doesnt mean that. John means wont practice sin vs cant practice sin, your answer seems to be saying that once your a child of God you Cant practice as if you just physically unable to sin when its a choice you make.

All I did was take what John said, and quote it.

Im not saying a child of God never sins ever..... just that its a choice and that if your going to consider yourself a child of God you will make that choice not to sin..... maybe I took your post wrong but it seems that your saying a child Cant because something keeps you from sinning outside your choice...

Ofcourse the Holy Spirit helps you to not sin but its your decision

You can fall away into your old lifestyle for however long and practice sin

Paul says in romans that if you willfuly sin theres no more sacrifice for your sins.... meaning there was a sacrifice for your sins but you fell back into your old life and sinned over and again.... paul finnishes that chapter by saying - but we are not those who fall back to destruction.....
(Paul is including himself when he says "we" meaning we as believers)(unbelievers never rise out of destruction - only believers can fall back into it)

Doesnt mean you cant repent and again live the life of a child of God... the so called prodicals son he is with the Father but, while hes out in the world willfully sinning he is dead (lost) to the Father (spiritually) and theres no sacrifice for his sin at that point Until he repents and lives again.... if he does not repent he stays dead and lost in destruction.... its a choice

Your posing the question

Must I keep myself saved, or does God keep me

My God keeps me.

Good luck trying to keep yourself.

I can not live in sin because I am not my old self. the old man was crucified. I have been made into a new creature through imperishable seed.

The dog returns to his vomit because he is a dog.

A true child of God is no longer a dog. he will not fall back to his vomit because he is a new creature. Vomit (sin) no longer tastes good, it no longer satisfies us, It no longer is something we eat out of our old nature..

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Paul says in romans that if you willfuly sin theres no more sacrifice for your sins.
Thats Hebrews 10:26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Scripture does not teach that Paul wrote Hebrews.

the willful sin in this passage is to willfully reject christ.

Person sin is not in mention here

Anyone who thinks when they sin it is not willful is fooling themselves.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Jesus and paul taught the same message

the gospel has never changed in the history of the world.

it has always been by grace through faith.

the only thing that changed is we know how God saved us.. (Jesus)

 

[Chaplain James]

John 10:28
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." KJV

 

[Taken]

Had Judas lost his salvation?
or is he now sitting at the right side of Jesus??

Your 'God's Eternal Assurance' does not make sense!

To put a Spiritual event into a Secular example, for your Mind to get the jist…

If I buy a gift for every person…
The Gift Exists.

If I Offer (with Terms) that Gift to every person…
The Offer Stands.

When I tell you the Terms…
You have been Informed, of How you can Receive the Offer.

Terms:
* You MUST “Heartfully” Believe in, the one Exists, MAKING the Offer.
* You MUST “Confess” (Testify), you “Heartfully” Believe, To the one who makes the Offering.
* You MUST, MAKE the One making the OFFER, the beneficiary OF your Body, when it Mortally Dies…
(ie. Give permission the One Making the OFFERING, that THEY CAN CLAIM YOUR Dead BODY.

IF YOU AGREE TO the TERMS…AND the EFFECTS…

EFFECTS…
* Your Body, soul, spirit Shall BE Forgiven, for Having HAD Not Believed.
* Your SOUL Shall be Restored…
from naturally NOT Good, TO Spiritually GOOD, as it WAS when God imparted it into your body.

* Your Natural Spirit (ie. Your natural truth in your Heart)… will be Changed.

CHANGE…
*Circumcision of your Natural Truth cut off regarding Spiritual Things.
* Given a NEW Heart, New Spiritual TRUTH.
* IN Your NEW HEART, the Seed of God shall be entered…and Birth you a New Spiritual Spirit.
* In your new spirit, in your new heart… The Holy Spirit of God will enter and Dwell “With-IN you.
* THAT Holy Spirit IS ONE of the Seven Spirits of God…Called the “Spirit of Truth.”
* That Spirit of Truth will Continually FEED you Truths From God.

Agreeable…?
Comply……..?
EFFECT…You are ONCE and Forever…
Given a restored (saved) soul.
Given a new Heart.
Given Gods Seed, Quickened (Have a born again spirit.
Gods Spirt dwell IN your new Heart.
Promised, When your body is Raised Up (at an unknown future time)…
Your Body SHALL BE Raised up Glorified, Sinless, and Forever WITH God, face to face you SHALL See Him as He IS.

EFFECT…You have the FREEWILL to hear, listen, obey, That Spirit of Truth. (Or not).

OR NOT…you will suffer loss of Rewards… He gives for obedience.

EFFECT…You agree and Reach Out Take His Offering…Accept His Terms…
His Offering OF Salvation is then Given You.

Your salvation IS given ONCE, Secured Forever., BY THE POWER of God

You WANT Gods Offering?
Reach out AND TAKE IT!

You WANT to REJECT, LOSE Gods Offering?
Don't REACH OUT AND TAKE It!


You haphazard, slack in obedience, slothful, testy, intentional trespasser to others, cheater, thief, immoral, etc.
You SHALL, lose “treasures, rewards,” you would have otherwise been given….(From God)…had you been upstanding among men,
(Ie. Not a trespasser).

1 Cor 3:
[13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
[14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
[15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[rwb]

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Are you able to "take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, cast out devils, speak in new tongues "
If not then according to those verses you are not saved

Yes, spiritually believers do! How? Through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Believers have power over every enemy when we speak with new tongues, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God through Christ, when we speak the Word to nations in their own language/tongue.

Lu 10:17 ¶ And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Lu 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Lu 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luke 10:20 (KJV) Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

If you do not know the power of God in you, I won't say you are not saved, but perhaps you are still a babe in Christ who has not matured and therefore you are not able to discern things of the Spirit.

 

[beechan]

…

If I buy a gift for every person…
The Gift Exists.

If I Offer (with Terms) that Gift to every person…
The Offer Stands.

When I tell you the Terms…
You have been Informed, of How you can Receive the Offer.

Terms:
* You MUST “Heartfully” Believe in, the one Exists, MAKING the Offer.
* You MUST “Confess” (Testify), you “Heartfully” Believe, To the one who makes the Offering.
* You MUST, MAKE the One making the OFFER, the beneficiary OF your Body, when it Mortally Dies…
(ie. Give permission the One Making the OFFERING, that THEY CAN CLAIM YOUR Dead BODY.

when the offer requires ‘terms’ and with so many ‘You MUST……’, then it would suggest the offer and gift would not last unless such terms are met.

 

[Taken]

becasue the eternal assurance hit a rock with Judas case, so you made up such statement: Judas never believed from the beginning !

Judas was chosen…Yet never believed…

Judas followed along…
Was given guardian authority over the Disciples Treasury…(Earmarked for their needs to minister)

It was a LESSON AND WARNING…for the Believing Disciples…
So they could witness how some will follow along, while Deceptively Secretly Plot …
To Betray when the opportunity arises…
Particularly when … their fingers have control and access to the MONEY POT!

(does tax collector, banker, tithe collector, Ring a bell ?….) TO beware…?
For their agreement to safeguard, use as intended…
and regularly BETRAY?

 

[Taken]

when the offer requires ‘terms’ and with so many ‘You MUST……’, then it would suggest the offer and gift would not last unless such terms are met.

Banks … make Safekeeping & loan Offers…
Lending companies…make Credit Offers…
Neighbors …make Trade Offers…
Lotto Establishments…make Prize Offers…
Nations…make citizenship Offers..
Auto co….make sale Offers…

Ya think ANY of THOSE OFFERS Do NOT come with “Terms”?

Ha… Dream on… it’s called the “fine print”, that teeny tiny font, they hope you ignore….
And seemingly in your case…completely
Unaware.
Penalties, confiscation of other assets… can occur if one defaults.


… With the All Knowing God…
Ya think He doesn’t already Know… IF you will stay in compliance?

 

[WHO ME]

Yes, to the audience Hebrews was written to.
What do you believe are the saving Gospel verses that Paul taught that applies to you ?

Hebrews (jews) have the same sacrifice for sins as we do....

 

[rwb]

Hebrews (jews) have the same sacrifice for sins as we do....

Exactly! Paul proves that Jews of Old heard the Gospel of the Kingdom of God through Christ. The same Gospel of the Kingdom now being preached to Gentiles throughout all the nations of the world.

Ro 10:12 ¶ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Ro 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Ro 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Ro 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Ro 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Ro 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Ro 10:19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
Ro 10:20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
Ro 10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

 

[WHO ME]

In that case Mark 16:18 applies today too, can you do that ? :)

They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

So the jews have a different salvational path than the gentiles is what your implying....

 

[WHO ME]

In that case Mark 16:18 applies today too, can you do that ? :)

They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

We never saw even the diciples take up snakes or drink deadly things on purpose correct?

 

[PinSeeker]

I can't change the context which is Jesus Himself choosing the moment to apply FORKNOWLEDGE of Judas betraying Him.

And I wouldn't expect you to. Yes, Jesus knew who would betray him beforehand, yes. But Paul ~ quite obviously; see above ~ uses 'foreknew' ~ "those whom God foreknew" ~ in a very different sense.

Grace and peace to you.

 

[GRACE ambassador]

So the jews have a different salvational path than the gentiles is what your implying....

Yes, Scripture Teaches Different Commands, so, we repeatedly ask: "Which do we Obey",
and either get NO answer, or Every one of Them?:

I have decided to follow Jesus?

We will each decide for our own self, right?

 

[FaithWillDo]

Go......

Is the phrase "once saved, always saved" true? Yes! The keys to understanding this truth is knowing WHEN a person is actually saved and having a correct understanding of what it means to fall from grace.

Falling from grace is not a loss of salvation. Why? Because it can only happen to a believer before they are saved - and since they are not saved when they fall from grace, they cannot lose something that they did not have in the first place.

Here is the truth that scripture teaches about the apostasy (falling from grace):

Shortly after Paul's death, 100% of the babes (no sheep were spared) in the churches fell away and began teaching "perverse things" (Acts 20:29-31). Those perverse teachings quickly became common place and were fully accepted by orthodox Christianity. By the time John received the vision recorded in Revelation, the churches had already begun teaching and following "another gospel" - the one that Paul warned would come after his "departing". Nothing has changed over the centuries since that time, even up to today. The churches of this world are still following Satan's false gospel.

So how does Satan's gospel differ from the true Gospel of Christ?

Satan's gospel mixes the works of man with the works of Christ. The Old Covenant was based solely on the works of man for a person to be acceptable to God. It failed.

The New Covenant is based solely on the works of Christ for a person to be acceptable to God. It succeeds.

The two covenants should NOT be mixed together.

Prov 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine (Old & New Covenant mixed together). 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red (Old Wine), when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moves itself (man’s works) aright. 32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.

In this age, when Christ decides to begin the SALVATION PROCESS within a person, He will come to them in their unbelieving spiritual state and freely (without their permission or asking for it) give them a small measure of the Holy Spirit. In the farming analogy, the small measure of the Holy Spirit is called the Early Rain. The Early Rain will give a person a measure of faith and other gifts but it will leave them carnally minded, spiritually blind and unconverted. Scripture calls this new believer a "babe" or "virgin". They have been called to be a saint but they are not a saint yet. This is when a person enters the church.

After Christ gives a person the Early Rain, they begin their time of waiting for Christ to return with their salvation. The time of waiting occurs between the Early and Latter Rains.

Heb 9:28 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to BRING SALVATION to those who are waiting for him.

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the EARLY and LATTER RAIN. 8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

The time period of waiting is referred to as "time, times and a half, 3 1/2 years, 42 months and 1260 days". When you read a scripture that contains these terms, know that the verse is teaching on the spiritual events that occur to a babe between the Early and Latter Rains. During each babe's time of waiting for Christ to return to convert them, they will come under the deceptions of the spirit of anti-Christ and will fall away. They fall away because they have accepted Satan's false gospel which mixes works with faith. For this reason, a babe's time of waiting is called a time of GREAT TRIBULATION and the time of Elijah's 3 1/2 years of drought.

As a result of the indwelling of the spirit of anti-Christ and the babe's acceptance of Satan's false gospel, the babe will become "worse than the first" (Mat 12:43-45) and will become a MAN OF SIN/ANTI-CHRIST/BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS & CROWNS. These spiritual terms represent all apostate babes. THERE WILL NOT BE A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL CALLED THE ANTI-CHRIST WHO RISES TO POWER AT THE LITERAL END OF THE AGE. That is a false teaching from spiritually blind apostate teachers.

The mixing of works with faith is the "sin that leads to death" (1John 5:16). It is founded upon the false Doctrine of Free Will. When a babe mixes works with faith, they have consumed the mixed wine presented in Prv 23:29-32 which I quoted above. This makes the pathway of Christ "crooked". Christ requires His pathway to be "straight" (faith alone) before He will appear to a babe for their conversion.

Since all babes fall away, how can an apostate babe be saved before they die?

For the ELECT babes ONLY, Christ will come again to them before they die and will pour out the Latter Rain. The Latter Rain is the baptism. This event will cause them to repent of their works which will restore their faith. With the pathway now made "straight", Christ will spiritually come and "appear" to them (the second coming). When Christ appears, He will commence the Day of the Lord within them. After this judgment is complete, the person will be converted and saved.

The verse below is teaching on the conversion event:

1Sam 12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? (day of salvation/conversion) I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder (Voice of Christ) and Rain (Latter Rain); that ye may perceive and see (spiritual blindness healed) that your wickedness is great (have become apostate/man of sin), which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

AFTER AN ELECT PERSON IS CONVERTED, THEY ARE SAVED AND THAT SALVATION IS ETERNALLY SECURE. The phrase "once saved, always saved" applies at this point.

For the apostate babes who are NOT elect, Christ will NOT give them the Latter Rain before they die. They will die in their sins and they will receive their portion with the unbelievers in the Lake of Fire (a symbol for judgment/not literal fire). But because Christ came to save the world (1John 4:14), He will not forget the balance of unsaved mankind. In the final age, Christ will include MERCY, FAITH, AND JUSTICE during His judgment of the lost. His mercy will birth a new child of God and will leave the child of the Devil in the Lake of Fire to perish. This death will satisfy justice.

These verses apply:

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law: JUSTICE, MERCY AND FAITH: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun (Christ is the Sun) to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain (the Early and Latter Rain) on the just and on the unjust.

After the last person of mankind has been converted, the verses below will be testified to be true:

1Tim 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Luke 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Joe

 

[PinSeeker]

The point is the Gospel that you are justified, saved & HS sealed by is taught by Paul

Absolutely correct, and while undeniably true, that's... not really the Gospel. The Gospel, Dry ~ the good news ~ is that Christ Jesus died for our sin and has thus reconciled us to God, redeemed us, and we have eternal life. Yes, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 is specifically the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30 are very closely tied to it. All the apostles taught the very same Gospel, as there is only one. Just in the way of example, we can take what Peter said in 1 Peter 1:3-5 (for example) in the exact same light:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."​

Now, to what you way here, though, Paul was more outspoken and more explicit than the other apostles regarding soteriology ~ how we are saved ~ than the other apostles, but not the Gospel. But what Peter says in the passage above touches heavily on that, too. <smile> That this inheritance that we have is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us, who by God's power are being guarded through faith, is absolutely the same thing ~ yes, said in a different way, but the same ~ as what Paul says about our being sealed in the Holy Spirit. And so do John and the writer of Hebrews (who may be Paul, we don't know, but I think not... but probably one of the apostles).

Christ sent Paul to teach the 12 what he was teaching Gal 2:2

No, He sent Him to teach to the Gentile Christians in Galatia (as well as Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica, and other cities). Likewise, they went to different places and groups of people... but preached the same Gospel.

...there was no need to send Paul to the 12

Agreed; He sent them, too, to different audiences. <smile>

Plus ALL the apostles agreed that Paul was to teach a different audience than they Gal 2:7-9

Absolutely. But his specific ministry ~ or the two whom he was ministering/preaching ~ being different from the others does not in any way then mean that he preached a different Gospel than they did... or that they preached a different Gospel than Paul did. To think otherwise is quite ridiculous.

Grace and peace to you, Dryhn.

 

[Kayla McCanny]

I don't believe that we don't have free will. I believe God predestined us, but we have to choose it. I struggle with skitzaffective disorder and it tells me God damned me. I'm a Christian and romans 10:12 says anyone who calls on the name of the lord and means it will be and is saved.

 

[FaithWillDo]

I don't believe that we don't have free will. I believe God predestined us, but we have to choose it. I struggle with skitzaffective disorder and it tells me God damned me. I'm a Christian and romans 10:12 says anyone who calls on the name of the lord and means it will be and is saved.

Dear Kayla,
Yes, God the Father predestined those who will be saved in this age. The doctrine of free will is a lie from Satan.

To accomplish the salvation of the elect, Christ will do 100% of the spiritual work within each of them before they die. Nothing is left to chance or to the person's "will". Christ will give them their "will" to act and to do. Christ will even give them the answer of their tongue.

Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Prov 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Jer 10:23 I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.

As you said, the elect have to "choose it" but it is Christ within them that causes them make their choice.

Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom he called, them He also justified: and whom he justified, them He also glorified.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that (faith) not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

In my post just above (#297), I outlined the pathway that Christ will cause the elect to travel to their salvation. It begins with the Early Rain, followed by a "time of waiting" for the Lord to return with salvation.

Heb 9:28 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to BRING SALVATION to those who are waiting for him.

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the EARLY and LATTER RAIN. 8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Joe